“It’s your mother’s apartment—why should I be the one paying for it?” I asked my husband in surprise when he asked me for money for the next mortgage payment.

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“Irina, I wanted to talk to you about something important,” Igor tapped his fingers nervously on the table, avoiding his wife’s eyes. Irina tore herself away from her laptop and looked at her husband closely. Something in his voice put her on guard. “About what?” she asked, closing the lid. “You see, my mom needs … Read more

— “I’m not your relative, not your daughter, and certainly not your wallet! My apartment is my property, and your nervous outbursts are something for a specialist—not for me!”

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Marina’s kitchen was exactly the kind every woman over thirty dreams of: spacious, spotless, the tiles gleaming, a tablecloth on the table—not stained with borscht—and food in the fridge that you wouldn’t be ashamed to serve even your mother-in-law. Though, of course, for Tatyana Petrovna you could serve it on a golden tray and she’d … Read more

— I’m not your relative, not your daughter, and certainly not your wallet! My apartment is my property, and your nervous outbursts are a topic for a specialist—not for me!

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  Marina’s kitchen was exactly the kind every woman over thirty dreams of: spacious, spotless, the tiles shining, a tablecloth on the table that wasn’t splattered with borscht, and a fridge stocked with food you wouldn’t be ashamed to serve even to your mother-in-law. Although, of course, for Tatyana Petrovna you could serve it on … Read more

Then live on your own salary and don’t touch my money,” my husband declared—having no idea how badly he was miscalculating

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  Marina was drying her hands on a kitchen towel when the phone rang. The number was familiar—Lena Sokolova, her classmate from the design faculty. They hadn’t spoken in over three years, ever since Marina went on maternity leave. “Marish, hi! How are you, how’s the baby?” Lena’s voice sounded energetic, almost infectious. “Listen, I’m … Read more

An orphan who grew up in an orphanage got a job as a waitress in a prestigious restaurant. But after she accidentally spilled soup on a wealthy customer, her fate changed drastically.

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 Girl, do you even realize what you’ve done?!” Semen shouted, waving a ladle. “Soup on the floor, the customer splashed, and you’re just standing there like a statue!” Alyona looked at the dark stain on the man’s expensive suit and felt her insides tighten. This was the end of her job. Six months of effort … Read more

“You’re a cleaner, not a pianist!” — spiteful giggles rang out behind her back. But as soon as she sat down at the grand piano and touched the keys, the room fell silent.

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I had always believed that life is not a straight road, but rather a winding path full of unexpected turns. Sometimes it leads you to a sunny clearing, and sometimes into a dense, impenetrable forest. My path led me to a small, cozy café called Melody, where I worked, keeping everything clean and in order. … Read more

I’ve been divorced from your son for three years now, so let his new wife help you from now on. I won’t lift a finger,” I told my former mother-in-law.

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“For three years I’ve been divorced from your son, so let his new wife help you now. I won’t lift a finger,” I told my ex-mother-in-law the day before and hung up. My hands were shaking with anger. Nadezhda Petrovna had already called me three times that week, each time with the same request—to help … Read more

Get out of my apartment,” she said, but the only answer was the laughter of her husband’s aunt and her daughter; a moment later they seemed to recall an entire encyclopedia of swear words.

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Valentina was standing in the middle of her own living room, clutching a bunch of keys in her hand. Her gaze darted between the two women sprawled on the sofa like full-fledged homeowners. Her husband’s aunt, Zlata Feoktistovna, a hefty woman in her sixties wrapped in a leopard-print dress, was swinging one leg in a … Read more

Strolling through the park, Kira suddenly spotted her sister-in-law’s daughter and froze. The little girl was standing all alone by a strange cardboard box.

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  Kira worked as an interior designer in a small but successful studio, and weekends were sacred to her.   Today she had planned to meet Vera, who had come from Perm for a few days on business. Her friend had promised to bring gingerbread from Perm and tell her about a new project to … Read more