— Hello, Lena! — Angelina saw someone she knew and waved.
— Hello, — Lena smiled warmly. — You haven’t come to see us in a long time.
— Lots of work, no time for vacation. My daughter is in ninth grade.
— Ah… if I remember correctly, you usually went on vacation at the end of June. You have a celebration, a birthday… — travel agent Lena tried to recall precisely but was mistaken. Angelina Sergeeva had been her longtime client.
— No, my birthday is in winter, — Angelina laughed. — But at the end of June, my husband and I have our wedding anniversary. We usually plan our vacation around that date, to go away. We’d like to this year too… but I don’t know how it will work out. I simply have no time to deal with it.
— I can help you pick some tours. That’s what I’m here for, — Lena smiled. The women exchanged a few more words and agreed to keep in touch via messenger, then parted ways.
In the evening, Angelina told her husband about the meeting.
— Yeah, that happens, — he mumbled.
— Looks like we won’t go anywhere this year. Our daughter has exams, and I’m busy, — sighed Angelina.
— You know what… I guess I can take over organizing the vacation.
— Really? After 15 years of marriage, it’s the first time you’re willing to take something on, — Angelina laughed.
— Oh, stop it! — he waved his hand. — Don’t undervalue my contribution to our family life.
— Your main contribution I definitely can’t undervalue. Look at her sitting there, studying English, — said Angelina, looking at their daughter.
— Yeah. But besides our daughter, there’s plenty more… Just trust me.
Angelina was silent, trying to figure out where this sudden enthusiasm came from. Ivan was not known for initiative — in fifteen years of marriage, he had never planned anything. He even went shopping with a list she wrote.
— Alright, — she exhaled. — Go ahead. Surprise me. I have tons of work to do.
“I will surprise… oh, how I will surprise,” Ivan thought as he rubbed his hands.
Angelina really was busy. Deadlines at work, a daughter preparing for the Unified State Exam (EGE), everything falling on the wife: control, support, meals, cleaning, finances. Ivan had always been a background presence — neutral, not interfering, but not helping either.
But this time things were supposed to be different. Her husband enthusiastically started searching for hotels. And, to be honest, she felt flattered. She was tired… and here — care. Finally! It took less than a hundred years…
Her mother-in-law didn’t believe it when she found out the son-in-law was organizing the vacation.
— Can you imagine, he volunteered himself. Says he’ll make a surprise. Hope it’s not Antarctica.
— Or the Bermuda Triangle, — snorted her mother. — Surprises from men are a dangerous thing. Keep an eye on him.
— Come on, Mom! We control them first, then wonder why they turn into helpless adults.
Angelina said a lot more to her mother but discreetly slipped her husband a “random” business card of travel agent Lena.
Ivan, not a very attentive man, assumed the card was from someone at work. Like Anna Petrova, his colleague, who was also planning a vacation and browsing wonderful seaside hotels with Ivan.
On the chosen day, Ivan called Lena and said he wanted to go on a vacation, just the two of them.
— I was just selecting options for other clients for those dates. I can send you some options right now, — Lena replied, and within 5 minutes, Ivan had a document with tour options and prices.
“This hotel my wife won’t handle… don’t like this one, they only have breakfast… but this one… looks good. Yeah.”
— Lena, I’ve chosen the third option.
— Did you notice it’s a city hotel? Not close to the sea. Doesn’t that bother you?
— No, we’re on a romantic trip, — he laughed. — The main thing is a comfortable bed.
Lena chuckled. She loved working with clients like Ivan. Not families with kids where wives spent months reading hotel reviews, not economists to whom everything was expensive. The perfect client was not newlyweds or family men, but a man in love.
— Shall I book it?
— Yes… I’ll stop by tomorrow with the money.
— You can also pay by transfer to my account.
— No, I’d rather bring it in person. I don’t quite trust transfers…
— As you wish, — Lena clicked her tongue. She had worked at the travel agency for over 20 years and seen many things…
In the evening, Ivan told his wife he had picked a great option.
— Good meals, clean rooms.
— And the sea?
— Well… it’s about a 10-minute walk.
— I thought it would be right on the beachfront.
— You know the prices for beachfront? — the husband protested. — No, if you’re ready to pay twice as much, then I’m all for it! By the way, I’ll need money tomorrow to buy the tour.
— Well then buy it, — Angelina looked at her husband surprised.
— Need the money, — Ivan said calmer, without emotion.
— Aren’t you the one organizing the vacation from start to finish this year? — Angelina teased him.
— I found everything, organized it! And you know my salary… So, will you give me cash or transfer to my card? — Ivan looked impatiently at his wife.
— I don’t have that kind of money now. Salary’s in a week.
— And if there are no spots left?!
— You can book with a partial payment. I’ll think how best to do it. Show me the hotel info again, I want to read reviews.
Ivan rolled his eyes but didn’t argue. If he argued, his wife might take over vacation planning herself, which was not part of his plans.
However, Angelina simply didn’t have time — her daughter came home from tutor and demanded dinner.
Waving it off, Angelina decided for once to trust her husband’s choice. But she forgot about the money, got busy. In the end, the next day Ivan went to the travel agency and took care of the paperwork, calling his wife right from there.
— Listen, Gelya… You promised to transfer money. I’m at the travel agency now…
— What agency?
— What’s your office called? — he asked Lena, unaware his wife personally knew the travel agent.
— “Spherical Earth.”
— Oh… You went there? Good. I’ll transfer money directly to their account now. Send me the details.
— Well…
— I always pay this way.
— Alright, — Ivan sighed, then addressed Lena. — Money will be transferred now. Do you need anything else from me?
— Passport details of travelers. Have you been with us before?
— No… This is the first time I’m buying a tour myself! — Ivan said proudly, handing over his passport.
Lena saw from the passport data that Ivan Sergeev was already listed in the client database.
— Are you traveling with your wife?
Ivan flinched at the mention of his wife.
— Why do you ask?
— I see you traveled with our company last year. Angelina Sergeeva, your wife? — Lena smiled.
— Ah… No! — Ivan answered quickly, blushing. — We divorced. Yes. We separated. I’m not going with her. Here’s the passport. — He handed another document. — Do you have Anna Petrova in your database?
— Um… — Lena stared at Ivan, not knowing what to do. A week ago she spoke to Angelina. And Angelina said they were celebrating 15 years of marriage. And now… divorced?!
— Do you have her in the database? — Ivan repeated.
— No. But I’ll enter the necessary info in the form now. She’s your… um…
— My girlfriend.
— Right. Got it. Okay. — Lena didn’t show her inner turmoil. Inside she was boiling. A year ago her husband left her for some “Anna Petrova” — with duck lips, 20 years younger than Lena. Now, judging by Ivan’s behavior, he decided to secretly vacation with his young lover.
— How will you pay for the tour?
— By transfer to the account.
— Only to a personal card. No need to indicate anything in the payment description. — Lena spoke confidently. She already knew she would tell Angelina about her husband’s escapades and show her the vouchers. She would even give a discount on this hotel if Angelina decided to catch her husband red-handed. Lena could not have guessed that Ivan was not just a cheater but also a mercenary scoundrel. She learned this when she received money from Angelina S. to pay for previous tours.
That was how Angelina Sergeeva, Ivan’s wife, had paid for their past trips. This meant only one thing: Ivan decided to vacation with his lover on his wife’s money.
— Did you receive the money? The advance?
— Yes, I sent a request to the hotel and am waiting for confirmation. As soon as it’s confirmed, I’ll send you the confirmation, — Lena said without looking at Ivan. He quickly took the passports and left.
“All is well, darling! We’re flying to the sea,” he messaged — not to his wife, but to Anna Petrova.
He called Angelina and said the application was still being reviewed.
— Okay. Good. Thanks, — she answered. — I have a call on another line. I’ll call back.
Angelina saw that Lena called. She never imagined what the travel agent would say to her.
— Hello?
— Hello, this is Lena from the “Spherical Earth” agency.
— Good afternoon, Lena. Did something happen? They didn’t confirm the hotel? Or did my husband mess something up? — Angelina laughed.
— I don’t know how to say this. Your husband was here today. He asked to book a tour for two, on certain dates.
— Well… yes, I know. What’s the problem? I transferred money to you.
— The thing is… he asked to book it not for you, but for himself and some Anna Petrova. Normally, I would have sold the tour by now… But I checked the booking history. The money came from your card. We met recently. I thought it might be a mistake, so I decided to call you. Sorry if I’m interfering.
— What? — Angelina shuddered. — Wait. Who’s this Anna?!
— His… friend, he said. He also said you divorced.
— Fifteen years! And suddenly he decides to handle the vacation himself! I thought… that it was care! — Suddenly Angelina began to cry. — Sorry…
— I didn’t want to. I wouldn’t have called you, but I went through betrayal myself. I think it’s better to know now where your money is going. Than later.
— Yes! Of course, you’re right! — Angelina quickly wiped her tears. — Can we cancel the tour?
— I haven’t booked it yet. The money is still on my card. Don’t worry. Your husband won’t fly.
— Wonderful.
— Just don’t ask me to forge a voucher and give your husband “tickets,” — Lena hinted at possible revenge.
— I’ll do it myself. And I’ll send them to him by email from an unknown address. Thanks, Lena. You don’t have to return this money. I’m going to vacation. With my daughter. Just let’s adjust the dates.
— Yes, okay. — Lena sighed. It was a close call.
What it took for Angelina to pretend everything was fine while enduring her husband… She endured it for her daughter — she needed her to finish ninth grade peacefully, without extra nerves.
In the end, three days before departure, when the daughter had finished all exams and went out calmly to play, Ivan couldn’t hold back and confessed.
— Darling, I have a special gift for you on our anniversary. I’m leaving.
— Go ahead, — Angelina replied, already expecting this outcome, without even looking away from her work spreadsheets.
— What do you mean?! I’m not going to the store! I mean, I’m leaving.
— Good luck.
— And I’m not going on vacation with you. Let’s call it a gift to me for all 15 years of humiliation! For all the time I couldn’t be a real man next to you! But now, I can! Oh, how I can!
— Vanya, don’t distract me from work. If you’re leaving — leave. Do you even know how to find the door after 15 years?
— Just like that?! You’re not even sorry to spend money on my vacation?! I’m not going alone, with my beloved woman!
— Fly, eagle… Fly, — Angelina smirked. — Just don’t fly too high, so it won’t hurt when you fall.
Ivan tried to say something, waving his hands, but Gelya put on headphones and focused on her work. It hurt her, it was nasty, unpleasant. But fortunately, Lena saved her from even greater pain by preparing her for her husband’s betrayal.
Otherwise… Angelina would have been in a daze.
But not now.
Ivan left. He went to Anna, and three days later, with suitcases and fake vouchers, they stood in line at check-in. Angelina wanted to go and see their faces, but she was too busy with work. However, she guessed what screams Anna would let out when the polite registration clerk said they were not on the passenger list and the papers were fake.
Ivan will rant so much that he will be taken to the interrogation room. In general, the lovers’ vacation will fail.
Ivan will keep waving his hands and accusing his wife of deceit for a long time.
In response, he will receive a court summons and a threat that Angelina will file a police report for fraud.
“I have a witness, Lena. She will confirm you tried to steal my money,” Angelina will write to Ivan, and only after that will Ivan leave her alone.
They divorced. There was nothing to split — all property belonged to Angelina and the daughter. Ivan was left with an empty house and Anna, who was so offended she kicked him out after realizing she could only travel by bus at his expense, not to a resort.
Angelina and her daughter had a wonderful vacation by the sea. And since that day, Angelina and Lena became friends. She was very grateful to the honest woman who, instead of thirsting for profit, preferred a clear conscience and peace of mind for the abandoned Angelina. And that happens.
