“You’ve found someone else… and now your mother wants to throw me out of my own apartment?” My voice didn’t sound like mine. It cracked, sharp with disbelief. “The apartment my parents bought?” I repeated, looking at Alexey like I was seeing him for the first time. “Oh, come on. Don’t be so dramatic,” he … Read more
“Are you sure you don’t need anything else from the store?” Anna asked once more, holding her keys. “No, just go,” Boris said, waving her off impatiently. It wasn’t the words that hurt—it was the tone. Sharp. Dismissive. Like she was a burden he couldn’t wait to be rid of. Anna exhaled through her nose, … Read more
Evgenia and her friend Inna sat in the corner of a cozy cafe, sipping their second cups of coffee and anxiously watching the glass door. The pastries were long gone, and so was any pretense of casual conversation. Inna was the first to break the silence. “Let’s give it ten more minutes,” she said, eyes … Read more
Sarah was elbow-deep in soapy water, scrubbing a saucepan, when she thought she misheard the words floating over the sound of the faucet. She turned off the tap and glanced toward the doorway, where her husband, John, stood stiffly. “What did you just say?” she asked, her brows furrowing. “I want a paternity test for … Read more
“Anna, I can’t understand what’s happened to him,” Yuri said, his fingers rubbing his temples as he stared at the closed door of his son’s room. “It’s like he’s… someone else.” “Stop,” Anna whispered, her voice tight with pain. “Don’t talk like that. That’s still our Dania. It has to be.” Sunlight bathed the kitchen … Read more
“Are you cheating on me?” he asked quietly, his eyes fixed on the floor, as if already bracing for a blow. Marina didn’t answer right away. Instead, she walked to the mirror, adjusted her earring, ran a finger along her lips, smudging her lipstick slightly. Then, with calm precision, she turned to face him. “Do … Read more
John was a proud father of two daughters, Helen and Julia. They were his greatest joy, but there was always a quiet favoritism in his heart—one that tilted toward Julia. She reminded him so much of his late wife, and he couldn’t help but spoil her a little more. Helen, on the other hand, was … Read more
Vera pulled up to the tidy two-story house and turned off the ignition. She glanced at her watch—she was early, by nearly thirty minutes. A small smile played on her lips. Just enough time to stop by that old bakery on the corner, the one her sister had always loved. Natalia used to say their … Read more
Svetlana couldn’t believe how much her life had changed in just one year. She often found herself smiling for no reason—her heart light, her steps quick. A year ago, happiness felt like a distant dream. Back then, she lived under the roof of her aunt—a woman who treated her more like a maid than a … Read more
The Little House That Saved Her The rich, savory smell of sautéed onions filled the apartment as Lyuda stirred the sauce without much thought. She glanced at the clock. Valera would be home from work in half an hour. Dinner had to be hot—he hated cold food. Cooking used to be her love language. She … Read more