A Family Conversation
“Vera, I have one big request: when I’m late at work, stop calling me every ten minutes, okay?” Vitia asked his wife, irritated. “You don’t let me work in peace!”
“Fine,” Vera replied with a slightly displeased tone. “But then let me know when you’re going to be late again! You’re staying late more and more often lately—and the salary’s not going up!”
At that moment, Vitia was sitting in the kitchen having breakfast while Vera bustled around him, taking care of everything. Naturally, Victor enjoyed the attention. A few minutes later, their fifteen-year-old daughter Liza walked into the kitchen, still disheveled and yawning, and sat down next to her father at the table.
“Hi, family!” she greeted and reached for her father’s coffee mug.
“Hands off!” her father said, quickly grabbing the mug. “There—” he pointed at the coffee machine, “—pour yourself some.”
“You’re such a miser, Dad!” Liza wrinkled her nose. “And what’s with the suit? Isn’t today a day off? Are you actually going to work?”
“That’s what I keep saying too,” Vera chimed in. “I tell him the same thing!”
“It might be a day off for you, but for me, as a department head, a day off is just a word! You relax—I’ve got to get to work…”
“Sure, like you’re really slaving away!” Liza laughed.
“Who knows?” Vitia shrugged, finished his coffee, and stood up.
“Are you going to be late again?” Vera asked as he was leaving the kitchen.
“I don’t know, and I’m not making any promises! I’ll come back when I come back. And Vera, please—stop calling me so often. It seriously distracts me.”
Liza almost snapped something back but held her tongue. She just smirked.
Vitia finished getting ready and left—supposedly for work. But in reality, today was his well-earned day off. And just like many times before, he had no intention of spending it with his wife and daughter. Instead, he planned to spend it with a young coworker who had joined the company recently—and with whom he’d gotten very friendly.
As soon as he closed the door, Liza turned to her mother.
“Do you really think he went to work? Mom, are you seriously that naive? Or just blind? It’s so obvious, even a fool can see it. ‘Daddy dearest’ has found himself a new woman. He’s not working late—he’s spending time with her!”
“Liza, that’s none of your business! Stay out of grown-up matters! Do you hear me?” her mother said sternly.
“Are you serious?” Liza stared at her. “You think it’s none of my business? Are you even okay? You’re the one crying into your pillow every night and pretending everything’s fine in the morning! You!”
“Liza, I’m telling you for the last time—stop interfering! Your father and I will handle this. You’re just a child—you don’t understand how life works!”
“Oh sure, what would I know next to you, the wise one!” Liza mocked her. “But I do know this—Dad’s cheating on you. He’s betraying you without guilt, and you just take it. You know he doesn’t respect you. You know he’s using you! And you still run around him like a servant. Don’t you feel disgusted with yourself?”
“Go to your room now! Or I’ll show you what a ‘sufferer’ really looks like!” Vera yelled. “Get out of my sight, you rude little brat!”
“You should yell at him like that, so maybe he’ll notice you!” Liza snapped. “Otherwise, he’ll keep wiping his feet on you—he’s been doing that for years already!”
Vera couldn’t hold it anymore—she slapped her daughter. The slap echoed through the kitchen. Liza clutched her cheek, glared at her mother, then silently stood up and headed toward her room. But before going in, she turned back.
“You know, if you keep pretending like nothing’s happening, one day he’s going to throw you out. Out of his life, out of this apartment, and leave you with nothing. And if I didn’t care, I’d stay silent.”
“You think I don’t know?” Vera finally responded, her voice trembling. “You think I haven’t known all along? I’ve known everything for years! This isn’t even the first time he’s cheated. You were still little when it started…”
With that, she broke down crying.
Liza stood frozen, looking at her mother. She knew she should feel sympathy. But instead, she felt something else—a strange mix of anger and disgust. How could someone live like this? How could you let someone betray you again and again, and still serve them breakfast?
She took a step toward her mother, wanting to say something comforting—but then turned around and walked into her room.
“You are a sufferer,” she muttered bitterly.
Vera didn’t answer. She just went back to the kitchen to clean up after her husband, like always.
Vera hadn’t worked in almost ten years. When Victor was promoted, he insisted she quit her job to stay home with the child. Cook. Clean. Wait for him every day.
At first, Vera resisted. She understood that if she gave up her independence, she’d eventually lose her equality in the relationship. But her soft nature didn’t allow her to push back for long. She gave in. Slowly, she lost contact with almost all her friends—Victor didn’t like them. What she thought didn’t seem to matter anymore.
Meanwhile, Liza, locked in her room, opened her laptop and searched the company website. She quickly found the new colleague she had once seen in town with her father. She hadn’t told anyone at the time.
It didn’t take much effort to find the woman’s social media. Liza even considered going to her address and confronting her. But then decided against it. Nothing would change. If not this woman, it would be another. That’s just who her father had become.
That evening, around eleven, her father returned home. Vera helped him undress. He refused dinner, sat on the couch, and pretended to be working on his phone—for over an hour.
The next morning, it all repeated. Supposedly “another day at work.” But Liza had different plans.
“Oh, going to work again, Dad?” she asked as he was getting ready. “Is your ‘work’ named Lena, by any chance?”
Victor froze.
“What are you talking about?”
“Oh, don’t act stupid. I’m not Mom. I know you spent yesterday with her. Want me to show you the pictures? You two, hugging in a café—posted by her?”
Victor blushed—unclear whether from shame or rage.
“Shut your mouth!” he hissed. “Go to your room, now!”
“Why are you whispering?” Liza said louder. “Think Mom doesn’t know? She cries all day when you’re ‘at work’!”
“Liza!” he barked, stomping his foot.
“What, Dad? Just because I’m fifteen doesn’t mean I’m blind. I understand a lot. I know that lying and cheating on your family is disgusting.”
“What do you want from me? Money? Will that shut you up?” he asked, reaching for his wallet.
Vera, standing behind the corner, quietly wept.
“Oh, so now you want to buy me off?” Liza scoffed. “Here’s what I want: stay home and stop cheating on Mom!”
“I’m not—”
“Save it for Mom. I saw you. I’ve got proof.”
Victor said nothing.
“Here’s the deal,” Liza went on. “Either you stop now—or I start drinking, smoking, skipping school, and maybe even worse. Then you’ll see what it’s like to have your world fall apart.”
“What are you talking about?!” Vera suddenly rushed into the hallway. “Don’t even think of doing such things! I won’t allow it!”
“Oh, like I’m going to ask your permission,” Liza replied coldly.
Victor sat down. His “work mode” vanished instantly. He didn’t expect this from her—his “well-behaved” daughter.
“And tell your girlfriend to take those pictures down,” Liza added.
There were no arguments left. No excuses.
Victor stayed home that day. He didn’t answer Lena’s calls or messages. Liza reminded him again—if he slipped up, she’d keep her word. She promised to watch him.
Surprisingly, he stopped staying late. Weekends were now spent at home, or the family would go out together.
It felt strange to him at first—but then he got used to it.
Vera, of course, forgave everything—just like always. She stayed home, keeping peace in the house.
Liza never did any of the things she threatened. She was too smart for that. But she was proud. Proud that her bluff had worked.
