Anna stood by the window of her new kitchen and looked out at the yard that, just a month ago, had seemed perfect to her. A neat green lawn, young fir trees around the perimeter, tidy paths made of natural stone. But now half the lawn was dug up, turned into beds with tomatoes and … Read more
Natasha and her husband were leaving the restaurant where they had celebrated his birthday. The evening had been wonderful. Many guests had come, including relatives and colleagues. Natasha met many of them for the first time, but if Dmitry had invited them, he knew what he was doing. Natasha was one of those people who … Read more
Lena stood in front of the crooked little house, clutching a crumpled piece of paper with the address in her hand. The wind tickled her neck, ruffling her light jacket, and inside she felt empty—like the windows of this abandoned dwelling. Twenty years had passed inside the walls of an orphanage, and now she was … Read more
Yulia threw a jacket right over her home T-shirt and slung her bag over her shoulder. In the taxi, she looked out the window, clutching a pack of marshmallows from Voronezh — Sergey liked exactly those, in the pink packaging. She just wanted to come in, hug him, surprise him. She missed him. The hearing … Read more
This story begins with an ordinary celebration that turned into a fateful event. Sometimes a single careless remark can completely change people’s lives. What will happen to someone who publicly humiliates another person, only to discover the truth afterward? I invite you to dive into this gripping story with an unexpected ending. It was one … Read more
Fyodor Petrovich had long dreamed of going to the cemetery — to visit his son. For a long time, his health had not allowed him to do so. But today he woke up feeling a little better. The paint for the fence had been bought in advance, all the tools prepared. After breakfast, the man … Read more
The Apartment Issue Alesya stood in the hallway, unable to believe her ears. Her mother-in-law, Svetlana Sergeevna, had just declared that the apartment of the late grandmother Zoya would go not to her, but to Lena — the wife of the younger son. “Svetlana Sergeevna, but you promised,” Alesya’s voice trembled with hurt. “You yourself … Read more
The gray sky had been pressing down on the city for the third week already. Elizaveta Andreevna stood by the window, watching as ragged clouds clung to the roofs of the high-rises. In the courtyard, among puddles, children were playing, oblivious to the damp chill. Their ringing voices reached the seventh floor in muted echoes. … Read more
Lena rushed out of the building, casting an anxious glance at her watch. “God, I’m late!” She hurried toward the metro. “Just what I needed—to be late for dinner with Pasha’s parents!” Recently, she and Pavel had made an important decision—to get married. But the wedding hadn’t happened yet. Lena was ready to just live … Read more
A cold October evening forever changed Arina’s life. She stood at the gate of what had once been her home, holding a hastily packed bag, while her mother‑in‑law’s shrill cry still echoed in her ears: “Out of my house! And don’t you ever set foot here again!” Ten years of marriage ended in a … Read more