Listen… I need money,» Lena heard her brother’s slurred voice again on the phone. Oleg had been calling her almost every week with the same request – for money. He said he was starving, but she knew exactly where the money would really go.
«I can’t help you right now. There’s still a few days until payday, and I’ve already paid the mortgage,» Lena replied calmly, finishing her cold coffee.
«I’m telling you, I need it urgently! I have nothing to eat. Or what? A full person doesn’t understand the hunger of the hungry?»
There was anger in his voice, as if he were the victim of circumstances, not her. He always acted this way, even assuring mutual acquaintances that he supported her in every possible way.
«I already said – I can’t help you right now. Figure it out yourself. Sorry, but my lunch break is over, I need to work.»
After such conversations, she always felt a heavy weight in her chest. Oleg couldn’t care less about how his sister lived. Her health didn’t concern him. Even when she ended up in the hospital with a gallbladder attack, he never visited her or even asked how she was. He was interested in only one thing – money, which he never learned to earn on his own.
That evening, Lena stayed late at work and came home late. The spring had been strange: large snowflakes were falling to the ground, even though it was already late April. She used to love snow, but now it only irritated and puzzled her. By this time, everything should have already been in bloom, but what was happening now? What would this year be like? Lena tried to think about anything else, anything to avoid remembering that terrible car accident that had taken her parents’ lives a few years ago, at the beginning of winter. That was when a real streak of bad luck hit her: her parents died, her fiancé left, saying that a problematic fiancée was not what he needed, and she lost her job… She still didn’t understand how she managed to get through it. It seemed like she would break, but maybe those who say that God doesn’t give a person more than they can handle are right.
Reaching the entrance, Lena shakily took out her keys, opened the intercom, and hurried inside to escape the dampness and cold. She needed to take a hot bath as soon as possible to warm up and avoid getting sick.
The elevator, as luck would have it, was out of order. Lena cursed at first but then decided that it would warm her up a little to take the stairs to the fifth floor. She walked quickly because the lights were out on several floors, and it was eerie. Hearing strange noises from above, she took out her pepper spray. Hoping it was just neighbors, she continued to ascend, but the stranger at her door frightened her.
«Excuse me, are you looking for someone?» Lena asked, carefully eyeing the man.
«What’s it to you? Go on your way,» he barked.
What should she do? Admitting she had come to this very door and asking him to step aside was terrifying. Who knew what was on his mind? Lena eyed him warily, nodded, and decided to go up higher. Maybe she could ask her neighbor on the seventh floor to let her stay until this uninvited guest left. Or should she call the police? But what if there was someone on the upper floors too? A chill ran down her spine, and cold sweat trickled down her back.
Taking a few steps toward the stairs, Lena didn’t get far – she was grabbed by the hand and yanked back.
«So, you’ve come! Don’t pretend. I can see it on your face – it’s you. Blood is thicker than water, you can’t hide your genes.»
«What are you talking about?» Lena asked, confused, trying to pull her hand free.
Her palms were damp. Fear had paralyzed her body. She tried to remember where she had seen this man before. She always tried to live peacefully, avoided conflicts, and never hurt anyone. Why was he looking at her like this now? Why was he holding her hand so tightly?
«Let go! It hurts!» Lena finally managed to pull her hand free, rubbing her reddened wrist. «We don’t even know each other!»
«Want to get to know me?» the man sneered, reeking of alcohol.
«No, thank you. I’m not looking for new acquaintances.»
Carefully balancing on the edge, Lena tried to remain calm. She had no idea who this person was or what he wanted. If he was really looking for her, then perhaps he wasn’t a maniac. After all, serial killers usually don’t choose their victims in advance… Images from movies and books flashed through her mind, but she tried to push them away.
«Don’t want to get to know me, your problem, princess. Your brother owes serious people a lot of money. There’s nothing to take from him, so now you’ll pay. He said his sister is generous, so you better try. Five hundred thousand rubles need to be returned in three days. And don’t even think about calling the cops or pulling any tricks. The next time I come, the conversation will be quite different.»
Lena stared at the man, refusing to believe her ears. Where was she supposed to get that kind of money? Did money fall from the sky? She could barely make ends meet, paying the mortgage and working as an editor at a small publishing house. How had Oleg managed to get into such debt? And what had he spent it on?
«Listen, you must be mistaken… My brother wouldn’t…» Lena began, but the man cut her off.
«Shut up!» he snarled, his eyes flashing with menace. «Either you pay your brother’s debt, or you start ‘working.’ You’re not a beauty, but we’ve got people who like exotic things. They’ll take the plain ones too.»
The man laughed loudly, and Lena was shaken with fear.
What now?
She realized he wasn’t joking.
If she went to the police, they might catch him, but he was clearly not alone. Someone else would come. What would they do to her brother if she refused to pay? And were these really his debts?
Her mind helpfully suggested the darkest scenarios, which her imagination immediately fleshed out. Why, with such a vivid imagination, hadn’t she become a writer?
«Got it? Good. The money better be here in three days.»
The man left, and Lena, trembling, opened her apartment door, locked it, and slowly sank to the floor. Her body was shaking violently. Fear tangled her thoughts and drove her to despair. She pulled out her phone and started calling her brother over and over. For a long time, Oleg ignored the calls, but when he finally answered, Lena heard he was drunk.
«Why do you keep calling me? I’m busy, having a good time.»
«Good time?!» Lena screamed. «You’re having fun while some thug came to my door and said you owe him five hundred thousand! Is that true, Oleg? Did you take that money?»
There was a pause, broken by Oleg’s unpleasant laughter.
«What did you expect? You won’t give me any money, so I had to give them your address. You’re not going to get anything from me anyway. So you figure out where to get it. These people don’t joke. If I can’t pay them with money, I’ll give them my sister…»
Lena couldn’t listen anymore. The phone slipped from her hand. She sat, frozen, not understanding how much time had passed. She refused to believe what she had heard. Just like that? To him, her life meant nothing? Did he not care about her? How many times had she helped him, risked herself, sacrificed what she could… And now he was willing to treat her so cruelly? She should have listened to her friend who had long advised her to cut all ties with her brother.
«He’ll sell out his own sister, can’t you see!» Liza had said. «He doesn’t have anything sacred. It’s because of him that your parents were in that accident! It’s because of him that they’re gone. He got rid of them, now he’s coming for you.»
Lena had always defended her brother, unwilling to believe the worst. Deep down, she understood that everything was heading in this direction, but she tried to ignore the obvious. He had once been a good boy, before he went down the wrong path and got involved with the wrong crowd. As the older sister, she tried to help him get back to a normal life, but now she had to admit defeat. Instead of fear for her brother’s life, a hollow emptiness filled her – eating away at her like real acid.
The night passed without sleep. Lena paced around the apartment, thinking about where to get such a sum. A bank loan was impossible – the mortgage was already a heavy burden, and giving money to strangers seemed dangerous. What guarantee was there that her brother wouldn’t get into more debt? None. His behavior had turned into cynical manipulation.
The next morning, the girl slowly made her way to the bus stop, completely broken from the stress. A police car stopped next to her and honked. Seeing a familiar face behind the wheel, Lena flinched with unexpected hope – it was Pavel Vasnetsov, her childhood friend who had become a police captain.
«Hop in, I’ll give you a ride!» he offered.
Lena didn’t refuse. If anyone could help, it was Pasha. She decided to tell him everything.
«Oleg has completely lost it! I’ll kill him for this!» Pavel muttered, gripping the steering wheel tightly. «Don’t worry, we’ll figure it out. Those bastards won’t dare touch you again. And I’ll teach your brother a lesson. If he doesn’t understand the easy way, he’ll get fifteen days.»
«This won’t help,» Lena replied quietly.
Pavel took action. He insisted that she not go anywhere alone, driving her to work and picking her up afterward.
Three days later, the bouncer was waiting for her again at the entrance. But this time, Pavel was standing next to Lena. Seeing him, the man smirked:
«I told you – no tricks!»
The bouncer tried to lunge at them, but was immediately subdued and handcuffed. A police car was already waiting by the entrance – Pavel had called for backup.
«Lock yourself inside and don’t open the door to anyone. You have the day off tomorrow, I’ll come by in the morning. If anything happens, call me anytime,» he warned.
Despite the fear of loneliness, Lena understood – there was no other way. The next morning, Pavel told her that he had been able to pressure Oleg’s debtors through his connections.
«They can’t arrest them, but I made it clear what would happen if they took action against you. Oleg won’t be touched either – they just want their money back. But you need to cut all ties with him completely. It’s better to change your address. I’ll continue to protect you.»
«Pasha, thank you so much… I feel a little embarrassed…»
«Stop! That’s the least I can do for the girl I’ve always loved but was too afraid to admit it to myself.»
Lena stared at him in astonishment. Pavel was also surprised by his own courage. He didn’t expect anything in return, but finally voiced the feelings he had been hiding for so long.
A few months later, Lena sold her apartment and bought a new one near her work. Throughout this time, Pavel had been by her side, supporting her. Gradually, romantic feelings developed between them. Six months later, they quietly got married, deciding not to delay an important step and build a life together.
Oleg occasionally tried to reach out to his sister, demanding money, but she had changed her number and cut all contact. Now, he was on his own. By choosing to use his sister, he had to accept her decision to do the same. From now on, their paths had permanently diverged.
