Are you out of your mind? This is MY apartment!
Come on, Lena. Mom is old, she needs help.
So I don’t need any help? You think I should just go out on the street?
Don’t be like that… We’ll figure something out.
Lena stared at her husband in disbelief. Viktor, the man she’d shared five years of her life with, was asking her to move out of her own apartment—the one she’d inherited from her grandmother, the one where she had invested so much effort and money.
Vitya, are you serious right now? Lena tried to compose herself. Did you have something to drink?
I’m completely sober, Viktor said, looking her straight in the eyes. Just think about it. Mom is alone, it’s hard for her…
Oh, it’s easy for me, huh? Lena interrupted. I work myself to the bone just to pay the mortgage on our second apartment. The one we live in now, in case you forgot.
Viktor sighed and sat down on the couch. He knew this conversation would be tough, but he hadn’t expected such resistance.
Len, let’s talk this through calmly. Mom lives in that shack on the outskirts, you know…
I know, Lena snapped. So what? I’m supposed to give her my apartment in the center? Maybe I should throw in some extra cash too?
Don’t be sarcastic, Viktor grimaced. I’m just trying to talk through some options.
Lena paced the room, trying to calm down. She remembered how she’d met Viktor. It had been at a company party. He worked in sales, she was in accounting. The spark was instant. Within six months they’d moved in together, and a year later they got married.
Vitya, do you remember how we met? Lena asked unexpectedly.
Of course, he smiled. You were wearing that blue dress…
Yes, she nodded. And you said you’d never seen such a beautiful woman.
That’s still true, Viktor confirmed.
And now you want me to leave my own home, Lena said with a bitter smile.
Viktor got up and tried to hug her, but Lena pulled away.
Don’t, she said. Just explain where these thoughts are suddenly coming from?
Viktor hesitated. He didn’t want to tell the whole truth, but realized there was no way around it.
Mom… She’s having health problems, he began. The doctors say she needs constant care.
And you decided the best place to take care of her is my apartment? Lena asked sarcastically.
No, that’s not it, Viktor shook his head. It’s just… She needs money for treatment. A lot of money.
Lena froze. So that was it. The apartment wasn’t for living in, it was for selling.
So you want to sell my apartment to pay for your mother’s treatment? she said slowly.
Viktor nodded, not meeting her eyes.
Do you realize how insane that is? Lena asked. This apartment is all I have. My inheritance. My home.
I know, Viktor said quietly. But I have no other choice. Mom is dying, Lena.
Lena felt a lump in her throat. She remembered her mother-in-law—controlling, perpetually dissatisfied, who had disliked her from the very beginning.
Did you ever think about selling your car? Lena asked. Or taking out a loan?
I thought about it, Viktor said. But it wouldn’t be enough. We need a serious sum.
So you decided the easiest way was to just take the apartment from your wife? Lena gave a bitter smile.
“I’m not taking anything!” Viktor protested. “I’m asking you for help. We’re family, Lena.”
Lena looked at her husband for a long moment. Yes, they were family. But why was it always her who had to sacrifice everything?
“You know, Viktor,” she spoke slowly. “I think I finally understand what the problem is.”
“What is it?” he asked, suddenly on edge.
“It’s that you never saw this apartment as mine,” Lena answered. “To you, it’s always been like some kind of shared property. Something you could just use however you wanted.”
Viktor opened his mouth to argue, but Lena didn’t let him.
“Don’t even try,” she told him. “I can see it in your eyes. You really believe you have the right to ask me for this.”
“Lena, I…”
“No, Viktor,” she shook her head. “I’m not giving up the apartment. Not to you, not to your mother. This is my home. That’s final.”
Viktor clenched his fists. He hadn’t expected such resistance.
“So you’re ready to just watch my mother die?” he demanded.
“Don’t twist my words,” Lena replied. “I don’t want your mother to die. But I’m not about to give up everything I have, either.”
“You’re selfish,” Viktor spat.
“And you’re a manipulator,” Lena shot back. “And you know what? I think I’m finally understanding why your mother doesn’t like me so much.”
“What are you talking about?” Viktor scowled.
“That you’re a lot alike,” Lena answered. “Both of you think the world should revolve around you.”
Viktor’s face turned red with anger.
“You know what?” he hissed through clenched teeth. “Maybe I should be the one to move out—not you.”
Lena felt her heart skip a beat. She hadn’t expected this turn at all.
“Are you serious?” she asked quietly.
“Absolutely,” Viktor nodded. “Since you won’t help my family, I don’t see any reason to stay with you.”
Lena looked at her husband, not believing her ears. Was he really willing to just throw away five years of marriage like this?
“And where will you go?” she asked.
“To my mother’s,” Viktor replied. “I’ll take care of her. You can stay here—in your precious apartment.”
He turned and headed to the bedroom. Lena heard him opening the closet and starting to pack.
She sank onto the couch, feeling the ground slip away beneath her. Just an hour ago she had a family, a loving husband. And now?
Viktor came out of the bedroom with a suitcase in his hand.
“I’ll get the rest of my things later,” he said. “I’ll leave the keys on the table.”
Lena watched silently as he walked to the door. One thought kept circling in her head: “Can this really be the end?”
“Viktor,” she called after him just as he reached the door. “What about our mortgage? You know I can’t make the payments on my own.”
Viktor turned around. In his eyes, Lena saw a mix of anger and exhaustion.
“Sell the apartment,” he said. “Or rent it out. It’s not my problem anymore.”
And he left, slamming the door.
Lena was left alone in the empty apartment. She didn’t cry. Inside, there was only a ringing emptiness.
Days passed. Lena went to work on autopilot, came home. Viktor never called, never wrote. It was as if he’d never existed in her life at all.
On the fifth day, the doorbell rang. Lena opened the door and saw her mother-in-law standing on the threshold.
“Hello, Lena,” her mother-in-law said with a smile. “May I come in?”
Lena silently stepped aside, letting the woman into the apartment.
“Would you like some tea?” Lena asked when they made their way to the kitchen.
“No, thank you,” her mother-in-law shook her head. “I won’t be long. I just wanted to talk.”
Lena sat down across from her, waiting for her to continue.
“You know,” her mother-in-law began, “I always thought you were a smart girl. But apparently, I was mistaken.”
“What do you mean?” Lena frowned.
“I’m talking about the way you treated my son,” the woman replied. “He asked you for help, and you refused.”
Lena felt anger boiling up inside her.
“I refused to give up my apartment,” she said. “That’s not the same thing.”
“What difference does it make?” her mother-in-law shrugged. “The main thing is you didn’t want to help your husband’s family.”
“Did you ever consider that I’m also Viktor’s family?” Lena asked. “And maybe he should have thought of me first?”
Her mother-in-law smirked.
“Oh, Lena,” she said. “You are so naive. Did you really believe my son married you for love?”
Lena felt a lump rise in her throat.
“What do you mean?” she asked quietly.
“Vitya married you because of that apartment,” her mother-in-law replied. “We’ve had our eye on it for sale for a long time. We were just waiting for the right moment.”
Lena stared at the woman, unable to believe her ears.
“You… you set this up on purpose?” she whispered.
“Oh, sweetheart,” her mother-in-law smiled. “We just took advantage of the situation. Vitya met you, saw the opportunity. And getting a girl to fall for him? That’s his specialty.”
Lena felt a wave of nausea. Five years of her life had turned out to be a lie.
“Why are you telling me this?” she asked.
“So you’ll understand,” her mother-in-law answered. “That apartment will be ours, one way or another. If not the easy way, then the hard way.”
“Is that a threat?” Lena tried to compose herself.
“No, dear,” the woman shook her head. “It’s just a fact. You have a choice—either you sell us the apartment for a good price, or we’ll find a way to take it from you. And trust me, you won’t like the second option.”
Lena looked at her mother-in-law, feeling a chill spread inside. Suddenly, she realized this woman would stop at nothing.
“You’re bluffing,” Lena said. “You won’t succeed.”
Her mother-in-law gave her a cold, hard smile.
“Is that what you think?” she asked. “Are you sure your signature on the apartment sale documents can’t be forged? Or that drugs can’t suddenly be found on you? Or that you can’t end up in an accident?”
A chill ran down Lena’s spine.
“You wouldn’t dare,” she whispered.
“I would, dear,” her mother-in-law nodded. “And not just me. We have connections, money, resources. And what do you have? Just that apartment.”
She stood up, getting ready to leave.
“Think carefully, Lena,” her mother-in-law said. “You have a week. After that, we’ll start acting.”
And with that, she left, leaving Lena completely stunned.
The next few days felt like a blur. Lena couldn’t eat or sleep. She kept looking over her shoulder, waiting for something bad to happen. At work, she made mistakes and ended up getting a reprimand from her boss.
On the fourth day, the phone rang. Lena had to force herself to answer.
“Hello?” she said, her voice trembling.
“Hi, Lena,” she heard Viktor’s voice. “How are you?”
Lena felt a lump rising in her throat.
“I’m fine,” she replied dryly. “What do you want?”
“I want to talk,” Viktor said. “Maybe we could meet?”
Lena hesitated. Part of her was afraid to see him. But she also needed answers.
“Alright,” she finally said. “Where and when?”
They agreed to meet at a small café not far from Lena’s home. When she arrived, Viktor was already waiting at a table.
“Hi,” he greeted, standing up to meet her. “I ordered you a latte. You like lattes, right?”
Lena nodded, sitting across from him. She looked at her husband, trying to see the man she’d loved for five years—but all she saw was a stranger.
“What did you want to talk about?” she asked.
Viktor sighed.
“Lena, I… I want to apologize,” he began. “I acted like an idiot. I shouldn’t have pressured you about the apartment.”
Lena stayed silent, waiting for him to continue.
“I’ve thought a lot these last few days,” Viktor went on. “And I realize I was wrong. You’re my wife, and I should have thought about you first, not about my mother’s problems.”
He reached across the table, trying to take Lena’s hand. She pulled her hand away.
“Don’t, Viktor,” she said. “I know the truth.”
Viktor frowned.
“What are you talking about?” he asked.
“About why you really married me,” Lena replied. “Your mother told me everything.”
She saw Viktor’s face change. For a moment, fear flashed in his eyes, but he quickly regained his composure.
“Lena, did you really believe her?” he asked with fake surprise. “You know what she’s like. She probably just told you some nonsense because she was upset.”
Lena looked at her husband, feeling the coldness grow inside her. Suddenly, she realized she didn’t believe a single word he said anymore.
“You know, Viktor,” she said slowly. “I spent a long time wondering why you walked away so easily. Why you didn’t even try to convince me otherwise. Now I understand—it was just a business plan for you, and it didn’t work out.”
“Lena, that’s nonsense…” Viktor started, but she interrupted him.
“Don’t,” she said. “Just answer me one question. Did you ever really love me?”
Viktor sat in silence, looking into her eyes. And in that silence, Lena heard the answer.
“I see,” she nodded, standing up. “Goodbye, Viktor. And tell your mother you’re not getting the apartment. Ever.”
She turned and walked toward the exit. Viktor called after her:
“Lena, wait! Let’s talk!”
But she didn’t look back. Walking out of the café, Lena took a deep breath. For the first time in days, she felt free.
Back home, the first thing Lena did was call a security service and order an alarm system. Then she contacted her lawyer and told him the whole situation.
Don’t worry, Elena Sergeyevna,” the lawyer said. “We’ll take all necessary measures. The apartment will remain yours.
Lena thanked him and hung up the phone. She walked to the window, gazing at the city as evening fell. Inside, she still felt empty, but it was no longer a ringing, unbearable emptiness. Now, it was the emptiness of a new beginning.
Three months passed. Lena sat in her apartment, sorting through old things. She decided to renovate, to refresh the interior—to start her life from scratch.
The phone rang. Lena saw an unfamiliar number but chose to answer.
Hello?
Hello, is this Elena? a man’s voice asked. I’m calling from the hospital. You’re listed as the contact for Viktor Petrov.
Lena felt her heart skip a beat.
Yes, that’s me, she replied. What happened?
Viktor has suffered a massive heart attack,” the voice reported. “He’s in intensive care. His condition is critical.
Lena stayed silent, unsure what to say.
Can you come to the hospital? the voice asked. You may need to make some important decisions.
Lena closed her eyes. Scenes from her life with Viktor flashed before her: happy moments, arguments, reconciliations. Five years that turned out to be a lie.
Hello? Can you hear me? the voice pressed through the receiver.
Lena opened her eyes and said firmly:
I’m sorry, but I have no connection to Viktor Petrov anymore. We’re divorced. Please try contacting his mother.
And she hung up.
Lena went back to sorting her things. She knew she had made the right decision. Her life no longer belonged to Viktor and his family. Now, it belonged only to herself.
And the apartment… The apartment would remain her home. The place where she would begin a new chapter of her life—without lies, manipulation, and betrayal.
Lena smiled, looking out the window at the sunset. The future was waiting for her. And this time, it truly belonged to her.