— Pearls? Seriously? — Eleonora Vasilievna raised her eyebrow, examining me in the hallway mirror. — No, no, Victoria, that’s absolutely not the impression you want to make. I silently took off my grandmother’s necklace and put it in my purse. Another failure. Another hint that I was a stranger here. — Daniil said you […]
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In one of the most upscale districts of the city lived Alexey Smirnov — a man whose name was associated with success, luxury, and unlimited opportunities. His life was filled with social parties, banquets, expensive cars, and the respect of those around him. But behind this sparkling facade lay a deep inner emptiness. Returning every […]
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— Mom, grandma is sick, — Lena called her mother to ask for support. — I’m studying, there’s not enough money for anything. Is there no way to help? Does everything go to my brother? But mom… I’m a student, I can’t work. Okay, I understand. We’ll manage on our own… Until she was fourteen, […]
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Lydia was in a hurry to get home. She had just stepped out of the house, heading to work, when she had to return — today was an open lesson at school, and she had forgotten the posters prepared for the class. High-ranking guests rarely visited the rural school. But today the deputy governor was […]
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Lyuba woke up from the icy cold. Her old jacket, a rag long since lost its shape, could no longer keep her warm. Autumn was confidently taking hold: the nights were growing longer, the wind harsher, and even under the roof of the abandoned attic, it was unbearably cold. In winter, survival here would be […]
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Thursday. Early December. The rain poured down in sheets, as if the heavens were weeping alongside the earth. Igor Sokolov was forty-two. He lived quietly, almost invisibly—alone, with his ten-year-old daughter Tamara. In their two-room apartment, laughter hadn’t been heard for a long time. Only footsteps, the ticking of the clock, and memories of Larisa—his […]
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Katya looked at Roman in stunned disbelief. She couldn’t accept his words — they seemed absurd to her. How was this even possible? “Rom, please tell me you’re joking?” she said in a trembling voice. “Say it’s just a silly game. We’ll laugh, and then you’ll hug me like always. Please say it, Romochka…” She […]
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Jangling keys in the lock, Margarita opened the apartment door. Voices came from the kitchen, and the now-familiar smell of borscht filled the hallway. Her heart beat faster, and her teeth involuntarily clenched. Again. Viktoria Pavlovna had shown up at her home without warning. “Olezhenka, what kind of pilaf is she cooking for you? That’s […]
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— What did you bring? — Lidiya Ivanovna looked at the package of cottage cheese with disgust. — Olga, can’t you buy a decent one? — Decent? — Olga put the bags on the table. — This is the nine-percent one, just as you asked. — I asked for the fat-free! — her mother-in-law’s voice […]
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Tatiana adjusted the pillow behind her back and pressed the phone to her ear with a smile. Outside the window of her spacious three-room apartment, the sun was setting, painting the living room walls in warm orange tones. “Marin, I’m leaning towards Turkey,” Tatiana said, flipping through a glossy catalog. “Five-star hotel, all inclusive.” “Tanya, […]
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