Oleg stormed into the living room, his face twisted in anger as he flung his briefcase onto the floor with a loud thud. “What the hell, Sofya? Why is this house such a mess?” His voice cut through the air like a whip.
Sofya barely flinched. “Oleg, please calm down. I just finished cleaning,” she said quietly, her eyes darting toward the scattered papers.
“Cleaning? And where’s the food? Where’s a hot meal? What have you even been doing all day?” His voice grew louder, his eyes flashing with fury, his hand slicing through the air in frustration.
“I tended to the flowers, made some broth…” Sofya Mikhailovna began, but Oleg didn’t let her finish.
“Flowers? Who cares about those damned plants when I’m starving? You could at least think about feeding your husband!” His words dripped with sarcasm as he stared her down. “And by the way, I was at a restaurant with Lika today, but even there, I expected to come home to some order. Do you understand?”
“I understand,” she murmured almost inaudibly.
At that moment, the sharp sound of heels clicking against the floor filled the hallway, and Lika sauntered into the room, her smile smug and confident. Without hesitation, she tossed her bag onto the floor and immediately started complaining.
“Oleg, how can you be such an inconsiderate idiot? You made me wait forever! Do you even know what it’s like to travel across the city in a packed taxi? And then you had the nerve to humiliate me in front of everyone at the restaurant! How dare you? If it weren’t for me—”
“Shut up for a minute, Lika! My head is already splitting without your tantrums!” Oleg gritted his teeth.
“You shut up! If you didn’t keep nagging at me, I wouldn’t have to raise my voice! And anyway—” She stopped abruptly when she noticed Sofya.
Sofya cleared her throat slightly. “Would you like something to eat? Lika, perhaps a cup of tea or some lemonade?”
Lika scoffed, tossing her hair over her shoulder. “I couldn’t care less about your lemonade.” She turned away and flopped onto the couch.
“Sofya, bring something cold,” Oleg muttered, pulling off his jacket and tossing it over the back of a chair.
“Of course,” she replied with quiet obedience and disappeared into the kitchen.
Lika smirked as she watched her leave. “What is she, your maid? Oh, what an important lady.”
“Enough,” Oleg sighed, rubbing his temples. “Sofya just keeps the house in order. And anyway, it’s none of your business how we live.”
In the kitchen, Sofya poured lemonade into a tall glass pitcher, then grabbed her phone and quickly dialed her daughter’s number.
“Mom, hi! How are you?” Evgenia’s cheerful voice rang through the line.
“Hello, my dear. I’m fine. How’s your leg? Is it feeling any better?”
“Nothing serious, just a bruise. But I’m more worried about how you’re dealing with Dad’s new fling. She’s awful.”
“Don’t worry. I’ve learned to act like she doesn’t exist.”
“Mom, he’s just using you! And that Lika—she’s a total snake.”
“Hush, sweetheart, don’t stress,” Sofya said evenly. “I’m staying with your father for your sake, so you can have everything you need for a good education and a stable future.”
“Oh, come on, Mom. I’m already an adult, I can take care of myself! Leave him. I hate watching this.”
“Not yet. Circumstances… You have to understand, I’ll handle it. Now tell me, are the documents ready?”
“They promised to have them by Thursday, and then, Mom, I’ll come get you.”
“It’s too soon. What about the buyer?”
“There’s one already, but Zinaida Pavlovna can only come on Friday. When won’t Dad be home?” Evgenia whispered, as if someone might overhear.
“From ten in the morning until four in the afternoon, no one will be here. Arrange the meeting for lunchtime—that’s safe.”
“Okay, Mom, but if anything goes wrong…”
“Don’t rush. Everything has its time.”
Sofya ended the call, wiped away a tear with the corner of a towel, and returned to the living room. Lika was lounging on the couch, lazily sipping from a glass of cola, while Oleg was absorbed in flipping through reports on his laptop.
“Oh, you brought it?” Lika scoffed, barely lifting the glass. “Cold? Well, at least you did something right.”
Sofya remained silent. She simply stepped aside, tucked her hair behind her ear, and made it clear she had no intention of continuing the conversation.
That evening, Oleg’s business partner and longtime friend, Slavik, dropped by. Tall, muscular, always wearing a smirk, he was the one who “handled deliveries” and helped distribute merchandise across locations.
“Sofya, my dear, can I get a cup of tea?” he asked loudly, already heading toward the kitchen with his signature charming grin.
“Of course, I’ll put the kettle on,” she replied calmly.
Meanwhile, Lika practically pounced on Slavik, eager to hear when the next shipment of designer clothes would arrive.
“Slavik, sweetheart, tell me—when’s the next collection coming in? My wardrobe is practically empty, and I have photoshoots coming up!”
“Patience, darling,” Slavik squinted playfully. “As soon as the shipment arrives, you’ll be the first to see it. But for now, just hold on.”
The three of them headed upstairs to the billiard room, their laughter echoing down the hall. Sofya listened to their footsteps above her as she stood alone in the kitchen, feeling more like an unwanted guest in her own home.
Years ago, she and Oleg had started their business together—a small clothing stall at the train station, then a kiosk at the market, then a boutique in their town. Sofya had been the mastermind behind it all. She sewed, altered old clothes, and created accessories, turning ordinary merchandise into something unique. Oleg was the face of the business, charming customers, bargaining, and taking pride in every sale. Together, they had built their success from nothing.
Back then, they had decided to invest part of their earnings into land and began building a house for their family. But everything changed when their daughter started school, and Oleg suddenly developed an interest in “new distractions.” After a major argument, Sofya had suggested a divorce, but at that time, it didn’t happen. Oleg begged her to stay, insisting that the business relied on her. They made a deal—the house was legally transferred to their daughter, and Sofya continued living there. But when he found someone new a few years later, they finally divorced.
Over time, she was pushed out of the business, replaced by Oleg’s ever-changing string of girlfriends. Now, Lika had taken over her role entirely.
Sofya placed a tray of food in the oven, adding some marinated cucumbers and fresh sandwiches, before carrying it upstairs to the group.
“Oh, finally, some decent food!” Lika exclaimed as she grabbed a piece, but then wrinkled her nose. “Although, you could’ve left them in the oven a little longer. I like them juicier.”
“I think they’re perfect,” Oleg said indifferently. “If you don’t want it, don’t eat it.”
“Of course, you don’t care what I say,” Lika huffed, taking a sip of beer.
Slavik watched them both with an amused smirk, like a cat eyeing mice.
“Well, you kids have fun,” Sofya said quietly, acting as if she hadn’t noticed the tension.
As she left the room, she overheard their hushed conversation behind her.
“You still keep her around, Oleg? What for?” Lika’s voice was sharp.
“It’s none of your business,” Oleg chuckled. “Sofya is my insurance. She keeps everything in order, including my daughter. So don’t interfere.”
Lika scoffed. “I see…”
Sofya smiled to herself. Soon, everything would change. She had waited long enough.