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Artyom Volkov stepped across the threshold of the luxurious lobby of his new headquarters with his usual confidence. The surroundings—crystal glass, polished marble, the cold gleam of metal—seemed like an extension of himself: flawless, sharp, and inaccessible. The secretary instantly jumped to her feet as soon as she caught sight of his reflection in the … Read more

Roman Viktorovich Serov, a distinguished-looking man with graying temples, sat in the cramped doctor’s office, clenching his hands so tightly his knuckles had turned white. His face, usually stern and composed, now betrayed a deep weariness, as though years of battling pain had finally etched their mark on him. For ten years, he had been … Read more

— I was counting on you, and you turned out to be such a selfish girl… — Mom, you’re asking the impossible… — Alyona began. — Impossible?! Nothing is impossible, if only you wanted it! But clearly, you don’t. So this is how you repay me—with black ingratitude for all those years I raised you, … Read more

“Everything you see was bought on a credit card. For me and Yeseniya only,” Vika replied calmly, taking off her jacket. “You transferred half your salary to your mother again. So let her decide what you’ll have for dinner.” “Are you out of your mind?” he turned around. “She’s my mother. I have to help … Read more

Larisa had never thought of herself as weak. On the contrary—people saw her as the embodiment of prudence, cold logic, and iron will. From childhood spent within the walls of an orphanage, she learned one unshakable rule: you can only rely on yourself. No one will come to the rescue. No one will save you. … Read more

Larisa Pavlovna stood in front of the mirror in the hallway, adjusting the collar of her snow-white blouse. Behind her sounded her husband’s familiar voice: “You’ve got those shows on again? Lara, how much longer? Twenty years of the same thing—kitchen, TV, kitchen, TV.” She didn’t turn around. On the screen, a French pastry chef … Read more

While parking near his favorite café at lunchtime, Anton couldn’t have imagined how it would all end. Suddenly, he saw two lovers standing across the street. They hugged, then sweetly chatted, gazing into each other’s eyes as if they hadn’t met in a hundred years. “Vera?” Anton muttered in shock and automatically dialed his wife’s … Read more

Larisa had always considered herself a calculating and cold-blooded person. The orphanage had taught her a harsh truth: rely only on yourself. She had a clear life route — like a project measured down to the millimeter. First, a teacher training college, then a job — modest, but reliable. And later — marriage. Not on … Read more

The heat was unbearable, even for late May. The sun, like a baker gone mad, scorched from the sky, branding the earth with red-hot iron. The air above the asphalt quivered like a frying pan. Dust kicked up by the occasional car hung suspended, slowly settling on the leaves of the poplars lining the road … Read more

“Happy birthday, Mommy!”—Katya, my only daughter, pecked her mother-in-law, Alla Borisovna, on the cheek. “Here, take this!” Inside a luxurious envelope with gold embossing were plane tickets and a voucher for a two-week vacation in Dubai. Five stars, all-inclusive, a personal butler, spa treatments—the full package. I noticed the Burj Al Arab logo—the most expensive … Read more