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The door to the auto shop squeaked obnoxiously. The smell of gasoline and motor oil hit my nose—the scent of my past, the one I’d been running from for so long. In the middle of the bay, beneath a Ford hanging on chains, stood him. Sergei. My ex-husband. The same as ever—in a greasy coverall, … Read more

It all began in the noisy hallway of an elementary school, where children’s laughter bounced off the walls and the air carried the mingled scents of hot lunches — cutlets, burnt bread, and something sweet. Amid the chaos of chatter, footsteps, and games, a little girl named Lilia noticed what no one else seemed to … Read more

Little Artyom was peacefully snuffling in his crib, his tiny fist tucked under his rosy cheek, while I looked at him and thought about how little it sometimes takes for life to change its course completely. Just one phrase can destroy what seemed like a strong relationship and open your eyes to a person’s true … Read more

“Greedy, are you? Don’t want to help your sister?!” — her mother was indignant. “No, I don’t!” Kristina replied. “I’ll be ashamed to even look my husband in the eye now!” “I knew it. All you ever care about is what he’ll say, what he’ll think. You have no opinion of your own.” “What does … Read more

“I’m not going with you,” Oksana said calmly. “I’ve already made up my mind, and I’m going alone.” “You… what are you going to do? This is a joke, I hope?” “No jokes. I’m already at the stage of buying the ticket.” Oksana and her husband Igor hadn’t been to the sea for several years. … Read more

“— Olechka, you can’t do that—she’s your own mother, after all…” “— Mother?! That word doesn’t suit her at all! Please remember this: I don’t have a mother. I don’t. She died in childbirth.” “— Olya…” gasped Sofya Borisovna. “What terrible things you’re saying!” But Olya was already striding into the hall to go home. … Read more

Yana turned the key in the lock and let out a sigh of relief. Finally home. Behind her was another exhausting day at the office, where clients demanded the impossible and management pressed with deadlines. Her two-room apartment greeted her with its usual order and silence—everything lay exactly where it was supposed to. She kicked … Read more

Ksenia sat on the floor among the cardboard boxes, holding the keys to her very own apartment. Twenty-six years of life, and finally, she had a place of her own. “I can’t believe this is mine,” Ksenia whispered, looking around the empty room. Sunlight poured through the large windows. After years of renting tiny corners, … Read more

“What do you think you’re doing? Are you out of your mind?” Igor’s voice was no louder than a whisper, but the steel grip of his fingers digging into Kristina’s forearm spoke louder than any shout. He nearly dragged her out of the brightly lit, noisy living room into a narrow, dim corridor, where the … Read more

Marina sighed, staring at the computer screen. The numbers in the report blurred before her eyes—it was already eleven at night, and she was still at the office. Being the head of the marketing department at a large IT company demanded total commitment, but the pay matched the effort. At thirty-two, she earned more than … Read more