Timur was known in the city as a wealthy man with quirks — someone who always sought to be the center of attention. His antics were talked about, his money admired, but did anyone truly love him? Hardly. One day at a noisy party, under the influence of alcohol and excitement, he made a foolish […]
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Spring was confidently taking hold. Outside the window, the sun shone brightly, filling the air with a sense of freshness and warmth. Yet inside the old train station waiting hall, everything remained the same — heavy, musty, as if time had frozen there many years ago. The walls, covered with peeling paint, wooden benches, and […]
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Darya sank down onto the couch with difficulty, carefully supporting her rounded belly. Seven months of pregnancy were becoming increasingly hard to bear. She closed her eyes, trying to dissolve into the blissful silence of the apartment. The day had been exhausting. Since six in the morning, she had been standing in lines at the […]
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Lena reread the familiar message from Galina Ivanovna for the umpteenth time. She was about to put the phone down when it beeped again — a new message. “My kitchen faucet is dripping too. Maybe you and Lyosha could come take a look? And bring the money for the utilities while you’re at it.” Lena […]
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An employee at a gas station found a box in the restroom. Inside lay a newborn baby girl and a note: «Take care of her.» The man couldn’t leave the child alone — his wife had dreamed of having children for many years, but doctors said they would never have their own. The next day, […]
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Their daughter Lena disappeared in 1990 — on the day of her graduation. It was a warm June night. The sky was sprinkled with stars, and the house smelled of lilacs and fresh baking — her mother had baked her favorite vanilla cake. Lena was twirling in front of the mirror in a blue dress, […]
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— Now we have two more children. I found them in the forest under the oak tree; we’ll raise them as our own! — Artem’s voice sounded muffled, as if breaking through a thick layer of water. Olga froze by the stove. Steam from the boiling water rose, fogging the window. Through the haze, she […]
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— What is this? — Maria whispered, freezing at the threshold of her own home. The bundle lay right at her feet. A blue romper, rosy cheeks, and a frightened gaze. A child, a little girl wrapped in an old scarf with a faded pattern. Silent, only looking with teary eyes. Maria looked around. A […]
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Can you imagine, the veranda faces directly east,” Igor squeezed her hand tighter as they crossed the street. “We’ll wake up in the morning, and the sun will be rising over the pines.” Vera smiled, leaning against his shoulder. The February wind fluttered her scarf, but it was warm beside Igor. They walked along the […]
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— 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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