— And what are you all doing here?” Igor asked his wife, his sister-in-law, and his mother-in-law in a harsh tone. “Gather your money and get out!” he added, gesturing toward the exit.

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Little Igor, sweetheart, darling!” a young woman exclaimed as she embraced him, leaning in to kiss his cheek. “Mom’s in trouble.” “Again,” Igor thought to himself, “I’m so sick of this,” he muttered. But, turning to his wife with merely a smile, he asked: “What is it this time?” “Mom needs to undergo rehabilitation. She … Read more

And have you been with someone else for a long time?” Natasha asked, holding back tears.

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—And have you been with someone else for a long time?” Natasha asked, holding back tears. “Sweetheart, there’s nothing going on. You’ve misunderstood everything. You’ve drawn the wrong conclusions! There’s nothing, sweetheart!” Vadim mumbled, sounding frightened. And he really was scared. Ahead of him loomed the prospect of uncomfortable changes. It was one thing to … Read more

Good thing you have a three-room apartment! My family will move in right away! the fiancé had already planned the family dormitory.

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Lera scanned the kitchen with her eyes, pausing on the photograph attached to the fridge with a magnet. The picture was from last summer during her vacation, her smile before David came into her life. The morning sun was peeking through the blinds. The kitchen was her pride. Small, but carefully designed, with a functional … Read more

Tatyana arrived at her mother-in-law’s anniversary 40 minutes early and couldn’t believe her ears as she stood by the door.

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Tatiana had always been known for her punctuality. In particular, she could not allow herself to be late for her mother-in-law’s family celebration, especially on the day when Galina Petrovna, her husband Sergey’s mother, was celebrating her sixtieth birthday. Galina Petrovna was a woman of iron principles who considered punctuality a sign of good upbringing. … Read more

— Lenochka, sunshine, register Ira at your place! Just for a couple of months; she needs it to get her diploma

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My Mother-in-Law’s Words My mother-in-law uttered those words between the “for the birthday girl” toast and the “for mutual support” toast, loudly and with a smile, as if she were talking about the weather. I froze, glass in hand. The guests were laughing; some were reaching to refill their glasses, others were serving themselves “Olivier” … Read more

Nadya came to her senses in the ICU and realized that her life would never be the same again, as she heard what her husband had said.

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Nadia regained consciousness in the intensive care unit and realized that her life would never be the same again. She heard the words spoken by her husband. The snow-white walls, the monotonous beep of the machines, the sharp smell of antiseptic—everything overwhelmed her as she started coming to. Her head buzzed, her body felt foreign, … Read more