Buy a house outside the city? Olga, are you out of your mind? Why would you want this headache? You already have a nice apartment, and with Lesha, you have everything you need,» Anna Pavlovna pressed her lips together, eyeing her daughter-in-law over her glasses.
Olga slowly took a sip of tea, trying to stay calm.
«Anna Pavlovna, I will decide what to do with my money,» her voice was steady, though everything inside her was boiling.
«Your money?» Anna Pavlovna’s eyebrows shot up. «What about the family? You should have a joint budget! My Lesha works like an ox, and you’re spending money on some whims.»
Alexey was glued to his phone, pretending not to hear the conversation. As usual.
«Lesha agrees with me,» Olga looked at her husband, but he didn’t even lift his eyes.
Anna Pavlovna snorted as she stood up from the table.
«Of course, he agrees with everything. His wife has him completely under her thumb.»
Olga clenched her cup tightly. Three years of marriage. Three years of Anna Pavlovna trying to prove that her son made a mistake by marrying a woman like Olga.
«Do you think it’s normal to interfere in our family with your advice?» Olga finally couldn’t take it anymore.
«Am I giving wrong advice?» Anna Pavlovna put her hands on her hips. «Maybe I’ve lived a little, I have experience. And you, you’re always running around, making money. A proper wife stays at home, gives her husband children!»
Olga slammed her cup down, spilling tea on the tablecloth.
«Lesha, don’t you have anything to say?» she turned to her husband.
Alexey finally looked up from his phone and shrugged.
«Girls, figure it out yourselves, okay? Mom, let’s go watch TV?»
Anna Pavlovna smiled triumphantly at her daughter-in-law as she walked into the living room with her son.
Olga was left alone in the kitchen. The conversation was not new. Her mother-in-law hated that Olga successfully ran her own business. In Anna Pavlovna’s eyes, a woman’s place was in the kitchen, with the kids, and serving her husband.
At work, Olga excelled. As the director of a real estate agency, she saw opportunities where others didn’t. For the past six months, she’d been eyeing a small house by a lake. Cozy, only half an hour away from the city.
«Lesha, I found the perfect place! A small house, our own land, a lake nearby,» she told him in the evening.
«A house is a big deal,» her husband grumbled. «Mom’s right, the apartment is enough for us.»
Olga gritted her teeth. Here it was again.
«What if we have kids?» she asked quietly.
«When we do, we’ll think about it,» Alexey waved her off.
Three months later, Olga walked into the house with a big smile. Her husband was eating in the kitchen. Olga beamed.
«Why so happy?» he asked suspiciously.
«Lesha, the deal is done!» Olga blurted out. «I bought a house by the lake!»
Alexey froze with a spoon halfway to his mouth.
«Are you… serious?» he finally managed to say.
Olga nodded eagerly, biting her lip. Her eyes were sparkling with excitement.
«We signed all the documents this morning. The house is ours!» she sat down next to him, pulling out photos from her bag. «Look, isn’t it beautiful?»
Alexey put his spoon down and examined the pictures carefully. His face gradually softened.
«I admit, it’s an amazing place. And the price… is it reasonable?»
«Excellent! We even have some money left over. Want to go this weekend?» Olga grabbed his hand. «There’s so much work to do! But it’s worth it.»
Alexey smiled, seeing his wife’s excitement. He hugged Olga and kissed her on the forehead.
«Congratulations, Olya. I’m proud of you. I’ve thought about it… You were right. The house will be a great investment.»
For two days, Olga felt like she was flying. She made lists of necessary materials, sketched out furniture layouts. On the morning of the third day, her peaceful happiness was shattered. The front door slammed so hard the walls shook.
«Olga! Olga, explain yourself, now!» Anna Pavlovna stormed into the apartment, waving her arms. Her cheeks were flushed.
Olga peeked out of the bedroom, sleepy and irritated.
«Good morning, Anna Pavlovna. Isn’t it a bit early for a scandal?»
«No jokes here!» her mother-in-law marched to the kitchen and crossed her arms over her chest. «How could you just take the money and throw it away?»
«I didn’t throw away my money. I invested it wisely,» Olga calmly turned on the kettle. «Would you like coffee?»
«What’s coffee got to do with it!» Anna Pavlovna slammed her palm on the table. «Lesha is my son! You’re family! You should have consulted with me!»
Olga shrugged and smiled to herself.
«I won’t argue. Come over for tea at our new house. Then we’ll talk.»
Her mother-in-law grumbled on, but Olga tuned her out. She imagined herself having coffee on the terrace, watching the sunrise.
Over the weekend, Olga and Alexey packed the car with cleaning supplies and tools and headed to their new home. They spent the whole day cleaning, negotiating with local craftsmen, and making plans.
«You know,» Alexey said, arranging chairs on the terrace, «I didn’t think it would be so nice here.»
Olga smiled contentedly, wiping her hands on her apron.
«I told you.»
In the evening, when they were about to have dinner, there was a loud knock on the door.
«Who could that be?» Olga was surprised.
Alexey looked a little uneasy.
«Probably Mom. I gave her the address.»
Olga froze, but didn’t get a chance to protest. There was another knock, more insistent.
Anna Pavlovna stood at the door holding a pie. Without waiting for an invitation, she strode into the house.
«Let me take a look!» she rushed through the rooms, critically inspecting every corner.
Olga exchanged glances with her husband. Alexey shrugged, as if to say, «Sorry.»
«Not bad,» Anna Pavlovna unexpectedly concluded when she came back. «Better than I expected. It’s bright, spacious. You should tear down this partition…»
«It will stay as it is,» Olga cut in.
Her mother-in-law ignored her words.
«I was thinking about curtains. And Lesha needs an office. This room will work.»
Olga gritted her teeth but kept her calm.
A month later, they finally moved. The apartment in the city remained empty, only visited to collect their things. Olga was making the house a home with love, but her peace was threatened. Unexpectedly, her husband’s relatives started showing up.
First came Alexey’s cousin and her husband for the weekend. Then an uncle. After them, more distant cousins.
«Lesha, what’s going on?» Olga asked after yet another visit. «I bought a house for us, not to open a guest house.»
«Well, they’re curious to see it,» her husband shrugged.
Olga had an idea of who was behind this parade of guests. Anna Pavlovna showed up most often, bringing things and giving orders.
One Sunday morning, while Olga was still lying in bed, there was a knock on the door. She opened it and froze. Anna Pavlovna and her daughter stood there with suitcases.
Olga blocked the doorway firmly.
«Did I invite you?» she asked bluntly.
Anna Pavlovna sniffed and adjusted her blouse collar.
«Invite?!» She rolled her eyes dramatically. «Darling, this is family property! And the house belongs to my son. I don’t need to ask for permission.»
Olga took a step back, stunned by such audacity.
«What do you mean, family property? The house was bought with my money!»
Her sister-in-law, Irina, squeezed past Olga with two suitcases.
«Olya, don’t start, okay?» she said. «We’re only staying for a week. Mom’s right—everything Lesha’s is for the whole family,» she glanced around. «So where’s the guest room, right or left?»
Olga stood frozen, watching as the uninvited guests shamelessly invaded her home.
«Irina, why don’t you settle upstairs?» Anna Pavlovna ordered, taking off her coat. «And I’ll take the room with a lake view. We’ll relax today and swim tomorrow morning. I hear the water’s warm enough.»
Olga felt something snap inside her. The quiet rage that had been building for months erupted.
«There will be no swimming!» She rushed toward the stairs, grabbing Irina’s suitcase. «You get out of here right now!»
«What do you think you’re doing?» Irina protested, trying to hold on to the luggage.
Olga yanked the suitcase from her hands and dragged it to the door. Then she returned for the second one. Her eyes were burning with determination.
«Doing? This is my house! I bought it, I’m paying for it! And I’m tired of you all treating it like a hotel!»
Anna Pavlovna grabbed her suitcase.
«Have you lost your mind? We’re Alexey’s family! We have every right…»
«You have nothing!» Olga grabbed the suitcase and threw it outside. «Get out! You can do whatever you want, but you will never step foot in my house again!»
«You…!» Anna Pavlovna choked with indignation.
Irina began to wail.
«Lesha won’t forgive you! He’ll throw you out of here in no time! Mom, call him immediately!»
«Go ahead,» Olga flung the door wide open. «Now get out!»
«You’ll regret this!» Anna Pavlovna shouted as she was pushed out by Olga. «Lesha will find out what you’re really like!»
«What kind of woman? A normal one who won’t let herself be humiliated?» Olga practically shoved both women out the door.
At that moment, Alexey appeared in the yard with fishing rods. He looked bewildered at the unfolding scene.
«Lesha!» Anna Pavlovna rushed to him. «Your wife is kicking us out! Can you imagine? She says we should bow down to her and beg to come visit!»
«Don’t lie!» Olga shouted.
Alexey looked from his mother to his wife.
«What’s going on here?»
«Your wife is a real fury!» Irina sobbed. «We just came to visit, and she…»
«Visit?» Olga interrupted. «Without an invitation? With suitcases? Lesha, I’m not opening a hostel!»
Anna Pavlovna yanked her son’s sleeve.
«Tell her! Tell her we have every right to be here!»
Alexey frowned.
«Mom, this isn’t my house. It’s Olga’s house. She bought it with her own money.»
«What?» his mother gasped. «But you said…»
«I said we bought the house together because we’re family. But legally and factually, the house belongs to Olga.»
Anna Pavlovna turned red.
«And you’ll let her talk to your mother like that?»
Alexey looked at his wife, then at his mother.
«Mom, Olga’s right. You can’t just show up without an invitation. This is her private space.»
«Her?» Anna Pavlovna pointed at her daughter-in-law. «You’re defending her?»
«Yes, I am. And I always will,» Alexey said firmly. «Let’s go, I’ll take you to the station.»
«Traitor!» Irina sobbed, gathering her things.
Alexey helped load the suitcases into the car. Before leaving, he walked up to Olga.
«Sorry. I’ll be back in an hour.»
He hugged her tightly and got into the car.
After that, there were no more uninvited guests in their home.
One day, Olga enjoyed the view of the lake. Alexey sat down next to her.
«You know, I’m grateful to you,» he said, taking her hand.
«For what?»
«For teaching me to set boundaries. Even with family.»
Olga smiled. Their home had become a real fortress—not from the outside world, but from those who didn’t respect their right to happiness.
A month later, Anna Pavlovna called.
«Can I come over? Just for an hour.»
Olga was silent, looking at the lake.
«Okay,» she finally said.
Her mother-in-law brought a pie. And for the first time in all these years, she apologized. Olga smiled. Maybe this was a new beginning.
