June sunlight flooded the spacious kitchen as Anna leisurely prepared her morning coffee. The foam rose in the cezve, and the rich aroma of freshly brewed coffee wafted through the apartment.
Igor appeared at the doorway, nonchalantly buttoning up his shirt.
«Good morning! It smells wonderful!»
Anna poured the coffee into cups, knowing that her ability to brew the perfect coffee was one of the things Igor had always especially appreciated.
«How did you sleep?» she asked, placing a cup in front of her husband and sitting down beside him.
«Splendid. By the way, my mother called yesterday when you weren’t home.»
Anna took a sip, trying to remain calm. Calls from her mother-in-law rarely promised anything pleasant.
«Did something happen?»
«Oh, nothing special. She just wanted to know if you could drive her to the clinic tomorrow. She has an appointment at nine in the morning.»
Anna froze with her cup in hand. The next day she had an important presentation for clients—a project she had been working on for two weeks.
«Igor, that’s impossible for tomorrow. You know about the presentation.»
«Oh, Anya, but it’s just mom,» Igor’s tone took on a reproachful note. «She doesn’t make such requests often. Can’t you help her out?»
«What about a taxi? Or Lena? She’s free.»
«Lena is busy with the kids, and a taxi… Well, why incur extra expenses when you can ask family?»
Anna sighed deeply. Such dialogues were becoming increasingly frequent. At first, it was minor requests—buying medicine, helping with cleaning, driving to the dacha. Then they began to snowball.
«Alright, I’ll try to reschedule the meeting,» she managed, even though inside she resisted the decision.
«Great!» Igor exclaimed happily. «I’m so glad I have such an understanding wife. You always know how important family is.»
He uttered the word «family» with a special warmth. From the very beginning of their relationship, he had constantly emphasized the importance of being close to loved ones and supporting them during difficult times.
That same evening, Lena, Igor’s sister, called.
«Anya, dear, could you help with the kids on Saturday? My husband and I have long wanted to go to the theater, and we’ve already bought the tickets.»
Anna was just about to visit her parents—her mother had invited them for lunch a long time ago.
«Lena, I’m sorry, but we planned to visit my—»
«Oh, come on, your parents can wait!» Lena’s tone grew petulant. «Do I often ask for such favors? The kids simply adore you.»
Anna glanced at the calendar involuntarily. It had been a month since she last met her parents.
«Alright,» she conceded once again.
When Igor returned home that evening, Anna told him about the conversation with his sister.
«Good for you for agreeing,» her husband approved. «Lena really needs a break; she’s with the kids all day.»
«And don’t I need one?» Anna asked softly.
«Oh, come on, you spend all day in the office. That’s entirely different.»
Anna remained silent. Arguing was futile.
A week later, a call came from her father-in-law, Viktor Mikhaylovich.
«Annyushka, here’s the thing… The car broke down, and we need to get around. Could you let us use yours for a couple of weeks?»
Anna was taken aback. Without a car, her life practically came to a standstill—she had work in different parts of the city and client meetings.
«Viktor Mikhaylovich, I can’t manage without my car. My schedule is packed…»
«Oh, don’t worry, dear. Riding the metro a couple of times is no problem!» her father-in-law replied in a good-natured tone. «We’re all family, after all; we must help one another.»
Later, another conversation ensued with Igor.
«Igor, how am I supposed to work without my car? I have meetings, presentations…»
«Oh, Anya, it’s only temporary. Your dad really needs it. Besides, he’s right—you can endure it for the sake of family.»
More and more, Anna noticed that her life was turning into an endless series of concessions. Every time she tried to say “no,” she was reminded: “We’re family.”
The real test came with her promotion at work. Anna had long worked her way to that position, studied hard, and put in tremendous effort. Finally, her endeavors paid off—she was promoted to department head.
Joyfully sharing the news with her husband, she added, «Imagine, now we can finally fulfill our long-held dream! Remember, we wanted to travel to Europe?»
Igor smiled strangely.
«You know, there’s something else… My parents have decided to renovate the kitchen. And Katya’s wedding is coming up soon…»
Anna froze. Once again, relatives took precedence over their own plans.
«And what?» she asked cautiously.
«Well, they need financial assistance. Now that your salary has increased…»
Anna could hardly believe her ears.
«So you’re suggesting that I give up my money for a renovation and a wedding?»
Igor merely shrugged.
«Why not? We’re all family.»
Anna looked at her husband as if seeing him for the first time. When had his family become more important than their own?
That evening, she oscillated between memories of when they dreamed of traveling together and building a future, and the reality of endless requests from his relatives.
«We need to have a serious talk,» Anna declared resolutely as she entered the room where Igor was absorbed in watching television.
«About what?» he replied without even looking up.
«About our relationship. About money, about our plans.»
Reluctantly, Igor turned off the TV.
«Why are you upset? It’s a normal situation. Family needs support.»
«No, it’s not normal,» Anna said, sitting at the edge of the chair. «These are my earnings, Igor. I worked so hard, striving for that promotion.»
«And now what? Are you going to control all the income on your own?» Igor abruptly stood up. «You’ve changed, Anya. You used to be different. Now you only think of yourself.»
His words struck her deeply. Anna clenched her fingers into fists.
«I think about us,» her voice came out firmer than she expected. «About the plans we built together. About the journey we promised each other.»
«When will you ever find time to dream?» Igor waved dismissively. «Your sister’s wedding is around the corner. And my parents have started a renovation.»
«And what about our family? Our shared dreams?»
«Enough!» Igor raised his voice. «In a normal family, the wife helps her husband’s relatives. It’s natural and right.»
The days following that conversation turned into an endless «silent war.» Anna left for work long before dawn and returned late in the evening, when the house was shrouded in darkness. Igor deliberately ignored her existence.
Her mother-in-law, Nina Pavlovna, also did not stay on the sidelines. Every day she called her son, loudly reprimanding her daughter-in-law over the phone.
«Your wife has completely lost her manners,» she lamented. «In my day, no one would have behaved like that. We knew our place.»
Anna pretended not to hear these conversations. She immersed herself deeper into her work. New projects demanded her full commitment, and at the office, she was valued for her professionalism rather than being scolded for selfishness.
Their fifth wedding anniversary was approaching. Anna hoped that day would be a turning point—perhaps Igor would remember how happy they once were, how they supported each other.
But that evening, when she returned home, she found Igor sitting at the kitchen table, arms crossed, with a tense expression on his face.
«I’ve been thinking about something,» he began, sighing heavily.
Anna froze in the doorway. His tone made it clear that the forthcoming conversation would be difficult.
«Of course, you have your own opinions,» Igor continued, «but you need to understand one simple thing. In a family, everyone supports each other.»
He paused, as if giving her a chance to object. But Anna remained silent, waiting.
«My mother devoted her entire life to me,» his voice grew louder, filled with emotion. «Sleepless nights when I was ill. Three jobs for my education. What can I do for her now if not provide help?»
Igor spoke faster and faster, as if trying to convince not only his wife but also himself.
«And what about Katya? She’s twenty. A wedding is an important milestone. How can we not help? We have enough between us.»
Every word struck her like a blow. Anna felt a storm of misunderstanding building inside.
«You’re my wife, not someone else’s!» she concluded coldly.
Igor rolled his eyes.
«Always the same old thing. All you ever think about is money. That’s the only thing that matters to you,» his tone dripped with disdain.
That night, Anna couldn’t sleep. Lying awake, staring at the ceiling, she recalled everything: the missed visits to her parents, weekends spent helping her mother-in-law, money lent with no hope of return. Endless concessions and compromises that never seemed to end.
In the morning, Anna woke up earlier than usual. She took out a large suitcase and began packing her things and documents. Igor watched her actions with a mocking smile.
«What’s all this about?» he asked, leaning against the door frame. «Decided to put on a show of defiance?»
«I’m leaving,» she replied calmly, locking the suitcase.
Her husband laughed.
«You’re being dramatic again? You really think I’ll believe you’re serious?»
Without a word, Anna picked up the suitcase and walked past him toward the front door. A look of surprise flashed in Igor’s eyes.
«Are you really doing this?» his voice wavered.
Within an hour, she was unlocking the door to her old apartment—a small studio she had once bought to rent out. Now it seemed to her like a true sanctuary. Here, no one would demand, judge, or scold her.
For the first time in a long while, she felt free. No more accounting for every penny. No more sacrificing her time for others’ needs. She could simply live.
Days turned into weeks, and weeks into months. Anna threw herself entirely into her work, met with friends, and even started exercising. Life began to shine with new colors again.
Three months later, Igor reappeared. A call came late one evening.
«Let’s meet, let’s talk,» his voice was soft, almost pleading. «I understand everything now. I promise to change.»
Anna smiled as she looked at her phone.
«Too late,» she murmured quietly. «Far too late.»
Igor failed to understand the main issue: it wasn’t the refusal to help his relatives that destroyed their relationship. The problem was that, in his eyes, she had long ceased to be a full individual. She had become merely a resource for his relatives.
Their fifth wedding anniversary passed unnoticed. Igor forgot the date, and for Anna that was yet another sign. She spent that day at work and strolled along the embankment in the evening. The wind tousled her hair, and the sun slowly dipped below the horizon.
Strangely, instead of sadness, she felt a sense of liberation—as if a heavy backpack had been lifted from her shoulders. Now, this life belonged only to her. There was no need to be accommodating; she only needed to be happy.
Anna pulled out her phone and opened the airline’s website. Her vacation was starting in a week. It was time to fulfill her long-held dream of traveling around Europe. Even if it was alone—at least, on her own terms.
