gor, this isn’t your entire salary, is it? Alina asked, eyeing the thin stack of cash.
It’s all of it! Igor replied confidently.
If you’ve set some money aside, I’m not going to get mad, but you’d better just put it back, she nodded toward the table.
How can you even think that? he protested. That I would hide money from my family? Never! I’m an honest man!
Don’t yell, Alina said quietly. Maybe your bonus got delayed?
This is with the bonus! Igor snapped back.
Then we can’t go anywhere, she said in confusion. My paycheck isn’t for another two weeks, and our car payment is due in five days.
It’s enough to cover the loan, Igor waved it away.
Just enough for the loan, Alina sighed. But what are we going to eat?
Borrow from someone until payday, he shrugged.
Let’s say I borrow, she replied in frustration. How would we pay it back? My salary goes to the mortgage and utilities! We’re barely scraping by until you get paid! And with this—it’s impossible!
I’ll call the bank and ask for a deferral, Igor suggested nonchalantly. Or maybe you could request a mortgage holiday!
We’ve already asked for deferrals three times! Alina exclaimed. Did you forget they check our income? According to the paperwork, we’re fine!
But we’re not managing, he muttered.
Because this isn’t a salary—it’s pennies! her voice trembled. Igor, where’s the rest of the money? Or should I call accounting to ask how much you actually received? I have a friend there, remember?
Alina, that’s enough! he looked away.
Again? she guessed.
What do you mean ‘again’? he flared up. There was an urgent need! I was just helping! Not some strangers—my own family!
We talked about this! she grabbed her head. I’m not against helping your mom and sister, but let’s take care of our bills first, then figure out how much we can actually give them!
I got paid—so I helped! his voice turned harsher.
Good for you! Alina replied sarcastically. And who’s going to help us? Our budget is combined! All expenses come from both our salaries! And you just gave away half of it! How are we supposed to live now?
We’ll borrow, Igor shrugged.
From whom? she rolled her eyes. From my mother again? Don’t you think it’s strange that my mom is basically supporting your relatives?
Alina, stop obsessing over money! Igor shouted. Like there’s nothing more important in life! I just helped my family! It’s a good deed! They even thanked me!
Then tonight for dinner, you’ll have your family’s ‘thank you!’ she shouted back. And that’s the only thing you’ll have for the next two weeks!
You’ve completely lost it! Igor barked. I brought money home!
That’s just money for your car loan! she blurted out.
The words hit a nerve. Igor’s tone changed.
Alinka, sweetheart… There was a situation! My niece’s shoes fell apart and she needed new ones urgently! Her clothes are too small too! You know how fast kids grow when they’re five! Plus they’ve got unpaid utilities, Lena’s paycheck is delayed… They have no one else to ask!
Igor, she lowered her voice, I understand things are tough for them. But who’s going to help us? Maybe your sister can pay us back as soon as she gets her salary? Then we might be able to make it work.
‘What are you even talking about?’ he snapped, his tone growing harsh again. ‘Did I lend money to strangers? Isn’t family supposed to help each other with no strings attached? When your mom gives you money, does she ever ask for it back?’
‘My mom only gives as much as she can—so she doesn’t go hungry herself!’ Alina’s voice broke again. ‘And you, when you handed out money, didn’t you think of your own son and wife? That you’d leave us with nothing? What were you even thinking?’
Alina never planned on being a wife or mother at twenty-four. After college, she landed a job as a nurse in a hospital, dreaming of going to medical school one day. A year later, she took out a mortgage—with help from her mother, who chipped in her savings for the down payment and co-signed the loan.
She worked hard, and her salary kept going up. Within two years, Alina was managing the payments on her own.
Marriage wasn’t in her plans, but an unexpected pregnancy changed everything. When she thought about an abortion, her doctor advised against it and warned her about the risks.
Igor was thrilled by the news and immediately proposed. They had a small wedding and moved into her apartment.
After maternity leave, Alina returned to work, but her dream of medical school had to wait. Igor wasn’t the perfect husband: he’d cook and clean sometimes, but he couldn’t handle being alone with their child for long.
But the worst part was, he never fully belonged to Alina and their son. There was always something—his mom needed help, then his sister. At first, Alina let it slide—these things happen. But then, he started ‘lending’ money to his family.
‘Igor, your mom still works! Does she really not have enough?’ she asked.
‘Something broke,’ he claimed. ‘We had to replace the faucet immediately.’
‘And what about us? Will we have enough?’
‘We have two salaries, don’t we?’ he smirked.
‘And a child!’ Alina retorted. ‘Can we at least discuss these expenses first?’
Sometimes he’d agree to talk things over, but most of the time, the money just disappeared quietly.
Then Igor took out a loan to buy a car.
‘We need it!’ he insisted.
‘Why? The grocery store is five minutes away, my job is just next door, and the daycare is close by. We don’t have a country house, and I go to visit my mom just once a month by taxi.’
‘But I need it for work!’
‘You can get there in twenty minutes by bus. What’s the point?’
‘You just don’t get it!’ he grumbled in frustration.
‘Fine, get it if you want,’ Alina gave in. ‘But pay the car loan only with your own salary.’
Turns out, the car wasn’t really for them. Igor’s mother and sister quickly made use of it.
Then his sister and her child moved in with their mom. The amounts of ‘help’ Igor handed over kept getting bigger.
‘Igor, do you have any conscience left?’ Alina asked desperately. ‘Can’t you see that we don’t have enough for ourselves?’
‘Stop exaggerating!’ he brushed her off.
‘I know exactly what you make! You gave away a third of your salary! We agreed you wouldn’t!’
‘Stop nagging!’ he snapped back.
The arguments got more frequent. Igor swore it wouldn’t happen again, but the money kept disappearing. Alina started borrowing from her mother, but her mom refused to take it back: ‘Keep it, you have a child.’
Then one day, Igor brought home less than half his salary.
‘I’m so sick of this!’ he shouted. ‘I did something good for once! All you care about is money!’
‘I need to feed our child! Pay the bills! Buy clothes!’ her voice trembled. ‘Because of your “good deed” now I don’t know how I’ll manage!’
‘So what do you want from me? Take the money back? You…
“I don’t care how you get the money!” she clenched her fists. “But I will not borrow from my mother! It’s embarrassing to explain that my husband feeds everyone except his own family!”
He wanted to reply, but suddenly Alina noticed a new photo of his sister pop up on his phone.
In the photo — his mom, sister, and niece were dining at an expensive restaurant. The table was covered in dishes that Alina had never even tasted.
“So this is what they spent your money on!” she shoved the phone in his face. “They’re eating lobster, and I don’t know how I’m going to buy pasta!”
“Well, they’re celebrating…” Igor stammered, unsure.
“Call them and demand they pay you back!”
“I won’t! They’re my family!”
“Then go live with them!” she screamed. “I’m not going to starve while they feast with my money!”
“With my money!”
“Our money! If you’re so happy to hand it out, then go live with the people you give it to!”
She kicked him out with the help of the police. The apartment was hers, and he wasn’t registered there. The car loan was now his problem. The court required him to pay child support.
A month later, Alina realized that with her salary and the child support, she and her son were actually living better.
Why did she put up with someone who always chose his relatives over his own child?
Six months had passed since Alina kicked Igor out. Life without him turned out to be… calmer. Sure, it was tough to handle the mortgage, daycare, work, and raising her son all alone, but at least she didn’t have to wonder how much money Igor would send to his mom or sister today.
One evening, as she was putting five-year-old Artyom to bed, there was a knock at the door.
“Who is it?” Alina asked cautiously, not opening the door.
“It’s me…” Igor’s voice came through, muffled.
He stood on the doorstep thinner than before, with dark circles under his eyes. In his hands was a battered bag filled with children’s toys.
“Can I come in? I wanted to see my son…”
Alina hesitated, but let him in. When Artyom heard his father’s voice, he ran out of the room and jumped into his arms. Igor hugged him tightly, and Alina noticed his hands were shaking.
“How are you?” she asked curtly.
“Not good,” he admitted, lowering his eyes. “The bank took the car… I couldn’t keep up with the payments.”
“And your mom and sister didn’t help?” she couldn’t help but ask.
Igor clenched his jaw but didn’t snap back.
“They… are in debt themselves. Lena is out of work again, and they can’t get my niece into kindergarten…”
Alina nodded silently. She almost felt glad about his misfortunes — but immediately caught herself. “No, I’m not like that,” she thought.
“Alina, I…” he hesitated. “I got a second job. I’ll be able to pay more child support. And… if it’s okay, I’d like to see Artyom more often.”
She sighed.
“Fine. But only if you come on time and don’t disappear for weeks again.”
“Thank you,” he whispered.
A few more months went by. Igor really did start visiting his son more often, and sometimes even helped Alina with repairs. One day, while he was fixing the kitchen faucet, she couldn’t hold back anymore:
“Igor, why haven’t you asked to come back?”
He froze.
“Because I don’t have the right. For years, I put everyone above you two… You were right to kick me out.”
“And what if I suggested we try again?” Alina suddenly asked, surprising herself.
He turned abruptly toward her, hope flickering in his eyes.
“Are you serious?”
“No,” she shook her head. “Just… checking.”
He laughed, but you could hear the bitterness in his voice.
“Fair enough.”
“But if you really do change…” she paused.
“I’ll try,” he said quietly.
The ending of this story hasn’t been written yet. But now Alina knows one thing: she will never allow herself to be last on her husband’s list of loved ones again. And if he wants to come back, he will have to prove it.