— I have to admit, Marina, you’re simply a magician, — Raisa Petrovna pushed her empty plate aside and took a sip of wine. — I haven’t tasted duck like this in ages.
Marina smiled softly, though inside she tensed at her mother-in-law’s overly sweet tone.
She knew the dinner was a success — every detail had been carefully thought out. A tablecloth the color of melted milk, crystal glasses, porcelain plates with gold trim — things she usually saved for special occasions.
— We never had an apartment like this at your age, — her father-in-law Nikolai Stepanovich glanced around the spacious living room. — Igor, you’re lucky, like a prince.
Igor smiled but cast a strange look at his mother. Something passed between them — barely noticeable, but Marina caught it. A fleeting understanding, a nod.
— I earned this apartment myself, — Marina said, trying to keep her voice light and casual. — I saved every penny for three years, then invested successfully in a project.
Raisa raised her eyebrows in surprise.
— Really? So young, and already with property? In our generation, real estate was years of family hard work.
Marina poured wine into the glasses, trying to hide her irritation. She had looked forward to this dinner with excitement — finally getting to know her husband’s parents after the wedding. But something unpleasant lingered in the air.
— Yes, I was lucky with my job at an internet company, — she said. — Plus investments. I’ve been interested in this for a long time.
— Clever girl, — Raisa said, but there was something insincere in her voice. — We spent our whole lives in one place. A Khrushchyovka on the third floor with no elevator.
— Mom has hypertension and those stairs every day, — Igor suddenly said. — Doctors say she needs less strain.
Marina frowned, shifting her gaze from her husband to her mother-in-law.
— I didn’t know about the hypertension. You need to take care of yourself.
— Oh, what can you do, — Raisa waved her hand. — At our age, all that’s left is to take care. But fate doesn’t pamper with comfort.
Marina felt a prick of guilt, though she didn’t understand why she should feel it. Igor squeezed her shoulder — a usual gesture of closeness, but today his hand felt foreign and oddly heavy.
— Want a tour of the apartment? — Marina stood up, shaking off the unpleasant feeling. — We just finished renovating the bedroom, it turned out quite stylish.
Raisa was the first to get up and followed her, examining every inch of the space. Marina led her through the living room to the bedroom, where a bed with a soft headboard took center stage.
Her mother-in-law ran her finger over a natural wood dresser.
— You live well, — she remarked. — In a place like this, even old age wouldn’t be scary. Like a sanatorium.
Marina shuddered at the words. Something in the tone scratched at her ears.
— We even have a spare room, — Igor said, appearing in the doorway. — For an office now.
— A second bedroom, then, — Nikolai nodded. — You can even host guests.
— Or parents, — Raisa added with a slight laugh, and everyone laughed.
Everyone except Marina. She felt a wave of cold run down her spine. That didn’t sound like a joke. It sounded like a plan.
— Who wants coffee? — she asked, heading to the kitchen.
— Gladly, — Raisa responded, lingering to take one last look at the bedroom. — You know, Igor told us so little about you before the wedding. Now I understand why he was in such a hurry to get married.
Marina froze halfway. Igor was in a hurry? They had been seeing each other for almost a year, and she thought the proposal had come naturally. And meetings with the parents had been fleeting — work simply made it hard to gather.
In the kitchen, while pouring coffee into cups, she heard a muffled conversation from the hallway. The words were indistinguishable, but her mother-in-law’s tone sounded demanding.
When Raisa entered the kitchen, her gaze was sharp and assessing. She took the cup from Marina’s hands and smiled.
— The main thing in a family is mutual support, — she said, as if continuing the conversation. — Everyone must help each other. Right, darling?
Marina noticed the missing item a week later. An envelope with five thousand dollars she had kept in the bottom drawer of the dresser under a pile of sweaters had disappeared. She searched the entire bedroom but found no money.
— Igor, have you seen the envelope with the money? The one in the dresser?
Her husband looked up from his laptop, something strange flashing across his face — neither surprise nor concern, but some kind of knowing.
— No, haven’t seen it. What is it?
— The money’s gone. Five thousand dollars, — Marina continued rifling through the drawer, though she already knew the envelope wasn’t there. She had kept it especially for investments.
— Maybe you put it somewhere else? — irritation was in Igor’s voice. — You’re always losing things.
That wasn’t true. Marina never lost important things. She always knew where everything was, especially money. But she didn’t argue — too many strange things had accumulated in the past week.
After the parents’ visit, Igor changed. He became distant, often calling his mother and retreating to another room. Twice he went to his parents, returning late, smelling of alcohol.
In the evening, Marina was working on projects in the living room when the couch creaked under Igor’s weight as he sat down opposite her.
She looked up from the screen and met his gaze — determined and somehow unfamiliar, as if not her husband but a business partner facing tough negotiations.
— We need to settle one matter, — he said, his tone making her mouth instantly dry.
Marina closed the laptop. A bad premonition appeared.
— I’m listening.
— We need to move out of the apartment, — he said, looking her straight in the eyes. — My parents will live here now. It doesn’t matter that the apartment is yours.
Marina blinked, not believing her ears. She definitely didn’t expect this.
— What? Are you joking?
— No, I’m not. Mom struggles in their apartment. Third floor without an elevator, hypertension. She can’t climb stairs.
— So we have to give them my apartment? — Marina’s voice trembled. — The apartment I bought with my own money before we even met?
Igor sighed like a man explaining the obvious to a child.
— Marin, this is called “helping parents.” They’re old people. They might have only a few years left. Don’t you want them to spend it in discomfort?
— What about us? Where will we go?
— Your friend Sveta has a big apartment. We can stay with her. Or at the dacha. It’s temporary. They will rent out their apartment.
Marina looked at her husband, trying to understand when she stopped recognizing him. Was he always like this, and she just hadn’t noticed? Or had something happened in the six months of their marriage?
— Igor, this is absurd. I’m not moving out of my apartment so your parents can live here. If they need help, we can help financially, find a place with an elevator…
— Why spend money when there’s a ready solution? — he interrupted. — You’re selfish, Marina. You have a career, money, you’re young and healthy. They have only old age and illnesses.
Something inside her snapped. She suddenly remembered how Raisa had looked over the apartment at dinner with a calculating gaze. How she talked about “old age in a sanatorium.” How Igor mentioned the “spare room.”
— So you married me for the apartment? — she whispered.
Igor’s face twisted.
— What nonsense! I love you. But I also love my parents and want to help them. It’s normal to care for family.
— But not at someone else’s expense.
— We’re family, Marina. There is no “someone else’s expense” in family. Everything is shared.
She stood, walked to the window. Outside, car lights flickered, the city living its usual life, but inside her, the world was falling apart.
— How many days do you plan for us to move out? — she asked without turning.
— In a week. They start renting their apartment next month.
Everything was decided without her. The plan was ready. And suddenly she understood that the missing money was no accident. Igor had taken it.
— And your envelope with the money… Probably I threw it out by accident while cleaning, — Igor said without looking at her. — We’ll sort it out later. Let’s focus on moving now.
— Fine, — she said after a pause. — I’ll think about it.
Igor brightened, clearly not expecting such a quick victory.
— That’s my smart girl! I knew you’d understand. Mom will be happy.
When he went to bed, Marina opened the wardrobe and took out a box with documents. The ownership certificate for the apartment.
The prenuptial agreement her father insisted she sign before the wedding — Igor then had dramatically protested, saying it showed distrust and lack of love.
Now she understood why he resisted.
Under the documents lay a wedding photo. Happy faces. Was her smile sincere? His?
Marina opened the messenger and texted her friend: “We need to talk urgently. I think my life is a farce.”
— Her name is Elena, — Sveta said, stirring coffee. — I barely found her through mutual acquaintances. She changed her number, surname, even city.
They sat in a café far from home. Marina didn’t want to risk being followed by Igor. In three days, she had gathered enough information to clear all doubts.
— And what did she say?
Sveta looked at her friend with sympathy.
— Exactly the same story. She and Igor were married two years. The apartment was hers, registered to her. Then his parents appeared with their story about illness and hardships.
After six months, Igor convinced her to add him to the ownership, then to transfer it to him. A month later, she had to move out.
Marina clenched her cup.
— So it’s a family business. Finding women with apartments, gaining trust, then…
— You’re not the first, and won’t be the last, — Sveta nodded. — I checked, Elena is his second wife. There was a first, Olga, but almost nothing is known about her. Most likely the same scenario.
— Do the parents always participate in the scheme?
— Apparently yes. A well-played performance — old sick people needing help, and the husband’s psychological pressure.
Marina leaned back in the chair. Anger was slowly pushing out pain. She felt like she had loved him, trusted him. But it was all lies from the start.
— So what do I do now?
— You have an advantage — you know their plan, and they don’t know you know, — Sveta leaned closer. — And you have a prenuptial agreement. My advice — play along, but act ahead of them.
That same day, Marina contacted a lawyer, then a security company, and then Elena. The conversation with Igor’s ex-wife put all the pieces together.
— He’s very convincing, — Elena said over the phone, her voice tired. — Knows exactly what strings to pull. I gave up my apartment myself, believe it? Thought it was temporary…
— How did he get you to add him to the ownership?
— At first, there were tears of tenderness, gratitude. Then talks about family and trust. Then reproaches that I didn’t trust him. Finally, shouting, threats, pressure. I broke down.
— He’s a master of emotional pressure. Can make you give everything just to end the nightmare.
A week later, Marina got into character. She pretended to accept the move, even started packing. Igor relaxed, became courteous again, brought her coffee in bed.
— You’re a miracle, — he said, kissing her on the crown. — Many wives would have made a scene.
— I’m not like that, — she smiled back. — I understand how important family is.
On the day of the move, she got up early and made a few calls. Igor was in a good mood, whistling something while making coffee.
— Parents will arrive at three, — he said. — I already gave them spare keys. We need to clear the main bedroom, they will sleep there.
— Of course, darling, — she nodded.
At three in the afternoon, Marina stood near her home with a team of two security guards and a lawyer. Seeing Raisa and Nikolai step out of a taxi with suitcases, Marina felt a strange calm. Behind them came her husband in a car full of belongings.
— Marina! — Raisa exclaimed. — And here we are! Igor said you were already packed?
— Hello, Raisa Petrovna, Nikolai Stepanovich, — Marina smiled. — Please come in. But I’m afraid there’s been a little misunderstanding.
Her mother-in-law frowned but kept smiling.
— What kind, dear?
— You see, I have long known about your family business, — Marina said calmly. — About how you deprived Elena of her apartment. And probably Olga before her.
The smile disappeared from Raisa’s face, Nikolai turned pale.
— I don’t understand what you mean…
— I understand everything, no need to pretend, — Marina interrupted. — And I changed the locks. And I filed for divorce, — she nodded at the lawyer. — This is Andrey, he will give your son the papers.
— How dare you! — Raisa cried out. — After everything we did for you…
— For me? — Marina repeated quietly. — You did nothing for me. But you tried to take away what I earned myself.
You can take him, — she pointed to Igor.
— What is going on? — he asked, shifting his gaze from his parents to his wife and noticing the strangers. — Marina?
— Your scheme has been uncovered, — the lawyer said, handing over papers. — This is a divorce notice. And this is a theft report for the five thousand dollars from Marina Sergeevna’s apartment.
— What theft? Marina, you’ve lost your mind? — Igor tried to take her hand, but the hired guard stepped forward.
— You have five minutes to collect your personal belongings, — Marina said. — Only personal things. Everything I bought stays in the apartment.
— You can’t kick me out! I’m your husband!
— I can. This apartment is my personal property. And yes, I will protect it by all legal means.
Igor realized he lost. His face twisted in anger.
— You’ll regret this. You won’t find anyone better than me!
— Already found, — she replied calmly. — Myself.
When they left — all three, with suitcases and bags, angry and confused — Marina went up to the apartment.
She opened the windows, letting out the stale air. Poured a glass of wine and sat on the windowsill.
Marina took a sip. Outside, the spring sun was shining. She was free. Belonged to herself again. Could trust her feelings again.
She took out her phone and messaged Sveta: “It’s over. They left. Want to come over for a glass of wine?”
A minute later, the reply came: “On my way! Set the festive table!”
Marina smiled. Life went on. Without deceit, without betrayal. And that was wonderful. She would never let her ex-husband trick another girl. Soon she would share the story everywhere.
