— Where were you wandering until eleven, huh? — Maxim’s voice came from the bathroom. He slipped through the morning like a drop of ketchup on a white shirt: not a catastrophe, but it spoiled the mood. Elena, already fully ready to go, keys in hand and a serious face, froze at the kitchen doorway. … Read more
Ivan stood near the subway exit, pressed against the wall to shield himself from the persistent autumn rain that had been lightly and insistently scratching at the skin and clothes of passersby for over an hour. The wind whistled between the buildings, tearing drops off umbrellas and throwing them straight into faces. The world around … Read more
I began to suspect that my husband was putting some kind of sleeping pill into my coffee. So, when we sat down to drink coffee with cake, I took advantage of the moment when he stepped away and discreetly poured out the contents of my cup. Then I pretended to fall asleep. However, what happened … Read more
Larisa stepped across the threshold of the apartment on Mayakovskogo Street for the first time—not as a guest, but as a daughter-in-law. The suitcase in her hand felt heavier than usual—not because of the belongings inside, but because of the weight of expectations. She had dreamed of this moment during three years of relationship with … Read more
Dima had dreamed of becoming a doctor for as long as he could remember. But life seemed determined to throw obstacles in his way. First, his father died unexpectedly — a loss that knocked the solid ground out from under his feet. Then his mother fell ill: nerves and the constant struggle of working two … Read more
Anna froze on the threshold, clutching the suitcase. The hallway smelled of coffee and… someone else’s perfume. Men’s slippers stood on the floor—not Sergey’s. Plaid ones, with pompoms. His style was minimalist: black, no patterns. She shifted her gaze to the coat rack. Next to his coat hung an olive-green down jacket—they didn’t have one … Read more
— Dima, look what I have on my phone, — Lena held out her smartphone to her husband, frowning. Sunlight filtered through the curtains, lighting up their cozy living room. Dima looked up from his laptop, lazily glancing at the screen filled with some unknown audio files. — Some unnamed recordings. Weird, — he shrugged. … Read more
Young and talented surgeon Ivan Sergeyevich Murashin, who had already established himself as one of the most promising specialists in his clinic, had long been accustomed to the instability and unpredictability of his work schedule. For him, night calls had become almost a second name — they meant one thing: he was being called back … Read more
“Oh, damn, I nearly shit myself laughing at that meeting!” Marina threw her shoes into the corner and collapsed onto the sofa without even bothering to take off her jacket. “Can you imagine? They were accusing you right in front of the whole department of embezzlement! And you — damn it — an experienced accountant, … Read more
Verochka, open up, it’s family!” — the girl immediately recognized the voices of her relatives. “Aunt Zina, what are you doing here?” “We came to work. You know how things are getting worse and worse in our backwater. So Petya and I decided to go to Moscow to earn money and help my daughter.” “And … Read more