Elena’s day had been long and tiring, just like any other. On her way home from work, the bus hit a pothole, making her grip her worn purse even tighter. Inside, she held her modest salary for the month—earned honestly, but not much to brag about.
At home, her husband, Andrey, was already setting the table. Tonight, his parents and sister with her husband were coming over, and Elena knew it was going to be a long evening.
When she walked in, Andrey didn’t even look up. “Lena’s here,” he muttered.
“Oh, our hard worker is back!” Irina, Andrey’s sister, said loudly. “How’s it going at your little office?”
Elena hung her coat on the hook and approached the table. No one greeted her. She sat down quietly, the exhaustion creeping up. “I’m really tired,” she said softly. “We had to submit the financial reports today.”
Irina’s husband, Igor, chimed in. “We just signed a contract for fifteen million today. Can you imagine?”
Elena didn’t respond. She didn’t have the energy. Her mind was already lost in thoughts of the documents she’d spent the whole day with.
“Your office even have a proper desk?” Irina asked, her voice dripping with disdain. “I bet it’s just a few rooms in a basement.”
Elena didn’t react. She took a piece of bread, spreading a thin layer of butter on it as she listened to the conversation unfold around her.
“You still working down there in the basement?” Galina Petrovna, her mother-in-law, asked sharply. “When will you finally get a real job?”
“Mom, don’t start,” Andrey muttered.
“But I’m just asking,” Galina Petrovna snapped back. “It’s a valid question!”
The insults kept coming, but Elena stayed silent. “I’m doing my best,” she whispered, her voice barely audible.
Irina leaned forward. “Don’t you get it, Lena? We have career ambitions. We’ve got big plans. And you’re… well, still down there with your calculator.”
“What’s wrong with that?” Elena asked quietly.
Irina snorted. “You’re thirty-five, and that’s where you’re at—doing numbers in a basement. It’s pathetic.”
Igor laughed loudly. “At ‘Alpha-Build’ they wouldn’t even let someone like you through the door.”
“Education is key,” added Galina Petrovna. “Connections, understanding the business.”
Elena, her hands trembling, stood up and went to the kitchen for tea. She could hear the mocking tone of her in-laws echoing behind her.
“How much are you earning at that little company, Lena?” Igor’s voice rang out from the dining room.
“Thirty-five thousand a month,” Elena replied quietly as she reentered the room.
Irina burst out laughing. “I make that in a week!”
“And I make that in three days,” added Igor.
“Interns at ‘Alpha-Build’ make more than that,” Fedor Ivanovich, her father-in-law, remarked.
Andrey remained silent, chewing his food without looking at his wife.
“Don’t you feel ashamed?” Galina Petrovna asked. “Your wife is barely making anything!”
“Mom, stop,” Andrey said, trying to defend her, but it was too late.
“Stop?! Look at Igor! He’s bought a car and an apartment for his wife!” Irina declared, puffing out her chest.
“And what about you?” Igor sneered. “Still renting? Still struggling?”
“Yes, for now,” Andrey replied, lowering his gaze.
“This is shameful,” Galina Petrovna sighed. “A grown man still renting. All because of who?”
Everyone’s eyes turned to Elena. She felt the weight of their judgment, but she didn’t flinch.
“Lena, do you even understand what’s going on?” Irina spoke slowly, like explaining something to a child. “A real wife helps her husband. She earns well. She doesn’t sit in some basement.”
Elena’s heart tightened, but she stayed calm. “I’m doing my best,” she said, her voice steady.
“Doing your best?” Fedor Ivanovich scoffed. “In the basement with your calculator?”
“Enough,” Elena said, standing up abruptly. The cup clinked on its saucer as she left the room.
She locked herself in the bathroom, letting the cold water run over her face. It was as though it washed away all the frustration, all the humiliation.
Looking at her reflection, Elena realized something had changed. Her tired eyes, her wet hair—they didn’t define her anymore. She knew what she had to do.
When she returned to the table, she ate the cold soup in silence.
“Well,” Galina Petrovna announced, “It’s time for you to get a proper job.”
“Yes, the secretary position at ‘Alpha-Build’ is available,” Irina added. “The salary is low, but it’s better than whatever you’re doing now.”
“Thank you,” Elena replied quietly, “I’ll think about it.”
“Think about it?” Galina Petrovna raised her voice. “You should take it! Stop embarrassing us!”
Andrey looked at Elena, his eyes full of tiredness and shame. “Lena, maybe you should try?”
Elena set down her spoon. “Andrey, I need to talk to you.”
He looked at her, surprised. “About what?”
“Alone,” she insisted.
Irina made a noise, “Secrets? There shouldn’t be secrets in a family!”
“This is between us,” Elena said firmly.
Andrey reluctantly stood and followed her into the bedroom. She closed the door behind them.
“I want a divorce,” Elena said, sitting on the bed, her hands folded in her lap.
Andrey froze. He opened his mouth, closed it again. “You’re serious?”
“Very serious,” Elena replied. “I’ll file tomorrow.”
“You can’t!” Andrey shouted. “Over some jokes?!”
“It’s not about the jokes. It’s because you never stood up for me.”
“They don’t mean it,” Andrey protested. “They’re just worried about us.”
Elena smiled sadly. “Andrey, in two years, you never once defended me. You never told them to stop.”
The conversation was growing tense. From the living room, Elena could hear her in-laws arguing, but she didn’t care.
“Lena, please think about it!” Andrey begged. “We can fix everything!”
“It’s too late,” Elena whispered. “I’ve made my decision.”
The door swung open. Galina Petrovna marched in.
“What are you whispering about?” she demanded.
“Mom, please leave,” Andrey said.
“I have a right to know!” Galina Petrovna retorted.
Irina and Igor followed in behind. Fedor Ivanovich stayed at the door, watching silently.
“Elena wants a divorce,” Andrey said, his voice defeated.
There was a long silence. Then, everyone started shouting at once.
“What?!”
“She’s lost her mind!”
“How dare she!”
Galina Petrovna stepped up to Elena, standing right in front of her.
“Do you really think you can manage alone?” she asked. “Without your husband? With your salary?”
“I can manage,” Elena answered calmly.
“And who will pay for your rent?” Irina sneered. “With your pennies?”
“None of your business,” Elena said firmly.
Fedor Ivanovich grunted. “How proud you are! What’s next? Who’s going to take you after a divorce?”
“I’ll be fine,” Elena replied confidently.
“You won’t get into ‘Alpha-Build,’” Igor mocked. “Without connections, you’ll be nothing.”
Elena stood up and walked over to the closet. She began gathering her things.
“I’m leaving tonight,” she announced.
“Lena, don’t make a mistake!” Andrey shouted.
“This is not a mistake. This is a necessity,” Elena said, packing her bag with purpose.
She picked up her documents and turned to her in-laws, who stood watching her in silence.
“Well, go ahead,” Galina Petrovna said, suddenly shouting. “Let’s see how you’ll manage!”
“You’ll crawl back to us in a month,” Irina added with a laugh.
Elena zipped up her bag, grabbed her phone, and dialed a number.
“Hello, Maxim? Can you pick me up?”
A short pause.
“Okay, I’ll be there in an hour.”
Elena hung up and turned to her husband.
“Who was that?” he asked suspiciously.
“A friend,” she said shortly.
“What friend?” he pressed.
“None of your business anymore,” Elena replied.
She walked toward the door. The family parted to let her pass.
“By the way,” Elena said, turning at the door. “There won’t be any reference letters. Keep that in mind.”
Andrey sat down on the bench, hiding his face in his hands. His family stood silently beside him—humiliated, defeated, with nothing left.
But Elena walked to the luxurious car waiting outside, breathing deeply. Finally, she could live openly, without the pretenses, without the humiliation.
Justice had been served.
Спросить ChatGPT