“Mom, wait! I told you not to touch my documents!” Marina burst into the office, but it was already too late. Galina Petrovna stood by the open safe with a folder in her hands, her face frozen in shock. Clutched in her trembling fingers was a document sealed by a notary—the will of Marina’s late … Read more
— I’ve decided—I’m going to my mom’s on Saturday. Probably for about three months. The words fell on the table between the plate of fried potatoes and the salad. They fell lightly, mundanely, like breadcrumbs. Artyom said them without breaking from his food, carefully spearing a browned piece of chicken on his fork. To him, … Read more
The first phone call from Sveta caught Irina off guard. Her sister-in-law never called just like that — usually, their communication was limited to holiday greetings and rare meetings at family gatherings. But that June evening, when Irina was washing dishes after dinner and Andrey was watching the news, the phone rang insistently. “Hey Andryusha,” … Read more
Once again, Rudolf came home from work and literally did not recognize his wife: he hadn’t seen anything like this since he was a child. Svetka, his neighbor in the village where little Rudik used to visit in summer, had bees. And one bee had stung Svetka on her lower lip, causing it to swell … Read more
“He’s with Liza now. And I’ll tell you a secret: she suits Vitya very well. Beautiful, well-groomed, and ambitious. And you… well, you understand—just a schoolmarm, in a word. You’re not what my son needs. So it’s time for you to pack your things and move out of the apartment. That’s what’s right,” the mother-in-law … Read more
The July heat was melting the asphalt in the courtyard of the nine-story building. From the seventh floor balcony, clothes were flying down — lace lingerie, jeans, dresses. They drifted like autumn leaves, settling on the scorching asphalt in a patchwork carpet. “There won’t be a wedding!” Igor’s voice carried across the entire courtyard. “I … Read more
Oleg slammed the fridge door so hard that the shelves inside rattled. One of the magnets fell to the floor with a dull clunk. Lena stood across from him, pale, her fists clenched. “Feel better now?” she exhaled, lifting her chin. “You’re driving me insane,” Oleg’s voice cracked, though he tried to speak more quietly. … Read more
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