“Quiet, just don’t scare her off!” the groom hissed. “Tomorrow we’ll persuade her to hand over the keys and register everything in our name.”
Anna adjusted her veil in front of the mirror and smiled at her reflection. Only four weeks remained until the wedding, and every morning brought a new wave of joyful excitement. At twenty-eight, she had finally found the one person with whom she wanted to share her life.
Dmitry had entered Anna’s life eight months earlier at a corporate party. The thirty-year-old programmer, with gentle facial features and kind eyes, had immediately caught her attention. He was attentive, caring, and never tried to impress with expensive gifts.
“Anna, are you ready for the fitting?” asked the bridal salon assistant.
“Of course!” replied the bride, eagerly anticipating the moment she would finally wear her wedding dress.
Her job at the advertising agency provided Anna with a stable income—eighty thousand rubles a month. Her parents had gifted her a two-room apartment for her twenty-fifth birthday, and she had furnished the rest herself. Designer furniture, quality appliances, paintings on the walls—every detail had been chosen with love.
“Oh, how beautiful!” exclaimed Olga Sergeyevna, Dmitry’s mother, when she saw the bride in her dress. “Anna, you look like a princess!”
The fifty-year-old woman, with her neat hairstyle and pleasant smile, immediately won over her future daughter-in-law. Olga Sergeyevna worked in the accounting department of a government office and had raised her son alone after her divorce.
“Thank you for helping me choose,” Anna said gratefully to her future mother-in-law. “It’s impossible to manage without a woman’s perspective.”
“Oh, don’t mention it, dear!” Olga Sergeyevna waved her hand. “We’re one family now; we must help each other.”
Such support warmed Anna’s heart. She had worried that her future mother-in-law might dislike her, but her fears proved unfounded.
“Maybe we should look at something a bit simpler?” suggested Olga Sergeyevna, glancing at the price tag. “Why spend so much money on a single dress?”
“It’s a wedding,” Anna smiled. “Once in a lifetime, you can indulge a little.”
“Of course, of course,” agreed her future mother-in-law. “I’m just used to being frugal.”
The following weekend, Olga Sergeyevna came to visit Anna. She wandered through the apartment for a long time, admiring the interior.
“My goodness, how beautiful!” the guest kept exclaiming. “Anna, you have such wonderful taste! The furniture, the appliances—they’re all so modern!”
“Thank you,” the hostess said, embarrassed. “It took a long time to set everything up, buying pieces little by little.”
“What a spacious apartment!” Olga Sergeyevna continued to gush. “And right in the city center!”
“Yes, my parents gave it to me,” Anna nodded. “They say it’s better to give a daughter an apartment than leave an inheritance to grandchildren.”
“Wise parents,” her mother-in-law approved. “Dimochka is lucky to have you. Beautiful, intelligent, and with your own apartment.”
Anna blushed at the compliments. Olga Sergeyevna seemed like a sincere and kind woman.
Two weeks before the wedding, Dmitry moved in with Anna for good. He brought two bags of belongings and an old laptop.
“All this is your property?” Anna asked, surprised.
“Why need more?” shrugged the groom. “I rented a room, didn’t accumulate much.”
“Exactly,” supported Olga Sergeyevna, who was helping with the move. “Why spend on unnecessary things when Anna has everything?”
The first days of living together felt like a dream. Dmitry was attentive and caring, helped prepare dinner, and never left his things lying around. In the evenings, the couple made plans for their future together.
“After the wedding, I want children,” Anna said dreamily. “Two for sure, maybe three.”
“Of course,” Dmitry agreed. “We’ll have a wonderful family.”
Olga Sergeyevna often stopped by, sometimes to pick up supposedly forgotten documents, sometimes to bring groceries. She admired the apartment with each visit, always finding new reasons to compliment.
“Anna, is the painting real?” the mother-in-law asked, inspecting a reproduction on the wall.
“It’s a reproduction, but a quality one,” the bride replied.
“And what a big TV! It must have cost a fortune?”
“Yes, I saved for it for six months.”
Olga Sergeyevna remembered every detail, which flattered Anna’s pride. It felt good when loved ones appreciated your work and achievements.
A week before the wedding, Anna lived in anticipation of the celebration. The restaurant was booked, guests invited, and the dress hung in the wardrobe. All that was left was to wait for the happiest day of her life.
On Wednesday, Anna returned from work early. In the hallway, she noticed Olga Sergeyevna’s shoes—her mother-in-law had come again. Anna smiled as she took off her own shoes. It was nice to have warm family relationships.
Passing the kitchen, the bride heard muffled voices. Dmitry and his mother were talking about something, but their tone seemed strange—tense and conspiratorial.
Anna froze in the hallway, listening. Normally, her fiancé and mother-in-law spoke loudly, without hiding anything. Now, for some reason, they were whispering.
“…we need to finalize everything quickly,” Olga Sergeyevna’s voice reached her. “I’m tired of dealing with this little brat.”
Anna’s heart clenched. Who was her future mother-in-law talking about? And what needed to be finalized?
“Mom, be careful,” Dmitry chided. “What if she hears?”
“She won’t hear, she’s working,” waved off Olga Sergeyevna. “Listen, everything’s on schedule. Tomorrow we go to the notary, set up the power of attorney. We’ll say it’s for wedding formalities.”
Anna froze, unable to believe her ears. Power of attorney? What were they talking about?
“And if she refuses?” Dmitry asked uncertainly.
“She’ll agree,” his mother huffed confidently. “A lovesick fool will agree to anything. You just have to present it right.”
Anna’s legs gave way. She leaned against the wall, afraid of falling. Could it be that Dmitry and his mother were planning some kind of deception?
“Quiet, just don’t scare her off!” the groom hissed. “Tomorrow we’ll persuade her to hand over the keys and register everything in our name. Change the locks, transfer the documents. When she comes home from work, she won’t get in. Done. Then we’ll cancel the wedding. Get the apartment. The girl won’t be needed anymore.”
The world seemed to collapse in an instant. Anna stood in the hallway, feeling everything inside her shatter. The man she loved and his mother were planning to take the apartment and then abandon her.
“Good thing I have a notary friend,” Olga Sergeyevna continued proudly. “Everything will be done cleanly, no complaints possible. Documents will be in order.”
Dmitry and his mother laughed, discussing the details of the scheme. Anna stood behind the wall, unable to believe what was happening.
Eight months of a relationship, tenderness, care, future plans—all turned out to be a lie. Dmitry did not love her; he just wanted the property.
Anna ran her hand over her face, wiping away tears. She needed to act before the scammers executed their plan.
She took a deep breath and knocked loudly on the kitchen door. The laughter stopped instantly; a tense silence fell.
“May I come in?” the bride asked politely.
“Of course, dear!” Olga Sergeyevna responded far too cheerfully.
Anna entered the kitchen and saw the guilty faces of Dmitry and his mother. He nervously fidgeted with a napkin, she forced a tight smile.
“You’ve really planned a great scheme,” Anna said calmly. “Just wonderful. Shame I overheard your little surprise ahead of time.”
Dmitry went pale, and Olga Sergeyevna tried to feign ignorance:
“What scheme, Anna? What are you talking about?”
“The power of attorney you plan to set up tomorrow. The lock change and the wedding cancellation.”
“Anna, you misunderstood everything!” Dmitry rushed to explain. “We just—”
“Just wanted to rob me,” the bride interrupted. “And you planned it very well indeed.”
“No!” Dmitry exclaimed. “You misunderstood our words!”
“Then explain correctly,” Anna suggested. “Tell me why you need a power of attorney for my apartment.”
Dmitry opened and closed his mouth, unable to find words. Olga Sergeyevna sat with a stony expression.
“Exactly,” Anna nodded. “There’s nothing to explain because I understood everything perfectly.”
“Anna, dear,” her mother-in-law tried to take the initiative, “you know we only wish you well…”
“Well? Wishing someone well?” the bride repeated. “Depriving a person of a roof over their head—is that your idea of ‘well’?”
“We never intended to deprive you!” Dmitry protested. “We just… we just wanted to protect ourselves…”
“Are you trying to confuse me with words? Protect yourself from what?” Anna didn’t understand.
“Well, you never know what could happen after the wedding,” the groom mumbled uncertainly. “Divorce, property division…”
“So you planned a divorce from the start?” the bride clarified.
Dmitry fell silent again, realizing that every word only made things worse.
“You know what,” Anna said wearily, “the wedding is off. Starting today.”
“What?” Dmitry jumped up. “Anna, wait! Let’s discuss this calmly!”
“There’s nothing to discuss. You’ve shown your true face.”
“But I love you!” the groom exclaimed desperately.
“You love my apartment,” the bride corrected. “That’s a different thing entirely.”
Olga Sergeyevna stood and moved toward the door.
“Come on, son. See? She doesn’t want to listen.”
“Wait,” Anna stopped them. “Not everything has been said yet.”
The mother and son froze at the door.
“Dmitry, you’ll pick up your things tomorrow morning. Leave the keys on the table.”
“Anna, please!” the man pleaded. “Give me a chance to explain!”
“There’s nothing to explain. Eight months you played the role of a lover. Very convincing, I must admit.”
“It wasn’t a role! I really cared for you!”
“You cared for comfort and free housing,” Anna replied coldly. “Now get out of my home.”
Dmitry tried to approach her, but she stepped back.
“Don’t come near me. Never come near me again.”
“Anna,” Olga Sergeyevna intervened, “you realize you’ll be alone? Who would want you at your age?”
“Better to be alone than with scammers,” Anna cut her off.
Her mother-in-law pursed her lips.
“You’ll regret it. Finding a decent man these days is impossible.”
“A decent one—yes, maybe impossible. But an honest one—that’s entirely possible.”
Anna escorted the uninvited guests to the hallway and threw open the door.
“Goodbye. Do not come back.”
“What about the wedding?” Dmitry asked in confusion. “Guests, the restaurant…”
“That’s my problem. I’ll handle it without you.”
“Anna, I’m asking you—”
“No,” the bride interrupted. “It’s over. Forever.”
The door slammed shut, leaving her alone in the apartment. Anna leaned against the wall and closed her eyes. Her heart raced, her hands shook.
Eight months of life wasted on lies. Money spent on a wedding, gone to waste. Broken dreams of family and children.
But alongside the pain came a strange relief. Anna realized she had avoided a terrible fate. A little longer, and the scammers would have taken her home.
The next day, Dmitry actually came to collect his things. He looked dejected, trying to talk to his former fiancée.
“Anna, I understand you won’t forgive me,” he said as he packed his clothes. “But believe me, my feelings for you were real.”
“Real feelings don’t mix with fraud,” she replied coldly.
“It was all my mother’s idea! She said we needed to protect ourselves…”
“Dmitry, enough. You’re an adult man; you’re responsible for your own actions.”
The ex-fiancé silently zipped up his bag and headed for the door.
“Be happy, Anna. You deserve it.”
“I will,” she nodded. “But without you.”
After he left, Anna sat in the armchair and thought about the future. The wedding needed to be canceled, guests notified, restaurant money lost. Unpleasant, but not fatal.
The most important thing—the apartment remained safe. No one had been able to take it by deceit or coercion.
A week later, on the day the wedding was supposed to happen, Anna sat at home with a book and tea. The sun shone outside, and the kitchen was filled with the aroma of coffee brewing.
Her phone rang—it was her friend Sveta.
“How are you?” her friend asked sympathetically. “Don’t you regret it?”
“Regret what?” Anna was surprised.
“Well, canceling the wedding. Maybe you should have given him a second chance?”
“Sveta, they planned to steal my apartment. What second chance are we talking about?”
“But he explained—it was all his mother’s idea…”
“An adult man must make his own decisions,” Anna said firmly. “Not follow a scammer mother.”
“Maybe you’re right,” her friend agreed. “Better alone than with someone like that.”
“Exactly,” Anna smiled.
She had no regrets. On the contrary, she thanked fate for revealing the truth in time. Another day or two, and the scammers would have taken her apartment.
Anna had learned an important lesson: trust gradually, testing people over time and circumstances. Beautiful words about love mean nothing without honest actions.
The first wedding didn’t happen, but life did not end there. New encounters, new opportunities, new chances for real happiness awaited her. And most importantly—the apartment remained safe; no one could take it.
It had been a painful, but valuable experience, one that made Anna stronger and wiser.
