“I’m not a restaurant, and this is not a buffet,” the hostess gave a stern reply to the guests.

Anna rearranged the figurines on the shelf, wiping the dust off with her sleeve. Every Friday, she performed her ritual of a deep cleaning—whether guests were coming or not. Cleanliness had become a habit, one that turned into an obsession. At fifty-eight, she felt that control over her home was the last thing that truly … Read more

Your sister’s family now eats here for a fee,” her wife blurted out, “borscht is 400 rubles.

— Tanya, where is your granulated sugar? — Nastya rummaged again through her kitchen drawers, — Why do you keep moving it around? Tanya was thoroughly fed up with these sudden visits from Sasha’s sister. And it wasn’t just her—if it were only her, it might have been forgivable. No, she dragged along her entire … Read more

A homeless girl found a phone and wanted to return it, but heard a familiar tune on the line.

Sveta watched with mild envy as parents picked up their children to go home. “Misha, don’t cry, we will come back here tomorrow,” one of the moms reassured. “Kolenka, dad is waiting for us at home. Let’s go quickly,” another hurried. “Katyusha, the sand won’t disappear. We’ll play again tomorrow and then we’ll bake some … Read more

— Oh, go to hell… you know where? I did not sign up for this kind of marriage!” — Dasha ripped off her veil and threw it straight into her mother-in-law’s face.

— Go to hell… you know where? I didn’t sign up for this kind of marriage! — Dasha tore off her veil and threw it in her mother-in-law’s face. — Stop wasting time, Petya! I’m not going to be your cash cow! — Dasha declared firmly. — You’re all freeloaders and parasites, — she gritted … Read more

Your bonus will now go toward paying for my nephew’s tuition,” declared the husband, without asking for my opinion, during dinner with his sister.

– Arina, where are you? Tolya let me in, and he went off to work!” – the voice of the future sister-in-law echoed through the apartment. Arina sighed tiredly. She forced a smile and invited Olga to the table. Her life was falling apart. Stability. Arina had dreamed of it for as long as she … Read more

I transferred the car to my mother so that you wouldn’t get it in the divorce,” Artem sneered with a smirk. But Polina only smiled, knowing exactly how to outplay him.

Polina stood by the window, gazing at the black BMW parked in the yard. The car hadn’t come easy – they had to take out a loan that she and Artem were still paying off. Or rather, only Polina was paying it off – her husband hadn’t worked for the past three years. “Are you … Read more

Her husband avoided picking up their daughter, and then I overheard his telephone conversation.

That evening, I was in the maternity ward, gazing at the tiny face of my newborn daughter. It seemed to me that nothing in the entire universe could be more delicate and amazing. I felt an incredible lightness, as if I were floating weightlessly, despite the pain accompanying the birth. The doctors congratulated me, claiming … Read more

You’re my wife, not some random aunt! Therefore, you should help my relatives!” my husband declared to me a week before our anniversary.

June sunshine bathed the spacious kitchen in light, where Anna was leisurely preparing her morning coffee. The foam was rising in the cezve, and the apartment was filled with the rich aroma of freshly brewed drink. Igor appeared in the doorway, nonchalantly buttoning his shirt. “Good morning! It smells wonderful!” Anna poured the coffee into … Read more