— Your request… That’s the height of audacity. Roll your lip back and get out of my house! — Larisa snapped, swinging the front door open.
— Your son’s already been mooching off me for a year. And now you’ve decided to unload the whole family onto my fragile shoulders? Won’t my backside crack under the weight? — The daughter-in-law threw a coat at her stunned mother-in-law.
— Have you completely lost your mind, or were you standing in line for audacity when God was handing out conscience? — The daughter-in-law looked at Elena Igorevna with disgust.
— Larisa, what are you saying? — Grumbled the mother-in-law, who had no intention of leaving.
— Is it really that hard for you to help my son’s brother? You’ve got more money than you could ever spend. — Elena Igorevna glanced at the luxurious interior of the modern living room.
— Yes, I have money, but you treat it like snow treats the Sahara Desert. — Larisa snapped. — Why on earth should I pay for your husband’s brother’s renovations? Is he feeble or something?
— Larisa, he’s in a tight spot financially right now. He hasn’t been able to find a job for three months… Their renovation is halfway done. They’re living in the middle of a construction site with a small child. — The mother-in-law sighed heavily, in her usual dramatic fashion.
Whenever Elena Igorevna begged the daughter-in-law for money, she always sighed dramatically and complained bitterly about life.
Usually, Larisa didn’t refuse. The daughter-in-law would argue, fight, but in the end, she would transfer the necessary amount. But this time something went wrong. The son’s wife flatly refused to help. On this day, the mother-in-law got pushback for the first time.
— It’s not my problem that your second son is lazy and good-for-nothing. He can’t find a job, can he… — Larisa still stood in the doorway.
— As if money comes to me easily. — Larisa pressed her lips together. — Have you ever considered that every time you ask me to buy something for you, I have to work harder? Have you thought about that?
— Larisa, I never asked you for anything at all. Just little things… — Elena Igorevna put her coat on the hallway table.
— Once in my life, I asked for something truly important. And… you… refused. — Elena Igorevna wanted to add more, but the daughter-in-law interrupted her.
— Once in your life? — Larisa widened her eyes. — Last month I bought you a washing machine. Two months ago, I added fifty thousand for your vacation. I bought winter tires for your husband in October. You call that once in a lifetime?
The mother-in-law faltered, and the daughter-in-law continued.
— Or does help only count when I have to give you more than a million? — The daughter-in-law added, not hiding her irritation.
— Time for you to go! The longer you stay, the more you annoy me. — Larisa quickly approached Elena Igorevna. She grabbed the coat from the table, thrust it at her mother-in-law, and almost forcibly ushered her out the door.
— I’ll tell your husband everything. How you treat his mother. You refused money to a family member! — Hissed the mother-in-law before disappearing into the elevator.
— You’re not a family member to me! — Larisa shouted after her.
— At this rate, soon even your son won’t feel like family. — Larisa slammed the door.
— Incredible… Completely lost it. — I’m not going to fund her family. Found themselves a fool. — Larisa opened a window to air out the sharp scent of her mother-in-law’s perfume.
She picked up a book, started reading absentmindedly, and didn’t notice hours passing. Then the real fun began.
At eight, Nikita, Larisa’s husband, came home from work. Unlike his brother, Nikita had a job. But his salary barely covered groceries. Nikita preferred to use his wife’s money, doing so willingly and without a hint of guilt.
The desire to live off others had probably been inherited.
— Larisa, why didn’t you help my mother? — Nikita entered and immediately confronted his wife.
— What do you mean? — Larisa looked up from her book questioningly.
— I mean… My mommy asked you for money for my brother’s apartment renovation, and you turned her away. And you said some nasty things, too. — The man looked at his wife disapprovingly as he entered the living room. — Are you in your right mind?
— I don’t understand… You’re defending her? Do you seriously think I should finance your brother’s renovations? — Larisa slammed her book shut.
— We all chip in to help him. It’s family values. We’re a family and must help each other… — The husband sat on the sofa and clasped his hands. — My parents added money, his wife’s parents added money, I added money… Now it’s your turn.
— How convenient. — Larisa smirked. — So there’s no money for a washing machine, winter tires, or vacation from your parents. But when your brother needed renovations, suddenly money appeared…
— And even more interesting, where did you find the money? Because whenever I ask you to buy something or pay for something, besides groceries, you always put up a fight. — The wife paused before adding.
— Larisa, you know I’m a broker… Sometimes I have nothing, sometimes I have plenty. Yesterday I rented out the apartment, and the first thing I did was send money to my mother. — Nikita took off his watch, placed it on the table, and stretched his hand.
— Nikita, you’re always broke. In all the years we’ve been together, I don’t remember you ever bringing home more than forty thousand a month. And I earn half a million every month. — Larisa crossed her legs and leaned back in the armchair. — There’s a financial chasm between us the size of the Moscow region.
— I’ve been supporting you for a year… I buy your clothes, I paid off your wedding loan… We went on that seaside trip with my money too. Who’s the man in this house? Are you a gigolo or what? — Larisa fixed her husband with a piercing look.
— I’m no gigolo, there’s just no money right now. I’ll earn millions later. And the fact that you didn’t support me now… I’ll make sure I remember that… Once my project takes off… — Nikita retreated to the bedroom.
The man had no counterarguments, ending the conversation with the last word.
— First, come up with a project that will “take off”… You can’t even make me pregnant… — Larisa shouted after him, offended. She was already thirty-five and dreaming of children, but Nikita, five years younger, hadn’t been able to help her conceive for a whole year.
That night, the wife decided to make it very clear to her husband that his family would no longer live off her money. She took a spare set of bedding from the closet, unfolded the sofa in the living room, and decided to go to bed early. But then Larisa got a real shock.
Around midnight, Larisa woke up and went to the bathroom. On the way, she noticed that the kitchen light was on… Out of the corner of her eye, she saw her husband whispering to someone on the phone.
— No, she suspects nothing. We’re almost there. I’ll be able to deposit the money the day after tomorrow. I’ve almost saved the full amount.
Her husband froze, listening intently to every word. The further Larisa listened, the wider her eyes grew.
— Don’t worry, you’re the most important person in my life. I said I’d handle it. Everything will be fine. — The man whispered quietly.
— What is this? I’m not the most important woman in his life? He has someone else? — Larisa covered her mouth in horror, while Nikita continued speaking.
— Yes, I’ve managed to save properly this year. You’re right… Moving into Larisa’s apartment to save more money… That was a brilliant idea. Thanks again for the excellent advice. — The man stood from his chair and poured himself more wine.
Larisa realized the conversation was ending and, forgetting her original reason for going to the bathroom, quickly and quietly crept back to the living room.
— He conspired with someone…
— And he conspired with me before the wedding…
— And he used me…
Larisa lay in bed. Her heart pounded harder than a locomotive’s wheels… A whirlwind of thoughts spun through her mind…
— He needed money for something…
— And all this time he was living here, telling me he had no money, while actually saving… Living off me…
— And who is the most important woman in his life?
Larisa began to cry from frustration. A nervous tremor ran through her entire body. She worried and ruminated until four in the morning. Exhausted, she finally fell asleep and woke up only around noon.
— There’s no question I’ll divorce him. But I need to find out what this fool is hiding from me. Nikita said he’d deposit the money tomorrow. That means tomorrow I need to find out where. — Larisa thought, heading to the shower.
All day, Larisa cleaned the house and took care of personal matters… In the evening, when her husband returned from his mother’s, she decided not to raise any suspicion. Firmly resolved to divorce him, Larisa acted as if nothing had happened.
On Monday, canceling all her plans, when Nikita left for work, Larisa quietly followed him. The day before, she had bought a keychain capable of tracking his location and secretly hidden it in her husband’s briefcase.
Larisa called a taxi and followed her husband. Nikita first went to the bank and then pulled up to one of the office buildings. Larisa stayed in the car, observing. Her surprise was immense when, five minutes later, she saw her mother-in-law enter the building.
— So, his mother is in on it too. Covering up his affair. Damn family. Oh, they’re in for it… What on earth are they doing in there? — Larisa stared at the office building in disbelief.
When Nikita and Elena Igorevna emerged from the office, Larisa waited a few minutes and approached the reception.
— Printing shop, dance studio… — Larisa read the signs of companies located in the building.
— Window sales—no, wedding planning—no, translation agency—no… — She read the names aloud, immediately dismissing the wrong options.
— Modeling agency—no, photo studio—not suitable either…
— Excuse me, did you need something? — A security guard approached Larisa.
— My husband was just here with his mother. They forgot a document. I came to pick it up… — Larisa quickly explained what her intuition suggested.
— They were at a real estate development company. You need the apartment sales department. Give me your passport, I’ll issue a pass. — The man spoke politely.
Larisa’s surname matched her husband’s. Without a hint of suspicion, the guard let her through and explained where to go.
— Hello, my husband and his mother were just here. He asked me to get another copy of the documents. Please print them. — Larisa introduced herself upon entering the office.
— Of course… — A friendly young woman printed the documents and placed them in a neat folder.
— A three-room apartment in a new Moscow residential complex… eighty square meters… the initial payment is made… the building will be ready in six months… registered under Elena Igorevna… — Larisa, waiting for a taxi, leafed through the papers in shock.
— So that’s where they were putting their money when I helped them… So there’s no money for me, but for her mother—sure! — Larisa clenched the folder in anger.
The taxi arrived, and Larisa asked to be taken out of the city, to her husband’s brother’s house.
— There’s definitely no renovation done… They just wanted to make a large deposit for the house right away… — Larisa sat in the back seat, studying the pictures of the residential complex.
— So they deposited four million. Unbelievable, poor relatives… Well, I give them money to live, to improve their conditions, and look at this… — Words failed her.
— Oh, Lariska, what brings you here? — Nikita’s brother smiled awkwardly.
— Hi, I was passing by. My phone died… the driver didn’t have a charger, and your house happened to be on the way… — Larisa improvised on the spot. — Mind if I charge it here?
— Sure, come on in… — The man opened the gate.
— Just as I thought… — Larisa looked at the renovated, cozy house.
— Nikolai, my mother-in-law told me about renovations. So you’ve already done them? — Larisa asked, looking at her husband’s brother.
— Yes, last year. Only the third floor is left, but it’s not urgent… I’ll call a friend, and we’ll finish quickly. — Nikolai smiled proudly. — Look how beautifully the living room turned out.
— That’s it, Nikita, you’re finished. — Larisa, furious, headed back to the city. — A whole year of using me… I won’t forgive you!
Larisa returned to the apartment and quickly packed Nikita’s belongings into two suitcases. Using a special app on her phone, she tracked her husband, whose location pointed to a well-known Moscow restaurant.
She loaded the suitcases into a taxi and drove to the restaurant. There was no doubt: through the window, she saw her husband and mother-in-law celebrating the deal cheerfully.
Gritting her teeth with anger, Larisa rolled the two suitcases into the dining area, despite the waiters’ startled exclamations, and parked them next to her husband’s table.
— Larisa? You? What’s happening? — Nikita looked at his wife, confused.
Larisa opened the bag and threw a copy of the apartment purchase documents onto the table. The papers landed in a bowl of soup. The exquisite seafood soup spilled everywhere. The oily liquid instantly stained the mother-in-law’s white blouse, and a hefty shrimp landed on Nikita’s trousers.
— You are completely insane. Completely insane! — Larisa wanted to say, but her inner voice suggested a stronger expletive.
She spat out the harsher version, cursing loudly across the restaurant. Nearby diners froze, watching the scandal unfold.
— Moocher, parasite, traitor… You lived off me for a year! Lied about having no money, while secretly buying an apartment for your mother. — Larisa looked at Nikita with disgust.
— And you? — The daughter-in-law glared at the mother-in-law. — True leech! You drained money from me when you could have taken a mortgage yourselves. I doubt your son earned four million in a year.
— I bought her a washing machine, winter tires for my father-in-law, paid for their vacation… — Larisa turned to the other diners. — I bought this fool a phone, a computer, clothes…
— And he lied all the time about struggling to find work. Begged for money and saved it secretly. What a rat…
Nikita and his mother tried to speak, but Larisa cut them off sharply.
— Silence! I’m not done… — she barked.
— Nikita, we’re getting divorced! I’ll hire the best lawyer in the city and take back everything you scammed from me. Your belongings are in these two suitcases. — Larisa kicked one of the suitcases.
— Try calling me or coming within a meter of me, and I’ll make you regret it… I don’t care that you’re a man and bigger. You can’t treat women like this. Never. Not a single man in the world. And certainly not you! — Larisa exhaled sharply.
— Lunch is over! — Larisa grabbed the soup bowl and splashed it on Nikita’s shirt. Holding her head high, she exited the restaurant, leaving an ominous silence behind.
Larisa and Nikita divorced. The lawyer was so skilled that Nikita’s father had to sell his car to settle Larisa’s claims.
Nikita moved in with his parents. Today, he is actively browsing dating sites, looking for a compliant, wealthy woman to take care of him and finance his family. Mortgage payments… not a quick task. So far, he hasn’t found anyone.
Six months later, Larisa met a successful, independent man who cared for her in ways she had never imagined. Larisa had a daughter. Rumor has it, she is happy in her marriage.
When a friend recently asked about Nikita, Larisa replied:
— People enter our lives for a reason. Some bring joy, others strengthen your character.
After a pause, she added:
Patience… it’s good, of course. But life is too short to endure things you don’t like for too long.
