Olga was tidying up the kitchen as usual. The day began calmly, but she knew that her mother-in-law, Lyudmila Petrovna’s visit was only a matter of time. Lyudmila Petrovna always appeared unexpectedly, disrupting plans, but Olga had long since learned to adapt.
In the first few months after the wedding, the mother-in-law’s interference seemed harmless.
“Add a little more salt to the soup—Andrey loves it that way,” she would say with a smile.
Or:
“This way of folding the laundry is more convenient; I’ve always done it this way.”
Olga would nod in agreement, though at times she felt like objecting.
Over the years, these little comments turned into daily instructions. Lyudmila Petrovna would easily come into the house. The mother-in-law began to check everything—from the food in the refrigerator to the arrangement of the furniture.
And then, the doorbell rang again.
“Olga, I decided to drop by!” declared Lyudmila Petrovna, not even stepping over the threshold.
Olga greeted her warmly:
“Good morning, Lyudmila Petrovna.”
The mother-in-law entered, glanced around at the hallway, and immediately headed to the kitchen.
“Well then, is lunch ready?”
“Yes, the soup is on the stove,” Olga replied.
“Andrey loves borscht. Why not borscht?” asked Lyudmila Petrovna, peeking into the pot.
Olga sighed, trying not to show her irritation.
“We still had last night’s dinner; I decided to make something light.”
The mother-in-law shook her head in disapproval.
“Olga, I understand that you’re trying, but you must feed a man in a way that delights his soul.”
The young woman fell silent.
Later in the evening, Dmitry, Andrey’s brother, appeared. The young man burst into the apartment, waving his hand at Olga.
“Hi, sis! What’s for something tasty?”
Without a word, Olga placed a bowl of soup on the table.
“Enjoy your meal.”
Olga tried not to look in Dmitry’s direction. Her husband’s brother behaved in a very carefree manner. During dinner, Dmitry joked and told stories, but Olga barely listened. Her thoughts spun around how the mortgage apartment with Andrey was increasingly turning into a dormitory.
“You seem sad, Olga,” Dmitry remarked, looking at her over his mug.
“Just tired,” she answered, clearing the table.
Andrey, returning home, habitually supported his brother.
“Dima, stay over. It’s late now.”
Olga looked at her husband. Soon, Dmitry went off to shower. Then Olga asked:
“Really?”
“What’s there to worry about? He’s my brother,” Andrey replied, shrugging.
Olga held back her words, but she realized that her opinions were long ignored.
That same evening, after tidying the apartment, Olga brewed some tea and sat down at the kitchen table. Her thoughts were tangled. Lyudmila Petrovna, Dmitry, Andrey… All of it had become a heavy burden for her.
A notification came through on her phone. Olga opened the message and saw a letter from a notary. The headline immediately caught her attention.
“Inheritance?” the young woman murmured.
A mix of anxiety and surprise welled in her chest.
Olga opened the attachment. Her hands trembled. It turned out that her grandmother had left her two apartments in the city center. And they hadn’t spoken in over fifteen years!
Olga sat in the kitchen, staring at the phone screen. The notary’s notification turned everything upside down. How would life with Andrey change now? What should be done with the apartments? She tried to sort it all out.
In the morning, Olga went to the notary’s office. She was greeted by a spacious room with gray walls and a massive table. The office looked both cozy and unnerving. The man at the desk opened a folder with documents.
“Olga Sergeyevna, your case is rather rare. Two apartments in the city center! Consider yourself very lucky in life.”
Olga nodded, even though her heart was pounding somewhere in her throat.
“Your grandmother prepared the documents in advance. The right of ownership is solely yours. Both properties are in good condition.”
Olga looked at the papers. The letters blurred before her eyes. When the formalities were finished, the notary asked:
“What are your plans for the apartments?”
The young woman paused for a moment.
“I’m thinking of renting them out. It will help pay off the mortgage.”
The man smiled.
“An excellent decision. Feel free to contact me if you need any help.”
Olga left the office. The keys dangled from her jacket pocket. The sense of relief soon turned into anxiety. How was she to tell Andrey everything?
That evening, Olga met her husband at the door. Andrey almost immediately noticed his wife’s unusual state.
“Did something happen?”
Andrey sat down opposite Olga. For several moments, she gathered her strength before saying:
“Andrey, I have important news.”
Her husband looked at her cautiously, and Olga tried to speak calmly.
“My grandmother left me an inheritance. Two apartments in the city center.”
Andrey froze, then smiled.
“Really? That’s wonderful news, Olga!”
“Yes. I thought that renting them out would be the best option. It will be a great help with the mortgage.”
Andrey nodded, embracing his wife.
“You’re right. It’s an excellent plan.”
For a while, things were calm. Andrey supported his wife’s decision, and Olga knew she was making the right choice for their future.
However, peaceful life never lasts forever. Lyudmila Petrovna found out about the inheritance.
A family dinner started as usual. The mother-in-law, acting like the mistress of the house, began doling out advice. Dmitry joked, and Andrey ate in silence. Olga watched her relatives, her mind already making plans for the coming week.
Suddenly, Lyudmila Petrovna burst into loud laughter. The mother-in-law looked at her daughter-in-law quite pointedly:
“Well then, Olyochka, now everything will be just fine!”
Olga tensed. She didn’t understand where her mother-in-law was going with this.
“You’ll transfer one apartment to me, and the other to Dimochka. We’re family after all; everything should be shared.”
Olga froze. Lyudmila Petrovna’s words were so unexpected that the young woman couldn’t immediately find a response.
“Lyudmila Petrovna,” she began cautiously, “but this is my inheritance.”
The mother-in-law waved her off as if it were a trivial detail.
“Oh, come on, Olga. We’re family. I never had an apartment of my own, and Dima has it tough. You understand, this is for the common good.”
Olga turned her head toward her husband, hoping for support.
“Andrey, do you agree with this?”
Her husband was silent, lowering his gaze, but after several seconds he mumbled:
“Mom is right, Olga. That way, our marriage will become stronger. With mom having her own place and Dima finally starting to live on his own, everyone wins. It wouldn’t be hard to arrange, would it?”
Those words were the last straw. The anger that Olga had held in for years burst forth.
She got up from the table, looking straight at Lyudmila Petrovna.
“Inheritance is not common property! And I’m not going to transfer the apartments to anyone!”
The mother-in-law suddenly stood up, knocking over a chair. The woman hadn’t expected such harsh words from the usually submissive daughter-in-law.
“How dare you speak to me like that? Do you think this is normal? We are your family! You are obliged to take care of us! This is nothing but selfishness!”
Olga stood firmly, not taking her eyes off the furious woman.
“Lyudmila Petrovna, I am under no obligation to do anything. I’ve long allowed you to control my life. This ends today!”
Andrey tried to soothe his mother.
“Mom, wait. Let’s talk calmly. Olga, you understand that if we redistribute the apartments, it would only strengthen the family. Mom would have her own home, and Dima would finally start living on his own. Everyone would benefit!”
Olga turned to her husband. Inside, everything was boiling.
“Andrey, are you serious? Do you think I should give up what my grandmother left me, just for your comfortable life?”
Andrey raised his hands in a conciliatory gesture.
“I just want everyone to be happy.”
“Everyone except me! Enough! No more manipulations.”
Olga abruptly headed to the bedroom. Behind her, hurried footsteps resounded—Lyudmila Petrovna rushed after her. In the bedroom, Olga began taking a suitcase out of the closet. But her mother-in-law grabbed her hand.
“What are you planning? Do you want to destroy our marriage? You do realize that without Andrey you’ll be lost! Think of the future!”
Yet, Lyudmila Petrovna’s voice trembled.
Olga gently freed her hand and looked the mother-in-law in the eye.
“I’m thinking about my future. My own. No one else will ruin my life.”
Silently, the young woman continued gathering her belongings. Andrey stood in the doorway with his head bowed. The man said nothing as Olga fastened the suitcase. Lyudmila Petrovna attempted once more to stop her, but Olga only shook her head.
At the door, her husband finally dared to say:
“Olga, wait! We can fix everything. This is just a misunderstanding.”
Olga tiredly turned to her husband:
“No, Andrey. This is no misunderstanding. This is the end.”
Olga left, slamming the door behind her. She clutched the keys to the apartments in her hands. Within an hour, Olga was settling into her grandmother’s two-room apartment. For the first time in many years, Olga felt a strange sense of relief. The pain and disappointment hadn’t vanished, but breathing had become easier.
A week later, Olga filed for divorce. The process proved to be difficult. Lyudmila Petrovna and Dmitry demanded “justice.” They dreamed of seizing Olga’s apartments. But the law sided with Olga. The inherited apartments remained hers, although Andrey tried several times to contest the court’s decision.
The only thing shared was their joint bank account and the mortgaged apartment. And even then, only a small portion of the loan had been repaid.
At the final court session, Lyudmila Petrovna did not hold back. The mother-in-law blamed Olga for everything, claiming that the young woman had destroyed the family, stolen their happiness. Dmitry nodded in agreement and periodically chimed in.
Olga listened to these words silently. She was confident that she would win. The court was on her side. Calmly, she left the courtroom. A new life awaited her ahead.
Olga sat on a sofa and looked around the room. The new apartment gave her a sense of security. Everything was finally in its place. The silence that once frightened her now brought peace. She no longer had to please others or justify her decisions.
Olga took out her phone and opened her to-do list. The first item was renting out the apartments. The plan had changed. Only one apartment would be rented out. Olga smiled. Now, no one else was making decisions for her.
Olga hadn’t felt this strong in a long time. Nothing weighed her down anymore. She knew she could handle any challenges. The divorce had not only given her a sense of freedom, it had opened the doors to a new life.
