“That’s it, son, divorce her! Let her leave, and Yulia and I will settle in here!” dreamed the mother-in-law.
Larisa met Pavel at an auto repair shop, where she had brought her car after a minor accident. The tall brunette man with kind eyes and skilled hands made an impression on her. He worked as a mechanic, earned about fifty thousand a month, but said he wanted to open his own business. He dreamed of independence and stability.
They had a modest wedding. Larisa worked as a veterinarian in a private clinic and earned seventy thousand a month. The apartment had been inherited from her grandfather — a two-room place in a residential district, but in good condition. After the marriage registration, Pavel moved his things in and settled into his wife’s home.
The first months of married life passed peacefully. Pavel helped around the house and cooked dinner before Larisa came home from work. He talked about plans for the future, about how they would save money and open an auto repair shop. Larisa believed in those plans and supported her husband.
Raisa Petrovna appeared in their life gradually. At first, she called in the evenings, asking about her son’s health. Then she began coming over on Saturdays with homemade pies and advice on housekeeping. She was about fifty-five, energetic and talkative, and worked as a cashier in a grocery store.
“Son, you’ve lost weight,” Raisa Petrovna fussed, examining Pavel when they met. “Larisa, dear, do you feed your husband? A man must be well fed, otherwise he won’t have the strength to work.”
Larisa cooked well, but her mother-in-law always found a reason to criticize. Sometimes the soup was too thin, sometimes the meat was too tough, sometimes she hadn’t cooked enough porridge. Pavel stayed silent during these discussions, sometimes nodding in agreement with his mother.
Gradually, the visits became longer. Raisa Petrovna began staying overnight, saying the bus to her district was too late. She settled on the sofa in the living room, laying out sheets and a pillow she had brought with her. In the morning, she took her time getting ready, drank tea, and gave instructions to the young couple.
“Larisa, why do you shower every day?” her mother-in-law asked over breakfast. “You’re wasting water. And do you know how much electricity goes into heating it? You need to learn to save.”
“Raisa Petrovna, I work with animals. Hygiene is essential,” Larisa explained patiently.
“Yes, of course. But still, twice a week is quite enough. I’ve lived like that my whole life, and nothing happened to me.”
Pavel nodded, supporting his mother. Larisa began to understand that her husband was not ready to defend her. But she hoped that with time, the situation would change.
A month later, Yulia joined the visits — Pavel’s sister. The young woman studied at an institute by correspondence and lived with her mother two hours away from the city center. She supposedly came for classes and stayed overnight so she wouldn’t have to spend money traveling back and forth twice a day.
“Our Yulechka is so smart,” Raisa Petrovna praised her daughter. “She’ll become an economist. Not like some people, fussing around with animals. Yulia will have a career and marry well.”
Yulia was five years younger than Larisa, but she behaved as if she owned the place. She occupied the bathroom in the mornings, left dirty dishes in the sink, and talked loudly on the phone late into the night. Pavel treated his sister tenderly, constantly defending her and justifying her behavior.
“She’s a student, she gets tired from studying,” her husband said when Larisa tried to discuss the problems. “Be patient a little longer. Her exams will be over soon.”
But the exam period ended, and Yulia continued coming over. Now the excuse was practical classes, then extra courses, and then simply not wanting to waste time on the road. Gradually, the girl moved half her wardrobe into Larisa’s apartment.
Raisa Petrovna also increased the frequency of her visits. Now she came not only on weekends, but also on weekdays. She explained it as caring for the children and wanting to help with the household. She began holding family councils in the kitchen, where household matters and future plans were discussed.
“Pavlik, why does Larisa use so much electricity?” his mother reasoned over tea. “The lights are on everywhere, the television is running, the washing machine is turned on every day. You need to be more economical.”
“Mom, this isn’t our apartment,” Pavel objected weakly.
“What do you mean, not ours? You live here, so you are also the owner. And an owner must keep track of expenses.”
Larisa listened to these conversations from the hallway and was amazed by her mother-in-law’s arrogance. The woman talked about someone else’s expenses as if she paid the utility bills out of her own pocket. But Pavel did not stop these discussions; sometimes he even agreed with his mother.
Gradually, the atmosphere in the home changed. Raisa Petrovna began giving Larisa advice about work, criticizing her schedule, and explaining how to build a proper family life. Yulia joined these conversations too, expressing her opinion that a wife should spend more time at home.
“Larisa, why do you come home so late?” her mother-in-law asked when she returned from work at eight in the evening. “Family should come first. Pavlik waits all day, and you’re still fussing around with animals.”
“I have surgeries, emergency calls. It’s not always possible to leave exactly on time,” Larisa explained.
“Yes, of course. And your husband, what is he — not a person? Look at Yulia. She cooks, cleans, and takes care of the home. See how domestic she is?”
Larisa began to understand that in her own apartment, she was turning into a guest. Yulia managed the kitchen, cooked for the family, bought groceries with Larisa’s money, and received praise for it from her mother and brother. Raisa Petrovna rearranged furniture, changed where things were kept, criticized the interior, and gave advice about repairs.
“Why are there two sofas here?” her mother-in-law wondered, examining the living room. “One can be removed to free up space. Yulia needs a wardrobe for her clothes; everything gets wrinkled in her bag.”
“This was my grandfather’s furniture,” Larisa reminded her.
“So what? A dead man doesn’t need it, but the living can use it. Don’t cling to old junk.”
Pavel supported his mother and sister in every matter. When Larisa tried to speak with him privately, he brushed her off and asked her to be patient. He said it was a temporary situation and that everything would soon settle down. But more and more time passed, and the situation only got worse.
One evening, Larisa came home from work and found an unfamiliar coat on the hanger in the hallway. Dark blue, clearly a woman’s coat, hanging in the spot where her own jacket usually was. Her clothes had been carefully pushed into the corner, making room for someone else’s things.
In the living room, a stack of bed linen lay on the sofa. Women’s shoes stood on the coffee table, next to a makeup bag and a hairbrush. Yulia was sitting in an armchair with a textbook, Pavel was watching television, and Raisa Petrovna was cooking dinner in the kitchen.
“Good evening,” Larisa greeted them, trying to stay calm.
“Oh, Larisa is back,” Yulia responded without looking up from her book. “We’ve already eaten. We left some for you in the pot.”
“Thank you. Whose coat is in the hallway?”
“Mine,” Yulia answered. “I bought it today. Beautiful, isn’t it? Pavel gave me the money.”
Larisa looked at her husband. He avoided her gaze, switching channels on the television. So her husband was buying gifts for his sister with family money without even asking his wife’s opinion.
“Pavel, can we talk?” Larisa asked.
“Later,” her husband muttered. “An interesting movie has started.”
Larisa went into the kitchen, where Raisa Petrovna was washing dishes. Her mother-in-law felt like a full-fledged mistress of the house, managing the kitchenware and groceries as she pleased.
“Raisa Petrovna, how long are you planning to stay?” Larisa asked carefully.
“What, am I bothering you?” her mother-in-law turned around with a wet plate in her hands. “I help around the house, cook, clean. It’s convenient for Yulia to live here too, close to the institute. What doesn’t suit you?”
“You see, this is still my apartment. I’m not against help, but I would like to know the plans.”
“Your apartment?” Raisa Petrovna smirked. “And Pavel lives here as what, a guest? Husband and wife are one whole. His home is your home, your home is his home. Or do you think differently?”
Larisa understood that her mother-in-law’s logic was flawed, but she did not want to argue. Too much exhaustion had built up from the constant presence of strangers in her own home.
The next day, the situation repeated itself. Raisa Petrovna and Yulia behaved like full owners of the apartment, and Pavel supported them in everything. Larisa felt unnecessary in her own home. In the evening, she decided to speak to her husband once again.
“Pavel, we need to seriously discuss the situation,” Larisa began when they were alone in the bedroom.
“What situation?” her husband lay down on the bed and picked up his phone.
“Your mother and sister have been living here for two months already. This is not a temporary visit. This is a move.”
“So what? Is it bad that they care about the family? Mom cooks, Yulia helps. It should be easier for you.”
“It’s harder for me. I can’t relax in my own home.”
“This is not only your home. I live here too.”
“But the apartment is registered in my name. And I pay the utilities. And I buy the groceries.”
“There it is,” Pavel put down his phone and looked at his wife with irritation. “Now you’re reproaching me with money. What am I, some kind of freeloader?”
“I’m not talking about money. I’m talking about people settling in my home without my consent.”
“People? This is my family. My mother and sister. And if you don’t like that, then the problem is with you, not them.”
The conversation reached a dead end. Pavel turned away toward the wall, making it clear that the discussion was over. Larisa lay beside him and thought about how much her life had changed over the past few months.
In the morning, the situation became even more absurd. At breakfast, Raisa Petrovna announced the plans for the day.
“Pavlik, today Yulia and I will go to the store and buy groceries. Larisa, give us money. And in the evening, we’ll watch a movie. I brought a disc.”
“What disc?” Larisa asked.
“One melodrama. Yulia has wanted to watch it for a long time. You don’t mind, do you?”
Larisa did mind, but she stayed silent. In the evening, she had wanted to read and rest after a difficult day. But now the television would be on in the living room, and Raisa Petrovna and Yulia would comment on the film and prevent her from concentrating.
All day, Larisa thought about the situation that had developed. At home, three people were waiting for her — people who controlled her space, spent her money, and ignored her opinion. Her husband not only failed to defend his wife, but supported his mother and sister in every matter.
In the evening, as she returned from work, Larisa heard voices in the kitchen. Raisa Petrovna was explaining something to Pavel, and Yulia occasionally added her comments. Deciding not to interrupt the family council, Larisa stopped in the hallway.
“Listen, son,” her mother-in-law was saying, “it’s impossible to live with a wife like that. Do you see how Larisa behaves? Cold, indifferent. She doesn’t value family.”
“Maybe that’s just her character,” Pavel answered uncertainly.
“What character? She’s selfish, that’s what. She only thinks about herself. But look at Yulia — kind, domestic, caring about people. That’s the kind of woman you should have married.”
“Mom, what are you saying? Yulia is my sister.”
“I don’t mean it that way! I’m talking about the type of wife. Yulia is family-oriented, home-loving. And your Larisa is only interested in work.”
Larisa froze by the door. Her mother-in-law was openly criticizing her, and her husband did not object. Moreover, judging by the pauses, Pavel was considering his mother’s words.
“You know what, Pavlik,” Raisa Petrovna continued, “maybe it really is time to change something. You’re still young. You can start a new family. With a normal woman.”
“What are you talking about, Mom?”
“I’m talking about divorce. Why suffer with Larisa? Divorce her, and Yulia and I will settle in here. It’s a good apartment, the district is convenient. It’s close for Yulia to get to the institute, and not far for me to get to work.”
Larisa felt blood rush to her face. Her mother-in-law was planning her son’s divorce in order to seize someone else’s apartment. And she discussed it completely calmly, as if they were talking about buying groceries.
“I don’t know, Mom,” Pavel said uncertainly. “That’s a serious decision.”
“What is there to think about?” Yulia intervened. “Larisa doesn’t value you anyway. She always walks around dissatisfied and disappears at work. What kind of wife is she?”
“Yulia is right,” Raisa Petrovna supported her daughter. “There is no point wasting time on hopeless relationships. Divorce her, and that’s the end of it.”
Larisa understood that she had heard enough. She quietly approached the kitchen door and pushed it open sharply. Three figures at the table turned toward her. Their faces showed surprise and slight embarrassment.
“Good evening,” Larisa said calmly. “What an interesting conversation you’re having.”
Raisa Petrovna was the first to recover and pulled on her usual smile.
“Larisa, dear, we were just… discussing plans for the weekend. Nothing special.”
“Yes, especially the plan for my divorce,” Larisa walked to the refrigerator and took out a bottle of water. “And your future residence in my apartment. Very touching.”
Pavel lowered his eyes. Yulia pretended to study her textbook. Raisa Petrovna tried to change the subject.
“You misunderstood. We were saying that a family needs harmony…”
“No, I understood correctly,” Larisa interrupted. “You were discussing how to get rid of me and take my apartment.”
Silence hung in the air. Raisa Petrovna pressed her lips together. Yulia closed her textbook. Pavel finally raised his head.
“Larisa, it’s not all so clear-cut…”
“It is very clear-cut,” Larisa placed the glass in the sink. “I have news for you. Tomorrow, all your things must disappear from my apartment.”
“What do you mean?” Raisa Petrovna tensed.
“I mean that I am ending this comedy. I am not going to support people who are planning to throw me out of my own home.”
Larisa left the kitchen, went into the bedroom, and locked the door. She heard whispering start in the kitchen, then loud voices. Raisa Petrovna was explaining something to her son, Yulia was outraged. But Larisa was no longer going to listen to their reasoning.
In the morning, she got up early and prepared for work. Only Yulia was sitting at the kitchen table with a cup of coffee. The others were still sleeping.
“Larisa, were you serious yesterday?” the girl asked.
“Absolutely serious. By evening, all your things must be gone from here.”
“But I still need to finish my studies at the institute…”
“Finish them from the dormitory or from the road. That has nothing to do with me.”
Larisa went to work with a firm intention to see the matter through. All day she thought about how to organize the departure of the uninvited guests. By evening, the plan had formed.
When she returned home, she found all three of them in the living room. They were sitting as if at a meeting, discussing something serious. When they saw Larisa, they fell silent.
“Good evening,” the owner of the apartment greeted them. “I hope you’re packing?”
“Larisa, let’s talk calmly,” Pavel began. “We thought about it…”
“No need to think. You need to pack,” Larisa went into the bedroom and returned with three large bags. “We’ll start with Yulia.”
The girl jumped up from the sofa.
“What are you doing?”
“Helping you pack your things. Since you can’t manage it yourselves.”
Larisa went into the bathroom and collected Yulia’s cosmetics, toothbrush, and shampoos. She put everything into one bag. Then she went into the living room, where the girl kept her clothes in the wardrobe.
“That’s my dress!” Yulia protested when Larisa began folding things.
“Exactly. Yours. That’s why you’re taking it with you.”
“Larisa, stop,” Pavel tried to intervene. “We can discuss everything…”
“There is nothing to discuss. The decision has been made.”
In half an hour, Yulia’s bags were packed. Larisa carried them out onto the landing. The girl stood in the hallway crying, while Raisa Petrovna comforted her daughter and glared hatefully at Larisa.
“You are heartless!” her mother-in-law snapped. “You’re throwing a child out onto the street!”
“I am throwing out an adult woman who lived at my expense for two months,” Larisa answered calmly. “Raisa Petrovna, your turn.”
Her mother-in-law tried to enter the apartment, but Larisa blocked her way.
“I’m not going anywhere!” Raisa Petrovna declared. “This is my son’s home!”
“No. This is my home. Your son lives here temporarily. And if he gets in the way, he will leave right after you.”
Larisa went into the living room and gathered her mother-in-law’s belongings. Bed linen, slippers, a robe, medicine — everything flew into a bag. Raisa Petrovna tried to snatch her things away from her, shouting that she would call the police.
“Call them,” Larisa suggested. “Explain to them that you are living in someone else’s apartment without the owner’s permission and refusing to move out.”
Her mother-in-law’s bag joined Yulia’s luggage on the landing. Raisa Petrovna stood on the threshold and had no intention of leaving.
“Pavlik, say something!” his mother demanded. “This is your wife! You’re a man!”
Pavel was silent, shifting from one foot to the other. Larisa looked at her husband and understood — he was not going to support her. Just as he had not supported her all these months.
“Fine,” Larisa said. “Since you don’t understand the easy way…”
She took out her phone and dialed the local police officer’s number. She explained the situation and asked him to come and help remove people who had moved in without permission.
“The police will be here in half an hour,” Larisa announced. “You can wait for them or leave on your own.”
Raisa Petrovna and Yulia exchanged glances. The prospect of explaining themselves to the police did not inspire them. They picked up their bags and headed for the stairs.
“This isn’t over!” her mother-in-law shouted from the landing. “We’ll talk again!”
“No, we won’t,” Larisa slammed the door.
Pavel remained standing in the hallway, confused and dejected. His wife walked past him into the bedroom and began packing his things.
“What are you doing?” her husband asked.
“Helping you make your choice. You can stay here, but then you forget the way to your mother and sister. Or you leave to be with them and never come back here again.”
“But they’re my family…”
“And what am I, a stranger? For two months they planned our divorce, and you stayed silent. You supported them in everything. Now choose.”
Pavel sat on the bed and lowered his head.
“I didn’t think everything was so serious…”
“It is very serious. So serious that tomorrow I am filing for divorce.”
“Larisa, let’s try again. I’ll talk to Mom, explain…”
“It’s too late to explain. The decision has been made.”
Her husband packed his things and left. Larisa stayed alone in the apartment, which finally belonged only to her again.
A few hours later, the phone rang. Raisa Petrovna demanded that she return her son, threatened court and division of property. Larisa patiently explained that the apartment had been inherited before the marriage, so there was nothing to divide.
“But morally, you owe us!” her mother-in-law screamed. “We were family!”
“We were. But we won’t be anymore,” Larisa ended the call.
The next day, she filed for divorce. Pavel appeared at the registry office looking confused and asked for one more chance. Larisa was unwavering. They had no shared property and no children either. The procedure took a minimum amount of time.
“At least leave me the washing machine,” her former husband asked when they parted. “It was bought for the family.”
“It was bought with my money,” Larisa reminded him. “So it stays with me.”
A week later, Yulia posted on social media about an evil woman who had thrown a poor family out onto the street. She described Larisa as a heartless egoist, and herself and her mother as victims of circumstance. One mutual acquaintance sent Larisa a screenshot.
Larisa read it and smirked. She blocked Yulia on all social networks, and at the same time Pavel and Raisa Petrovna too. Let them live in their own world and tell their fairy tales.
Another month later, Raisa Petrovna appeared at the entrance of the building. She knocked on the door, shouted under the windows, and demanded that Larisa return her son. The neighbors complained about the noise. Larisa called the police. The local officer explained to her mother-in-law that disturbing public order could result in a fine and administrative punishment.
After the second police visit, Raisa Petrovna never appeared again. Larisa changed the locks in the apartment and her phone number. Only her mother received the new keys. Through acquaintances, she passed a message to her former relatives that she had no intention of speaking with them.
Pavel stayed living with his mother and sister in a communal apartment — the very place where they had planned to send Larisa after the divorce. He lost his job because he had missed too much work while dealing with family problems. Yulia returned to the dormitory, and her dreams of a comfortable life in the city center collapsed.
Larisa began living peacefully. She replaced the dishes the uninvited guests had used and rearranged the furniture according to her own taste. The apartment once again breathed order and silence. In the evenings, she could read books without listening to loud conversations and advice about how to live properly.
She never again allowed anyone to behave like the owner in her home. Guests came for a couple of hours and left. No overnight stays, no moving in disguised as temporary visits. The lesson had been learned once and for all.
A year later, she met Pavel on the street. He looked tired and older. He greeted her politely and asked how she was. Larisa answered briefly and walked on. The past remained in the past, and she had no desire to return to it.
Her grandfather, who had left her the apartment, had been a wise man. He had known whom to trust with his property. Larisa protected his memory and his inheritance from people who believed that someone else’s property should belong to anyone who called themselves family.