Blood froze in my veins when I heard the click of the lock on our front door. It was her again—without warning, without a ring, like a ghost from the past materializing in my new life. No matter what I did, no matter how hard I tried to set boundaries, Galina Petrovna always found a … Read more
– 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
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
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
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
Stas wearily stared at the blank sheet of paper before him. His thoughts scattered like frightened birds, leaving him in complete silence. No ideas, no inspiration—neither today, nor yesterday, nor in the past few weeks. His restaurant, once his pride and the meaning of his life, was slowly sinking, and he seemed incapable of doing … Read more
Anna hurried to the office after a business meeting with partners. To save time, she chose a shortcut through the city park. The bright sun illuminated the alleys, but a cold wind blowing from the river cut to the bone. Anna shuddered and wrapped her coat more tightly. Passers-by rushed past without noticing one another. … Read more
— Are you absolutely sure nothing is needed? — Lena repeated her question, striving to be as attentive as possible. — Oh, come on, everything’s there! — Dmitry replied, his voice laced with a hint of irritation. Lena felt his tone slightly sting her, but she decided not to pay attention. Lately, her husband had … Read more
Lera locked the car, and she and her husband hurried to the office entrance. Rain poured down from the sky, turning the street into streams of water. Colleagues who arrived a bit later were stuck at the parking lot, not daring to step out into the cold rain. They helplessly glanced at their watches—the workday … Read more
Anton had always considered himself the master of his life. Even back in college, he managed to move in such a way that his classmates could only gape in amazement. While others were slogging over textbooks, Anton was already busy with business. Sometimes he was reselling cars, other times he was assembling computers to order. … Read more