The Turning Point in a Toxic Marriage
“Divorce,” I said quietly, gazing out the window with a heavy heart.
“What?!” a harsh voice erupted behind me.
Slowly, I turned around and smiled at my stunned husband.
“I want a divorce, Maxim.”
His glance immediately shifted to his mother. Tatiana Stepanovna, who had been eavesdropping by the door, clutched her chest and dramatically collapsed to the floor.
It was an old ploy. I used to rush to help her, but now, I merely shrugged and walked past the limp body, heading toward my laptop.
Why hadn’t I had this simple thought sooner? Possibly because I had been like a frog in boiling water, unaware as the heat slowly increased around me.
But now, the boiling had ended.
Maxim and his mother had long treated this home as their own domain. They once seemed kind and charming, or perhaps they only mastered the art of pretending.
Maxim courted me with flowers, compliments, and promises of happiness. Yet, those efforts were not for my sake. Maybe that was the plan from the start.
“What have you done to my mother, idiot?” Maxim growled upon noticing my indifference to his mother’s staged collapse.
“Her theatrical antics no longer concern me,” I replied, stepping over the body sprawled in the hallway and sitting down at the table.
Quick research online confirmed that divorcing without children was straightforward. Fortunately, we had none.
“Pack your things, dear,” I smiled at my reflection on the screen. “And don’t forget your mother.”
The reality dawned on him that the jokes had ended. Their own apartment was being rented out, but I never saw a penny from it. I bore all household expenses — food, utilities, daily necessities.
They had comfortably settled at my expense.
Whenever I hinted at needing help, the show began: Tatiana Stepanovna clutching her chest, and Maxim accusing me of greed.
But that circus had grown tiresome.
“Are you even listening to me?” Maxim hissed, looming over me.
The man was large and muscular — gym memberships were never a problem for him. I was painfully aware he could crush me with one hand without noticing.
“If you mention divorce one more time, those will be your last words, got it, idiot?”
“Scared of losing me, dear? Or couldn’t sleep thinking I might be with someone else?”
His eyes flashed as he grabbed my shoulder, squeezing until bones cracked.
I smirked.
“Take your hand off me, lunatic. Your mother seems to be dying over there — aren’t you going to check on her?”
He snorted, shoved me away, and stalked toward the “victim.” I shut the laptop and slipped into the shower.
Sleep escaped me that night. Maxim snored beside me, facing the wall, while Tatiana Stepanovna breathed softly in her room. I stared out the window, drawn to a strange flicker in the sky until I noticed Maxim’s phone illuminating the windowsill with incoming messages.
- “Where are you, kitten?”
- “Thanks for the bouquet, it’s lovely!”
- “Have you told your stupid wife about us? When will she move out?”
- “Did two tests! You’re going to be a father soon!”
I placed the phone down and crept to the kitchen.
That’s the whole story. Selfish and harsh.
Maxim and his mother moved from the provinces years ago. Tatiana Stepanovna quickly found an elderly admirer who conveniently “died,” leaving her an apartment — the very one they now rented out.
A terrifying realization struck me: maybe Maxim married me just for the apartment. Otherwise, why all this? And here I was, foolishly believing his fairy tales.
Divorce was essential. But how to evict them without ending up in hospital? This time, the consequences could be far worse.
Early morning, the habit of preparing breakfast took over as I opened my eyes.
Before the “family” awoke, I savored the silence with coffee. I received a message from my friend Katya — we shared troubles as colleagues. Recently divorced after her husband left for a younger secretary and kicked her to the streets.
“Got tickets to the charity gala! Let’s go!” she wrote.
Wow.
Katya had pursued those tickets for six months. It was the biggest construction holding company’s event, fascinating all the city’s elite.
I agreed — at least some respite.
While Maxim and his mother remained bedridden, I hastily filed my divorce petition on the court’s website.
“Your application has been accepted,” flashed on the screen.
A smile spread across my face. After the divorce, I could turn to the police — Maxim’s threats warranted protection.
But as long as we were married, no one would help me remove him.
“Awake?” Maxim’s voice cut through the quiet.
He noticed me abruptly closing the laptop and immediately reopened it.
“Your application has been accepted. Await further proceedings.”
“What is this?” His face twisted.
“I was just about to ask you the same. Congratulations, you’re going to be a father soon.”
He froze.
“You snooped through my phone?”
“You cheated on me,” I answered calmly. “I want a divorce.”
“Is that all you want?”
His hand squeezed my neck. I pressed back against the wall, holding his gaze.
“Everything will go as I say. Behave well or else… you know what will happen.”
I did not look away. His fingers tightened on my throat but not enough to cut off breathing — merely a show of dominance.
“Do you really think I’ll stay with you after this?” I whispered.
His eyes narrowed.
“You won’t go anywhere.”
“We shall see.”
He abruptly released me, snorted, and went to the fridge. I knew he would pretend nothing happened. Always the same act.
This time, things would be different.
A Night at the Charity Gala
The gala was held in one of the city’s most luxurious hotels. Crystals sparkled, and guests in elegant attire laughed while sipping champagne.
“So, impressed?” Katya nudged me.
“I feel like Cinderella who was never unmasked,” I murmured.
We laughed, but my amusement was uneasy. I kept glancing around, half-expecting Maxim to appear.
“Hey, you seem somewhere else,” Katya frowned. “Troubles with him again?”
I nodded.
“I filed for divorce.”
Her eyes widened.
“Seriously? Finally!”
“Yes, but…” I lowered my voice. “He’s not the type to leave quietly.”
Katya squeezed my hand.
“You’ll manage. I’ve got your back if needed.”
I smiled but inside, fear gripped me.
The room fell silent as a tall man in a perfect suit took the stage.
“Good evening, ladies and gentlemen,” his steady voice quieted the whispers.
“This is Arseny,” Katya whispered. “The head of the holding company.”
I watched him closely, captivated. His gaze lacked arrogance—only cold calculation.
“Tonight, we gather not only to support charity but also to announce a new project…”
He spoke about a residential complex, but I barely listened. Suddenly, his eyes flicked across the crowd, locking on me for a brief moment.
Did he truly look at me?
After the formal part, our cocktail mingling began. Katya and I wandered among guests, sipping drinks.
“Did you see how he glanced at you?” Katya giggled.
“Stop imagining things.”
“Come on! You’re beautiful; why not?”
I shook my head. The last thing I needed was fantasies about a wealthy protector.
Yet fate seemed intent on surprising me.
Turning to fetch another glass, I nearly collided with him.
Arseny stood just steps away.
“Excuse me,” he smiled faintly.
“I wasn’t looking where I was going,” I murmured.
His gaze swept over my face, and his brows rose slightly.
“Are you okay?”
I frowned.
“What do you mean?”
He subtly nodded toward my hand. I looked down and realized I was unconsciously covering a fresh bruise on my wrist — Maxim’s doing.
I quickly dropped my hand.
“I’m fine.”
He appeared unconvinced but didn’t press further.
“Enjoy the evening.”
He left.
Katya immediately grabbed my hand.
“You just spoke with Arseny Nort!”
“Yes, and he noticed the bruise,” I clenched my teeth.
“Well, maybe it’s for the best! Maybe he’ll save you, just like in the movies!”
“That never happens in real life,” I sighed.
Little did I know then how wrong I was.
Back Home: The Battle Continues
When we returned, the apartment was dark. Maxim and Tatiana Stepanovna appeared to be asleep.
I quietly slipped to my room, but the door barely closed before a voice emerged from the shadows:
“Where have you been?”
I jumped. Maxim sat in his chair, smoking in the dark.
“At a friend’s.”
“A friend, huh?” he sneered. “Who’s your new friend? Some rich admirer?”
“You’re paranoid.”
He abruptly stood and approached me.
“You think I don’t know where you went?”
I froze.
“What?”
“You were at that… charity gala.”
How did he find out?
“I…”
“A friend of mine called. Saw you there.”
A chill ran down my spine.
“So what? I have the right to go out.”
“You don’t,” he grabbed my chin. “You’re my wife. If I find out you flirted with anyone there…”
I jerked away.
“You’re not my master.”
His eyes flared.
“Wrong.”
He raised his hand, and I closed my eyes, bracing for a hit.
Suddenly, his phone rang.
Maxim snorted, lowered his hand, and answered.
“Yeah?!” he barked.
His face changed rapidly.
“What?.. How?..”
He turned pale.
“Okay… I got it.”
He hung up and stared at me.
“Who was that?” I asked.
He slowly smiled.
“Looks like you’ve made some friends in very high places.”
“What are you talking about?”
“That was my boss. He just got a call from the construction holding.”
I froze.
“And?”
“Now, I have big problems.”
His grin grew wider, but fury burned in his eyes.
“Congrats. Looks like you just ruined my career.”
I didn’t understand what was going on.
One thing was clear — the game was just beginning.
Silence filled the room like thick smoke. Maxim slowly rotated the phone in his hands, squeezing it so tightly that his knuckles whitened.
“Who is he to you?” he hissed.
“I don’t even know who you mean.”
“Lies!” He threw the phone onto the bed. “Are you sleeping with Nort? Is he the one who complained to my boss?”
I burst into nervous, nearly hysterical laughter.
“Do you hear yourself? Arseny Nort, one of the city’s most influential men, suddenly decided to destroy a manager’s career just because I complained to him?”
His face twisted. He stepped forward but froze — sounds came from the hallway.
Tatiana Stepanovna, in a rumpled robe and curlers, stumbled into the room.
“What’s all the shouting about? Maxi, what’s wrong?”
“It’s fine, mom,” he forced a calm expression. “Go to bed.”
But her gaze fixed on me.
“Is it her again driving you nuts?”
“Mom…”
“Enough! You both are parasites,” I snapped. “You moved into my apartment, drain my money, and now blame me for your work troubles?”
Tatiana Stepanovna gasped and clutched her chest.
“Maxim, did you hear how she spoke to me?!”
But Maxim didn’t move. His eyes locked on the phone, which buzzed again.
Unknown number.
He slowly raised the phone to his ear.
“Yes?..”
His eyes widened.
“Now?.. Understood.”
He lowered the phone, looking at me with what seemed like fear.
“That was my boss. He’s calling me to the office. Now. At two in the morning.”
“Why?”
“Because,” he swallowed hard, “Nortlex Gold just tore up our contract, and my boss wants to know why his employee appears on the blacklist of Arseny Nort.”
I was left alone in the apartment. Tatiana Stepanovna muttered something about ingratitude and locked herself in her room.
I sat in the kitchen clutching a cup of cold tea, struggling to make sense of the events.
How did Arseny Nort find out about Maxim?
Why did he intervene?
Most importantly — what would happen next?
The phone in my pocket vibrated. Unknown number.
“Tomorrow at 10 a.m. Cafe “Lori.” Come. A.N.”
I dropped the cup, shattering it.
The Unexpected Offer
The small cafe “Lori” was cozy and quaint in the city center, decorated with expensive wooden panels and filled with the scent of fresh bakery, yet completely empty.
He sat by the window, clad in a dark gray suit, flipping through documents.
“Please sit,” he said without looking up.
I sat down.
“You want explanations?” I asked.
“No,” he finally met my gaze. “I want to propose a deal.”
“What kind?”
“You file for divorce. I guarantee your safety.”
“Why?” I clenched my fists. “Why did you get involved at all?”
He leaned back.
“Because your husband is a thief.”
“What?”
“He managed procurement for our project and systematically inflated bills, pocketing the difference. We knew and waited for a major slip-up.”
“What does that have to do with me?”
“You’re his weak spot.”
I laughed.
“You’re mistaken. I mean nothing to him.”
“But he fears losing you,” his eyes narrowed. “Otherwise, why keep you in such a state?”
I fell silent.
“Here’s my offer,” he placed an envelope on the table. “You press charges for abuse and threats. We provide protection. After divorce, you get this apartment and a fresh start.”
“What’s in it for you?”
“Your husband goes to jail. His boss too. I get my reputation cleared and the 50 million they stole.”
I slowly reached for the envelope.
“And if he…”
“He won’t harm you,” Nort’s voice hardened. “If he even looks at you sideways, his career, freedom, and everything he has will disappear.”
I opened the envelope.
Inside lay a key card for a suite in the Grand Hotel and a lawyer’s business card.
“I… will think about it.”
He nodded.
“You have exactly twenty-four hours.”
Returning home, the apartment was deserted.
A note lay on the table.
“We left. Don’t look for us. M.”
I sank onto the floor and laughed.
Through the laughter, tears streamed down my face.
But for the first time in three years, I felt free and at peace.
“Sometimes, standing up for yourself and accepting help can mark the beginning of a new life filled with hope and strength.”
This story reveals the courage required to break free from toxic relationships and to seek a future unburdened by fear. Facing oppressive family dynamics and threats, the protagonist took a bold step toward liberation. She discovered unexpected allies and realized that safety and new beginnings are possible even after enduring hardship. Her journey highlights how reclaiming oneself sometimes means walking through uncertainty, but ultimately embracing freedom and dignity.