Svetlana lived with her husband, Artyom, in a house that belonged to her—neat, well cared for, and legally registered in her name long before she ever married. The home stood in the suburbs, in a quiet neighborhood with paved streets and tidy yards. A two-story cottage with gray walls, white trim around the windows, and […]
Продолжение...
“You can see I’m losing strength, and you can’t even fix my pillow?” Valera’s voice sounded like he was dictating his last will to a notary. Even though the digital thermometer betrayed him shamelessly: 37.2°C. I fluffed the pillow without a word. Valera suffered on a grand scale. If a man’s temperature creeps past thirty-seven, […]
Продолжение...
In a village where everyone knew each other—not only by name, but by whose yard was whose—Olga had been living with her husband, Ivan, for nearly six years. The village was called Sosnovka. Tiny—maybe fifty people, no more. Everyone had grown up together, remembered who was related to whom, who kept what kind of household, […]
Продолжение...
Valentina Nikolaevna held the doorbell down for a long, stubborn moment. Olga opened up, wiping her wet hands on a towel. Her mother-in-law stood on the doorstep with shopping bags and a big, beaming smile. “Olechka, hello! I came to deliver the invitation in person. I’m hosting something on Saturday—Aunt Zina’s birthday. Remember I told […]
Продолжение...
Natalya was drying her hands with a kitchen towel when the doorbell rang. October evening had already swallowed the city in darkness, and she wasn’t expecting anyone. Her husband, Igor, was in the living room watching the news. On the doorstep stood Alina—Igor’s younger sister—smiling broadly, a box of pastries in her hands. “Hi! Can […]
Продолжение...
Irina came home from the grocery store carrying two heavy bags. One was for her own household, the second was for her mother-in-law. The October evening had already swallowed the city in twilight, and the courtyard lamps were glowing earlier than usual. She climbed to the third floor, unlocked the apartment, and immediately took the […]
Продолжение...
Anna sank back into her business-class seat and closed her eyes. The plane was descending, and in half an hour she’d be in her hometown—somewhere she hadn’t seen in six months. Six months of grinding work, negotiations, endless reports, and sleepless nights spent hunched over balance sheets. But it had been worth it: last month […]
Продолжение...
Alice stood in front of the mirror, adjusting the curls she’d spent ages perfecting. Her sea-green dress hugged her figure with effortless elegance, and her makeup was flawless—she’d booked a professional artist on purpose, even though she usually did it herself. Tonight had to be perfect. It simply had to. “You’re breathtaking,” Ilya murmured, wrapping […]
Продолжение...
The bonus blindsided me. Right before lunch my boss called me into his office and handed me an envelope, smiling like a man who’d just done a good deed. I didn’t even understand at first what it was for—maybe for the annual plan we’d beaten by twenty percent, maybe simply because it was that pre-New […]
Продолжение...
Anton was zipping up the very last zipper on his travel bag when Lena walked into the room with her phone in her hand. The look on her face told him instantly—something had happened. “Your mother called,” she said quietly—too quietly. “She wished you a good trip. Said she’s so happy for us. And that […]
Продолжение...