— Olga Pavlovna, I cannot hire Polina,” Angela said cautiously.
Her mother-in-law had asked several times to have her daughter employed by her.
“— But why not? She’s smart, finished college, and is married. And if you think she’ll just be on sick leave, you’re mistaken—if her granddaughter falls ill, I’d have to step in.”
“— That’s not the issue,” Angela replied as calmly as possible. “I have rules: I do not hire relatives in my company.”
“— What silly rules!” Olga Pavlovna exclaimed, offended.
“— Unfortunately, yes. I have two rules: first, never to lend money to relatives and friends, and second, never to work with them. These rules weren’t invented by me but by history—where they usually lead to conflict, and I don’t need that.”
To change the subject, Angela went into the kitchen to warm up the kettle. Her husband, Boris, remained in the living room. As soon as the mistress of the house left, his mother addressed him:
“— What are you looking at? She’s your sister—go on and pressure your wife!”
“Oh no,” Boris immediately objected. “If Angela said no, it’s best not to. Besides, can’t Polina find a job on her own? There are tons of vacancies—she can choose any.”
“— And you too,” Olga Pavlovna grumbled resentfully, though she did not insist. After all, Angela was the owner of the enterprise and had every right to decide whom to hire.
A month later, however, Olga Pavlovna heard rumors that Galina—her relative by marriage—was working with Angela. That was when she raised the issue again, asking that her daughter be given a job by her daughter-in-law.
“— We already discussed this matter,” Angela replied with a note of irritation.
“— But your sister is working for you!” her mother-in-law retorted immediately.
“— Yes, that’s true,” Angela did not deny. “But she works in her field, and Polina lacks the qualifications. Why would I need a historian on the job? I’d have to train her from scratch—and that costs time and money. I only hire specialists.”
“— Well, let her work part-time and learn,” Olga Pavlovna suggested.
“— No, that’s the point. Someone would have to train her, and that person would be paid a salary by me—so I’d essentially be paying for Polina’s training. Therefore…”
“— I get it,” her mother-in-law said, hurt.
The daughter-in-law’s refusal to give her daughter a job infuriated Olga Pavlovna. The very next day, after finding a moment and arming herself with a pen and paper, she began scouring government offices where she might file a complaint against Angela’s enterprise. By lunchtime, she had written three statements. She wasn’t sure what it would accomplish—she merely wanted a little revenge so that her daughter-in-law wouldn’t become too conceited.
More than a week passed, and Angela never once mentioned that there were problems at work when speaking with Olga Pavlovna.
“She’s managed to get by,” her mother-in-law thought, concluding that the daughter-in-law’s enterprise was thriving.
“— So, how are things at work?” Olga Pavlovna inquired curiously.
“— Lots to do,” the young woman replied shortly.
Angela didn’t like talking about her work—mainly because no one really understood it, and her conversation partners had no desire to delve into it—so she always avoided the topic.
“— Your father-in-law, may he rest in peace,” Olga Pavlovna crossed herself, “did not live to see this. He worked hard on our summer house, but now it’s falling apart. I want to ask you to help get it in order.”
However, her tone was so commanding it sounded more like an order than a request. Angela, who was skilled at negotiation (having learned it from her father), did not refuse immediately. Instead, she asked several questions about the summer house plot, the types of trees planted, then moved on to the house itself—its foundation and roof. From the conversation, Angela concluded that the house was fine, save for needing some cosmetic repairs.
“— Yes, I can help,” the young woman finally said, “but only using my salary—and only if my husband agrees.”
Hearing this, Olga Pavlovna was taken aback. She had always assumed that a businessman had a separate account or something similar and could easily take money from his enterprise, not thinking about any “salary.” As if reading her thoughts, Angela added:
“— Yes, I do have a salary—it’s a percentage of the profits and varies with the reports. So if Boris agrees, I can set aside a little money—but just a little,” she emphasized the last words.
However, Olga Pavlovna interpreted this in her own way and decided the very next day to talk to her son, Boris.
“— Your wife is a stingy wench,” she said without mincing words, unloading everything she had inside. “She won’t accommodate her mother-in-law. She has a big enterprise—surely hoarding money like a miser—and she refused to help me, your mother. And remember, your father worked on that house—you recall playing in it; it’s about to fall apart.”
Despite having a degree in management, Boris had little idea how an enterprise worked, so like his mother, he believed that a company’s owner could easily draw money from it. That evening, when he came home, he resentfully confronted his wife:
“— So why didn’t you help my mother?”
Angela looked at her husband. She was well aware of the gaps in his education—something common among most of her friends.
“— You see, dear,” she said as she poured herself some fragrant tea, “don’t treat my enterprise as something personal. It has its own economic laws—you can’t just pull a chunk of money out of it. I have financial plans, obligations I must meet. And these obligations cost money—not only employee salaries and rent, but also equipment. It’s quite a long chain; if I remove part of the funds, the chain might break. Talk to your mother and explain that I don’t have a little cash drawer from which you can take money. And if you’re so interested in how business finances work, read this,” she added, pulling three hefty books from the shelf.
Boris felt hurt—first because he was put in his place like a foolish boy, second because his mother had been refused for the second time, and third because they had thrust books in his face. He respected his wife for having built her own, albeit small but stable, business from scratch. He too longed for something like that, but it hadn’t happened for him yet.
A few days later, Angela visited her own mother. She would drop by a couple of times a week just to chat and, despite being an adult, to ask for advice.
“— I’m fed up with my mother-in-law,” Angela said after they had tea.
“— Something serious?” Vera Gennadyevna asked.
“— I don’t even know. First, she asked that I hire Polina; then she got offended when I hired Galina; and just the other day, she demanded money for repairing the summer house—and Boris took her side.”
“Hmm…” the older woman snorted. “That’s understandable. You have your own company and work for yourself—so they think you’re a golden hen.”
“A hen,” Angela smirked, “if only they knew what tiny eggs this hen lays.”
“Sure enough, they don’t know. Perhaps you should involve your husband in your work?”
“Oh, Mom, just don’t start! I don’t need Boris dictating what to do. I already have enough headaches with my own people, and you want to add another one.”
“However, a mother-in-law is your husband’s mother—it’s only natural to help her, within reason.”
“— But Mom, Olga Pavlovna has a son, and I believe he should help her—not me. I have you, Galina, my brother, and even a niece.”
“That’s all well, but Boris is your husband—and he has a mother. Think about it.”
“— Okay, Mom, I’ll think about it,” Angela agreed.
In truth, Angela wasn’t opposed to helping her mother-in-law, but recalling her commanding tone, she wondered, “Is it really worth it?” After all, if she made the first financial contribution, Olga Pavlovna would surely demand more later. Still, one way or another, the issue had to be resolved.
Boris read some of the texts Angela had given him. He understood parts of it, but some of it was written so intricately that he decided to postpone further study. When he visited his mother, he tried in his own words to explain how business works and that Angela had financial obligations.
“— She’s lying about everything,” his mother replied after he finished his mini-lecture. “Remember, your mother-in-law went to a summer retreat that your wife sponsored. And the relative by marriage wasn’t left out—she renovated her place, bought a refrigerator for her mother, and is now fixing up the bathroom. And me…” she trailed off dramatically, spreading her arms as if indicating emptiness.
“— Yes…” Boris agreed.
He immediately recalled how Angela had given his niece a children’s furniture set, while his mother-in-law had been getting massages for nearly a month. Hurt that his mother was left aside, he, upon arriving home, began lecturing his wife about fairness—as if he were a schoolteacher.
Angela did not interrupt him; she was even curious to know how Boris saw things. Finally, he finished his lecture, placed his palms on the table, and addressed her:
“— Are we a family?”
“— Yes, that’s right,” she agreed.
“— And in a family, is everything shared equally?”
“— Correct.”
“— Then why do you only help your own relatives and ignore my mother’s request?”
“— Ah, so that’s it,” Angela smiled gently. “You see, dear, my mother will always be closer to me. Don’t be upset—but it’s a fact. Just as your mother will always remain your mother, I naturally think of her first.”
“— Then why don’t you help your own mother-in-law?” Boris immediately asked.
“— Really?” Angela was surprised by the question. “Wasn’t it I who gave her the washing machine? And who, in your opinion, installed the air conditioner? You?” She looked into his eyes, and he immediately lowered them. “And who replaced the windows in her bedroom? You?”
“— Yes, you did that,” Boris agreed, “but…”
Angela interrupted him:
“— I’m willing to help your mother, but fifty-fifty. Or rather, you contribute one hundred rubles, and I contribute one hundred. But don’t forget our family budget. So, are you in?” she asked, and he involuntarily nodded.
Of course, Boris was no fool. He knew that his wife would naturally care for her own mother before his, and that she had already done much in the short time they’d lived together—while he had done nothing for his. It hurt him deeply that he still hadn’t learned how to earn money, and in his heart he resented her for setting such conditions—conditions that meant his mother would get very little in the future.
A few days later, it seemed Boris had spoken with his mother and explained his wife’s position, but this did not satisfy Olga Pavlovna. She decided to speak with her daughter-in-law herself and, when Angela was home alone, paid her a visit. After a few minutes of conversation, the mother-in-law declared:
“— If you don’t give me money for my summer house, I’ll turn Boris against you, and then who knows how long you’ll live together.”
“I have to go,” Angela said coldly and headed into the corridor.
She felt repulsed by being around her mother-in-law. It was the first time she had been given an ultimatum—either money or family harmony. She believed in Boris, although lately he had been siding with his mother too often, but she did not want to quarrel with Olga Pavlovna. Instead, she decided she’d speak with her husband that evening, and for now, she just wanted to consult her best friend Zhanna—after all, Zhanna also had her own business and surely knew how to handle financial problems with her mother-in-law.
“— How do I handle it?” Zhanna mused to herself.
Together with her husband Pavel, she had organized a travel company that showcased not nature’s beauty but rather its darker, more negative side. When she explained her plans to Angela, Angela hesitated, yet tourists were very curious to see old factories, abandoned plants, and deserted villages.
“— Lately, things with my mother-in-law haven’t been working out, and my husband has started to whine too,” Angela said sadly. “How do you solve this problem?”
“— It seems fine. Each of us keeps a sort of order list where we note our parents’ requests. Then we jointly decide which ones need immediate attention. That doesn’t mean we override everything—of course, he wants to help his parents and I want to help mine. I’m not opposed to him helping his mother, but not at the expense of our family.”
“— Nicely put,” her friend replied, noting that this was exactly what she had proposed to Boris—even though, for some reason, it had angered him.
Still, Angela’s anger toward her mother-in-law did not subside. The words in which she had threatened to turn Boris against Angela echoed in her mind. Perhaps Olga Pavlovna had already spoken with him, but she couldn’t ignore the issue, so upon arriving home she decided to speak with her husband.
“— Your mother is being aggressive. Today, she demanded that I give her money. Why does she turn to me and not you?” Angela watched Boris’s reaction closely.
“— Is it so hard for you to help her?” he asked in a cold tone.
“— Perhaps you still don’t understand where I get the money. It’s a small portion of the profits—and profit is the result of work, not only mine, but of my team and my clients,” Angela tried once more to explain how business finances worked, but he wouldn’t listen.
He, like his mother, suspected that she was hiding her income from him—the money she gave to his mother-in-law while neglecting his. He was angry at her and at himself for being unable to push her to give money.
That evening, they quarreled again. Boris insisted that Angela help his mother equally, while she maintained that it wasn’t her problem but his.
The next day, Angela decided to talk with her sister Galina, who had a troubled relationship with her husband that was leading to divorce. In childhood, they had shared secrets, helped each other, and planned for the future together.
“— So you’re saying that your mother-in-law wants a share of your pie?” Galina asked with a smirk.
“— Sort of,” Angela replied.
“— And your husband is siding with his mom?”
“— Uh-huh.”
“— Is he stupid or what? Mine earns money, while yours just sits on a salary and complains about you.”
“— Uh-huh,” Angela said sadly.
“— Look at yourself from the outside. Imagine you have a friend with her own—successful—business, and then her husband and her mother-in-law start demanding that she support them. What would you say to that?”
Angela had never before looked at the problem from this perspective—she’d always seen it from a wife’s point of view. But after her sister suggested stepping back and examining herself, she found it rather amusing.
“— I think,” her sister continued, “that he married you for your money. I believe it will only get worse—surely he’ll want a share of your business. Think about it,” Galina advised.
A whole week passed after that conversation. Angela had no time to ponder solutions; her business kept her constantly busy. But by the end of the week, when Angela arrived home a little early, Olga Pavlovna unexpectedly showed up. Boris, perhaps by chance or perhaps on purpose, was running late.
“— Then why don’t you consider this option?” Olga Pavlovna’s voice was surprisingly gentle—a tone that irritated Angela.
“What do you mean?”
“After all, my son is your husband; you two are like one soul. So why not involve Boris in your business?”
“He wants to start his own enterprise,” Angela replied immediately.
“I don’t mean for him to work for you—I mean, give him a share of your business.”
“Are you suggesting I transfer a portion of the shares to him?” the mistress of the house asked in surprise.
“Exactly—that would be fair,” her mother-in-law agreed.
“Well then, I have no objection,” Angela replied. “I can sell him ten percent of the shares.”
“Sell?” Olga Pavlovna was taken aback by the proposal.
“Of course, sell. The company is worth money, so if he agrees, ten percent is six million. Not as much as you might think?”
Olga Pavlovna’s face flushed—whether from the audacity of her daughter-in-law or from the figure she’d heard.
“But isn’t it unfair to demand money from your husband?”
“Why not?” Angela asked immediately. “Ten percent is a commodity—and every commodity has its price.”
Olga Pavlovna was deeply hurt by such an offer from her daughter-in-law. She tried several more times to persuade Angela to simply gift her husband a share of the assets, but Angela remained unyielding. She was only willing to part with ten percent of the shares in exchange for money. Incensed by the refusal, the mother-in-law finally left.
For a while, Angela sat in silence, digesting Olga Pavlovna’s words, and then decided to talk with her sister.
“— Can you believe it? My mother-in-law demanded that I include Boris as one of the founders,” she said indignantly.
On the phone, Galina’s laughter could be heard.
“— What did I tell you? That’s where the roots come from!”
After a minute of conversation, Angela set the phone aside. She recalled how she had met Boris at a conference—when the city administration had gathered young entrepreneurs who had passed a selection round. That’s when Angela won a grant, and with that initial capital, she began building her business. Boris, too, was a promising young man; he had many ideas, though many were flawed. But Angela liked him—he had a special charm and could talk for hours about his prospects and future plans. It wasn’t just that; he was attractive as a man. Before she knew it, she had fallen in love with him, and within six months they were married. However, while Angela was advancing her business, Boris quickly lost interest in his own enterprise and closed it within a year. And now he had registered a new company—one with only two employees: him and a friend.
The next day, closer to evening, Olga Pavlovna turned up unannounced. Angela had just taken a shower and, with her hair still wet, greeted her mother-in-law. Boris, drying his lips with a towel, greeted his mother.
Angela went to the kitchen and made tea. She didn’t feel like conversing with her mother-in-law, yet she wasn’t about to turn her back on her either. About fifteen minutes later, after Olga Pavlovna had finished her first cup of tea, she addressed her daughter-in-law:
“— So, will you help me with the summer cottage?”
Angela didn’t rush to answer; she first looked carefully at her husband, then began studying the tea leaves in her glass.
“— Why are you silent?” her mother-in-law finally asked after the prolonged pause.
“— And how did your son help you?”—she was genuinely curious to know how much money Boris had given his mother.
“— No beating around the bush,” Olga Pavlovna said irritably. “You know he’s just started his business and needs to get on his feet. And you, dear lady, are already financially secure and can be a sponsor.”
At that moment, Angela realized nothing had changed—and nothing ever would. She turned away from her mother-in-law and looked into her husband’s, for some reason, angry eyes. He, like Olga Pavlovna, expected a positive answer from her.
“Who do you think you are?” the mistress of the house silently asked herself.
She slowly finished her tea, placed the cup on the table, and with a slight smile said to her mother-in-law:
“— I will come to your place tomorrow, if you don’t mind, at around six in the evening, and I’ll give you a unique gift.”
At those words, a smile appeared on Olga Pavlovna’s face. Angela glanced at her husband—now he was looking at her not with anger, but with a hint of tenderness.
About ten minutes later, the mother-in-law left their home.
The next day, immediately after lunch, Boris left—most likely to go to his mother’s to await a gift from his wife. As promised, Angela arrived at his mother’s house by six in the evening. Accompanied by a mover, she carried in a couple of large boxes, beautifully wrapped and tied with pink ribbon.
“— What is this?” Olga Pavlovna asked.
“— My gift to you,” the daughter-in-law replied calmly.
Boris became fidgety, curious about what his wife had prepared for his mother. He approached and intended to open the first box himself, but Olga Pavlovna beat him to it. Struggling to untie the large bow, she began tearing the wrapping paper, and then, armed with a kitchen knife, cut through the tape. When she opened the box, the mother-in-law was dumbfounded.
“— What is this?” she must have wondered, but Angela decided to help.
“— These are your son’s belongings.”
“— Why are they here?” Olga Pavlovna asked, naively.
“— This is the most precious gift I can give you. I am returning to you your son—my husband.”
The smile vanished from Boris’s face. He peeked into the box once more, then looked at his wife.
“— You talked so much about your business, yet you did nothing. You had time and money, but you squandered it all. I asked you to curb your appetite for my financial support, but you didn’t. I begged you many times to talk with your mother so she wouldn’t beg me for money, yet it only got worse. Therefore, my dear,” Angela said with a sad smile, “I am returning you as the treasure of your mother.”
“What do you mean by that?” the mother-in-law’s voice trembled with anger.
“— I’m filing for divorce.”
“What?” Boris asked involuntarily.
“— I have no financial claims against you.”
“If you divorce,” Olga Pavlovna said, “he will claim half of the enterprise”—she meant her son.
“— Do you think so too?” Angela asked Boris.
“— That would be fair then,” he supported his mother.
“— You’ve decided wrongly,” Angela said coldly.
She said nothing more, turned, and left silently.
The divorce proceedings were not easy. Boris had tried to resolve the conflict up to that point, but Angela insisted on divorce. Boris then filed financial claims against his wife, but he couldn’t prove anything—he ended up with nothing. Angela, however, managed to prove that the car Boris drove was bought during their cohabitation. Therefore, Boris had to either compensate fifty percent of the car’s value to his ex-wife or sell it.
Boris was reluctant to lose the car, so he offered Angela a land plot he had purchased several years ago, before they got married. Angela agreed, and within a month she sold it for a very favorable price—almost twice the value of his car.
Upon learning this, Olga Pavlovna quarreled with her son:
“— Waving your fists after a fight is useless.”
Some time later, Boris got into an accident in his beloved car. The insurance company refused him payment because they found alcohol in his blood. And a month later, he closed his new enterprise.
Angela was free. She frequently met with her sister Galina and her friend Zhanna, who hinted:
“— It’s about time you consider a new husband.”
After what happened with Boris, she became wary of men and decided to live for herself for a while—and then see what happens, if, of course, she falls in love.
