The day unfolded like any other. Christina was wrapping up her work when her phone suddenly rang. It was her husband, and his voice was filled with urgency.
“Where are you? How much longer? Hurry up, I’m waiting for you.”
Without offering any explanations, Nikita abruptly hung up. Christina felt a wave of unease wash over her. Wasting no time, she hailed a taxi, eager to get home as quickly as possible. As she stepped through the doorway, she was met with an unexpected sight—her husband standing there with suitcases.
“What’s going on?” she asked, her voice filled with confusion.
“I should be the one asking that. Since when did you become so greedy?”
“I don’t understand…”
“We had an agreement about how we would manage expenses and handle our finances together, remember?”
“Sure. But both of us have to stick to those conditions, Nikita,” she replied, her tone firmer now.
“Unlike you, I never hid anything. Today at lunch, I ran into an acquaintance. His wife works in your department, and he told me how much you really earn. Your deception is out in the open. I’m not going to be your provider, nor am I supporting your parents. We’re done.”
Christina turned to look inside the room and noticed the empty wardrobe. Nikita had prepared everything in advance, packing her belongings neatly away. Two years of marriage now fit into a single suitcase and a couple of bags.
“I packed everything you brought from your mother’s place into our rented apartment. The rest, well, sorry,” Nikita stated in a matter-of-fact tone.
She let out a deep sigh. She had often questioned her husband’s excessive stinginess but always pushed the thoughts aside. After all, she loved him.
“Here. You’re paying for this. I already told the landlady that you’ll be bringing her the money tomorrow,” Nikita said, handing over the apartment receipts.
“Why should I pay for the utilities? I need to find a new place, and that takes time and money. You just threw me out with no warning,” Christina’s voice grew tense.
“Convenient to live off me, wasn’t it?” Nikita smirked.
“That’s not true. I bought groceries and things for the house. And we had an agreement about the apartment. You pay the bills,” she shot back.
“I found your bank statements. You kept them hidden from me. You were living at my expense while splurging on yourself. And you even bought a gift for your mother. I’m not your personal bank. Let’s end this before we end up with kids involved.”
“I don’t remember ever agreeing to hand over my entire paycheck to you or reporting every expense!”
“I thought I found someone who shared my values, but you ruined everything! You’ll regret this. You’ll go crawling back to your mother’s village!” he shouted, but she was already stepping past the threshold.
Christina didn’t dwell on what to do next. Her only thought was getting to her mother’s house in the village. It wasn’t a big city, but it was clean, well-kept, and they were even building new houses. Today, Nikita had crossed every possible line. She wasn’t going to waste more energy on him. She called another taxi. From the window, Nikita watched as she got into the car, shaking his head.
“What a spendthrift,” he muttered. “And she left me to cover the bills.”
That same evening, Nikita decided to move back in with his mother. Ekaterina Alekseevna was a woman who always handled things directly. She wasted no time getting to the point.
“Why did you two break up?” she asked.
Nikita had always believed Christina was the perfect match for him. She was a little naïve, soft-spoken, and never challenged his authority.
“I found receipts she was hiding. And she spent her entire bonus—twenty thousand—on herself. I knew something was off when she went to the salon twice in one month. That’s excessive,” he grumbled.
“But that was her bonus,” his mother reasoned. “Why did you let it bother you so much?”
“That’s the thing. She never asked me for money, but she kept her earnings from me. Sure, she bought groceries and household items, but she also pampered herself. Meanwhile, I was taking the bus while she walked around dressed like a model. At first, I didn’t question where the extra money was coming from. I even thought she might be seeing someone else.”
“Honestly, it would’ve been worse if you had been the one footing the bill. And you kicked her out for this? Foolish. I liked Christina. Now what? You’ll have to start looking for someone new. I can’t have you living here forever,” his mother said bluntly.
“I won’t have trouble finding someone. I already have a girl in mind,” Nikita said smugly.
Angelina from accounting. She was beautiful, a few years older, but that didn’t bother him. She had a car, her own apartment, and a good salary. What more could a man want in a wife?
“Nikita, are we going to a nice restaurant tonight?” Angelina asked excitedly when he invited her on a date.
“Restaurant? No. We can eat at home. You have your own place,” he replied.
“But… didn’t you have your own apartment too?” she asked.
“I was renting. I’ve moved back in with my mom for now. I thought we could go to your place.”
“That sounds boring. First, let’s go somewhere nice. It’s Friday, after all. I don’t really cook much, anyway,” she said with a casual shrug.
“Then how do you eat?”
“At my mom’s, at a café, or a restaurant,” she replied, fluttering her lashes.
Nikita was already calculating the upcoming expenses in his head, but his pride wouldn’t let him back out. They went to a trendy café near their office. For the first time, he bought flowers for a date. Christina never liked flowers, but he figured this was a special occasion.
“What a simple bouquet,” Angelina remarked, unimpressed.
“Simple? Do you know how much it cost?” Nikita was genuinely offended.
Angelina quickly picked up on his stingy nature. She cut the date short, and two more women did the same after meeting him. Meanwhile, Christina focused on work, determined to save up for her own place.
A month had passed since Nikita kicked her out. She had no time to feel sad or regretful—work kept her busy. To take her mind off things, she and her sister went to a local restaurant, where she unexpectedly ran into an old classmate. Kostya, once just a boy from her school days, had grown into an impressive man. They hadn’t planned anything serious, but he showed clear interest.
Around the same time, Nikita finally gathered the courage to approach Christina, hoping to take her back. But when he arrived, she wasn’t alone. Kostya had driven her home in his car.
“What’s this? Who’s this clown?” Nikita blurted out.
“Why are you here? We already settled everything,” Christina said, caught off guard.
“I thought things over and decided to give you another chance,” he said, acting as if he was doing her a favor.
“Too late. I don’t need it anymore. Go find someone else to fool,” she said without hesitation.
Later, his mother called Christina several times, trying to convince her to reconsider. She insisted Christina was being rash and that she’d never find a husband as good as Nikita. The calls became so relentless that Christina changed her number. Eventually, the divorce was finalized. As for marriage, Christina wasn’t in any hurry to walk down that road again.