A Betrayal Unfolds: When Greed and Deception Come Full Circle
Maxim stared at Irina with disdain. How had he ended up in this situation? He never signed up to play caretaker to a ghost.
Lately, he did everything possible to avoid spending time at home. His wife, once his support, had become a burden. They had been married for ten years, and now, instead of taking care of him as always, she expected care in return. Her sudden frailty annoyed him.
He convinced himself that her illness wasn’t real—just an excuse for laziness. She had always managed to juggle work and household chores. If she stayed up late on the computer, that was her choice. Maxim believed in financial responsibility, and wasting money on unnecessary treatments wasn’t part of his plan.
A year ago, things started falling apart. At first, Irina forgot to make dinner, blaming fatigue. Then, she neglected other household tasks. Maxim tolerated it for a while, but patience had its limits. He had a career to build, and they had agreed she wasn’t career-driven.
When frustration boiled over, Maxim dragged her to the doctor.
— “We’re getting tests done. You’ll see—you’re fine, and this nonsense will stop,” he declared.
— “Maybe we shouldn’t? What if it’s serious?” she hesitated.
— “Serious? Don’t be ridiculous,” Maxim snapped.
That was the moment he would regret forever. The diagnosis was grim—a brain tumor. The doctor explained that without surgery, the outcome would be tragic. The problem? The operation was costly, and Maxim had no intention of paying for something that might not even work.
— “A loan?” he scoffed when Irina suggested it. “And if the surgery fails? I’ll be stuck paying off debt for nothing?”
She begged him to reconsider, but he dismissed her. Instead, he found a shady doctor who promised results with pills. Irina’s health deteriorated, and Maxim’s resentment grew. Now, he had to cook and iron his own shirts. When she tried to help, she only made things worse.
— “Lie down, Irina, I’ll handle everything,” he growled through gritted teeth.
— “I just want to help—”
— “You can help by staying out of my sight,” he snapped.
She was no longer the woman he had chosen. His mistress, Lyudmila, was vibrant and full of life—everything Irina wasn’t. But leaving Irina outright wasn’t an option. His boss, a man of strong morals, would never approve of him abandoning a sick wife. That would ruin Maxim’s career.
One day, his boss, Alexander Ivanovich, called, stranded near Irina’s grandfather’s old cottage. Maxim went to help and casually mentioned selling the house. His boss was intrigued.
— “I don’t understand how you don’t appreciate such a place,” Alexander said. “I’d be interested in buying it.”
Maxim saw his chance. Of course, the money wouldn’t go toward Irina’s treatment. He had better plans.
A Deal Sealed in Deception
Selling the house required Irina’s signature. That evening, Maxim played the devoted husband.
— “Ira, I’ve decided to take out a loan for your surgery. But we need collateral. The cottage is just sitting there. We’ll use it for the paperwork.”
Hope flickered in her tired eyes.
— “Max, thank you… but I can’t go to the notary myself. How do we—”
— “Don’t worry, we can do it remotely. Just sign the papers.”
She didn’t hesitate. Maxim hadn’t expected it to be so easy. The sale went through. Lyudmila, however, was growing impatient.
— “When will you finally be free?” she demanded.
— “Soon,” Maxim assured her. “Her condition is worsening. We just need to speed things up.”
— “I’m not about to be part of anything illegal,” Lyudmila snapped.
Her words left him uneasy, but he brushed it off.
Then, everything changed.
One night, Irina received a message. No one had called or written to her in days. When she read it, tears streamed down her face. It confirmed what she had suspected—Maxim had never loved her, and now he was just waiting for her to die.
She made a decision. She would disappear. Leave room for his new life. She would wait for the end alone, at the cottage—out of sight, out of mind.
With the last of her strength, she called a taxi.
— “We’ve arrived, madam!” the driver announced.
She barely managed to step out. But as she approached the house, she noticed something strange—the lights were on. Before she could think, darkness consumed her, and she collapsed at the doorstep.
Tables Turned
Weeks passed. Maxim waited for Irina to resurface, but her letter was clear—she wasn’t coming back. That made things easy. Now, he could file for divorce. He played the role of the heartbroken husband well enough to fool his colleagues.
— “She left me a note, then vanished,” he told his boss. “Said she hated me and not to look for her.”
Alexander Ivanovich gave him a long look but said nothing.
Meanwhile, Maxim’s career had stalled. The promotion he was counting on never came. Worse, Lyudmila began pulling away.
— “I thought you were going places,” she said bluntly. “But now? You’re stuck.”
Desperate to fix things, Maxim asked to meet with his boss.
— “Come to my cottage tomorrow,” Alexander said. “We’ll talk there.”
Maxim took it as a good sign. Lyudmila insisted on joining him.
— “Your wife is gone. Stop acting single,” she coaxed.
He agreed.
The moment they arrived, something felt off. The house had been renovated, beautifully restored. Maxim frowned.
— “Looks like Ivanovich has grown attached to this place,” he muttered.
Before he could enter, Lyudmila grabbed his arm.
— “What?” he asked impatiently.
She was silent, staring. Following her gaze, Maxim’s stomach dropped.
Standing before them were Irina and Alexander Ivanovich.
Irina was unrecognizable. Her hair, hidden under a stylish turban, framed a face that glowed with life. She looked… radiant. And Alexander Ivanovich stood beside her, a protective hand on her elbow.
— “Come in,” Alexander said calmly.
Inside, the truth unraveled.
— “I wanted this conversation here,” Alexander said. “Not in my office, but in front of the woman you betrayed.”
Maxim stammered.
— “But—she left! I found a letter!”
— “A sick woman can just vanish into thin air?” Alexander shot back. “Maybe your mistress can tell us more.”
Silence. Then, the final blow.
— “By the way, you’ll need to return the money,” Alexander continued. “Yesterday, the contract was voided. And a fraud case has been opened against you.”
— “Fraud?! For what?!”
— “Forgery,” Alexander said. “And taking advantage of a vulnerable person.”
Maxim turned to Lyudmila.
— “Why aren’t you saying anything? You ruined everything!”
Irina smiled.
— “Another disappointment for you, Maxim,” she said. “My surgery was successful. Sasha paid for it. So your plan failed.”
Maxim’s world crashed around him.
— “There’s no place for you in my company anymore,” Alexander added. “And since the marriage is still valid, Irina’s lawyer will ensure everything is split fairly. Get ready to pay if you want to keep your car and apartment.”
Maxim stumbled out, stunned. He turned to Lyudmila.
— “At least let’s get a drink,” he muttered.
She scoffed.
— “Not with you. I’m done. I wasted enough years. I could’ve been married by now.”
— “But I’ll be free soon!”
She sneered.
— “Free? You’re broke, unemployed, and exposed. Why would I stick around?”
As Maxim drove away, a bitter truth settled in—he had played the game, but in the end, he had been the one played.