“My house by the sea is mine now. Let your parents get lost!” declared her mother-in-law.
Colorful autumn leaves carpeted the ground beneath her feet. Raya was strolling through the small park near the house. She didn’t want to return to the crowded apartment. If only they had their own home with a small garden…
For now, the couple had only bought a seaside cottage, planning to rent it out during the season to earn extra income. Moving there permanently was impossible—there was no decent work in a resort town, and they needed to earn more before having children. Raya dreamed of having her own home.
She would have been willing to settle for a modest suburban house, but her husband protested, saying that living in such a place would only spoil their mood. A red leaf with yellow specks drifted down onto Raya’s hair, and she smiled dreamily. She loved spending time outdoors, having grown up in the countryside, drawn to the life she had once left behind.
Sometimes she thought that the city hustle wasn’t for her, but she loved her husband and had to respect his opinion. Now they were a single unit, making all decisions together. It wasn’t right to act alone. She didn’t want to pressure Oleg, who was a city man through and through. Besides, she knew it would be better for the children to grow up in the city, with access to courses and extracurricular activities.
Reluctantly returning home, Raya began preparing dinner. She put potatoes with chicken legs in the oven, chopped a vegetable salad, and brewed fresh mint tea, getting ready for her husband’s return. Then someone rang the doorbell. Raya hadn’t been expecting guests, so she was surprised that someone had come by.
She even wondered if her husband had forgotten his keys—sometimes that happened. But it wasn’t him. In the hallway stood a flushed Olga Vadimovna, Raya’s mother-in-law.
“Why is your elevator always out of order? By the time you get up here, you’re drenched in sweat,” Olga Vadimovna grumbled. “Pour me some tea.”
Raya was very surprised because her mother-in-law usually gave notice before visiting. Perhaps she had just been nearby and decided to drop in unexpectedly, even to herself? Deciding it wasn’t polite to leave her guest at the door, Raya went to the kitchen, poured tea, and took out pastries she had prepared that morning.
“A practical wife is fine, of course, but you shouldn’t spoil my son too much,” Olga Vadimovna remarked. “If you pamper him too much, he’ll get used to comfort, and when you leave, he’ll pine. I’m not planning to cook fresh meals for him every day.”
Her words somehow scratched at Raya’s soul. And why did she think that Raya and Oleg might separate? Everything was perfect between them. They had been married for two years and barely ever argued. Raya was sensitive, knowing when to step back from a dispute and when to stand her ground.
“What are you talking about? Why would Oleg and I get a divorce? You don’t need to worry about that,” Raya said.
“Life is full of surprises,” her mother-in-law snorted, sipping her tea. “I came without warning, but I had a very good reason. I wanted to speak with you immediately so there would be no surprises later. The seaside house you and Oleg bought is mine now. Didn’t he tell you? So… let your parents get lost, because I’m going to spend the rest of the autumn there. Maybe I’ll even stay through the winter. It all depends on my mood.”
It was hard to believe what she was hearing. They had bought that house to earn extra income and save for a home in the city. Moreover, Raya’s parents hadn’t been living there for no reason—they had agreed to help with the renovation in exchange for staying until winter.
And now, with the renovation complete, her mother-in-law was making such demands? Raya felt a tightness in her chest. She thought her husband would never have acted this way. He would have informed her if he had decided to give the house to his mother. They had bought it together, planned it together. He couldn’t have made such a decision on his own.
Surely Olga Vadimovna must be mistaken. But one look at her, and everything became clear without words—she wasn’t lying. She was determined to go there and confident in her claim.
“Perhaps Oleg didn’t tell you, but my parents were renovating the house to stay there until the end of autumn. They went there to improve their health,” Raya began gently.
“Why should I care? The renovation is finished, and I’m not going to wait. As I said—the house belongs to me. I will decide what to do with it.”
Her head ached. Raya didn’t want to think poorly of her husband, but judging by her mother-in-law’s certainty, she concluded that a woman wouldn’t lie about something like this. And if it was true, what would she tell her parents?
“I’ll talk to my husband and try to figure it out. Perhaps it’s some kind of misunderstanding,” Raya clung to the last hope.
“What kind of misunderstanding could there be? Anyway, it’s up to you. I don’t want to argue with your parents, but I will if you don’t handle this. I leave the day after tomorrow. I’ve already bought my tickets. The rest is your responsibility.”
After finishing her tea, Olga Vadimovna rose from the table, gave her daughter-in-law a look full of contempt, and hurried out. Raya was still in turmoil. She decided to speak with her husband first and then decide what to do next.
Dinner was ready, but for some reason, Oleg wasn’t hurrying home. He hadn’t even warned that he’d be late at work. A sense of hurt crept into Raya’s chest. Everything had been fine between them—so why did it suddenly, almost instantly, begin to fall apart? Though Raya tried to calm herself, telling herself that nothing was clear yet, it was extremely difficult to hold onto that thought.
When Oleg finally returned, Raya rushed to meet him. He looked tired but smiled when he saw his wife.
“Smells good. Did you cook something interesting again?”
“Nothing unusual… Wash your hands and come to the table.”
“With pleasure,” he replied.
Oleg kissed his wife on the temple, as if nothing had happened. Could Olga Vadimovna have made all of this up about the house? Raya felt uneasy. She waited impatiently for him to sit down so she could talk and find out what was really going on.
“Oh, I forgot to tell you. Mom was really insistent that I give her the house. Who am I to say no? She gave birth to me and raised me. Of course, I agreed. Besides, your parents have already finished the renovations.”
“Are you serious?”
A sharp, ragged gasp escaped Raya’s throat along with her words. She couldn’t understand why her husband was still smiling. Didn’t he realize the situation he was in? He was ready to give the house—bought together with his wife—to his mother, disregarding her family’s feelings. Her parents weren’t slaves; they had done the renovation for free, and now they were just expected to move out? For the first time, Raya felt anger toward her husband.
“What’s wrong with that?” Oleg asked casually.
“We promised,” Raya reminded him.
“Oh, it’s nothing. Just tell them I decided to gift the house to my mom. What’s the problem? If you feel bad about it, I can call them myself and ask them to move. No problem. By the way, next weekend, you’ll come with me to the notary. I need your permission so I can transfer the house to Mom via a gift contract.”
Raya felt a thin layer of ice spreading through her soul, freezing all the warmth she had once felt for her husband. It was an unpleasant sensation she wanted to get rid of—but should she? Oleg had just revealed his attitude toward his wife and her parents. He idolized his mother. Naturally, Raya didn’t want to destroy the mother-son relationship, but this was not the way to handle things.
You cannot worship your mother while treating everyone else as if they are insignificant insects. That’s exactly how Oleg acted, breaking a promise he had made to his in-laws. Raya tried to gently explain to her husband that this behavior was unacceptable, but he refused to listen, insisting he was the head of the family.
“Such important decisions should be made by the man. So what if we bought the house together? If you feel guilty, fine: let’s pay your parents for their work. Does that work for you?”
No… That option was completely unacceptable to Raya. She didn’t know how to make her husband understand her hurt. She tried to speak plainly, yet he refused to hear her. Standing firm, Oleg declared that she should call her parents, or he would do it himself. Bitterness seized her heart.
Realizing that if she let things slide now, she would later be unable to oppose her husband’s decisions and become an obedient servant, Raya declared she would not accept it. She could endure a lot, but this treatment of her parents was intolerable.
“And what do you suggest? Should we get a divorce because you don’t like my decision? I’m not changing anything. This house will belong to my mother. That’s my final word.”
Raya only nodded. She didn’t want things to reach this point, but she couldn’t influence the situation otherwise. Early the next morning, she called her work and asked her boss for a day off. She told her parents everything exactly as it happened, hiding nothing, and shared that she had decided to leave her husband—whether temporarily or permanently remained uncertain. Though upset, her parents promised to vacate the house and return soon, and they would not let their daughter remain alone in grief.
Raya packed her things and resolved to leave her husband. Until Oleg understood that family decisions should be made together, they should not reunite. Deep down, Raya hoped this might at least make him realize the seriousness of the matter—but… he called with complaints, claiming he would file for divorce if she didn’t return home.
“Since you’ve made that decision, so be it,” Raya agreed obediently. “You are the head of the family.” Only a bitter laugh escaped her lips, because Oleg had promised her something entirely different—he had sworn he would always consider his wife’s opinion.
Temporarily, Raya rented an apartment near her work, though she considered returning to the village after the divorce. She needed to restore her nerves. A heavy stone still pressed on her chest, weighing her down. Parting from the person she had planned to devote her entire life to was very difficult, but sometimes it happens.
Her mother-in-law did not fly to the sea as planned. Instead, she began coming to Raya’s workplace, threatening her not to attempt anything or demand a division of property. But Raya had no intention of leaving everything to her husband, who had treated her so cruelly.
The house that Oleg had promised to his mother was divided between the couple, along with the brand-new car he had recently purchased from the dealership.
Olga Vadimovna continued to threaten her daughter-in-law, but Raya ignored her. Now the woman had absolutely no authority over her, and any respect for her as a person had long disappeared. Olga Vadimovna had done everything herself to push Raya away.
Oleg tried not to contact his ex-wife, only warning once that she would bitterly regret her decision. But Raya had no intention of regretting anything. She quit her job and, using the money she received from selling the property accumulated during the marriage, returned to the village where she had grown up.
There, she was able to buy her own house with a small garden and vegetable patch. Once back in her natural environment, Raya finally felt happy. From time to time, she felt pain over parting with her husband, but she understood that it was temporary, and one day all the bitterness would leave her heart.
Oleg found it difficult without the comforts to which he had become accustomed during his life with his wife. Olga Vadimovna demanded things from her son but did not care for him the way Raya once had. He attempted several times to call his ex-wife, but he realized he had lost his chance—and there would be no second one. All he could do was accept his own foolishness and let go.
Raya finally found the long-awaited peace. She could see her parents more often and had started a small household. She was not eager to dive into a new relationship, even though she was considered a desirable bride in the village.
Many showed interest in her, but Raya was in no rush to choose. She decided that more time should pass—time that she could dedicate to herself and her loved ones. Everything else would come when fate decided it was time.
