“You don’t belong at the table. It’s my birthday — your place is in the kitchen,” the husband declared to his wife.

Elena had been racking her brain for a long time trying to come up with a gift for her husband. No idea seemed good enough. In desperation, she asked him directly. Artem’s answer was abrupt and unexpected: — “A premium gym membership.” — “But you hate working out?” she asked, genuinely surprised, her brow furrowing. […]

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“Mommy, we love you so much!” the children said at the table. But that night, I overheard them arguing over who would get my country house.

“Mommy, we love you so much!” Alina leaned across the table and squeezed my hand. Her palm was cool, and her perfectly manicured nails dug into my skin a little harder than daughterly tenderness required. “We love you very much,” echoed Stas, her brother, lazily poking at his salad with a fork. “We worry about […]

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Be patient, Mom, until Sveta pays off the entire mortgage,” Vladimir answered calmly. “Then I’ll divorce her and we’ll split the apartment fifty–fifty; she won’t be able to prove anything anyway. Everything’s set up the way it should be. Half will be mine.”

“Be patient, Mom, until Sveta pays off the whole mortgage,” Vladimir replied calmly. “Then I’ll divorce her and we’ll split the apartment evenly. She won’t be able to prove anything anyway. Everything’s set up the way it should be. Half will be mine.” Svetlana met Vladimir five years ago. They both had jobs, but no […]

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“Tomorrow I’m going to my mom’s country house. For a week, maybe longer. And who’s going to wash and iron your shirts—that’s not my problem.”

— Tomorrow I’m going to my mom’s dacha. For a week, maybe longer. And who’ll wash and iron your shirts—that’s not my problem. — What do you mean you’re leaving? I thought you’d be at home. You’d finally do a proper cleaning. — No, I’ve decided I’d rather rest at my mother’s. Sasha was sitting […]

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— Anya dear. Why are you still in your pajamas? You must always look neat and elegant in front of your husband. Go on, wash up; Vitya and I need to discuss something.

“Anechka. Why are you still in your pajamas? You should always look neat and elegant for your husband. Go wash up, and Vitya and I need to discuss something.” “Oh really! Stop telling me how to live—better hand over the keys to my apartment,” the daughter-in-law said, holding out her hand. Anya had never dreamed […]

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