“Darling, how about we look at some new curtains? I want something light, maybe with a seaside pattern. This is the biggest store around for fabric and ready-made curtains. I really don’t want to come all the way back here and sit in traffic again, especially since we’re already here…”
Maksim looked at his wife, who was holding onto his arm, and let out a heavy sigh to show just how much he hated shopping. He found it exhausting to spend so much time in public places surrounded by people. He wasn’t exactly antisocial, but crowds made him deeply uncomfortable.
“I came here to pick up an order, and all you can think about is wandering around more shops! Don’t we already have enough curtains at home? Why waste money on that?” he snapped.
“I told you, I want something with a marine theme to decorate our new apartment. Besides, in a resort town, things like that will definitely cost more. If you don’t want to come, you can wait for me in the car. I’ll be quick. And if I don’t find anything suitable, I’ll just place an order.”
“What do you care about that apartment anyway?” Maksim frowned. “You talk as if you’re actually planning to live there.”
“We’ll be going there on vacation, won’t we? I just want it to feel beautiful and cozy. Did you wake up on the wrong side of the bed today? You’re so irritated.”
Zhanna hated arguing with her husband. She had always tried to smooth things over. Whenever a conflict started building, she would quietly step away instead of pushing back. Maybe that was exactly why there had always seemed to be peace in their marriage.
“That’s exactly the point,” Maksim said. “We’ll only be going there for vacations. The person who’s actually going to live there can worry about making it cozy.”
Zhanna froze, confusion instantly spreading across her face. She stared at him, trying to understand what he meant. Who was going to live in their apartment? They weren’t even planning to rent it out. They had bought it for themselves so they could escape to the sea whenever they wanted. Sure, they couldn’t take time off often, but sometimes both of them could work remotely. These days, with a laptop and internet, that was easy enough.
“And who, exactly, is going to live there?”
“My mother, of course,” he said casually. “I told you before how much she’s always dreamed of moving to the seaside. She’s thrilled. She’s already getting ready. Once she wraps up a few things, she’ll move in.”
“What do you mean, your mother? Your mother is going to live in our apartment?”
In an instant, Zhanna felt all the strength drain out of her. The curtains no longer mattered. She didn’t want to go into any store. Maksim had already led her to the car, opened the door, and nodded for her to get in. She felt as though she had been struck over the head. She heard his words, but they barely made sense. They kept echoing in her mind.
His mother would live in their apartment? Her mother-in-law? The apartment had been bought together in name only, but the entire amount had come from Zhanna. She had sold the old house she inherited and used the money to buy that modest place by the sea. She had promised her parents she would give them the keys and let them stay there. Her sister had also been hoping to go there on vacation. Of course, Zhanna wouldn’t have minded if her mother-in-law stayed there occasionally to отдыхать, but to live there permanently? No. That was absurd. Surely she had misunderstood. Maybe her mother-in-law just wanted to be the first one to go and stay there for a while. If that was all, it could still be managed. Their plans could be adjusted.
“You still haven’t answered me,” Zhanna said once they were in the car and he started the engine. “What exactly do you mean? Why would your mother be living in our apartment? It’s not forever, is it? She just wants to go there for a while… like a vacation?”
“It means exactly what I said. I bought that seaside apartment for my mother. She’s dreamed about living by the sea for years. Now that dream has finally come true.”
“You bought your mother a gift with my money?” Zhanna asked, still stunned, bombarding him with questions.
“So what if the money was yours?” he shot back. “You and I are husband and wife. Everything we have is shared. Don’t forget that you live in my apartment. And you drive my car. And I’ve never thrown that in your face. We’re married, remember?”
Of course Zhanna remembered. She had always remembered. She had always tried to do everything right for her husband. But now she just sat there, bewildered. She didn’t even know how to respond. Rage was burning in her chest. How could he think this was fair? How could he make a decision like that about their property—about what he called their shared property—without even asking her? How dare he? He had already made promises to his mother, and she was apparently preparing to move, while Zhanna had known absolutely nothing.
Zhanna had never had an easy relationship with her mother-in-law. They weren’t enemies, but they certainly weren’t close. Polina Sergeyevna treated her less like a person and more like her son’s wife—someone who was expected to obey not just him, but his mother as well. She often criticized Zhanna for no real reason, always trying to show that she knew best. Zhanna usually ignored it. She knew that if she started arguing, it would only get worse. But how could she possibly stay silent now?
She didn’t want to fight while her husband was driving, so she spent the rest of the trip staring out the window in silence, thinking about how to fix the situation. There was at least one thing in her favor: legally, she was the sole owner of the apartment. Since her husband had contributed nothing and already had an apartment in his own name, Zhanna had registered all the documents under herself. Yes, in the event of a divorce it might still be considered marital property, but at least Maksim had not put it in his mother’s name. Maybe there was still a way to solve this. The only question was how.
When they got home, Zhanna changed into comfortable clothes and made herself a cup of chamomile tea to calm down. Sitting at the kitchen table, she tried to gather her thoughts, determined not to explode into a scandal.
“Why do you look so upset?” Maksim asked. “Are you really that disappointed about those curtains? If you want, I’ll take you there next week.”
“That isn’t the issue right now. How could you make that decision behind my back? I’ve never argued with you before, but this time I can’t stay quiet. That apartment was bought for our family, not for your mother. My parents want to spend time by the sea too. I already promised them the keys. How could you even come up with the idea that your mother would move in there permanently? If she wanted to live by the sea so badly, why didn’t she sell her own apartment? She could have bought herself a studio and lived there just fine. Why ours? And why didn’t you say a single word to me before deciding all this?”
“There you go again,” he muttered. “So that’s what you’re sulking about? You’re really something. I made the decision, and that’s that. Why should I have informed you or asked your permission? Don’t be ridiculous. I’m the head of this family. I can make important decisions on my own. And if your parents want to go there for a holiday, what’s stopping them? My mother doesn’t mind. They can all live together for a couple of weeks. Nothing terrible will happen.”
The apartment was tiny. The idea of several people living there together was absurd. Besides, Zhanna’s parents and her mother-in-law did not get along at all. They were strangers to each other, at best. And Zhanna herself had no desire to vacation somewhere she would constantly feel watched and judged. That was not rest.
“I’m against it,” Zhanna said firmly, lifting her chin and meeting his eyes.
Maksim leaned against the wall and exhaled sharply.
“That’s exactly why I didn’t tell you earlier. I didn’t want a fight. You should understand that I don’t want to argue with you. But I’m not changing my mind either. It’s done. There’s no going back. That apartment belongs to my mother now.”
He walked away, leaving Zhanna alone with her thoughts. When she looked back, she realized he had always behaved like this whenever anything important came up. In the end, she was always the one who yielded. Apparently, that arrangement had suited him perfectly. He had counted on her swallowing her resentment in silence, pretending everything was normal, just as she always had. But this time, she was done. She had turned herself into a doormat, and suddenly she saw it clearly: she no longer wanted that life. She got nothing in return. Her husband didn’t value her patience or her willingness to keep the peace. He simply took control, ordered her around, and acted as if she somehow owed him. The way he treated her felt wrong—cruel, even. And she was no longer willing to accept it. If he refused to fix anything, then she would.
She stepped into the room and looked at her husband. He was glowing with amusement, lounging there and scrolling through stupid videos on his phone. He was laughing—as if nothing had happened. Not a hint of guilt. Not a thought for what she was feeling after that conversation. Just enjoying himself.
It had always been like this. Only now, for the first time, she saw his indifference for what it truly was. It became hard to breathe. She felt suffocated by her own worthlessness—by what she had allowed herself to become. And in that moment, Zhanna made up her mind. She would change everything. She would finally show him that her voice mattered too.
“So you’re really not going to change anything?” she asked. “You’re just going to keep deciding what happens to my apartment?”
“It’s my mother’s now,” he replied. “Why are you clinging to that apartment like this? Let it go already. My mother is moving in in two weeks. There’s nothing left to discuss.”
“I’m filing for divorce.”
Even to her own ears, her voice sounded unfamiliar. The words struck the room like thunder from a clear sky. They startled Zhanna herself, but not her husband. He barely lifted his eyes from his phone before giving a lazy chuckle.
“Very funny. Now enough of that—go make dinner. I’m starving.”
“I’m not joking, Maksim. I’m filing for divorce. I’m tired of the way you dismiss me. You never consult me. You behave as if you own me, as if I’m some servant whose only purpose is to take care of you. I don’t want this life anymore. I’m done.”
The moment she said it, Zhanna realized she should have spoken those words long ago. For years, she had tried to preserve the illusion of a perfect marriage. But the truth was, she had not felt genuine love for her husband in a very long time. She had been living inside a fantasy, painting a beautiful picture while reality looked nothing like it. And now, all at once, she saw everything clearly and felt the full bitterness of that realization.
“What did you just say?” he asked, finally looking at her. “You’re done? Something doesn’t suit you? Then get out of my apartment. When you come to your senses and realize what nonsense you’ve been saying, then we’ll talk again. I’m not going to sit here and listen to your pathetic complaints. If you don’t want to drive your husband crazy, keep these childish grievances to yourself.”
Zhanna only nodded.
As she packed her things, he did not say another word. And when she walked out, he acted as though it had nothing to do with him. She took the keys to her own apartment with her. She had every intention of defending her rights in court. At that point, she no longer wanted to reconcile, no longer wanted to save the marriage. She had finally understood that she had always been the extra person in a relationship that only existed in her imagination.
During the divorce proceedings, Maksim did everything he could to prove that the seaside apartment was marital property. But the judge rejected his claim because Zhanna had all the evidence: the money had come from the sale of her inheritance, and her husband had not contributed a single penny.
It was not easy for her, but she stood her ground, secured the divorce, and kept what was rightfully hers. There was emptiness inside her afterward, but she knew emptiness could be survived. Better to endure that pain now than suffer for the rest of her life.
Zhanna learned her lesson. She would never again spend her life surrendering her own needs for the sake of others. No matter how much you sacrifice, only worthy people truly appreciate it—and those are usually the ones who would never demand such sacrifices in the first place. They accept you without asking you to disappear for their comfort.
Polina Sergeyevna called her several times afterward, blaming her, cursing her, trying to make her feel guilty. Zhanna would only smile when those calls came. In the end, everyone gets what they deserve. And whatever you wish on others, you should be prepared to receive back yourself—twice over.
