Dima?» Natasha saw her boyfriend through the peephole and, throwing on a robe, opened the door. «So why did you come?»
«To talk.»
«About what? Are you going to freeze me out again? We’ve already discussed everything,» she stepped back, and Dmitry noticed something interesting in the bedroom: rumpled sheets, two glasses with unfinished wine, and a bouquet. A bouquet that, clearly, wasn’t from Dima.
«I see, you haven’t been wasting time…» he muttered, stepping into the bedroom still wearing his shoes.
On the nightstand by the bed was a plate of strawberries, and it was clear someone had eaten some. Next to the plate, men’s watches caught the eye. Watches that didn’t belong to Dmitry.
Clearly, there was another man in her apartment, and Natasha didn’t even try to hide it…
Natasha had moved to Moscow with big hopes. The job at the advertising agency she took initially brought neither satisfaction nor decent money, but it was there that she met Dmitry. Tall, self-confident, and with a charming smile, the businessman came to place an order for an advertisement.
«I’m opening a new office. I need the most beautiful sign,» he said.
At first, Natasha thought he was just showing off, but later, after talking to her colleagues, she found out this man was a big boss. He was used to controlling all processes «from start to finish.» He even took personal control of the sign.
When the design was ready, Dmitry praised Natasha and invited her to the office opening.
«Look how well your work will look on my building,» he smiled and left.
Natasha wasn’t taken aback — she accepted the invitation and charmed Dima not only as a designer but as a young, attractive woman.
«While he’s still around, grab the bull by the horns. Men like him don’t stay free for long,» Anya advised, and Natasha followed her friend’s advice.
Dima turned out to be generous.
He made it clear right away: he liked taking care of things. Within a month, he was not just giving Natasha gifts, but he gave her a card with money on it.
«So my girlfriend never has to deny herself anything,» he said.
Leaving his apartment for her own cramped rental with «grandmother’s renovation» didn’t appeal to her. She told all her friends as much.
«Can’t you make him offer to move in together?» Anya asked, laughing condescendingly. «You need to teach him everything!»
«Teach me. I’m listening…»
«Just tell him the rent went up. Or even better, tell him they’re kicking you out because the apartment is up for sale.»
«But that’s not true! What if he sees the ad when I move out?»
«Prepay for two months. What’s his card for?»
«But he saw the transaction.»
«Withdraw cash! My God, you’re so naïve, Natasha!»
Anya’s plan worked.
A week later, Natasha arrived at Dima’s in tears.
«They’re kicking me out… Looks like I’ll have to go back to my hometown, Ust-Zadryupensk. I can’t find an apartment so quickly, and I don’t have money for the rent, but it’s too embarrassing to take yours. I’ve already spent so much… on shoes.» Natasha showed him the purchases that cost only a few rubles. Dima didn’t really check the receipts. He took the bait about needing to save his beloved and handed her a keychain with spare keys.
«Here. You’ll live here.»
«Really?!»
«Really.»
Now Natasha went to work just to show off her new dresses and shoes, not to earn money. Her boss noticed, and soon the question of firing her came up.
«Why work hard when there’s a man who can provide everything? Natasha, don’t make me laugh,» her friend sneered over the phone. «Look at yourself — beautiful, young, living with a successful guy. This is a dream, not life. You’re lucky!»
And Natasha believed it — she was lucky. She posted photos on social media of enormous bouquets that could have decorated an entire wedding, gifts, dinners at restaurants, and sunsets by the sea, where they flew just to enjoy life.
Natasha lost many friends. Not everyone could handle such happiness. But she continued boasting about how lucky she was. But her friends increasingly noticed that she was just living with him — without rights or guarantees.
«When’s the wedding, Natasha? Be careful, he’ll just use you and leave,» Anya said one day.
«What do you mean, leave? He’s under my thumb. I make him pancakes for breakfast every day and wait for him at home in the evening, dressed up, in heels. Men don’t leave women like me.»
«Really? You’re so naïve, Natasha. They even leave wives. And you’re not even a wife. You’re just… Maybe he’s married? Are you sure he’s not flying off to see his family for weeks at a time, but to business trips?»
«What, should I check his passport?»
«Check it. And check his phone. And meet his parents. Stop acting so naïve, really! You can’t keep a man with lace alone. You need a stamp in your passport and your mother-in-law as a friend.»
Anya’s words stuck in Natasha’s head. That evening, she started looking for her boyfriend’s passport, and… couldn’t find it. He also kept his phone away from her, never letting her near it. Every time the phone rang, he’d leave to talk in his office. Natasha was scared.
«If he’s acting like this, start acting like that too! Make him jealous,» Anya advised, who was always up to date on her friend’s situation. «Show him you’re not sitting by the window. Let him be jealous. Men love to hunt, haven’t you forgotten? He’s used to you being there, so shake him up!»
And Natasha began the game. Whenever her man left, she posted photos on social media with a glass of wine and ambiguous phrases like, «Sometimes everything begins with a chance meeting. Thanks for the evening.» Dmitry watched silently, not commenting, but once, when he saw a message from Anya, whom Natasha had renamed «Vanya,» he asked:
«Do you have someone?»
«What?!» Natasha intentionally softened her voice, but kept it cold. «I’m not… a wife. And I’ve been asking you for a long time to introduce me to your parents! But you… you keep ignoring me!»
He didn’t respond. Just left. He said he’d give her time to think about her behavior.
Natasha cried all night, and the next morning, he arrived with a bouquet and said:
«Let’s go. I want to introduce you to my mother.»
Natasha was thrilled — it worked! He wasn’t indifferent to her!
But the meeting with Dima’s mother didn’t go as well as expected. The woman didn’t see Natasha as a potential daughter-in-law. They politely had breakfast at a restaurant and parted ways. No matter how hard Natasha tried, nothing but the usual pleasantries came from her potential mother-in-law.
After the meeting, Natasha doubled down with hints about marriage.
«Natasha, I’m not ready for marriage, can’t you understand? We’ve only been dating for a year! I’m 32, I want to stay single for a bit longer,» Dima declared.
«How long? Ten years?»
«No, at least a year or two… I’ll probably be ready at 35. Don’t pressure me.»
«Well! If that’s the case, then you’ll be sleeping on the couch for the next three years. For now, go sleep on the couch.»
Natasha stopped meeting him in aprons and heels. She stopped being the perfect woman, almost a wife. Dima tolerated it, but eventually said he wanted to clarify their relationship.
«Either we’re together, or we’re not,» he said.
«I agree. Either we get married, or I’m free.»
Natasha went to the bedroom. And Dima… Dima watched her in surprise and shrugged.
He didn’t want to kick Natasha out. He thought she was just having a rough time. It would pass, and she’d return to being the normal, sweet girl. But instead of the sweet girl, Natasha seemed to be possessed by a demon. She began acting provocatively, constantly answering him that he wasn’t her husband.
«You know, I think we need to live apart,» he eventually said and left. From his own apartment.
They lived separately for a month. Natasha still used his card, drove his car, and lived in his apartment.
They crossed paths several times during the separation, and Natasha behaved well, especially the day they met by chance, and Dima suggested going for a walk. She agreed.
The evening was warm, just like before. No pretenses, no masks. Natasha went home with tears in her eyes, but Dima didn’t offer to start over. He simply let her go, though something clicked in his heart. He realized he missed her.
«In general, I don’t know what to do,» Natasha complained that day.
«Find someone else,» Anya said, understanding the situation was bad.
«But I love Dima. I’m tired of pretending to be offended. In reality, everything was fine. The main thing was that he was there.»
«Natasha, are you crazy? The main thing is that he marries you! Don’t settle for less! Keep pressuring him, or he’ll know you’re weaker.»
Anya kept talking. Eventually, they came up with a plan. But Natasha didn’t realize that Dima had already bought the ring. And he preferred a gentle wife to the promiscuous girl Natasha was about to become, following Anya’s advice.
Deciding to risk everything, Natasha stopped answering his calls and messages and started waiting for a personal visit.
She didn’t have to wait long. Dima came after two days of silence. Natasha was ready. She had already bought a bouquet, set everything up so it looked like she had a suitor. She even placed watches on the nightstand.
«What, you’re a free woman, you can go on dates,» Anya assured her. «And if you want to really piss him off, draw a bruise on your neck, let him figure out who did that.»
Natasha followed her friend’s advice exactly. But Dima turned out to be different than Anya had imagined.
He came to talk and even… offer her the coveted ring. To settle that there would be no more misunderstandings and arguments between them. But he saw something completely different than he expected.
«Yes, yes. If you think I’ll wait for you alone, you’re mistaken,» noticing the effect his fiancée’s bouquet, the men’s watches on the nightstand, and other details had on him, Natasha added fuel to the fire of his jealousy.
«What’s this?! What am I asking you? You dared to bring men into my house?!» Dima turned his head and looked at Natasha with such disappointment as one looks at a fallen woman. «Did someone sleep in my bed?!»
Natasha shrugged her shoulder:
«We broke up. You don’t live here. I said I don’t want relationships on these terms. Either you marry me, or I’ll make my own fate without you. And trust me, I won’t mourn. The world doesn’t revolve around you. There are plenty of men.»
Dmitry quickly closed the distance between them and grabbed Natasha by the chin. At the same time, he noticed a small red mark on her neck, another sign of a fun night. His fingers tightened on her neck, and Natasha recoiled.
«What’s wrong?» she was afraid. She hadn’t expected that reaction.
«Get out! Out of my apartment!»
«But, Dima…» All her arrogance disappeared.
«I said out! You’ve got an hour to pack your things! Or just leave as you are, because all you have are my gifts. You haven’t earned a dime in this whole year! And I’m a fool, I really thought about marrying you.» He pulled a box from his pocket, and Natasha’s heart skipped a beat.
«Is this the ring?!» she gasped. «For me? An engagement ring?»
«Not for you anymore. I won’t marry a ‘sorry excuse.’ I didn’t find myself in a dumpster.» Dima snapped the box shut, hiding the diamond ring from her eyes. The one that could have been hers.
«Dima, wait… You’ve misunderstood!» She rushed after him, but he just laughed.
«Yeah. It’s all ‘not what I think.’ Save those stories for the one who left that mark on your neck!»
Dima left, and Natasha rushed to the bathroom. Cold water, soap, and… the red mark «makeup» washed off.
Why did she even make it? Why did she create this circus?!
She just listened to her friend. Overdid it. Now Dima would never believe her. And happiness was almost in her pocket.
When the door slammed behind Dima, Natasha cried for a long time. Then she called Anya and said everything she thought.
«You ruined it yourself,» Anya squeaked when Natasha tearfully told her everything. «How was I supposed to know he was serious?! And anyway, don’t make me the scapegoat!»
«Right. It’s all my fault,» Natasha sighed. «I shouldn’t have listened to advice from someone who doesn’t even have a man!»
No matter how hard Natasha tried to make up with Dima, he didn’t want to listen. In the end, she moved out.
She settled back into a rented studio. She went back to work to pay the bills and buy groceries. Dima didn’t let her take the gifts back; that was the punishment for betrayal and deception. Natasha was left with nothing.
Sometimes, she would check Dima’s social media page: six months later, he posted a photo with a new girlfriend, one who didn’t look like Natasha. The caption read: «When you meet the one.»
Later, the same girl posted a photo from their wedding. Just one. Then she deleted her account from social media. Unlike Natasha, she was firmly convinced that happiness loves silence.
