June sunlight streamed through the kitchen window, filling the space with a golden glow. Anna moved leisurely, preparing her morning coffee. The foam in the cezve rose as the rich aroma of freshly brewed coffee spread through the apartment.
Igor appeared in the doorway, buttoning up his shirt with practiced ease.
“Good morning! Smells amazing.”
Anna poured the coffee into two cups, knowing well that her ability to brew the perfect cup was something Igor had always appreciated.
“How did you sleep?” she asked, setting his cup on the table and taking a seat beside him.
“Great. By the way, my mother called yesterday while you were out.”
Anna took a slow sip, bracing herself. Conversations with her mother-in-law rarely led to anything pleasant.
“Did something happen?”
“Nothing serious. She just wanted to know if you could drive her to the clinic tomorrow. She has an appointment at nine.”
Anna froze, her cup midway to her lips. Tomorrow was the presentation she had been preparing for two weeks—a crucial moment for her career.
“Igor, I can’t tomorrow. You know about my presentation.”
“Anya, it’s just my mom,” Igor replied, his voice taking on a soft but insistent tone. “She doesn’t ask for much. Can’t you help her out?”
“What about a taxi? Or Lena? She’s free.”
“Lena’s busy with the kids. And a taxi… why spend money when family can help?”
Anna sighed. These conversations had become all too frequent. At first, it was little favors—picking up prescriptions, helping with errands. Then, the requests grew bigger.
“Fine. I’ll see if I can reschedule the meeting,” she said, though every fiber of her being resisted the idea.
“Great!” Igor beamed. “I knew I could count on you. You always understand how important family is.”
That evening, Lena called.
“Anya, could you watch the kids on Saturday? We finally got theater tickets, and we really don’t want to cancel.”
Anna hesitated. She had planned to visit her parents for lunch—something they had arranged weeks ago.
“Lena, I’m sorry, but we were going to—”
“Oh, come on, your parents will understand!” Lena interrupted, her tone turning impatient. “You know how much the kids adore you.”
Anna glanced at the calendar. It had been a month since she last saw her parents.
“Alright,” she agreed once again.
When Igor came home, she told him about Lena’s request.
“Good for you for saying yes,” he said approvingly. “Lena deserves a break. She’s with the kids all day.”
“And don’t I deserve one?” Anna asked quietly.
Igor chuckled. “Come on, Anya, you work in an office. That’s completely different.”
Anna fell silent. There was no point in arguing.
A week later, another call came—this time from her father-in-law.
“Annyushka, our car broke down, and we really need a way to get around. Could we borrow yours for a couple of weeks?”
Anna hesitated. Without her car, she would struggle to get to work, meetings, and client appointments.
“Viktor Mikhailovich, I really need my car for work…”
“Oh, don’t worry, dear. You can take the metro a few times! We’re family—we help each other out.”
Later, when she brought it up to Igor, his response was predictable.
“Anya, it’s only temporary. He really needs it. You can manage without it for a while.”
The more Anna tried to set boundaries, the more she was reminded: “We’re family.”
Then came her promotion. After years of hard work and sacrifice, she finally earned the position of department head. Excited, she shared the news with Igor over dinner.
“Now we can finally plan that trip to Europe,” she said, smiling. “Remember how we always dreamed of traveling?”
Igor smiled oddly. “Yeah… but actually, my parents want to renovate their kitchen. And Katya’s wedding is coming up soon…”
Anna felt her stomach drop.
“And?”
“Well, they need financial help. Now that your salary has increased…”
Anna blinked in disbelief.
“You’re suggesting I give up our savings for a renovation and a wedding?”
Igor shrugged. “Why not? We’re family.”
Anna stared at him, realizing, for the first time, how much things had changed. When had their dreams become secondary to his family’s endless needs?
That night, she lay awake, replaying everything in her mind. All the times she had put others before herself. The plans she had set aside. The small pieces of herself she had chipped away.
She needed to talk to him.
The next evening, as Igor sat watching TV, she turned off the screen and sat across from him.
“We need to talk,” she said firmly.
“About what?” he asked, irritated.
“About our relationship. About money. About our future.”
Igor sighed heavily, as if indulging a child.
“Anna, I don’t see what the big deal is. Family needs help, and we’re in a position to provide it.”
“No,” Anna said, shaking her head. “You mean your family. What about our family? What about us?”
Igor’s patience snapped. “Anya, you used to be different. You weren’t so selfish.”
Anna clenched her fists. “I think about us. About the dreams we once shared.”
He rolled his eyes. “Dreams? When would we ever find time for those? Katya’s wedding is soon. My parents need help. Be reasonable.”
“Reasonable?” Anna whispered. “When did I stop being a person to you? When did I become just a resource for your family?”
The days that followed were tense. Igor barely spoke to her. His mother called frequently, making sure Anna could hear her scathing remarks through the phone.
“She’s lost all sense of duty,” she complained. “In my day, wives knew their place.”
Anna buried herself in work. At least there, she was respected for what she brought to the table, not what she could sacrifice.
Their fifth wedding anniversary approached. Anna hoped—foolishly—that it might bring a change.
But that evening, when she walked through the door, Igor was waiting for her with a somber expression.
“I’ve been thinking,” he began, his tone heavy. “You need to understand something. In a real family, everyone supports each other.”
Anna remained silent.
“My mother worked her entire life to give me a future. How could I not help her now?” His voice grew more insistent. “And Katya—her wedding is a huge deal. We have to contribute. We have enough.”
Anna’s breath came slow and steady. “And what about me, Igor? What about what I want?”
“You’re always thinking about yourself,” he scoffed.
That night, she made a decision.
At dawn, she packed a suitcase. Igor, half-asleep, leaned against the doorway, watching.
“What’s this?” he asked, voice laced with amusement. “A tantrum?”
“I’m leaving.”
He let out a short laugh. “Yeah, sure. You’re too dramatic.”
But as she picked up her suitcase and walked toward the door, something shifted in his expression.
“You’re really doing this?” His voice wavered.
Anna didn’t answer. She simply walked away.
By noon, she was unlocking the door to her old studio apartment—a place she had once planned to rent out. Now, it was hers. Hers alone.
For the first time in years, she felt free.
Weeks turned into months. Anna poured herself into her work, reconnected with friends, rediscovered forgotten hobbies. Slowly, life started to feel like her own again.
Then, late one evening, Igor called.
“Let’s meet,” he said softly. “Let’s talk. I understand now. I’ll change.”
Anna looked at the phone, then smiled to herself.
“Too late,” she murmured, ending the call.
She booked a flight that night. Europe had always been the dream. And now, finally, she was going—not for anyone else. Just for herself.