“— Miss, may I help you?” he called to the woman, noticing how she was struggling to carry two heavy bags. “— Sorry to approach so suddenly, but it looks like the bags are about to slip from your hands. Let me carry them for you.” “— Oh, really? Are you sure? Aren’t they too … Read more
“Finally,” I sighed, feeling the key turn in the lock. Viktor entered the apartment, dropped his travel bag on the floor, and wearily rubbed his face. It had been six months since he left for his work rotation. Six months we hadn’t seen each other. He smelled of expensive cologne, dust, and a foreign city. … Read more
You will become the brightest star, the most talented of all. They will surely notice you, and your name will appear on all the posters.” Sophia cried, burying her face in the blanket that covered her father. His hand, weak but still warm, slid through her hair. “Don’t cry, my girl, please. You can’t fool … Read more
— That’s it! I’m leaving for a younger woman and we’ll split the apartment. How much longer are you going to keep spending my money! — said Yuri to his already unloved wife. But he didn’t expect what happened next. — Yur, where are you going? — Svetlana peeked out from the kitchen, wiping her … Read more
— Anna Mikhailovna, gather your personal belongings. You no longer work at the company. Igor didn’t even look away from the monitor screen as he said this calmly, as if talking about someone else. Twelve years of working together, twelve years side by side — and now he spoke as if they were strangers. — … Read more
“Svetlana Alekseevna, don’t be lonely! We’ll be back in two weeks,” Darya Andreevna said with a warm smile, standing at the doorway. The housekeeper nodded; a slight worry flashed in her eyes, but she only sighed and, as always, tried to keep composed: “Oh, I’m no child. Rest well, don’t worry about anything. Everything will … Read more
— What’s that? — I stopped halfway to the station, listening carefully. Crying came from the left — quiet but persistent. The February wind tickled my neck and flapped the edge of my coat. I turned toward the railway, where against the white snow, a dark abandoned switchman’s hut stood out. A bundle lay right … Read more
Mom, wait! I asked you not to touch my documents!” — Marina burst into the study, but it was already too late. Galina Petrovna was standing by the open safe, holding a folder, her face frozen in shock. In her trembling fingers, she gripped a notarized document — the will of Marina’s late grandmother, which … Read more
Lera was standing by the mirror in the hallway, touching up her lipstick, when the doorbell rang. She glanced at the clock — half past six in the evening. Sergey hadn’t come home from work yet, and she was supposed to meet a friend at a café. The bell rang again, more insistently. “Lera, open … Read more
The plate with dinner flew into the trash can. The sharp crash of porcelain against plastic made me flinch. “Even the dog won’t eat your cutlets,” my husband laughed, pointing to the dog who demonstratively turned away from the piece offered to him. Dmitry wiped his hands on an expensive kitchen towel I had bought … Read more