From now on, I will tell you everything in detail!” murmured Nastia, captivated, as she gently wiped the dust and cobwebs off her face. Her temporary refuge was a real mess.
Sitting like this was very uncomfortable for her: she felt like sneezing, and her legs had been numb for a long time. But these inconveniences didn’t matter, she was ready to do anything to discover the truth about her husband’s intentions.
Boris was speaking loudly on the phone, completely unaware that his wife was at home. He had just entered the apartment when he was supposed to be at work. His voice was so clear that Nastia, who was there by chance in the middle of the day, could hear every word. He, however, had no idea she was there, as she was hiding in the wardrobe.
Nastia had returned home specifically to retrieve a file that Polina, her mischievous six-year-old daughter, had thrown upstairs a week earlier. The little girl had been playing hide-and-seek with her mother’s important papers, probably to get the attention of her parents, whom she saw so little. “Let them look for it together, and then they’ll praise me,” the little girl must have thought.
The documents had gotten stuck between the wall and the wardrobe. To retrieve them, she had to move a heavy piece of furniture. Nastia had asked her husband several times for help, but he always found an excuse: he was busy, tired, or promised to do it tomorrow.
“I’ll call my brother on my day off; I can’t do it alone,” Boris repeated, with a childish attitude.
Nastia, with a very different character, was dynamic and determined. When her boss asked for the contracts from the latest deals, she made the logical decision: to go home and take care of the issue.
“I’ll get them right away!” she declared confidently, then left.
“It’s about time! You’ve been making promises for a week!” grumbled her disgruntled boss.
To her surprise, Nastia managed to move the wardrobe. Her anger toward her husband had probably given her the strength she needed. In addition to the file, she found several long-lost items, all covered in a thick layer of dust.
“I’ll vacuum quickly, then head to work,” she thought. “Let Boris put the wardrobe back in place tonight.”
But her plans were interrupted by a sudden noise: Boris had just entered the apartment, still on the phone, completely absorbed.
“What is he doing here?” wondered Nastia, hidden, the file still in hand.
Her attention sharpened as she listened to the conversation. Boris had even obtained special permission from work so he wouldn’t be disturbed during this “delicate conversation.”
“What conversation?” Nastia thought, tense.
Leaving her hiding spot was too risky. So, she decided to stay hidden to figure out who her husband was talking to.
“Come on, give me the number, I’ll write it down,” continued Boris. “Of course, I’ll call you later! How could I not keep you updated? I’ll tell you everything!”
After a pause, he continued in a more formal tone:
“Hello! Would it be possible to do a paternity test?”
Nastia froze, shocked.
“What?!” she whispered, incredulously. “What is he talking about? Doubts about Polina? Or another child?”
Meanwhile, Boris continued:
“How much does it cost? And how long until the results? It’s expensive! It’s almost a scam! It’s not just an ordinary blood test… I’m not a child to have everything explained to me! Fine, how long does the procedure take? What materials are needed? I’m writing everything down…”
Nastia held her breath, each word hitting her like a blow. Should she confront Boris now or wait for the conversation to end? A crucial question haunted her: who was he really talking about? Was it Polina, their daughter, or another child?
After hanging up, Boris called his mother. The first call was for her. In his voice, there was a familiar apologetic tone, the one he used with his strict mother. It reminded Nastia of Boris’s childhood, raised by a rigorous woman. Boris loved his mother, but he also seemed a little afraid of her. Now, he followed her instructions, validating every step.
“Hello, Mom, I understand everything now. They explained what I need to do. But can you imagine the price? I’m shocked! How can they ask for so much? We just want the truth. We have the right to know,” Boris admitted, clearly guilty.
After his mother’s response:
“Thanks, Mom! I knew you’d help me financially. Otherwise, Nastia would quickly notice something. She’d ask where all this money is coming from. And you know I can’t lie.”
These words made Nastia’s anger explode.
“He can’t lie? Really?” she muttered, furious. “And who is this clever one you’re doubting? Show me everything, you bastard!”
Nastia absolutely needed to know: was he doubting Polina or some hidden child? The answer would change everything.
She recalled their meeting: a coincidence at a bar, where Boris had invited her to dance. He had charmed her with compliments, declaring he had never seen a more beautiful woman.
They had started dating, with Boris courting her passionately. But Nastia had waited two years before committing, initially dreaming of a career and independence.
A year after their marriage, Nastia found out she was pregnant. Polina was born, a little girl they both loved deeply. Boris seemed even more attached to her than to Nastia. He spoiled her and forgave her everything. Their resemblance struck everyone, who often said that no paternity test was needed.
So why did Boris doubt today? Perhaps his doubts had haunted him all along, or maybe they had nothing to do with Polina…
The stress-induced headache grew stronger. Nastia realized she didn’t really know the man she had lived with all these years.
“Mom, your idea of the test is good,” Boris said. “Before making such a serious decision, I need to be sure that Danilka is my son. As for Polina, I have no doubts; she’s like a sister to me. But this boy, he doesn’t look like me, it worries me.”
“You bastard!” Nastia whispered, still hiding.
“So, there is a hidden child… Lika and Danilka… What kind of life are you living, Boris! And I thought you loved us, your daughter and me.”
Nastia took a deep breath, trying to stay calm, though rage was bubbling inside her.
Boris continued:
“Yes, Mom, you’re right. Before leaving with Lika and her son, I need to be 100% sure that he is my son.”
Nastia had long suspected that her mother-in-law was meddling in their lives, trying to sow discord. She had no affection for Polina, unlike her son’s older children. Polina could feel this and preferred to avoid her grandmother.
Learning that Boris was cheating on her and had a hidden child was a terrible shock. She now dreamed of leaving with Polina to start over elsewhere.
Shaken, she even feared moving. If Boris saw her, she wouldn’t be able to control herself. The only desire was to kill him on the spot. But she forced herself to calm her thoughts, weighing her options, determined to take revenge later.
“Mom, you know, ever since the thing with Sergei, whose wife doubted the paternity of their son, I’ve taken this very seriously. And you, you read my mind. If everything is confirmed, a new life awaits me, with a new woman and a son I’ve always dreamed of.”
Boris then left the apartment. Nastia emerged from her hiding spot and stretched, still holding the file. She was going to drop it off at the office, and on the way, decide her future. What she had just learned meant divorce, division, and a life for Polina without a father.
In the face of this challenge, Nastia remained rational. This strength had always helped her get through difficulties.
She remembered a scandal with her future mother-in-law that had happened a week before the wedding. The latter had shown her true face:
“Who are you? Where do you come from? You’re ruining everything! You’re manipulating my son against me!”
Nastia hadn’t said anything, merely enduring.
“But Angela, that’s a different story! She loves Boris! And you, where did you come from?”
Suddenly, a revelation: Lika was Angela, the “perfect” daughter in her mother-in-law’s eyes.
Everything made sense now: the mother-in-law had never given up on seeing Angela alongside Boris.
“Then it’s war!” declared Nastia. “I never declared it, but I’ve been preparing for this from the start.”
After that scandal, Nastia refused to accompany Boris to the registry office. It took a lot of effort to convince her.
“Fine, but I have one condition: that neither you nor your mother ever betray me.”
“I’ll do anything!” Boris replied. “I won’t betray you!”
“Then let’s buy this apartment. The money is there, what are we waiting for? Put it in my name before the wedding. Do you trust me? Otherwise, let’s do a contract with the notary with the amount you invest. I won’t cheat on you, but just in case, you’ll have a document.”
“Yes, write it!”
Nastia quickly drafted the contract, which they would sign at the notary the next day. She didn’t think about it anymore. The document had no legal value, but the apartment, bought before the wedding, was hers alone.
They were happy, unaware of the betrayal to come.
After dropping off the file, Nastia went to the office lounge and called her mother-in-law.
“I’m listening,” Evgenia answered curtly.
“Listen carefully! Unlike your son, I’m not waiting for the DNA test results. I already know he’s cheating on me.”
“What?” her mother-in-law gasped.
“It’s not important. What matters is that I don’t know where Lika and her child live, and I don’t care. But from today, Boris will no longer live with me. And I’m filing for divorce.”
“With you?! You’ve lost your mind? It’s a joint asset! Boris has invested as much as you!”
“No, it’s mine. Boris never told you, out of fear of your reaction. That’s your problem.”
“That’s lies!”
“I’m telling the truth. We bought the apartment before the wedding, and it’s in my name. I took precautions. It’s not without reason!”
“It can’t be! I’m calling Boris right now to clarify this!” Evgenia Alekseevna said, furious.
“Do as you please,” Nastia replied calmly before hanging up. “Tell him his things can be picked up tonight at the neighbors. Polina and I will go to my parents’ to avoid the little one witnessing any painful scenes.”
Determined, Nastia decided it was time to go home and cut ties with everything that reminded her of her unfaithful husband. The divorce request could wait; today, with the internet, everything was a click away.
When Boris returned, he was surprised. He expected a serious discussion but never thought Nastia would make such a decision. He had even prepared excuses, but the reality overwhelmed him.
The door was fitted with a new lock, and a note informed him that his things were in apartment #17.
Taking his suitcases, he went to his mother’s place. Lika and her son were living there temporarily, which made the situation strange, especially without paternity test results for Danilka.
“How could you waste your money like this?” Evgenia snapped. “Where are you planning to live? With me? And are you taking Lika and her child?”
“For now, that’s the only solution. We’ll see later,” Boris replied, shrugging.
“You’ve ruined everything. Now you’re the one who faces the consequences. You’re left without a roof or money. And know that I’ve never liked this Nastia. What a sly woman! I won’t let this pass!”
“Yes, unworthy,” Boris admitted, lowering his head. “It’s because she promised me…”
Evgenia looked at him anxiously while he ate calmly. His wife had just kicked him out, but he acted as if nothing had happened.
“Mum, why the look? Who else, if not you, pushed me against Nastia? Who tried to get you closer to Lika? And now you’re saying we’re not to blame?”
“How dare you accuse me! Keep going like this, my son. Say I meant harm!”
Things weren’t going as planned. She thought back to Polina’s third birthday, three years ago.
After the party, Boris had driven his mother home.
“Do you remember Angela?” Evgenia asked distractedly.
“Of course. But isn’t she married? Everything was fine, right?”
“No. Her husband abandoned her with nothing. Fortunately, no kids. She’s living with her mother.”
“How do you know that? Do you still see her?”
“Yes, she helped me a lot. Without her, I would have ended up in prison for debts.”
Evgenia told how Antonina, Angela’s mother, had saved her. Then how Antonina had pushed her daughter toward Boris, trying to marry them off.
Boris, young, had spent a few months with Angela before meeting Nastia, whom he eventually married.
Antonina hated Evgenia for that.
She reminded Evgenia that she still owed Antonina money and threatened legal action.
One day, Antonina brought Angela back into Boris’s life, who, despite everything, remained faithful to Nastia.
But Evgenia continued to sow doubt, claiming that Nastia wasn’t suitable for her son.
One day, Evgenia caught Boris and Angela together, laughing and kissing.
Six months later, Antonina announced that Lika (Angela) had had a son with Boris.
Furious, Evgenia threatened to sue everyone.
She urged Boris to do a paternity test for Danilka.
“Give me the clinic’s number, I’ll make the call discreetly,” Boris said.
What none of them knew was that Nastia had overheard this conversation.
On the same day, Nastia changed the locks and sent Boris to his mother’s.
“Are you happy? You stay here like a beaten dog. How could you accept buying an apartment in Nastia’s name?”
“Enough, Mom!” Boris replied. “The past is past. I need to get this test done quickly, then decide.”
“Go ahead, don’t drag it out.”
Lika and her mother were thrilled.
“You’ve got your son and the woman you love. This marriage was a mistake.”
But Boris had no stake in the apartment, which ruined their plans.
Evgenia insisted on keeping the test results secret.
The results arrived.
“Mum, it’s here!” Boris announced.
“So?” Evgenia asked.
Boris read it, his face falling.
“Zero matches… That means Lika lied to me!”
Furious, Evgenia swore to reveal the truth.
Boris was lost, knowing he would have to take responsibility for Polina.
He regretted his choices, but it was too late.
Lika refused to give up, even threatening to make it public.