I gave it to Mom a month ago,” Victoria corrected him. Artem’s face changed. His eyebrows furrowed, his lips tightened. “Why?” he asked sharply. “Mom dreamed her whole life of having her own summer house. She found a suitable plot with a cottage,” Victoria explained. “I decided to help her fulfill that dream.” “Wonderful!” Artem … Read more
Saturday turned out quiet. Outside the window, a fine drizzle ran down the glass in uneven trails, and inside the apartment, the air smelled of freshly brewed tea and that special Saturday silence when you can finally relax after a hard-working week. Nika settled into the old armchair—the very one they had inherited from her … Read more
Since her father passed away, Clara had become nothing more than a shadow in her own home—an unwelcome presence tolerated only because of blood. Her stepmother, Linda, was cold and cunning, obsessed with appearances and social standing. Though Linda inherited everything from Clara’s late father, she could never accept that Clara—kind-hearted, radiant, and beloved by … Read more
“Are you absolutely sure you don’t need anything else from the store?” Anna asked once more. “No, really, just go already,” Boris waved her off impatiently. It was clear he was eager for her to leave. Anna let out a quiet sigh. Lately, Boris’s mood had grown sharp and restless. She chose to keep her … Read more
Anton’s voice on the phone was brisk and a little hurried, like someone taking care of important matters on the go, certain of being in the right. Lena didn’t take her eyes off the frying pan, where finely chopped carrots and onions sizzled in hot oil, turning a caramel shade. The wooden spatula in her … Read more
“Mommy, we love you so much!” Alina leaned across the table and squeezed my hand. Her palm was cool, and her perfectly manicured nails dug into my skin a little harder than daughterly tenderness required. “We love you very much,” echoed Stas, her brother, lazily poking at his salad with a fork. “We worry about … Read more
Tamara Pavlovna entered my bedroom without knocking, carrying a glass of water and a small white pill in her hand. Her face radiated an overwhelming concern that made my jaw tighten. “Anechka, sweetie, it’s time for your medicine. Blood pressure is no joke,” she said softly, with that ingratiating tenderness she reserved for special occasions—like … Read more
You really ought to dress better, Mom,” Kristina drawled, lazily poking at her avocado salad with a fork. “Dima and I could give you some money. Just so you wouldn’t look so… depressing. People do look, you know.” Anna slowly raised her gaze—not at her daughter-in-law, but at her son. Dima tensed up. The hand … Read more
Zhanna sat in the kitchen; her eyes were puffy from tears, her hands shaking. Yesterday her husband, Andrey, had come home acting strangely—silent, avoiding her gaze, nervously fingering something in his pocket. And this morning he announced, as if handing down a sentence: “I’m leaving, Zhanna. I need to be alone. But I can’t leave … Read more
October rain drummed on the car roof as if someone were nervously tapping their fingers. Lyudmila sat behind the wheel, watching the wipers struggle against the streams of water on the windshield. She didn’t hurry to get out — visits to her mother-in-law were always hard for her. Vera Nikolaevna had been in the cardiology … Read more