“I’m sorry, dear, but we have to cancel our dinner reservation,” Ivan said quietly, avoiding Kira’s eyes as he spoke.
“Why?” Kira asked, disappointment flooding her voice. “Saturday is our anniversary. We planned this so long ago. What’s the reason this time?”
“I understand how you feel,” Ivan sighed. “But my boss insists that I work again this weekend. If I refuse, I can forget about getting promoted. The entire team is under pressure to finish this important project. I promise we’ll make it up soon.”
He reached out to hug Kira, and as he did, she caught a subtle trace of unfamiliar perfume—a fragrance she’d noticed on him several times lately. She nodded silently, masking her sadness, even though she realized Ivan was clearly lying.
Kira knew exactly what his “work obligations” really meant. He wouldn’t be spending the weekend at the office—his mind was elsewhere. Pain tightened her throat as it became clear beyond doubt: Ivan was seeing another woman.
Tears stung her eyes, but she fought to remain composed. Five years ago, she married Ivan believing she’d found a lifelong companion. Now that trust had shattered under the weight of his betrayal.
A few weeks earlier, suspicions about Ivan’s fidelity had begun creeping in. He started returning home late, often missing weekends, always blaming demanding work tasks or a strict boss.
Then came the moment she found a long, blonde hair on his shirt while doing laundry. She told herself it was coincidence—after all, his office had many female colleagues—but the seed of doubt had already been planted. A few days later, Ivan came home from one of his “late meetings” wearing different underwear. The truth became painfully clear: Ivan had someone else.
Eventually, Kira learned through her close friend Polina who Ivan’s mistress was. It turned out to be the wife of the company’s deputy director—a discovery that filled Kira with humiliation and anger. She kept asking herself what she’d done wrong, yet no clear answers came. The worst part was pretending everything was normal.
Kira was at home caring for their six-month-old daughter. Before maternity leave, she had earned very little as a kindergarten assistant. With no apartment of her own or relatives to support her, confronting Ivan seemed impossible. She knew that if she divorced him immediately, she’d end up homeless and unable to provide for her child.
But Kira didn’t surrender to despair. Secretly, she started saving money, transferring small amounts from household budgets into a hidden savings account. For years, she lived frugally, cutting expenses wherever possible. Though she’d accumulated a reasonable sum, it wasn’t yet enough for long-term security.
One evening, an idea came to her. Why not teach Ivan a memorable lesson for betraying their family? When she shared her plan with Polina, her friend looked startled.
“Kira, you’re terrifying,” Polina laughed nervously. “I never imagined you could think up something like this.”
Kira smiled grimly. “I once read about a woman who did something similar to a cheating husband. Why shouldn’t I do the same? Ivan could kick us out any day, leaving me with nothing.”
Kira decided to blackmail Ivan by threatening to expose his affair. She needed solid proof, explicit enough to force him into silence. Polina agreed to help her gather evidence.
Polina discreetly followed Ivan, discovering that he regularly met his mistress in a modest neighborhood, in an unremarkable five-story building. Initially, capturing photos seemed impossible. But one evening, luck favored Polina—she snapped a picture just as Ivan kissed his mistress goodbye. The evidence was perfect.
The next morning, Ivan received an anonymous message demanding 500,000 rubles in exchange for silence, along with the incriminating photo. Shaken and afraid, he became withdrawn and anxious. He rarely spoke at home, blaming stress at work.
Two days later, Ivan reluctantly left the money in a trash bin at the agreed location. Immediately after he dropped the package, Kira phoned him urgently.
“Ivan, please come home quickly,” she pleaded. “I slipped in the bathroom and hurt my leg. I can’t take care of the baby alone. Where are you?”
“I’m on my way,” Ivan replied, sounding tense. “Just hold on.”
Weeks passed, and Ivan received a second anonymous demand, this time for one million rubles. Kira knew Ivan had been saving this exact amount for a new luxury car. The message warned that refusal would result in the public exposure of the photos online. Trapped and fearing for his career, Ivan handed over his savings again.
With the money secured, Kira finally confronted Ivan. She created a dramatic scene, claiming she’d received an anonymous message revealing his affair. She accused him of destroying their marriage and vowed to leave immediately.
Ivan reacted with cold indifference. “I admit it—I made a mistake. But think rationally, Kira. Where will you go with our child? You have no money, no home. It’s better if you forgive and move on.”
Kira was stunned by Ivan’s lack of remorse. He cared more about his career and comfort than his family. Without further discussion, she took their daughter and moved temporarily to Polina’s place. Soon after, she purchased an old, modest country house with the money she’d cleverly extracted from Ivan, though he remained unaware that he’d funded it himself.
Ivan continued to believe Kira was merely renting a small rural home. He regularly paid child support and maintained contact with their daughter. Polina suggested several times that Kira should publicly release Ivan’s compromising photos, but she refused.
“If I ruin his career,” Kira explained, “he won’t be able to support our daughter financially. He’s already paid enough.”
Gradually, Kira settled into her new life. She invested some savings into raising chickens, ducks, and rabbits, and found stable employment at a nearby farm. Her daughter happily attended the local kindergarten.
Life in the countryside brought Kira unexpected peace. Dreams of returning to a busy city faded away. Instead, she envisioned building a comfortable new home on her land someday. She was determined to work tirelessly for her child’s future, confident that honest effort would eventually lead her exactly where she wanted to be.