Ksenia had an important day today – a meeting with the company’s management. She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. The past few months, she had been working like crazy on a new project, and now the moment of truth had arrived.
The meeting passed in a fog. Ksenia could hardly believe her ears when the director announced her promotion and a significant salary increase. She sat there, eyes wide open, as her colleagues congratulated her.
Leaving the office, Ksenia couldn’t contain her smile. She took out her phone to share the news with her husband but hesitated at the last moment. It was better to tell him in person, at dinner.
That evening, as she was setting the table, Ksenia couldn’t stop smiling. Maxim, entering the kitchen, raised an eyebrow in surprise:
— You’re glowing today. Did something happen?
Ksenia, unable to hold it in any longer, blurted out:
— I got promoted! And my salary almost doubled!
Maxim smiled widely and hugged his wife tightly:
— Congratulations, darling! You deserve it.
During dinner, they discussed plans for the future. Ksenia dreamed of a trip they had been putting off for a long time, while Maxim suggested investing the money in renovating their apartment.
— And we could go to restaurants more often, too, — Maxim added. — By the way, mom invited us to dinner this Saturday. Shall we celebrate your promotion?
Ksenia nodded, though something inside her stirred. Her relationship with her mother-in-law had always been tense.
On Saturday evening, they arrived at Maxim’s parents’ house. Elena Viktorovna greeted them at the door, kissing her son and giving a brief nod to her daughter-in-law.
At the table, the conversation inevitably turned to Ksenia’s work. Elena Viktorovna listened carefully, occasionally casting evaluating glances at her daughter-in-law.
— So, what are you going to do with the raise? — Elena Viktorovna casually asked.
Ksenia tensed, sensing the hidden meaning in the question.
— Maxim and I haven’t decided yet, — she cautiously replied.
— How could you not have decided? — Elena Viktorovna exclaimed. — A young family should be thinking about the future. For example, Maxim needs a new suit for work. And it’s time to change the car…
Ksenia frowned, trying to process what she had just heard. Was her mother-in-law implying that she should spend her salary on her husband’s needs?
— Mom, we’ll figure it out ourselves, — Maxim gently interrupted her.
But Elena Viktorovna persisted. Throughout the evening, she made several remarks about the importance of helping the family and taking care of her husband. Ksenia felt her irritation building up inside.
On the way home, she couldn’t hold it in any longer:
— Maxim, don’t you think your mom is getting too involved in our finances?
Maxim shrugged:
— Oh, come on, she’s just worried about us. Don’t pay attention to it.
Ksenia wanted to argue but remained silent. Maybe she was overreacting?
However, a week later, the situation repeated itself. Elena Viktorovna showed up unannounced, supposedly to bring homemade pies.
— Ksyusha, I’ve been thinking, — she began, settling in the kitchen. — Since you now have such a good salary, maybe you could help us with the repairs? After all, we’ve been helping you for so many years.
Ksenia froze, unsure of how to respond. She looked at Maxim, but he pretended to be very busy with tea.
— Elena Viktorovna, Maxim and I decide how to spend our money, — Ksenia replied as gently as possible.
Her mother-in-law pursed her lips:
— Of course, who am I to interfere? I just thought your husband’s daughter might want to help his parents.
Ksenia opened her mouth to respond, but Maxim interrupted her:
— Mom, let’s not talk about this. How’s dad doing?
Elena Viktorovna huffed disapprovingly but changed the topic. However, Ksenia saw that her mother-in-law kept casting reproachful glances at her.
After Elena Viktorovna left, Ksenia couldn’t take it anymore:
— Maxim, why were you silent? Why didn’t you support me?
Maxim sighed wearily:
— Ksyusha, why cause a conflict? Mom is just concerned about us.
— Concerned? — Ksenia fumed. — She’s trying to tell me how to spend my money!
— You’re exaggerating, — Maxim dismissed her. — Let’s just forget about it.
But forgetting was impossible. Each day, Ksenia felt the tension growing. Elena Viktorovna called almost every day, supposedly to chat, but the conversation always came back to Ksenia needing to care more about the husband’s family.
Maxim increasingly avoided the conversation whenever Ksenia tried to discuss his mother’s behavior. He either joked it off or irritably told her that she was overreacting.
One evening, after coming home from work, Ksenia walked into the living room and found Maxim, his parents, and his sister there. They all fell silent when she entered the room.
— What’s going on? — Ksenia asked, tense.
Elena Viktorovna stood up from the couch:
— Ksenia, we’ve gathered here to discuss an important issue. Please, have a seat.
Ksenia slowly sank into a chair, feeling a growing sense of unease.
— Darling, — began her mother-in-law, — we’re all very happy about your work success. But we think you’re not quite prioritizing things properly…
Ksenia didn’t have a chance to respond to her mother-in-law’s accusations before Maxim’s phone rang. He went to another room, but even through the closed door, they could hear his worried voice. When he returned, he looked pale and confused.
— I got fired, — he blurted out. — The company is downsizing.
The room fell into a heavy silence. Elena Viktorovna was the first to break it:
— See, Ksenia, it’s a good thing you have a high salary now. Now you’ll be able to support the family.
Ksenia looked at her mother-in-law in disbelief:
— What do you mean?
— Well, now it’s your responsibility to cover all expenses. And don’t forget about us, Maxim’s parents. We’ve helped you for so many years.
Ksenia felt her anger boiling inside. She opened her mouth to object, but Maxim beat her to it:
— Mom, let’s not talk about this now. We need to think things over.
The next few weeks were a nightmare for Ksenia. Maxim sat at home all day, supposedly looking for a job, but Ksenia rarely saw him at the computer. Meanwhile, Elena Viktorovna kept calling constantly, reminding Ksenia that now she had to take care of everyone.
One evening, while sorting through the mail, Ksenia came across a strange envelope. Inside was a loan agreement for a large sum. Maxim was the borrower, and Elena Viktorovna was the lender.
Ksenia froze, unable to believe her eyes. The loan amount was enormous, nearly equal to her annual salary. When Maxim returned home, she silently handed him the papers.
— What’s this? — she asked, barely holding back the tremor in her voice.
Maxim turned pale:
— Ksyusha, I wanted to tell you… I just didn’t know how…
— When did you take this money? And most importantly, why?
Maxim lowered his eyes:
— A month ago. I… I lost money on the stock market. I wanted to make some quick money so I wouldn’t depend on your salary.
While Ksenia was working, Maxim had not only not looked for a job but had also gotten himself into enormous debt.
— And now what? — she asked quietly.
— Mom suggested a solution, — Maxim began uncertainly. — If you agree to take a loan in your name and pay off the debt…
Ksenia didn’t let him finish. She grabbed the phone and dialed her mother-in-law’s number:
— Elena Viktorovna, come over immediately. We need to talk.
An hour later, a real scandal erupted in their small living room. Ksenia, unable to hold back, expressed everything that had built up over these months. She accused Maxim of betrayal and her mother-in-law of manipulation.
— You set all this up on purpose! — Ksenia shouted. — First, you pressured me, then pushed Maxim into that crazy stock market thing, and now you want me to pay for your manipulations?
Elena Viktorovna, pursing her lips, coldly replied:
— Either you take on the debt payments, or you’re no longer part of this family!
She looked at Maxim, waiting for his support, but he just looked away guiltily.
At that moment, Ksenia’s phone rang. It was her boss:
— Ksenia, I have an interesting offer for you. We’re opening a branch in Saint Petersburg, and we want you to head the IT department there. The salary will be one and a half times higher.
Ksenia felt a wave of relief wash over her. Here was her chance to start over.
— I need to think about it, — she replied. — I’ll call you tomorrow.
Hanging up, Ksenia looked around the room. Elena Viktorovna was looking at her with barely concealed disdain, and Maxim looked lost and pitiful.
— I’ve made my decision, — Ksenia said firmly. — I’m leaving for Saint Petersburg. Alone.
— What? — Maxim exclaimed. — You can’t just leave us!
— I can, — Ksenia replied. — And you know what? I’m not going to pay off your debt. That’s your problem; you solve it.
Elena Viktorovna turned red with anger:
— You wouldn’t dare!
Ksenia smirked:
— I have nothing left to lose.
She turned to Maxim:
— You have a choice. You can come with me and start over. Or stay here in this swamp of lies.
Maxim looked confused:
— But what about the debt? Mom…
— So make your choice, — Ksenia said. — Mom or me.
A week later, Ksenia was sitting on a train to Saint Petersburg. Next to her was a suitcase with everything she decided to take from her old life. Maxim had not found the strength to break away from his mother and stayed to solve his problems on his own.
Two years passed. Ksenia successfully led the IT department at the Saint Petersburg branch of the company. She bought a small cozy apartment and enjoyed her independence.
Maxim tried to contact her several times, but Ksenia was adamant. She learned that he had found a job but still lived with his parents, slowly paying off his debt to his mother.
Elena Viktorovna never accepted her daughter-in-law’s decision. She spread rumors about how Ksenia had abandoned the family in their difficult time, but few people believed those stories.
Ksenia occasionally thought about the past, but now these memories didn’t bring pain. She had learned to value herself and her freedom. And although sometimes she felt lonely, she knew she had made the right choice.
