Natalya placed her cup of chamomile tea on the glass tabletop and leaned back in her chair.
Conversations with her mother-in-law always left an unpleasant aftertaste, even though Yadviga Pavlovna was always polite and delicate. Even now, while asking for help once again, she apologized almost every other sentence.
“Natashechka, please forgive this old woman,” her mother-in-law pleaded guiltily. “I know I keep asking, but the doctors say I can’t stop the treatment. And my pension… well, you know…”
Natalya nodded with sympathy, even though Yadviga Pavlovna could not see her.
Three months earlier, her mother-in-law had tearfully told her about her diagnosis: early-stage arthritis, expensive procedures, and the need to prevent possible disability. Of course, Natalya had not been able to refuse. Fifty thousand rubles a month was not a critical amount for her business, and the health of an elderly person was worth more than any money.
“Yadviga Pavlovna, please don’t worry,” Natalya replied gently. “I’ll transfer the money tomorrow. And there’s no need to apologize every time. We’re family now.”
“Oh, Natashechka, you are pure gold! Antosha found himself such a wife… Lord, what did I do to deserve such happiness?”
After countless words of gratitude, Natalya finally said goodbye and pressed the end-call button. She had no time for empty conversations.
Her women’s clothing company, NatStyle, demanded constant attention. Tomorrow was the presentation of a new collection, the day after that — a meeting with an investor. At twenty-eight, she was managing a team of thirty people, and the company her father had once started as a small project had grown into a serious brand.
Natalya reached for her tablet to check the latest sketches when she suddenly heard familiar voices. At first, she thought the television had turned on; Anton liked watching various talk shows. But the voice sounded very much like… her mother-in-law’s.
“Antoshka, luck is on my side again! Tomorrow my dear daughter-in-law will gild my palm!” Yadviga Pavlovna laughed.
Natalya froze. It was definitely her mother-in-law’s voice. But where was it coming from?
Her eyes fell on the phone. The screen was still lit, showing an active call. Apparently, the call had not ended properly.
“How much this time?” came Anton’s unmistakable voice.
Natalya’s heart began to beat faster. Her husband was supposed to be at the office, working on an important website redesign project. What was he doing at his mother’s place in the middle of the workday?
“Fifty thousand, as usual. It’s honestly touching how worried she is about my health!”
Laughter. Anton was laughing.
“Mom, you’re a genius! And that arthritis story of yours — an absolute masterpiece!”
Natalya carefully picked up the phone. Her hands were trembling slightly.
What was happening? What did they mean, story? She had seen the medical documents. Yadviga Pavlovna had shown her the prescriptions…
“Oh, what genius?” her mother-in-law scoffed. “Your wife is just… an ordinary naive little fool. A generous fool, though. And that is very important! Use the moment and the opportunities, my dear son. Don’t sleep through your chance!”
“I won’t. I want a car. A brand-new one, straight from the dealership. And not some Chinese thing, but a European one. A Mercedes, for example. And it should cost no less than fifty million.”
“Wow! You certainly have expensive tastes.”
“What am I supposed to do, drive a Lada all my life? I didn’t marry a rich madam for nothing.”
Married a rich woman. Use the moment.
Natalya took several deep breaths. She could not believe what she was hearing.
This was Anton. Anton with his easygoing nature and sparkling humor, the man who had won her over in just a few weeks. Anton, whom she had met in her own office and fallen for like a schoolgirl. Anton, who had proposed to her six months ago with tears in his eyes, speaking of great love and a shared future.
“But be careful. Don’t let her suspect anything. God forbid!” her mother-in-law whispered. “Your wife may be naive, but she’s not stupid if she runs a business.”
“Oh, come on, Mom. Don’t be ridiculous. Natasha is so in love right now that she’d pull the moon down from the sky if I asked her to. The main thing is to choose the right words. I’ll say I need the car for work, for my image and all that.”
“That’s my clever boy! I was so worried you’d choose some flighty little thing. But you… you even fell in love correctly.”
“Fell in love?” Anton laughed mockingly. “Mom, you’re such a storyteller. Do I look like a romantic? I simply landed on my feet — in life and at work.”
Simply landed on his feet.
Natalya closed her eyes and inhaled deeply several times. So that was it. Six months of married life, which she had believed to be the happiest time of her life, had been nothing more than a profitable arrangement for her husband. And her mother-in-law’s invented illness was just a way to drain more money from her.
“But Antoshka, I’m still a little scared,” Yadviga Pavlovna continued nervously. “What if she wants to come with me to the doctor?”
“Mom, relax. First of all, Natasha doesn’t have time for that. Second, she’s not a doctor. Those fake certificates are more than enough for her. And if something happens, I’ll say you’re embarrassed, or we’ll come up with something else. Forget it.”
Natalya brought the phone closer to her ear.
Fake certificates.
So the documents her mother-in-law had shown her so touchingly were forged. And she, a fool, had not even thought to question them. When someone is sick, you do not usually verify their medical papers.
“By the way,” Anton continued in a businesslike tone, “we should wrap up the treatment story in two or three months. I’ll start preparing the ground for the car purchase. I’ll connect it to work somehow.”
“What if she offers to buy you a company car?”
“She won’t. In her head, business and family are strictly separate. Daddy probably taught her that when he handed her the company on a silver platter.”
Natalya clenched her fists.
Daddy handed it to her on a silver platter.
As if she had not spent the last five years building that business herself. As if she had not stayed up countless nights working on projects, searching for clients and suppliers. Her father had given her start-up capital and his blessing. Everything else was her work. But apparently, in her husband’s eyes, she remained a rich little fool whose father had bought her an expensive toy.
“You know what’s funniest?” Anton went on. “She really thinks I’m in love with her. You should see how she lights up when I come home. Like a kitten, honestly.”
“Antoshka,” his mother’s voice softened. “Do you really feel nothing for her at all? She is a good girl, after all.”
“Mom, what do feelings have to do with it? I’m not a sadist. I do like her. But above all, Natasha is… convenient. A good salary, prospects, a beautiful wife who is also rich. Plenty of men dream of that.”
“That’s true,” Yadviga Pavlovna agreed. “Just make sure you don’t ruin anything. Otherwise, she might start suspecting something.”
“She won’t suspect a thing! She’s too trusting. Why do you think I married her so quickly? I realized she wouldn’t stay single for long — beautiful, successful, kind. I might never get another chance like that.”
Natalya slowly stood up and walked to the window. Beyond the glass, she could see the rooftops of the private neighborhood where she had recently bought a two-story house. Back then, Anton had joked that now they had a place for big family celebrations. How romantic it had sounded six months ago — big family celebrations. And now…
“Listen, why don’t we arrange a family dinner this weekend?” Anton suddenly suggested. “Natashka was asking the other day when we’d gather all the relatives at the new house.”
“Why do you need that?”
“Well, I’ll show what a caring family man I am. Plus, she’ll be in a good mood, and I can bring up the car. After a warm family gathering, she definitely won’t refuse her beloved husband.”
A family dinner.
Natalya could not help smiling bitterly.
What irony. She really had dreamed of gathering everyone in the new house. She had wanted to show what a close family they were, how well everyone got along. She had been especially proud of her relationship with Yadviga Pavlovna. Not every woman was lucky enough to have such a wise and kind mother-in-law.
“Antoshka, are you serious about the family dinner?”
“Absolutely. We’ll invite your sister and her husband, my brother, maybe a few others. Natashka will be thrilled, and I’ll get my car.”
Footsteps sounded through the phone.
“All right, Mom, I have to go. I need to get back to the office before someone tells my wife I stepped out.”
“Go, my son. And remember, everything requires moderation. A car is one thing, but it’s too early to slaughter the chicken that lays golden eggs.”
Natalya heard the sound of a door closing, then a rustle. Apparently, Yadviga Pavlovna had picked up the phone. The call disconnected.
For several minutes, Natalya simply stood by the window, trying to process everything she had heard.
The chicken that lays golden eggs. Beautifully said. And, most importantly, accurate.
Natalya smiled and opened the app that recorded her phone calls.
She had developed the habit of recording all calls in her first year of running the business, after one supplier had tried to back out of a verbal agreement. Since then, every call had automatically been saved to cloud storage.
The file was there. Twenty-three minutes of recording, including her own conversation with her mother-in-law and the accidental eavesdropping that followed.
Natalya rewound the recording to the right part and listened once again to the most striking fragments.
“I didn’t marry a rich woman for nothing.”
“An ordinary naive little fool.”
“The chicken that lays golden eggs.”
Every word cut into her, but at the same time, anger began to burn inside her chest.
For six months, she had lived in an invented world where her loving husband kissed her goodbye every morning, and her caring mother-in-law asked about her work and health. In reality, they had simply been milking her like a cow.
Her phone vibrated. A message from Anton appeared.
“Sunshine, I’ll be late at work. Complicated project, need to finish the mockup. Don’t wait for dinner. Love you.”
Natalya read the message twice.
Complicated project. Yes, very complicated indeed. Discussing with Mommy how to extract money from his wife. And that little heart emoji at the end. How skillfully he played the role of a loving husband.
She quickly typed a reply:
“All right, darling. Don’t overwork yourself!”
Then she deleted it immediately.
Instead, she simply wrote:
“Okay.”
She needed to think.
Divorce? Of course, she could file the papers tomorrow, throw Anton out with one suitcase, and forget those people like a nightmare. But for some reason, that option seemed too simple. They had fooled her for six months, enjoyed it, laughed at her trust. Was it really supposed to end with a simple goodbye?
And that family dinner… Anton himself had handed her the perfect opportunity.
Natalya opened her contacts and found the number of her younger sister, Marina.
“Natasha, hi! How are you? We haven’t spoken in ages.”
“Hi, Marish. Listen, I want to suggest something. Remember the house I told you about, the one I bought before the wedding?”
“Of course I remember. I saw the photos. It’s amazing!”
“I want to host a big family dinner there this weekend. I’ll gather all the relatives. Can you and Igor come?”
“Oh, that sounds wonderful! Of course we’ll come. Who else will be there?”
“My parents, Yadviga Pavlovna, Anton’s brother and his family. Around ten people in total.”
“Great. Should we bring anything?”
“Nothing at all. I’ll organize everything myself. Just come in a good mood.”
After the call with her sister, Natalya made a guest list. Yes, it would be quite a gathering. Especially since her father had never particularly liked Anton, considering him too careless, though he had never said it directly.
The next two days were pure soap opera.
On the one hand, Natalya lived her usual life: she worked, talked to Anton, and answered her mother-in-law’s caring messages. On the other hand, a plan was forming inside her, becoming clearer and clearer.
Anton did indeed bring up the family dinner the very next day.
“Sunshine,” he said over breakfast, “why don’t we gather all the relatives at your new house?”
“What a wonderful idea!” Natalya exclaimed with enthusiasm. “I was just thinking about that. When?”
“Well, Saturday would work. I’ll call Mom and my brother. You invite your family.”
“Agreed.”
“Excellent. It’ll be great.”
Anton kissed his wife on the cheek and went to get ready for work. Natalya remained sitting in the kitchen, slowly finishing her coffee.
It’ll be great.
Yes, Anton. It will be very great.
On Thursday evening, a message arrived from her mother-in-law:
“Natashechka, forgive me for bothering you. Could you possibly transfer another ten thousand? They prescribed additional medication, and I have nothing left on my card.”
Natalya transferred the money, imagining where it would really go.
A new handbag? Restaurant outings? Or perhaps a new sofa or kitchen?
“Of course, Yadviga Pavlovna. I’m sending it now. And I’m very much looking forward to seeing you on Saturday!”
“Thank you, dear! I can’t wait to see your house.”
Dear.
Natalya smirked and put down the phone.
Saturday turned out sunny and warm.
Natalya spent the morning taking care of final preparations: checking the table, arranging flowers, testing the sound system. She paid special attention to the speakers in the living room. The sound needed to be heard throughout the entire yard.
Anton hovered nearby.
“You’ve arranged such a feast! Incredible!” he said, adjusting the napkins.
“Darling, it’s the first time we’re inviting relatives to this house. I want everything to be perfect.”
“Well, yes… our house,” Anton muttered, then quickly added louder, “Of course, sunshine! You’re right, as always.”
Our house.
Natalya smiled inwardly. She had bought the house with her own money before the wedding. But apparently, in her husband’s mind, marriage automatically made him co-owner of all his wife’s property.
Natalya’s parents arrived first. Her father, as usual, was reserved, but he inspected the house approvingly. Her mother immediately began helping with the final preparations.
“Natasha, you are such a clever girl,” she said while arranging appetizers. “The house is a dream, your husband is caring. Your life has turned out beautifully.”
“Yes, Mom,” Natalya replied quietly. “My husband is very… caring.”
Next came Marina with Igor, then Dmitry with his family. Yadviga Pavlovna arrived last: elegant, wearing a new dress and carrying an expensive handbag.
Natalya noticed that the handbag cost no less than fifty thousand. Interesting — was that her money, or did her mother-in-law earn extra somewhere else with her “arthritis”?
“Natashechka, my golden girl!” Yadviga Pavlovna kissed her daughter-in-law on both cheeks. “What a wonderful house! Antoshka told me about it, but I couldn’t even imagine it was this beautiful!”
“Thank you, Yadviga Pavlovna. Come in. Make yourself at home.”
The dinner went on in a warm atmosphere. The guests praised the food, the house, and Natalya’s taste. Anton was especially gallant: refilling wine glasses, telling funny stories, playing the role of the perfect husband and son-in-law. His mother did her part as well: asking about Natalya’s parents’ health, questioning Marina about work, and admiring the nephew.
“You know,” Natalya’s father said when dessert was served, “at first I was worried when Natasha got married so quickly. But now I see she made the right choice. Anton, you’re a good family man.”
“Thank you, Vladimir Petrovich,” Anton replied modestly. “I try to be worthy of your daughter.”
Natalya clenched the napkin in her fist.
Worthy. Of course.
“I like so much how you all care for one another,” her mother added. “Yadviga Pavlovna, you mentioned that Natasha helps you with your treatment. That is so touching. Not every daughter-in-law…”
“Oh, don’t even say it,” the mother-in-law exclaimed, throwing up her hands. “Our Natashechka is gold, not a woman. So kind, so generous. I simply adore her!”
“And what kind of illness do you have?” Marina asked. “Nothing serious, I hope?”
“It’s age-related,” Yadviga Pavlovna waved her hand. “Arthritis is starting. The doctors prescribed expensive procedures, but what can you do? Thank goodness Natashechka helps.”
“Arthritis is serious,” Natalya’s father frowned. “It must be treated properly. You can’t neglect it.”
Natalya stood up from the table.
“Excuse me, I’ll go check the coffee machine. And at the same time… I’ll turn on something interesting.”
She went into the hallway, took out her phone, and opened the right audio file. Her heart was pounding wildly. She connected the phone to the sound system and pressed play.
At first, her own voice sounded from the speakers. Then came a short pause, some rustling, and…
“Antoshka, luck is on my side again! Tomorrow my dear daughter-in-law will gild my palm!”
A dead silence fell over the yard.
Natalya returned to the table and calmly sat down in her seat. Everyone looked at her in confusion — everyone except Anton and Yadviga Pavlovna. They were as pale as the wall.
“How much this time?”
“Fifty thousand, as usual. It’s honestly touching how worried she is about my health.”
Natalya’s mother looked completely lost. Marina opened her mouth in shock. Dmitry frowned, clearly trying to understand what was happening.
“Mom, you’re a genius! And that arthritis story of yours — an absolute masterpiece.”
“Natasha,” her father whispered hoarsely, “what is this recording?”
But Natalya raised one finger. The most interesting part was still ahead.
“Oh, what genius?” Yadviga Pavlovna’s voice continued from the speakers. “Your wife is just… an ordinary naive little fool. A generous fool, though.”
Anton’s brother Dmitry sharply set his glass down on the table. His wife covered her mouth in horror. Natalya’s parents sat frozen.
“I didn’t marry a rich madam for nothing!” Anton’s recorded voice declared clearly.
“Anton,” his brother choked out, “what does this mean?”
But Anton could not say a word. He sat there, gripping the edge of the table, staring at his wife in horror.
“Why do you think I married her so quickly? I realized she wouldn’t stay single for long — beautiful, successful, kind. I might never get another chance like that.”
Natalya calmly picked up the remote and stopped the recording.
“I think that’s enough. Although there are also some interesting parts about the chicken that lays golden eggs.”
For several minutes, everyone was silent. Then voices erupted from all sides.
“Anton, have you completely lost your mind?” Dmitry began.
“How could you…” Natalya’s mother said indignantly.
“Natash, I don’t understand,” Marina murmured in confusion.
“QUIET!” Natalya shouted, and everyone fell silent. “Now I’ll explain everything step by step. Three months ago, my dear mother-in-law asked me for help. Supposedly, she had arthritis and needed expensive procedures. I, the naive little fool, believed her and transferred fifty thousand rubles every month.”
“One hundred and fifty thousand,” her father said slowly. “In three months.”
“Exactly. Plus another ten yesterday. Meanwhile, my loving husband was planning how to ask me for money for a car worth fifty million. For work purposes, of course.”
Yadviga Pavlovna suddenly came to life.
“Natashechka, dear, you misunderstood! We were only…”
“What exactly did I misunderstand?” Natalya asked in an icy voice. “That you and your son staged a performance for three months? That you forged medical documents? Or that you called me a naive fool behind my back?”
“Natasha,” Anton spoke for the first time. “I can explain…”
“There is nothing to explain!” Natalya pulled printed documents out of her handbag. “Here are the statements from my account. Here are your fake medical certificates. And here is the full transcript of the recording. I have two pieces of news: one good and one bad. Which would you like to hear first?”
Her husband and mother-in-law remained silent.
“Then I’ll start with the bad news. On Monday, I’m filing for divorce. Anton, you can pack your things today.”
“And the good news?” he whispered.
“The good news is that I’ve decided not to drag my own name through a scandal and won’t go to the police immediately. You have one week to return all the money in double. Three hundred and twenty thousand rubles. Consider it compensation for moral damage.”
“Three hundred and twenty thousand?!” Yadviga Pavlovna shrieked. “Where are we supposed to get that kind of money?”
“That is not my problem. Take out a loan, borrow it, earn it. If the money is not in my account within a week, the recording goes to the police. Fraud and forged documents are serious charges. Anton, you can forget about your reputation in the IT field. Who needs a web designer with a criminal record?”
Dmitry slowly stood from the table.
“Anton, have you completely lost your mind? How could you?”
“Dima, I…”
“I don’t want to hear anything!” Dmitry turned to Natalya. “Natasha, forgive us. I had no idea my brother was capable of something like this. Lena, kids, we’re leaving. I’m ashamed to be in the same place as them.”
Dmitry’s family left first. Then Natalya’s parents stood up.
“Natashechka,” her mother said, embracing her, “you’re doing the right thing. This cannot be forgiven.”
“If you need anything, call me,” her father said briefly. “Do you want me to talk to them?”
“No, Dad. I’ll handle it myself.”
Marina and her husband were the last to leave, but not before expressing exactly what they thought about betrayal and family values.
Only the three of them remained.
“Natasha,” Anton tried to begin, “let’s talk calmly…”
“We have nothing left to talk about. Pack your things and leave. With your mother.”
“But I explained! I really…”
“What did you explain? That you married me out of greed? That you planned to keep using my trust? Anton, even now you don’t understand what you’ve done.”
An hour later, they were gone.
Natalya remained alone in the large house. But strangely, instead of emptiness, she felt relief. As if she had thrown off the heavy burden of lies and pretending.
Five days later, three hundred and twenty thousand rubles arrived in her account. Yadviga Pavlovna had given up her savings.
Anton tried to call, begged for a meeting, swore that he loved her, but Natalya did not answer.
NatStyle launched its new collection, which became the most successful in the brand’s history.
And Natalya finally understood the difference between loneliness and freedom.
And that difference turned out to be in her favor.
