On the day of the wedding, Aurora and Pavel appeared unequivocally happy. The clinking of glasses, the guests’ congratulations, dancing until dawn – everything promised a long, happy life. The most touching moment was when Aurora’s parents handed the young couple the keys to their own home.
“This is for you, our dears,” Aurora’s father said as he embraced his daughter with emotion. “A small place, but it’s yours – in the city with a plot of land. The deed is registered in your name, my dear. Start your life without worrying about the apartment issue.”
Aurora couldn’t hold back her tears. Such a gift was not only generous – it signified support, belief in their young family, and care for the future. Standing nearby, Pavel embraced his father-in-law and shook his mother-in-law’s hand, thanking them for their trust.
The house really was small – just two rooms, a kitchen, and a bathroom, but it had a good plot and a veranda. But the main thing was: it was their own! Not rented, not bought on credit, but given with an open heart. Within a week after the wedding, the newlyweds moved under the new roof.
“Can you imagine how much we’re going to do here?” Aurora swirled through the empty rooms, making plans. “This will be the bedroom, and here – the living room. And we could create a winter garden on the veranda.”
Pavel nodded, agreeing with all of his wife’s ideas.
“You’re the mistress of the house, so you decide,” her husband said with a smile. “I’m here to help – just give the orders.”
And Aurora took charge. She ordered affordable yet sturdy furniture, chose wallpapers, bought curtains, cushions, and throws to create a cozy atmosphere. Pavel did help – carrying boxes, assembling the furniture, screwing in light bulbs – but he did not show any initiative at all.
“Pasha, what color should we choose for the kitchen?” Aurora once asked while showing wallpaper samples.
“Any color that you like,” her husband dismissed. “I don’t understand any of this.”
This approach soon became routine. Aurora made the decisions, and Pavel merely agreed. She decided where to place the sofa, which cups to buy, what curtains to hang. Her husband only shrugged, sometimes not even looking up from his smartphone. He was much more interested in trips to his mother’s place in the next district and Friday night get-togethers with friends.
Gradually, the house began to take on the shape of a cozy family nest. The heart of the home became the kitchen, where Aurora cooked on weekends and hosted her friends. The source of her particular pride was the new kitchen set – not the most expensive, but stylish, with glossy facades and convenient drawers. Aurora had been saving for it for several months, setting aside a portion of her salary every time.
In the garden, the young mistress planted flowers: dahlias, asters, petunias. She took care of them herself, filling the space around the house with aromas and colors. Pavel did not participate in the gardening – he didn’t like getting his hands dirty with soil.
“You’re simply a magician,” her husband remarked from afar as he watched the transformation of their home. “You’ve created coziness everywhere.”
Aurora could only smile in response, even though sometimes she wished for more participation. But she believed that Pavel was simply the kind of person who didn’t really get involved in household details. The important thing was that he loved and appreciated her efforts.
Or so it seemed.
The first signs of trouble appeared six months into their marriage. One day, while working in the garden, Aurora accidentally overheard a conversation between Pavel and a friend who was helping fix the gate.
“Your house is really spacious,” the friend remarked.
“Yeah, it’s quite decent,” Pavel replied with a note of pride. “My parents-in-law put a little money into it, but the rest we did ourselves.”
Aurora froze, garden shears in her hands. What did he mean by “put a little money into it”? Her parents had gifted her the entire house and handled all the paperwork – what other investments could there be? And why was Pavel talking about the house as if it were a joint acquisition?
But the young woman chose not to escalate the conflict. Perhaps her husband had just misspoken, not wanting to boast about the gift from his father-in-law. A triviality not worth getting worked up over.
A month later, her mother-in-law, Vera Nikolaevna, arrived for a visit. The woman was not known for her warmth – restrained, with pursed lips, she was more judging than admiring. During the whole visit, Aurora felt as if she were taking an exam she couldn’t pass.
“That kitchen isn’t bad,” her mother-in-law commented as she inspected the set with an expert’s eye. “But it seems to me there aren’t enough cabinets here?”
“It’s just right,” Aurora defended her creation. “I have enough space for all the dishes.”
“Well, for now it’s just the two of you,” Vera Nikolaevna said meaningfully. “And when the children come along, you’ll have to redo it.”
Over tea, the mother-in-law suddenly asked:
“What if someone in the family were left without a roof over their head – they wouldn’t be kicked out, would they?”
The question sounded strange, but Aurora did not give it much thought.
“Of course not,” she replied politely. “We’ll have enough room for our loved ones.”
“That’s good,” her mother-in-law nodded as she sipped her tea. “In a family, support is the most important thing – especially in hard times.”
Only later, as she recalled the conversation, did Aurora realize that it was not accidental.
A week later came the news: Pavel’s younger sister, Kristina, was expecting a baby. When her boyfriend learned of the pregnancy, he simply vanished from her life. His relatives also turned their backs on her.
“And now the girl is left completely on her own, without support,” Vera Nikolaevna sighed heavily during a phone call with her son. “She has nowhere to live, and she doesn’t have any money.”
“Maybe she should rent an apartment?” Pavel suggested.
“What apartment?” his mother objected angrily. “With what cash? You know how tight money is right now. Besides, landlords don’t want to deal with a pregnant tenant.”
The conversation took place in the kitchen, and Aurora inadvertently became a witness. Her heart sank with a bad premonition.
After that call, Pavel became pensive, often mentioning family values, the need for mutual help and support. All his words sounded right, but Aurora sensed that her husband was steering the conversation toward something, though he wouldn’t say it outright.
“We’re lucky,” Pavel said over dinner. “We have our own home, jobs. But for Kristina, things are going to be really tough. Alone, without support…”
“We can help financially,” Aurora offered. “Right now we don’t have much spare money, but little by little…”
“It’s not about money,” Pavel interrupted, averting his gaze. “She needs a roof over her head. Stability.”
Aurora caught the hint, but she decided not to rush the matter. Perhaps it was just her imagination.
But two days later, during another dinner, while absent-mindedly picking at his food without meeting his wife’s eyes, Pavel suddenly said:
“It’s a good thing your parents bought the house. Now it can be given to my sister. Mama said it’s the right thing to do.”
The silence that followed his words was almost tangible. Aurora froze with her spoon in hand, trying to understand what she had just heard.
“What do you mean by ‘given’?” she finally asked.
“Well, so that she can live here,” Pavel explained as if it were self-evident. “Kristina will have her baby soon, and she needs proper housing. And we can live with my mother. She has a three-room apartment with enough space for everyone.”
“What about our belongings? The furniture? The renovation I worked on?”
“That’s the beauty of it!” Pavel became animated. “Kristina won’t have to buy anything – everything is already in place. It worked out very conveniently!”
“Convenient?” Aurora repeated, feeling a boiling anger inside.
“Of course! We have new furniture, and new appliances. You chose them yourself – they’re supposed to be of high quality. And above all – the house. No mortgage, no debts. Exactly what a single mother needs.”
Aurora fell silent, trying to process the situation. In her mind, everything had turned upside down. The house – a gift from her parents, into which she had invested so much effort, love, time, and money – suddenly seemed like a shared asset, and she herself like an instrument to solve someone else’s problems.
“Help,” she said, “yes. But to give away the house – that’s not help.”
“What are you…” Pavel shook his head. “If it were your sister, you’d think the same way?”
The next day, while Pavel was at work, Aurora took out a folder with the documents. She carefully reread the deed, the certificate of ownership, and the extract from the state register of real estate. The house was registered solely in her name – there were no rights for her husband on that property.
Then Aurora made copies of all the important papers and took them to her parents. On the way, she called a legal consultation and scheduled an appointment.
By the evening, when Aurora returned home, she was resolute. She spread the documents out into folders and waited for her husband. He was late, and she suspected why – he was probably discussing with his mother “the relocation plan.” Indeed, when Pavel finally appeared, he reeked of his mother’s signature pastry.
“Listen, I talked with my mom,” her husband began at the door. “We’ve decided that Kristina will move in with us within a week. It’s too hard for her to move her things around with that baby bump, so let’s help her.”
Aurora sighed. She wondered if Pavel would catch even a hint of something being wrong – the way he spoke, as if “we decided” meant she had already agreed. But it seemed he wasn’t even aware of the problem.
“Please sit down; we need to talk,” Aurora said with an unexpectedly calm tone. She took out the folder with the documents and placed it before him.
Pavel sat down, looking at the papers in confusion.
“What’s this?”
“This is the extract from the state register, the deed, and the certificate of ownership,” Aurora explained, pointing to each document. “As you can see, the house is registered in my name. It is my property, and no one will live here without my consent.”
Pavel stared at the papers, then looked up at his wife as if seeing her for the first time.
“Are you serious?” he finally said. “Are you refusing my sister help? Does she really have to live on the street?”
“I’m not refusing help,” Aurora replied. “But giving away the house isn’t help – it’s erasing my own life. Your mother has a three-room apartment, as you yourself said. Let Kristina live with her.”
Pavel jumped up, his face contorted with indignation.
“Oh, so that’s it? So when your parents gave you a house, it’s perfectly normal, but when it comes to helping my family – it isn’t?”
“You’re different things,” Aurora tried to keep her composure. “My parents gave me the house so that we could live in it. Not so that I’d give it away.”
“You’re just selfish!” Pavel shouted, his voice rising. “You talk about family, but you’re not even willing to help a pregnant woman – my sister!”
“We can help with money, with food, with baby supplies,” Aurora suggested. “But not by moving in with your mother and giving away the house.”
“It’s all because of your parents!” Pavel continued, shouting. “You’re completely ungrateful! I’m bending over backwards so you can be comfortable, and you…”
Aurora simply stared at him. What more proof was needed? The man who was supposed to stand by her side now screamed and accused her of selfishness simply because she refused to give away her house.
“I’ll call my mom; she’ll explain it to you,” Pavel said abruptly as he grabbed his phone and started dialing.
Calmly, Aurora stood up and left the room. She had no desire to deal with her mother-in-law any longer.
The following days turned into a living hell. Vera Nikolaevna called several times a day and sent lengthy messages, accusing Aurora of cold-heartedness, selfishness, and of destroying the family. Every possible manipulation was used – from “poor Kristina and her innocent baby” to “you’re not a woman, you’re less than human.”
After receiving one especially nasty message, Aurora blocked her number. When Pavel found out, he exploded and went to his mother’s. He returned the next day to pick up his belongings.
“I’ll live with my mom until you come to your senses,” he declared while stuffing his clothes into a gym bag.
“Fine,” Aurora replied simply. She had nothing more to say.
A week of silence then ensued. Pavel sometimes arrived home late at night, took some of his things, and disappeared again. When he did stay overnight, he lay on the edge of the bed, turned away from the wall. He no longer tried to convince Aurora – he probably realized the futility of his attempts.
Aurora continued with her life as usual – going to work, preparing dinner, tending to her flowers. But now everything was done without joy, mechanically. Inside, she felt empty. The illusions of a happy marriage crumbled like a house of cards.
Over the two weeks of silence, Aurora did a lot of thinking. She recalled the early moments of her relationship with Pavel, their wedding, their plans together. Where and when had it all gone wrong? Had Pavel always had that possessive attitude toward someone else’s property – the readiness to sacrifice his wife’s interests to satisfy his mother’s whims – or had it developed gradually?
In the end, the answers to these questions ceased to matter. What mattered was the result – Pavel did not consider his wife an equal, did not respect her interests, and saw nothing wrong with making decisions about her property.
That evening, when Pavel once again came home, Aurora laid two documents before him: a divorce petition and a notice for termination of temporary registration. The papers were neatly filled out; only Pavel’s signature was missing.
“What is this?” Pavel picked up the documents, skimmed them, and paled. “You must be joking, right?”
“No,” Aurora shook her head. “I’m filing for divorce.”
“Because of the house?” Pavel looked at her incredulously. “You’re destroying our family over a piece of real estate?”
“Not because of the house,” she replied calmly. “But because you don’t respect me. You don’t see me as a person with my own feelings and desires. To you, I’ve just been a tool to solve your family’s problems.”
“That’s not true!” Pavel threw the papers onto the table. “I just wanted to help my sister! You’ve completely misunderstood!”
“And what would be the proper way?” Aurora crossed her arms. “Explain to me how I was supposed to understand the phrase ‘your parents bought the house, now it can be given to my sister’?”
“I didn’t mean it like that,” Pavel ran his fingers through his hair. “It’s all what my mother said… She always does it: first she plants the idea, then nudges you aside.”
“Then why do you repeat her like a parrot?” Aurora shook her head. “You’re an adult, yet you act like a puppet in your mother’s hands.”
“I’m sorry,” Pavel suddenly said. “I was wrong. Let’s forget everything and start anew. I promise never to mention the house again.”
Aurora looked at him for a long while. In her, there was neither anger nor resentment anymore. Only exhaustion and disappointment remained.
“It’s not about the house, Pasha,” she said quietly. “Your words have shown me how you really feel about me. And nothing can change that now.”
“Don’t you understand that you can’t just tear everything apart like that!” Pavel’s voice was filled with despair. “We do love each other!”
“Do you love me?” Aurora smiled sadly. “Or have you simply grown accustomed to the comfort I created?”
The divorce proceeded quickly and without excessive drama. Of course, the house remained with Aurora. Pavel went to live with his mother. Kristina gave birth to a healthy baby boy two months later and, too, stayed with Vera Nikolaevna, never having received the “gift” from her former sister-in-law.
None of them ever appeared at Aurora’s doorstep again. Rumors circulated that the mother-in-law told everyone what a miserly and cold-hearted woman Aurora was, that she had thrown out her poor husband and refused to help her pregnant sister-in-law. But Aurora no longer cared.
At first, it was hard. The emptiness in the house was palpable, especially in the evenings. But gradually, Aurora began to reclaim her space. She repainted the bedroom walls in her favorite turquoise, a color Pavel had once thought too bold. She bought a new sofa to replace the old one that held so many memories of their evenings together. She completely redesigned the garden, planting exactly those flowers she wanted instead of the “more practical” ones.
One morning, as she poured herself coffee in the kitchen, Aurora suddenly realized she was smiling. Just for no reason at all. It was the lightness that had come into her life. The feeling that now she truly felt at home. In her own house, within her own walls, with her own rules.
This house – given with love – had almost become a bargaining chip in someone else’s game. But Aurora had kept not only the walls and the roof, she had preserved herself, her independence, and her sense of dignity. And no one would ever again be able to dictate her life or her property.
Sometimes, to move forward, one has to leave behind not only the bad but also what once seemed good. One must muster the courage to refuse the expectations, norms, and demands of others – to say a firm “no” where before there was an uncertain “okay.” And that lesson, Aurora had learned well.
