Night, thickening over the city, seemed to anticipate a tragedy. Heavy clouds crawled across the sky, as if bearing the weight of unfulfilled hopes and broken fates. The car slid over the wet asphalt like a ghost, leaving behind a trail of headlights and silence pierced by anxiety. Roman sat behind the wheel, gripping it … Read more
The morning after filing for divorce isn’t coffee with a croissant, but a call from the housing office reminding you about unpaid major repairs. Svetlana got up not because she slept well, but because there was an empty spot on the pillow beside her. Andrey had gone to his mother’s — predictable, like a “Phlebodia” … Read more
Tatiana set the heavy bags on the floor in the hallway. Her back ached after a long day at work. The girl took off her shoes and massaged her sore feet. The sound of footsteps from the bedroom made her lift her head. — Tanya, why isn’t dinner ready yet? — Nikolai’s displeased voice cut … Read more
The ringing phone pulled Elliott Row away from the stove. An omelet sizzled gently, filling the kitchen with the rich scent of garlic and melted butter. He wiped his hands on a towel and glanced irritably at the caller ID — an unknown number. “Hello?” he answered curtly, eyes still on the pan. “This … Read more
Alexey stopped the car. So many times he had planned, intended to come, but never found the time. While his mother was alive, he wasn’t there. After she was gone—still, he wasn’t there. The memory filled him with disgust toward himself. It would have taken so little—just one jolt to make him realize that the … Read more
Mikhail Artemiev—a billionaire whose name in business circles was synonymous with success, cold calculation, and impeccable control. His name graced glossy magazine covers, his business empire stretched from Europe to Asia, and his mansion on the outskirts of the city seemed carved from marble, glass, and perfect order. He was a man people respected, feared, … Read more
The sky hung low, as if pressed down by the weight of unspoken words and grief, tinted gray, almost leaden. It seemed to press not only on the earth but on the souls of those who stood at the edge of the fresh grave. Wet snow, heavy and sticky, fell onto the black lacquered coffin, … Read more
— Olya, I’m leaving. Olga froze, a plate clenched in her hands halfway to the sink. A thin stream of water trickled from the faucet—the only sound in the heavy silence that followed his words. She turned slowly. Igor stood in the doorway already wearing his jacket, a travel bag at his feet. Not the … Read more
That morning was no different from any other. A new maid had arrived at the country estate of Mikhail Sergeyevich Artamonov. Her name was Lena—young, just past twenty, with a tired look in her eyes as if she had lived not through one sleepless night but through an entire lifetime. In her hands she carried … Read more
The doorbell pierced through the morning drowsiness of the house. Sharp, insistent. I frowned, lifting my head from the pillow. Who could possibly need us this early? Tamara Pavlovna, my mother-in-law, was already shuffling down the hallway. Her whisper was louder than any shout. — Coming, coming! No need to ring so hard… I threw … Read more