Lilya, what are you doing to those curtains?\u201d her mother-in-law\u2019s voice sliced through the living room\u2019s silence. \u201cHow can you hang them like that? The pleats are coming out uneven.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lilia froze on the stepladder, holding the heavy drape. Valentina Petrovna circled below, critically evaluating her daughter-in-law\u2019s every move.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s easier for me this way,\u201d Lilia answered curtly, adjusting the hooks on the rod.<\/p>\n
\u201cEasier!\u201d the mother-in-law snorted. \u201cIn Matvey\u2019s nursery I always hung the curtains beautifully. And what is this disgrace?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cValentina Petrovna,\u201d Lilia carefully climbed down and turned to the woman, \u201cthis is my living room.\u201d<\/p>\n
Her mother-in-law pressed her lips together and strode over to the sofa where Matvey was scrolling on his phone.<\/p>\n
\u201cSon,\u201d she sat down beside him, \u201cexplain to your wife that a house should have order and beauty.\u201d<\/p>\n
Matvey looked up from the screen, shifting his gaze from his mother to his wife.<\/p>\n
\u201cMom, maybe let\u2019s not?\u201d he said cautiously.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat do you mean, \u2018let\u2019s not\u2019?\u201d Valentina Petrovna flared. \u201cI\u2019m only trying to help! And they won\u2019t listen to me!\u201d<\/p>\n
Lilia reached for the stepladder to put it away, but her fingers trembled with a surge of anger.<\/p>\n
\u201cLil,\u201d Matvey set his phone on the side table, \u201cMom knows more about interiors\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
Those words cut right through her. Lilia dropped the stepladder and headed for the door.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere are you going?\u201d her husband called after her, bewildered.<\/p>\n
But she had already slipped into the bedroom and shut the door firmly behind her. She sank into the chair by the window and pressed her temples with her hands. Again he chose his mother. He always chooses his mother.<\/p>\n
About twenty minutes later the door opened a crack.<\/p>\n
\u201cLilia, stop sulking,\u201d Matvey came into the room. \u201cMom will be going back to her place soon.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHow soon?\u201d his wife asked without turning.<\/p>\n
\u201cWell\u2026 in a couple of weeks her renovation will be done.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cTwo weeks,\u201d Lilia repeated, finally looking at her husband. \u201cFor two weeks I\u2019m supposed to ask permission on how to live?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNot ask\u2026 just listen sometimes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cListen to what, Matvey?\u201d her voice grew firmer. \u201cShe\u2019s already criticized how I wash the dishes, my choice of bed linen, and now the curtains!\u201d<\/p>\n
Matvey shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot.<\/p>\n
\u201cWell, she\u2019s used to controlling everything\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd you\u2019re used to backing her up!\u201d Lilia stood and came closer. \u201cEvery time, Matvey! Every single time you take her side!\u201d<\/p>\n
Her husband looked away, clearly unprepared for such a conversation.<\/p>\n
Valentina Petrovna walked into the bathroom just as Lilia was putting on mascara. In the mirror her mother-in-law\u2019s reflection appeared behind her like a shadow from the past.<\/p>\n
\u201cPutting on makeup again?\u201d the woman asked with open mockery. \u201cAs if it makes any difference.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lilia froze, the wand paused at her lashes. Something clenched painfully inside, but her voice was even.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat do you mean?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat\u2019s not to understand,\u201d Valentina Petrovna leaned against the doorframe, clearly settling in for a long talk. \u201cNo matter how much you paint yourself, it won\u2019t make you prettier. My Matvey could have found a much better girl.\u201d<\/p>\n
The mascara wand slipped from Lilia\u2019s trembling fingers into the sink. The reflection in the mirror showed a pale face with wide eyes.<\/p>\n
\u201cAre you serious?\u201d Lilia whispered, turning to her mother-in-law.<\/p>\n
\u201cMore than serious, dear,\u201d she replied with a cold smile. \u201cPlain, unremarkable. You don\u2019t even have your own apartment. I don\u2019t understand what my son saw in you. He probably chose you out of pity.\u201d<\/p>\n
The words pelted Lilia like hail. Each strike echoed as a sharp pain in her chest. Her breathing quickened; her cheeks flamed.<\/p>\n
\u201cGet out of here,\u201d Lilia hissed through clenched teeth.<\/p>\n
\u201cOh, how proud,\u201d the mother-in-law laughed. \u201cCan\u2019t tell the truth? I knew you had a nasty character.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lilia turned to face Valentina Petrovna. The fire in her eyes made the woman involuntarily take a step back.<\/p>\n
\u201cI said\u2014get out! Immediately!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t you shout at me!\u201d the mother-in-law protested. \u201cYou\u2019re not my equal!\u201d<\/p>\n
Those words were the last straw. Lilia grabbed a towel from the sink and flung it toward Valentina Petrovna.<\/p>\n
\u201cOut of my bathroom! Right now!\u201d<\/p>\n
The mother-in-law hurried out, but at the threshold she turned with a triumphant smirk.<\/p>\n
\u201cNow my son will see your true face,\u201d she threw over her shoulder.<\/p>\n
Lilia slammed the door and leaned against it. Tears streamed in hot tracks down her cheeks. Her hands shook so badly she had to clench them into fists.<\/p>\n
From that day on, a strained silence reigned in the apartment. Lilia stopped speaking to her mother-in-law altogether. She walked past as if the woman didn\u2019t exist. Valentina Petrovna pretended not to notice her daughter-in-law either, yet constantly complained to her son about her behavior.<\/p>\n
Matvey dashed between the two women, trying to reconcile them, but every attempt ended in a new scandal. Lilia refused even to discuss what was happening.<\/p>\n
Two weeks of tension and silence dragged on in an endless procession of gray days. The apartment turned into a battlefield where the opponents avoided direct clashes but were ready to explode at any careless word. But at last, the mother-in-law left.<\/p>\n
And then something unexpected happened. A call came early in the morning as Lilia was getting ready for work. The notary\u2019s voice sounded official, but the words struck like lightning.<\/p>\n
\u201cLilia Viktorovna? You are the heir to your grandmother\u2019s dacha plot. When can you come to process the documents?\u201d<\/p>\n
Lilia slowly sank into a chair. Her grandmother had left her a dacha. A small house outside the city where she had spent her school holidays. Suddenly, something like hope stirred in her chest.<\/p>\n
That weekend Lilia went to inspect the dacha. The small house turned out to be in decent condition\u2014the roof intact, the foundation solid, the windows unbroken. The plot was overgrown with grass, but that could be fixed. The realtor she invited to appraise it walked the grounds carefully and delivered his verdict.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor such a dacha you could get three and a half, maybe four million,\u201d he said, jotting something down in his notebook. \u201cGood plot, electricity connected, the city is a stone\u2019s throw away.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lilia nodded, mentally totaling the sums. Together with her savings, it would be enough for her own apartment. A real home where no one would tell her how to live.<\/p>\n
At home, Matvey met his wife with a suspicious look.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo how did it go?\u201d he asked carefully. \u201cWhat are you going to do with the dacha?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSell it,\u201d Lilia answered shortly, hanging her coat in the hallway.<\/p>\n
Matvey frowned as if he\u2019d heard something unpleasant.<\/p>\n
\u201cSell it? Why rush? Maybe it\u2019s better to think about it?\u201d<\/p>\n
Lilia turned to her husband in surprise. The disapproval in his voice grated on her nerves.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t like nature, mosquitoes, or digging in garden beds,\u201d Lilia explained patiently. \u201cAnd the money would be more useful. It\u2019ll be enough for an apartment if we add our savings.\u201d<\/p>\n
Matvey pressed his lips together; something unpleasant flickered in his eyes.<\/p>\n
\u201cShouldn\u2019t we ask Mom?\u201d he suddenly said quietly.<\/p>\n
Lilia froze. A bitter smirk twisted her lips.<\/p>\n
\u201cYour mother\u2019s opinion doesn\u2019t interest me at all,\u201d Lilia ground out. \u201cIt\u2019s my dacha, my inheritance.\u201d<\/p>\n
Matvey turned away, but Lilia saw his shoulders tense. Silence hung heavy between them.<\/p>\n
Two weeks flew by in busy work. Lilia posted listings online and called agencies. Calls from potential buyers came quickly.<\/p>\n
The doorbell rang sharply just as Lilia was on the phone with another realtor. On the threshold stood Valentina Petrovna, her face flushed with outrage.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat is this outrage?\u201d the mother-in-law shouted from the doorway. \u201cHow dare you sell the dacha without my consent?\u201d<\/p>\n
Lilia slowly set down the receiver. Inside, everything went cold with fury.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat consent are you talking about?\u201d Lilia asked in an icy tone. \u201cThe dacha belongs to me under the will.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cUnder the will!\u201d Valentina Petrovna mimicked, walking into the living room uninvited. \u201cAnd the fact that my son is your husband means nothing to you? This is family property!\u201d<\/p>\n
Lilia followed her, her fists clenching involuntarily.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is my personal property, inherited,\u201d Lilia said slowly. \u201cAnd you have nothing to do with it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNothing to do with it?\u201d Valentina Petrovna squealed. \u201cI\u2019ve dreamed of a dacha all my life! And you\u2019ve decided to squander it on your whims!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMy whims?\u201d Lilia\u2019s voice rang with restrained anger. \u201cThis is my house! And with the money I want to buy an apartment!\u201d<\/p>\n
At that moment Matvey came into the apartment. Seeing his mother and wife in the living room, he stopped dead.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat\u2019s going on?\u201d he asked carefully, looking from one woman to the other.<\/p>\n
\u201cYour wife is selling off the family assets!\u201d Valentina Petrovna complained, sniffling. \u201cShe wants to sell the dacha without asking anyone!\u201d<\/p>\n
Lilia looked at her husband, silently pleading with him at last to take her side. But Matvey lowered his eyes.<\/p>\n
\u201cLil, Mom really has always dreamed of a dacha,\u201d he muttered in a guilty tone.<\/p>\n
Those words were enough for something inside Lilia to finally snap. Her last hope crashed down with a bang.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd I dreamed of a home,\u201d Lilia whispered, looking at her husband. \u201cA real home where no one humiliates me.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cLil\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo, Matvey,\u201d Lilia cut him off, heading for the bedroom. \u201cEnough. I\u2019m tired.\u201d<\/p>\n
An hour later, Lilia left the apartment with a suitcase in hand. Matvey tried to stop her, said something about making peace, but his words reached her as if through cotton wool.<\/p>\n
Six months later Lilia received her share of their joint savings through the court. The dacha was sold for four million. With that money plus her savings, she bought a two-room apartment in a residential district.<\/p>\n
Standing on the threshold of her new home, Lilia smiled for the first time in a long while. Here no one would tell her how to cook, what to wear, or whom to be friends with. Here there would be only her\u2014and the long-awaited silence.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Lilya, what are you doing to those curtains?\u201d her mother-in-law\u2019s voice sliced through the living room\u2019s silence. \u201cHow can you hang them like that? The pleats are coming out uneven.\u201d Lilia froze on the stepladder, holding the heavy drape. Valentina Petrovna circled below, critically evaluating her daughter-in-law\u2019s every move. \u201cIt\u2019s easier for me this way,\u201d […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-33042","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newzdiscover.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33042","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newzdiscover.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newzdiscover.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newzdiscover.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newzdiscover.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=33042"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/newzdiscover.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33042\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":33043,"href":"https:\/\/newzdiscover.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33042\/revisions\/33043"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newzdiscover.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=33042"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newzdiscover.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=33042"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newzdiscover.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=33042"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}