— So what? Yes, I have an apartment, but I’m not going to sell it! — Anna declared confidently to her husband.
— You do understand that they can’t manage on their own. The bank keeps calling, and calls come from somewhere else too — where your brother borrowed money. Mom is constantly on edge, already afraid to pick up the phone; her relationship with Dad is terrible, and she just can’t stop taking her pills. You have to help us. We have no one else to count on. Sell the apartment!
— Now explain to me, you fool, why on earth should I for you? Did I ever borrow money from you or your parents? I don’t recall anything like that. Or perhaps, did I promise them that I would give away my property free of charge for the needs of your short-sighted relatives? That never happened either. So why are you drawing these conclusions now? I owe no one! I only owe my parents and my daughter — and even then, only if they ask me.
Anna, a forty-five-year-old woman, had never relied on anyone in her life. She always adhered to one simple rule — in this life, you can only count on yourself!
No matter how rich your parents might be, they can fall ill and depart this world. Even if your husband is fortunate and well-off, he can abandon you at any moment, trading you for someone younger and bolder. Children, while they are young, demand care and huge financial expenses, and once they grow up, they generally solve their own problems — they are no longer concerned with their parents’ issues.
That’s why, from her very first day of work, still young, Anna already knew — she could only rely on what she earned herself.
And that was how it was all those subsequent years.
She met Viktor when Anna was already holding the position of deputy chief accountant at a factory. She was earning quite well at that time. The factory was developing, and the director spared no expense for his team. It was her immediate supervisor, the chief accountant Azaliya Markovna, who then advised Anna to buy a one-room apartment for herself.
— Anya, invest money in real estate. Your apartment will only appreciate in value. If you meet a husband who comes with his own living space — that’s good. It means you can rent out yours. And besides, it’s better to look for a man who doesn’t have claims on your premarital property. And remember — everything you’ve earned yourself should be only yours!
Anna knew it well herself. It was simply a seasoned person confirming her own thoughts with experience.
At that time, Viktor worked in a design bureau; he earned decently, but he wasn’t rolling in money. When he learned that his beloved had an apartment, he was delighted and decided that there was no need to buy housing for the family.
— Anya, isn’t this great? For now, we can live in your one-room apartment. And when the children come, we’ll buy a bigger apartment, — the man reasoned.
— When the children are born, it will be too late to think about expanding. So many problems and worries will arise, including financial ones, that you won’t even be able to scrape together enough for a one-person tent. No, my dear, if you plan to live with me long and happily, and even dream of having children, you must think about an apartment now.
Thus, Anna managed to convince her husband that they needed a shared, larger apartment. After the wedding, using the money they had been gifted and a small amount of her husband’s savings, they purchased a spacious two-room apartment in a new building. Anna rented out her modest one-room apartment, which she had bought before the wedding, to a young couple. The income from renting out her property she invested into the family capital. And in the early stages, it was a good help for the young newlyweds.
A year after the wedding, Anna and Viktor had a daughter. The couple was happy. Unfortunately, Anna did not have any more children, but she did not despair. She raised her daughter according to her own principles. She taught her everything in which she herself was one hundred percent confident.
— Dashul, remember one thing — your father and I will always come to your aid. But in everything, you must first rely on yourself. When you get married — I have an apartment. And you and your husband can live there for a while. But your chosen one must earn his own home. And my apartment will remain mine. Learn to be independent and look for a wife who is the same, — Anna told her daughter.
She saw that her daughter took after her character and supported her in everything.
Now, almost twenty years into their married life, Viktor demanded that his wife sell her premarital apartment.
— Anya, your parents are in an impossible situation, — he began grumpily, coming home from work. — Today, your mother called, crying.
— Oh? And what’s the matter? — Anna responded with little surprise.
His mother was constantly crying; you didn’t even need a special reason for it. Everyone treated her unjustly, fate had been cruel to her, her health was failing — everything filled her with sorrow and melancholy.
— You know they took out a huge loan from the bank for Nikita?
— I know. And I also know that your Nikita is a slacker who only mooches off his parents, as usual. No surprise there. What next? — Anna reacted sharply. — I can’t stand good-for-nothings!
— Well, you’re being unfair to him. You know his luck with his wife — Lena left him, taking their shared apartment for herself. Now he has to pay a loan for a place he has nothing to do with. And he’s even burdening his parents with his debts.
— Exactly! And that’s what I mean! Why should his problems be solved by elderly parents? Don’t you agree? He’s a good-for-nothing and a lazy slob, and that’s exactly where all his problems stem from. And Lena didn’t leave him for no reason — it was precisely for that.
— Listen. I didn’t mean to get into this discussion with you. What are you starting again? — Viktor said irritably.
— I’m listening. What’s the problem now with your mother? — Anna sighed and asked.
— You must sell your apartment, Anna.
— What? Are you out of your mind, dear? Why on earth should I sell it?
— Your parents have serious problems. They owe the bank an enormous sum. Moreover, at the request of Nikita, your father has taken out quick loans from microcredit companies several times.
— So? Am I supposed to give them my property for free? So that your parents can solve the problems of that loser? Explain to me — give me at least one reason why I should do that? — Anna protested.
— Anya, wait a minute, don’t be so headstrong. You have no idea what a hellhole they’re in right now. Forgive my language, but there’s no other way to say it. My parents are simply on the edge. My mother gives away every penny of her salary. Her pension, too. My father has borrowed from all his friends and acquaintances, and it’s still not enough to settle his debts. Someone is constantly calling them and making threats! What am I supposed to do as a son, tell me? — Viktor tried to be persuasive.
— Call the police to find out who is threatening your parents, first of all. And then grab your younger brother by the collar, give him a good shake, and force him to pay off his own debts rather than dumping them onto others, — Anna said calmly.
— It’s easy for you to talk! — Viktor suddenly shouted. — They’re not your parents! And you don’t care what happens to them! They’re already on the brink, and their health is in jeopardy. What do you expect me to do about that?
— Their health should be restored in a medical facility, after first solving their financial problems, — Anna replied.
— Oh, come on! Solve the problems! How can they be solved if everything has already been given away? I’m telling you — sell your apartment. And everything will be resolved immediately. No, you’ve become obstinate, clinging to it like a lunatic. Sure, I agree that your one-room apartment brings a decent extra income. But we’re not destitute, Anna!
— You reason strangely, my dear. Yes, now we’re not destitute and can even save a little. After all, we have an adult daughter who still needs to finish university before she can start earning on her own. And later, she’ll need to be married off, and help a young family in its early days. And what will happen tomorrow, do you know? I don’t. Maybe you’ll find yourself a younger woman and throw me aside to share our living space. Or maybe, tomorrow, you won’t even be in this world.
— That’s it! You’ll say the same, — Viktor replied, his face wrinkling in irritation.
— And what? I’m considering all the options. Neither you nor I are insured against everything. That’s why my apartment is my inviolable reserve. It’s what gives me confidence in tomorrow. And it will remain with me until I die, then pass on to my daughter as an inheritance.
— My parents will gradually give everything to us. Don’t you know them? They’re honest, decent people, — Viktor continued, hoping to persuade his wife.
— Oh, I don’t need that! Honest, decent. They wouldn’t abandon their son in trouble; that’s why they’d give him everything in the end. And Nikita will never leave them alone, he’ll keep mooching off money as long as they live. What kind of return can you speak of for such a substantial sum right now? Get real and be a realist!
— So you’re not going to sell the apartment? And let your parents rot? — Viktor exclaimed loudly, hurt in his voice.
— I’ve already told you everything. I see no point in repeating myself. And I’m going to call your mother right now and explain everything, so that she stops stressing both you and me. Look at them — they’ve taken to guilt-tripping us!
Anna indeed dialed Viktor’s mother’s number, preparing herself for a difficult conversation.
— Hello, Anna, it’s good that you called, — answered Viktor’s mother, Victoria Borisovna.
— Hello! How are you feeling? — the daughter-in-law inquired, starting the conversation.
— I’m managing. There was some pressure this morning. But now I’m a bit better, — replied Victoria Borisovna in a soothing tone. — Did Viktor already tell you that we had approached you with a request?
— I’m glad you’re in good health and can listen to me, — Anna continued without ceremony. — Yes, Viktor conveyed your request. But I must refuse you. I am not going to sell my premarital apartment.
— How can that be, Anya? Your son assured us that you’d agree, and that we could pay off all our debts and solve all the problems. Now, what are we to do?
— Now you need to shift all your problems onto your younger son, because he’s the one who caused them. This isn’t a case where I can take such a step. Nikita stirred all of this up; let him handle it. I’m not going to lose my apartment because he accumulated debts. Your son is nothing to me! So what you’re suggesting is absolute nonsense, and no self-respecting person would agree to that.
— Look at the way you speak! So our family is a stranger to you, is it? — suddenly, Victoria Borisovna shouted into the phone. — And our problems mean nothing to you! How has Viktor been with you for so many years? You’re heartless and greedy! And calculating, too — that’s what I’ll tell you, my dear daughter-in-law.
— So be it. But I’m not about to throw away my honestly earned property just to help a freeloader and an unserious person.
Anna hung up, trying not to dwell on the unpleasant conversation. But she couldn’t shake it off. The woman thought about how Victoria Borisovna had insulted her undeservedly. After all, according to all the arguments, Anna was right. Why on earth should she hand over her apartment? And Viktor’s parents understood that perfectly well too; they were just acting out of desperation. Who knows, they might even fall for the fool.
They somehow managed to get by. Anna didn’t really get into the details, but she caught bits of her husband saying that his parents had already sold their car, garage, and summer house to finally pay off the debts of the younger son. What they’d sell next, she couldn’t imagine. But in the end, those were their problems.
And six months later, Anna learned that Viktor had long since found another woman and was planning to divorce her. She had been watching closely, always suspecting that her husband might betray her at any moment.
— We’re going to divide the apartment. I have nowhere to live with Galya. And we’ll divide everything — everything we earned and bought together during our marriage. I remember how you refused my parents, so now prepare yourself for the division of property, — Viktor said vindictively.
— Exactly! And I did the right thing by refusing. My one-room apartment would have been crying. After all, intuition is a great thing! — Anna retorted to her husband.
Yes, she was ready for this. For deep down, she always knew that you could expect anything from people, even from those closest to you. Even treachery and betrayal.
She now lives in her apartment. The money she received from the division and sale of their jointly owned property, Anna has temporarily placed in a bank account. She plans to persuade her daughter to buy a small apartment with that money before she gets married.
Her daughter promised to think about it. And soon they will go together to look at options for purchasing real estate.
