– Mom, can you imagine, I stayed within budget! – Natalya happily reported on the phone. – There was even enough left for a small painting in the hallway.
“You’re a clever girl, my daughter,” Elena Petrovna’s voice sounded warm. “I told you that you could handle it.”
Natalia smiled. She had paid off the mortgage on this apartment two years ago. The payments were painful for the budget, but every penny was worth it.
She met Vadim at a corporate party of a mutual client. Tall, with an attentive look and an unusual sense of humor, he immediately attracted her attention.
“Can I invite you to dance?” Vadim asked, holding out his hand.
– How can I refuse such a gallant gentleman? – Natalia laughed and accepted the invitation.
Their romance developed rapidly. After six months of dating, Vadim proposed.
“Move in with me,” he said one evening. “I have a three-room apartment, there’s enough space. Your apartment can be rented out.”
Natalia thought about it.
– What about my renovation? I put so much effort into it!
Vadim hugged her and kissed the top of her head.
— But the money from the rent will go towards my mortgage. It’s a good deal!
The argument seemed reasonable. Natalia agreed.
“If you want, we’ll make your own room,” Vadim suggested. “You can furnish it to your taste.”
The first months of life together were like a fairy tale. The wedding was modest but heartfelt. The honeymoon in Turkey was memorable for the warm sea and long walks. Everyday issues were resolved easily and naturally.
The problems began when Vadim’s mother, Tamara Anatolyevna, began to come too often. First on weekends, then during the week.
—————————-
“Vadyusha, I brought your favorite cutlets,” the mother-in-law chirped, unceremoniously entering the kitchen. “Natalya won’t be offended, right?”
Natalya tried to be kind. But Tamara Anatolyevna always found a reason to criticize.
“Oh my God, these pillows are so bright!” she exclaimed, seeing the decorative pillows on the sofa. “In my time, calm colors were appreciated.”
“This is a modern design, Tamara Anatolyevna,” Natalya answered reservedly. “They freshen up the interior.”
– Why do we need this? It just collects dust, – snorted the mother-in-law. – And these paintings… Vadik always loved minimalism.
Soon, the visits of the father, Nikolai Sergeyevich, were added to the mother’s. He was more silent, but filled all the space with his presence.
“Vadim, talk to your parents,” Natalya asked one day. “They come unannounced. I can’t even eat breakfast in peace.”
The husband waved it off.
– Come on, they won’t be here for long. Do you feel sorry for them?
– It’s not about pity. I feel uncomfortable in my own home.
“This is my house, by the way,” Vadim answered unexpectedly sharply. “You just moved here.”
Natalya fell silent, shocked by these words. She had never thought of Vadim’s apartment as “his” territory.
The situation worsened when the husband’s parents began to complain about their living conditions.
“Can you imagine, there’s not even room for a refrigerator in our one-room apartment,” Tamara Anatolyevna lamented. “And it takes two hours to get to the clinic.”
“The shops nearby are all expensive,” Nikolai Sergeyevich continued. “And you can’t even get to the market.”
Vadim listened attentively to his parents, nodding. His eyes filled with sympathy.
“Maybe we should look into exchange options?” he suggested one day. “They’re really having a hard time.”
– Exchange? – Natalia frowned. – What do you mean?
“Well, maybe they could move closer,” Vadim answered evasively.
An unpleasant chill ran down Natalia’s spine. She suddenly understood where this whole conversation was heading. The look her mother-in-law was giving the apartment became clear. It was the appraising look of a future mistress.
Vadim’s parents came almost every day. They complained about the cramped one-room apartment and the lack of basic amenities. Tamara Anatolyevna sighed theatrically, putting her hand to her chest.
– Can you imagine, Vadyusha, yesterday the elevator broke down again, – the mother-in-law lamented. – I had to walk up to the eighth floor. At my age!
Nikolai Sergeevich agreed with his wife:
— The doctor says I need to walk more. But how can I walk here? The park is three kilometers from home!
Natalia gritted her teeth and tried to remain calm. She saw how her husband was filled with sympathy for his parents. His eyebrows were drawn together, concern appeared on his face.
“Maybe there’s something we could do to help?” he suggested one evening.
Natalia turned sharply away from the stove.
“What exactly?” Her voice sounded wary.
“I don’t know,” Vadim shrugged. “We’ll think about it together.”
After two weeks of constant visits and complaints, Natalia realized that she could not stand it any longer. Her patience was exhausted. She called her friend Irina.
“Listen, is your dacha free for the weekend?” Natalia asked. “I urgently need a change of scenery.”
– Of course! – Irina was delighted. – We can gather the girls. Barbecue, a lake, no husbands or mothers-in-law.
Natalia breathed a sigh of relief.
– You have no idea how grateful I am to you.
On Friday evening, Natalia packed a small bag and kissed her husband.
“I’ll be back on Sunday,” she said. “Try not to be bored.”
Vadim hugged her and smiled strangely.
“Have fun,” he said. “You really need a rest.”
The weekend flew by. The friends swam in the lake, grilled shashlik and chatted until dawn. Natalia was resting her soul. She didn’t even check her phone, completely disconnected from everyday worries.
When Natalya opened the door to her apartment on Sunday evening, she froze on the threshold. The hallway was in chaos. Boxes, bags, and suitcases were everywhere. Her and Vadim’s things were gathered and stacked against the wall.
“What the…” Natalia exhaled, walking into the living room.
There was a massive crystal vase on the coffee table. Natalia recognized it immediately – this vase always stood at her mother-in-law’s. Bewilderment turned to alarm. Something was wrong here.
The front door creaked. Natalya turned around and saw Vadim. The figures of his parents loomed behind him.
– Natasha! – Tamara Anatolyevna exclaimed with extraordinary enthusiasm. – How good that you came back!
Nikolai Sergeyevich walked sedately into the room and sat down in the chair. He looked as if he was the master of the situation.
“What’s going on here?” Natalia’s voice trembled with tension.
Tamara Anatolyevna clapped her hands joyfully.
“Vadyusha gave us an amazing gift!” she said enthusiastically. “Can you imagine, he gave us this apartment!”
Natalya shifted her gaze from her mother-in-law’s shining face to her husband’s downcast face.
“What?” Her voice dropped to a whisper.
– Yes, yes! – Tamara Anatolyevna continued. – Now my father and I will live here, in comfort and prosperity. In our old age, we deserve a little coziness, right, Kolya?
Nikolai Sergeevich nodded importantly.
Natalia grabbed her husband by the hand and dragged him into the bedroom. Slamming the door, she turned to him.
“Are you crazy?” she hissed. “How could you give the apartment to my parents without consulting me?”
Vadim looked guilty but determined.
– Natasha, understand, it’s really hard for them, – he began to justify himself. – We’re young, it’s easier for us.
– Easier? – Natalia raised her voice.
“For now, in their one-room apartment,” Vadim avoided looking her in the eyes. “And then we’ll think of something.”
– Let’s think of something? – Natalia burst out laughing. – Do you even realize what you’ve done?
“These are my parents!” Vadim flared up. “I can’t watch them suffer!”
– And you don’t give a damn about me? So you decided everything for both of us?
Vadim tried to hug her, but Natalia recoiled.
– Natasha, let’s be reasonable…
Natalia suddenly realized something important. She narrowed her eyes and looked intently at her husband.
– Wait a minute. You gave the apartment to your parents? – Her voice became scorchingly cold. – Then let them pay the mortgage!
Vadim turned pale. His mouth opened slightly, but no words came out.
– What? No, we’ll pay the mortgage, of course, – he muttered. – It’s our debt.
– Ours? – Natalya clenched her fists. – No, dear. Since you gave away the apartment, I’m moving into mine. And I won’t put another penny into your mortgage!
Vadim’s face changed. He grabbed her by the shoulders.
– Natasha, don’t be silly! We still have ten years of payments! I can’t cope without the money from your rent!
“That’s your problem,” Natalia snapped. “And your parents’.”
The door swung open. Tamara Anatolyevna and Nikolai Sergeevich stood on the threshold.
“What’s all this shouting about?” the mother-in-law was indignant. “What’s going on?”
“Your son just explained your scheme to me,” Natalia said coldly. “You get the apartment, and I have to continue paying for it? What a wonderful plan!”
– Natasha, don’t be selfish! – Tamara Anatolyevna threw up her hands. – We are a family!
“No, we’re not a family,” Natalya walked past her to the boxes of things. “Family doesn’t act like that.”
Vadim rushed towards her.
– Natasha, let’s talk calmly! Everything can be solved!
“It’s already decided,” Natalia grabbed her suitcases. “I’m filing for divorce.”
“You can’t do this to Vadim!” Tamara Anatolyevna screamed. “He’ll have to pay this mortgage alone for the rest of his life!”
“You should have thought about this earlier,” Natalya snapped. “When you decided to pull off this scam behind my back.”
Nikolai Sergeevich grabbed Natalya by the elbow.
“You can’t do this to your husband’s parents!” he thundered.
Natalia pulled her hand away.
– You can. And you should, when they try to deceive you.
She took the suitcases and headed for the exit. Vadim rushed around the room in despair.
– Natasha, wait! Let’s discuss everything! – he shouted. – This is a misunderstanding!
Natalia turned around at the threshold.
– Ten years of mortgage without my help, Vadim. Think about it.
She slammed the door and went outside. Tears were streaming down her cheeks, but Natalia didn’t stop. She caught a taxi and went to her parents.
The phone was ringing off the hook. Vadim, her mother-in-law, even her father-in-law were trying to get through. Natalya turned off the sound. Sitting in the car, she went to the State Services app and filed for divorce.
Elena Petrovna greeted her daughter with open arms.
“Mommy, I’ve lost everything,” sobbed Natalya.
“You haven’t lost anything,” the mother said firmly. “You’ve gotten rid of an extra burden.”
A month later, Natalia stood in court with a devastated look. The divorce had gone through surprisingly quickly. Vadim had not argued or protested. He looked older and exhausted.
“You destroyed our family,” Tamara Anatolyevna hissed in the courtroom corridor. “You ruined our lives!”
“No,” Natalia answered calmly. “You destroyed everything with your greed.”
As she left the courthouse, Natalia took a deep breath. Her heart felt lighter. She got into a taxi and gave the address. Her address.
The apartment greeted her with silence and cleanliness. The tenants had moved out a week ago, and Natalia had time to tidy everything up. She walked slowly through the rooms, touching the walls and furniture.
“Home,” she said quietly. “I’m home again.”
She opened the windows, letting in the fresh air. The city was bustling outside, alive, energetic, full of possibilities. Natalya smiled. She had a chance to start all over again. And this time she would not make the same mistakes.
