— Mom, can I come in? I need to talk, — Natalia stood in the doorway of her parents’ apartment, clutching a large bag. — Come in, but take off your shoes carefully, I just cleaned the floors, — her mother stepped aside to let her in. — Your dad’s home, reading the newspaper. The […]
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When Adelaida Ignatovna burst into the apartment dragging one wheeled suitcase, and behind it a second one following by inertia, Victoria was sitting in the kitchen eating cottage cheese with honey. The cottage cheese was farm-made, expensive, from the market — she was trying. Adel, as Victoria secretly called her, gave her a quick glance […]
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Elena stood in front of the mirror, admiring her new dress. The turquoise silk shimmered in the morning sunlight, highlighting the color of her eyes. Today she and her husband Andrey were going to visit his mother, Nina Vasilyevna. “My beauty,” Andrey said, hugging his wife from behind. “Mom will be delighted.” “I hope so,” […]
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Evgeny Vasilyevich slowly descended the steps of the courthouse, his heart heavy with sorrow. Every step felt like a burden, as if he literally carried the weight of defeat upon himself. He had lost the case — everything was gone: his reputation, his medical license, and along with them, the future he had built over […]
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Arkady paced around the spacious office like a wild beast in a cramped cage, unable to find peace. Everything happened at once, as if someone from above decided to test his strength. As if mocking him, the law of Murphy showed its cruel face again — everything that could go wrong, inevitably went wrong. And […]
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“Lenochka, dear, a little more salad for this wonderful lady,” said my mother-in-law Tamara Pavlovna, her voice sweet like jam but felt more like burning Tabasco — a scorching pretense. I silently nodded, taking the nearly empty salad bowl. The lady, my husband Slava’s third cousin, gave me a look full of irritation — the […]
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Vera Vasilyevna Loshkareva, a waitress at the restaurant “Skatert-Samobranka,” was changing into her uniform before her shift and listening in on her colleagues’ conversations. “She searched for him for thirty years, and met him on a cruise ship,” Zinaida was telling the plot of a movie. “Just like that, recognized him after thirty years? Nonsense,” […]
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— You’re still sitting at home? Seriously, Vika? — Igor theatrically raised an eyebrow, lifting his wine glass. — Startup, startup… Seven years after university, and you’re still stuck in your “promising projects.” Vika felt as if the table had moved away from her. Her parents’ apartment, the festive dinner, the smell of homemade dishes […]
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Anna stood by the window of her new kitchen and looked out at the yard that, just a month ago, had seemed perfect to her. A neat green lawn, young fir trees around the perimeter, tidy paths made of natural stone. But now half the lawn was dug up, turned into beds with tomatoes and […]
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Igor sat in his office, immersed in a heavy, almost physically tangible silence. It seemed even the clock on the wall was afraid to mark the time — its hands frozen, as if unwilling to break the silent grief hanging in the air. He stared at a single spot, the corner of the expensive dark […]
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