The morning sunbeams, breaking through the lacy curtains, formed intricate patterns of light on the oak parquet floor. The room was engulfed in absolute silence, interrupted only by the steady ticking of the old grandfather clock. Anna, a young woman with expressive brown eyes and thick hair the color of ripe wheat, stood by the window, thoughtfully gazing at a family photograph. In the picture, she beamed with happiness, embracing her husband Dmitry, while a little farther away, with a forced smile, stood his mother – Irina Petrovna – frozen in a stiff pose.
The relationship between the daughter-in-law and the mother-in-law had been strained from the very beginning. The authoritative and arrogant Irina Petrovna considered the modest literature teacher unworthy of her son – a successful businessman. In her view, Dmitry should have been with a dazzling socialite, someone who could shine at soirées and help close profitable deals. But the man’s heart chose otherwise – it unconditionally gave itself to Anna with her warmth, sincerity, and kindness.
Irina Petrovna was puzzled: how could such different people even meet? And why did her son rush to marry so quickly? She did everything in her power to try to change Dmitry’s mind, persuading him that he should get to know his chosen one better before taking such a serious step. The mother-in-law hoped that, over time, her son would come to his senses and realize his mistake, but he remained steadfast.
“My decision is final, mom. You need to accept it and respect my choice. I love Anya and want to spend my life with her,” Dmitry declared firmly.
Irina Petrovna reluctantly backed down but secretly harbored a devious plan. «Let her play at a happy marriage,» she thought, «but when the time comes, I will open his eyes.» If she couldn’t catch the daughter-in-law in something reprehensible, she could always create «evidence» herself.
After the wedding, Anna’s life in the luxurious mansion turned into a nightmare. Her mother-in-law tormented her with constant nitpicking: the soup was too salty, there was dust in the corners, and the outfit wasn’t elegant enough for the guest reception. Anna endured it all in silence, not responding to the biting remarks. She genuinely loved Dmitry and hoped that, over time, Irina Petrovna would soften.
However, the mother-in-law only intensified her attacks: she schemed, spread gossip, and did everything she could to drive a wedge between the couple. She convinced her son that Anna had married him solely for selfish reasons, that she was a poor housekeeper, and that she was embarrassing their family in high society. Dmitry, who had deep respect for his mother but loved his wife unconditionally, tried not to react to these attacks. He saw how hard Anna tried to please everyone, how tenderly she cared for him. Deep down, he knew the moment would come when he would have to make a decisive choice. He didn’t want to fight with his mother, but he couldn’t endlessly watch her attack his beloved wife. He had asked Irina Petrovna many times to stop the persecution, suggesting she gently guide the daughter-in-law if she made any mistakes, but she only sneered contemptuously.
“It’s easier to train a monkey than your Anya! She doesn’t listen to me at all. Just look at how she behaves! As though she were crowned.”
The climax came one morning when Irina Petrovna created an unimaginable scandal. She screamed that her family diamond necklace – a gift from her late husband – had disappeared from her jewelry box. Crying and shaking with rage, she directly accused Anna of stealing it. Who else could have committed such a vile crime? Of course, it was that simpleton who had infiltrated their house for money! She had pretended to be modest all this time, but now she had revealed her true nature!
“I know it’s you!” Irina Petrovna shrieked, pointing her finger at Anna’s face. “You’ve always looked at my jewels with desire! You’ve always dreamed of luxury! It’s your doing! You told Dmitry that you didn’t need diamonds, but secretly planned this! I showed you the necklace just recently, you saw where it was kept! Did you think I wouldn’t notice it was gone?”
Anna was in shock. She had never taken anything that didn’t belong to her, never even considered such a thing. She didn’t understand the value of expensive jewelry, believing it was better to help the needy than to decorate oneself with useless trinkets.
“Irina Petrovna, I swear to you, I didn’t take your necklace!” Anna tried to defend herself, but her mother-in-law refused to listen. “I didn’t even touch it when you showed it to me. Why would I want it?”
“Stop pretending!” Irina Petrovna yelled. “You’re a thief! I’ll throw you out of this house! My son will soon open his eyes and see the monster he’s invited into our home. Let’s see who laughs last. You charmed him with your fake modesty, but you couldn’t keep up the act for long and revealed your true face.”
Dmitry, hearing the shouting, rushed into the room. Seeing his wife crying and his mother enraged, he felt something break inside him. This was all his fault – if he had stopped these endless attacks earlier, none of this would have happened. Now, rage filled him – mostly at himself.
“What’s going on here?” he asked, furrowing his brow.
“Your wife stole my necklace!” Irina Petrovna screamed. “She’s a thief!”
Dmitry looked at Anna. Her eyes were filled with tears, but he saw only pure truth in them. He knew his wife like no one else – she was not capable of theft. And why would she steal from someone who had been waiting for a chance to destroy her?
“Mom, you are deeply mistaken,” Dmitry said firmly. “Anna couldn’t have done this. If you have proof, show it. Otherwise, I demand an apology to my wife. You can’t accuse someone without reason just because of personal dislike.”
“How can you defend her?” Irina Petrovna exploded. “She stole our family heirloom! This necklace, I promised to give it to your father for our granddaughter! And now what? It’s been shamelessly stolen! I won’t be able to fulfill my promise, and you know how important it is to me! Why should I apologize? No one, except this… Anna, would dare do such a thing! I saw how greedily she looked at the necklace, how she dreamed of having it! I saw it all!”
“I know my wife,” Dmitry replied coldly. “And I know how you feel about her, too, Mom! I trust Anna. She doesn’t need your necklace.”
Irina Petrovna burned with fury. She hadn’t expected her son to react like this. She had hoped he would believe her, his own mother, not this nameless teacher. But the woman was determined not to back down.
“You’ll regret this!” Irina Petrovna yelled. “You’ll see who she really is!”
Without wasting a second, Irina Petrovna began rummaging through Anna and Dmitry’s room, searching for the missing item. Anna stood quietly aside, clenching her hands in pain and humiliation. It was unbearable for her to be accused of such a vile crime.
Dmitry, seeing his wife’s suffering, walked over and hugged her tightly.
“Don’t worry, I’m on your side,” he whispered. “Let Mom figure out for herself that you’re innocent, and then I’ll decide what to do.”
The search yielded no results – the necklace wasn’t found. Irina Petrovna was beside herself. She insisted on calling the police and having Anna arrested immediately. She demanded the authorities search every inch of the room and, if necessary, strip the daughter-in-law to her skin, as she might have hidden the stolen item under her clothes.
Dmitry categorically refused to indulge his mother’s whims. He stated that she had crossed all boundaries by accusing and humiliating his wife.
“I’ll handle this myself and figure out who’s at fault, Mom!” Dmitry said firmly, looking at Irina Petrovna.
“And I’m not done yet! I’ll continue searching!”
After overturning the contents of the nightstand by Anna’s bed, Irina Petrovna finally found the necklace. She shook the jewelry in front of Anna’s face, shouting that her suspicions had been confirmed.
“Well, what now? Will you deny it? I found it among your things!”
“Yes, I still say I’m innocent. If you don’t believe me, check the fingerprints! I didn’t even touch your necklace.”
Dmitry escorted his mother out of the room. It occurred to him to check the security cameras, which hadn’t been used for a long time due to malfunction. Irina Petrovna didn’t know that while she had been at the sanatorium, Dmitry had fixed the system, and now everything was being recorded.
After reviewing the footage, Dmitry saw his mother sneaking into their room in their absence and leaving with a satisfied smirk. He was filled with fury. Could his mother really be so treacherous?
Dmitry was in shock. He couldn’t believe that his own flesh and blood had sunk to such depths. He felt shame and anger, blaming himself for not protecting his wife earlier. How could Anna endure these accusations and humiliations? Would she forgive him for his weakness?
Calling Irina Petrovna into the study, Dmitry showed her the footage and expressed everything he felt about her actions. Now, he only felt bitter disappointment.
“How could you?” he asked, struggling to hold back his emotions. “How could you do this to Anna? She’s innocent! You put her through hell, knowing the truth! Aren’t you ashamed?”
Irina Petrovna tried to defend herself, but Dmitry refused to listen.
“You’ve crossed every line,” he said with pain in his voice. “You wanted to destroy my marriage. But it didn’t work. I love Anya, and I will stay with her. I would have believed her even without these recordings. I don’t understand why you’re so cruel to her, Mom… and why you don’t care about my feelings. I don’t want anyone else. Anya is my fate. I want to spend my life with her.”
Irina Petrovna, realizing her defeat, broke down in tears. She begged for forgiveness, but Dmitry remained unyielding.
That same day, he and Anna moved out. They temporarily rented a small apartment to get back on their feet and find a new home. They had been meaning to start their own life, but Dmitry felt sorry for his mother. He had hoped she would accept Anna, but it went differently.
Dmitry couldn’t continue the family business – Irina Petrovna gave an ultimatum: “Your wife or the money.” He started from scratch, building his own business. It initially brought in modest income, but it was honest, unlike the previous manipulations that had been necessary to maintain their position.
The couple was happy. Their life was modest, but filled with love. Dmitry no longer allowed anyone to interfere in their relationship. He protected Anna and loved her with all his heart.
A few years later, they had a daughter – a little girl with brown eyes and golden hair, a perfect likeness of her mother. Dmitry adored his family. He knew he had made the right choice in supporting Anya. True happiness was love, loyalty, and family.
Irina Petrovna never came to terms with it. She remained alone in the vast empty house, surrounded by wealth but deprived of warmth and loved ones. She realized that her hatred had destroyed her life, but she could do nothing to change it. Dmitry refused to speak with her. He had chosen love – and never regretted it.
