Karina ran her finger over the smooth surface of the keys to their new apartment. The shiny metal reflected the evening light coming through the window of the real estate agency. The wedding was in three days, and she was preparing the most important surprise of her life.
“Congratulations on the purchase,” the realtor smiled, handing over the documents. “A wonderful choice for a young family.”
“Thank you,” Karina carefully studied every line of the contract. The apartment was registered in her name. Everything was correct.
She rode home with her heart pounding. Timur suspected nothing. He thought that after the wedding they would rent a place. But she had bought them a real home with money she had been saving for five years.
“Tim, close your eyes,” Karina asked when they arrived at their new home after the wedding ceremony.
“What kind of surprise, wife?” Timur laughed but obediently squeezed his eyes shut.
Karina took her husband’s hand and led him to the entrance. Her heart was pounding so loudly she was afraid he would hear it.
“Open,” she whispered, inserting the key into the lock of their apartment.
Timur opened his eyes and froze. A spacious hallway, parquet floors, high ceilings. Exactly the kind of apartment he had shown her online a month ago.
“Karinochka, what is this?” Timur’s voice trembled with excitement.
“Our home,” Karina quietly replied. “I bought it for us. With my savings.”
Timur hugged his wife and twirled her around the room. Tears of joy filled his eyes.
“You’re incredible! How did you keep this a secret?”
“I wanted to surprise you,” Karina pressed close to her husband. “Now we have our own home. A real one.”
The next two weeks flew by like a dream. They furnished the apartment, chose wallpaper, and planned their future. Timur thanked his wife every day for the gift. Karina was on cloud nine.
But one morning everything changed.
“Karinochka, I have news for you,” Timur said at breakfast. “Mom decided to move in with us.”
Karina choked on her coffee.
“Move in? Completely?”
“Yes,” Timur avoided direct eye contact. “She’s lonely. The apartment is big, there’s enough room for everyone.”
“Tim, but we’re newlyweds,” Karina began. “We need time alone.”
“Mom will help us settle in. She knows how to run a household.”
Karina set her cup down on the saucer with a sharper sound than she intended.
“And you already agreed?”
“Well… I couldn’t say no to her,” Timur finally looked at his wife. “She raised me alone. Now it’s my turn to take care of her.”
“But why didn’t you consult me?” Karina’s voice softened. “This is our home.”
“Karinochka, don’t be upset. Everything will be fine. Mom is kind, you’ll get along.”
Valentina Sergeyevna arrived with three suitcases and a box of kitchen utensils.
“Oh, what a gloomy hallway,” the mother-in-law said first thing. “Timochka, this place needs light-colored wallpaper.”
“Mom, we like it,” Timur tried to defend.
“What do you know about design?” Valentina Sergeyevna waved her hand dismissively. “I have been arranging apartments for thirty years.”
Karina silently helped her mother-in-law unpack in the room. The woman critically examined every corner.
“Why are these plants here?” Valentina Sergeyevna pointed at the ficus by the window. “They spoil the air.”
“These are my favorite flowers,” Karina replied quietly.
“Nonsense. Better put a bigger TV here.”
Within a week, the apartment became unrecognizable. Valentina Sergeyevna rearranged the furniture, replaced the curtains, and threw away half the decorations. Timur responded to all of Karina’s remarks the same way:
“Mom knows better. She has experience.”
“Tim, but this is my home,” Karina said one evening. “I bought it with my own money.”
“Now we’re family. Everything is shared,” her husband replied without looking up from his phone.
“So my opinion means nothing?”
“Don’t dramatize. Mom means well.”
Karina went to bed with clenched fists. The apartment, which was supposed to be their family nest, was turning into someone else’s place. And her husband seemed oblivious to her suffering.
In the morning, Valentina Sergeyevna met her daughter-in-law in the kitchen with new complaints:
“Karinochka, these pots are no good. Non-stick coating is pure chemicals.”
“Valentina Sergeyevna, I’m used to my own dishes,” Karina tried to object.
“Habit is not an argument,” the mother-in-law cut her off. “Timochka already agreed to buy proper cookware.”
Karina looked at her husband. He shrugged guiltily.
At that moment, the girl realized the battle was only beginning.
Karina silently left the kitchen, leaving her mother-in-law to rant about the dangers of non-stick coating. She locked herself in the bathroom and looked at herself in the mirror. The reflection showed a tired woman with dull eyes.
“What is happening to my life?” Karina whispered.
In the evening, she tried to talk to Timur alone.
“Tim, we need to discuss your mom’s situation,” Karina began when they were alone in the bedroom.
“What situation?” her husband was surprised. “Mom is helping us settle in.”
“She’s remodeling my home to suit herself,” Karina said quietly. “Changing everything to her taste.”
“Karinochka, don’t exaggerate. She only moved a few things.”
“Moved a few things?” Karina’s voice grew louder. “She threw out my flowers, changed the curtains!”
“What’s wrong with that? The apartment became cozier.”
Karina sat on the bed and looked at her husband intently.
“Timur, be honest. Did you ask my opinion before agreeing to her move?”
“Karina, she’s not a stranger. She’s my mother.”
“And who am I? Just some random neighbor?”
“Don’t say nonsense,” Timur waved it off. “You’re my wife.”
“Then why does the wife’s opinion mean nothing in her own home?”
“In our home,” Timur corrected. “We are family now.”
Karina lay down, turning to face the wall. The conversation hit a dead end.
The next morning Karina left for work earlier than usual. She couldn’t concentrate all day. Colleagues noticed her distraction, but she remained silent.
“Karina, are you okay?” her boss asked. “You look tired.”
“Just some problems at home,” Karina sighed. “Nothing serious.”
In the evening, Karina returned home with a heavy heart. Opening the apartment door, she froze on the threshold. The entire living room had been radically rearranged.
The sofa was moved to the opposite wall. The TV was angled differently. The coffee table swapped places with the cabinet. Even the paintings hung in completely different spots.
“What happened here?” Karina couldn’t believe her eyes.
Valentina Sergeyevna appeared from the kitchen with a satisfied look.
“I put things in order, like in a normal home,” the mother-in-law said calmly. “Before, everything was out of place.”
“Valentina Sergeyevna,” Karina tried to stay calm, “this is my apartment. I decide how to arrange the furniture.”
“This is my home, even if your name is on some papers,” the mother-in-law declared, pointing at the rearranged furniture. “My son lives here, so I’m the lady of the house.”
“How dare you?” Karina’s voice trembled with indignation. “I bought this apartment with my own money!”
“Money is money, but family is more important,” Valentina Sergeyevna snapped. “Timochka agreed to the rearrangement.”
“He agreed?” Karina couldn’t believe her ears. “Without asking me?”
“Why ask? I know better how a home should look.”
Something snapped inside Karina’s head. She silently approached her mother-in-law, took her hand, and led her to the door.
“What are you doing?” Valentina Sergeyevna protested, trying to pull away.
“Seeing you out of my home,” Karina said calmly.
“You don’t have the right to kick me out!” the mother-in-law shouted. “Timur won’t allow it!”
“We’ll see,” Karina literally pushed the woman out the door.
Karina locked the door tight and leaned against it. Her hands trembled with adrenaline, but inside there was a strange relief.
Valentina Sergeyevna banged on the door and demanded to be let in. Karina didn’t respond. After half an hour, the noise died down. The mother-in-law left, probably to neighbors or acquaintances.
Karina walked around the apartment, putting things back where they belonged. She placed each item where it had originally stood. The work took two hours. She postponed the furniture for later.
Timur came back late in the evening. Seeing the rearranged furniture, he frowned.
“Where’s Mom?” he asked instead of a greeting.
“I don’t know,” Karina replied indifferently. “I asked her to leave.”
“What do you mean asked?” Timur’s voice hardened.
“I kicked her out,” Karina said calmly. “She crossed all boundaries.”
“You kicked out my mother?” Timur couldn’t believe what he heard.
“I defended my home from intrusion.”
Timur went to the bedroom and started packing his suitcase.
“What are you doing?” Karina asked, watching her husband.
“I’m leaving. I won’t live with a woman who humiliates my family.”
Karina silently took the second suitcase from the closet and began packing Valentina Sergeyevna’s things.
“In two months, you never supported me,” Karina said carefully folding the mother-in-law’s blouses. “Choose — her or me.”
“She’s my mother,” Timur answered, closing his suitcase.
“And I was your wife,” Karina corrected him.
By morning the suitcases were by the door. Timur left without saying goodbye.
A week later Karina called a locksmith and changed the locks. The technician worked quickly and professionally.
“Beautiful apartment,” the locksmith remarked as he installed the new lock. “Have you lived here long?”
“I’m starting life anew,” Karina smiled, accepting the new keys.
During those seven days, Timur called several times. At first demanding explanations, then begging to resume talks. Karina answered briefly and to the point.
She filed for divorce only after a month, when all emotions had settled.
“You destroyed our family,” Timur accused her in their last conversation.
“I defended my boundaries,” Karina replied calmly. “And you destroyed the family when you chose your mother over your wife.”
In the evening, she sat in her favorite armchair, now exactly where she wanted it. A cup of steaming coffee in her hands, new flowers greened on the windowsill.
Karina looked out at the evening city and thought about the future. The apartment had become her home again.
