Anna was standing in the grocery store, checking the list she’d prepared for the evening’s meal. She was going to make baked salmon with lemon and rosemary, followed by a cake from her mother-in-law’s recipe. It was meant to be a pleasant evening, a way to soothe Boris, who had been irritable lately. He had become quick-tempered, but Anna thought nothing of it—she was used to rolling with the punches, avoiding conflict, always trying to make things better.
“Are you absolutely sure you don’t need anything from the store?” Anna asked, giving Boris one last chance to ask for something.
“No, no, go already,” he had waved her off, looking more eager to be alone than to spend time with her.
Anna sighed softly as she pulled her coat tighter around her. She knew that, lately, Boris hadn’t been himself. But she didn’t want to add fuel to the fire by bringing it up. So she simply headed to the store, thinking that preparing his favorite meal might be just what he needed.
As she stood at the checkout counter, her phone buzzed. Anna fumbled for it, only to realize she had forgotten her wallet at home. Her stomach sank as she glanced at the cashier, who smiled patiently. “I’ll be right back,” she said, quickly pulling the cart aside and calling Boris.
But he didn’t answer.
Anna’s heart sank even further. She could feel the irritation rising, but she ignored it. There was no time to argue, so she quickly left the store and walked back toward their apartment.
As she neared the front door, Anna froze. She could hear Boris’s voice coming from inside. He was on the phone, and his words struck her like a sharp slap in the face.
“Yeah, I thought of everything. I’ve almost re-registered the apartment, all that’s left is to transfer the money.”
Anna’s chest tightened. What apartment? What money? She pressed her ear against the door, her heart pounding as she listened.
“Of course, there’s a risk,” Boris continued. “But what can we do? She doesn’t suspect anything. And what can she do? She’s quiet, she’ll put up with everything.”
Anna’s world spun. He was talking about her in such a dismissive way. He was planning behind her back—like she was nothing, like she didn’t even exist to him anymore.
“By the way, about the trip. Let’s fly to Paris, as you wanted. As soon as everything is settled. I imagine how we’ll walk along the Champs-Elysées. Buy yourself something beautiful.”
Anna stood frozen, unable to move, the weight of his betrayal sinking in. She felt as if the ground had disappeared beneath her feet. She was paralyzed by the pain, anger, and confusion.
A few minutes later, Boris walked out of the apartment, not noticing Anna standing just outside the door. His face was carefree, as if he hadn’t just torn his wife’s heart into pieces. He passed by her, heading toward the living room, and Anna, unable to speak, quietly slipped away, retreating around the corner.
She walked aimlessly, not even thinking about the grocery store or the meal she had planned. She wandered into the park, sitting on a bench, her head buried in her hands. The tears came, but she wasn’t sure if it was from sadness or sheer disbelief.
She fumbled for her phone, hoping to call someone, but who could she call? Friends? Family? Everyone would be shocked. No one could know the truth, not yet. Finally, she dialed Irina’s number.
“Anya, are you crying?” Irina’s voice was filled with concern when she picked up.
“Not anymore,” Anna whispered, trying to steady her voice.
She told Irina everything—how she had overheard Boris, how he was planning something with another woman, how everything had been a lie.
Irina’s voice softened with sympathy. “Come to my place. Now. I’ll be here for you.”
Anna did. They talked for hours, and though the anger still burned inside her, a small part of her began to calm. Irina’s presence was a comfort, and the supportive words helped Anna regain some of her strength.
On the bus ride home, Anna checked her bank app. The total account balance had dropped significantly, as if someone had been removing funds.
“Well, okay,” Anna whispered to herself, a small, determined smile creeping onto her lips. “Let’s play, then.”
When she walked through the door that evening, Boris was sitting on the couch, his irritation palpable. “Where have you been? I’m sitting here hungry, and you’re wandering around somewhere!”
Anna didn’t respond immediately. She walked into the kitchen and began unpacking the groceries. She could feel the tension between them, thick in the air, but she wouldn’t let him control her anymore.
“I went to see Irina,” she replied calmly.
Boris scoffed. “Great! My wife is out, and I’m starving here!”
Anna’s jaw tightened, but she didn’t respond. She simply began to prepare the dinner. Boris retreated into the living room, his eyes glued to the TV as if he could escape the reality they were both living in.
The next morning, Anna took the day off under the pretense of feeling unwell. She had a plan, and it was time to put it into motion. She sat down at her desk, going through all the documents, checking her laptop. She found the correspondence with a lawyer—a discussion about divorce and property division.
He had been planning this for a long time.
The realization hit Anna hard. She had been living in a lie, believing in a marriage that had never been as it seemed. She took a deep breath, wiped away the tear that had fallen, and straightened her shoulders.
She was not going to let him win.
The story wasn’t over. It was only beginning.