“Lena, do you want coffee?” Andrei called from the room.
“Yes,” she replied, still gazing out the window.
They had spent five years working for this apartment. She was an economist at a trading company, he a sales manager. They saved every penny for the down payment, gave up vacations, entertainment, new clothes. When they finally got the keys, Lena cried right there in the empty hallway. Having their own place felt like a dream finally come true.
The phone rang sharply, breaking the morning silence.
“Elena Viktorovna? This is Notary Petrova. I have good news for you.”
Lena listened in disbelief. Aunt Zina, her late mother’s sister whom they had barely spoken to over the years, had left her a one-bedroom apartment in the city center. Not very big, but in a great neighborhood and a classic Stalin-era building.
“Andrei!” she called after the call ended. “You won’t believe it!”
Her husband rushed in with a cup of coffee in his hand, hair tousled, looking confused.
“What happened?”
“I inherited an apartment! From Aunt Zina!”
Andrei set the cup down and hugged her.
“Seriously? That’s amazing! So we can sell this one, pay off the mortgage, and move downtown?”
“Or we can rent it out and stay here. That’d be a good extra income.”
“Or maybe we sell both and buy something bigger?”
They talked until late at night, making plans. Lena felt truly happy — finally, they had options. Financial freedom. A chance to choose.
A week later, as the inheritance process moved forward, they went to see the apartment. It was one-bedroom but spacious, with high ceilings and big windows. It needed renovation, but it had great potential.
“It’s beautiful,” Lena sighed, standing in the middle of the empty room. “Can you imagine the design we could do here…”
“Mom called today,” Andrei said suddenly, examining the old wallpaper. “I told her about the apartment.”
“What did she say?”
“She was happy for us. She and Dad are coming this weekend to take a look.”
Lena nodded, but something inside her tightened. Her mother-in-law, Galina Petrovna, was a controlling and opinionated woman who always spoke her mind. Her father-in-law just went along with everything she said.
On Saturday, Andrei’s parents arrived early. Galina immediately took charge.
“Show us the apartment right now,” she demanded, barely greeting Lena. “We need to see what’s what.”
They went without Lena — she claimed she had things to do, but in truth, she just didn’t want to hear her mother-in-law’s unsolicited advice on what to do with her inheritance.
They returned two hours later. Galina was buzzing with excitement.
“It’s a great apartment, perfect location. Needs a bit of work, but that’s no big deal. We’ve decided — we’ll give it to Irochka.”
Lena froze.
“What do you mean, ‘give it’?”
“What else would we do?” Galina looked surprised. “She has two kids, Seryozha can’t find steady work, they’re drowning in loans and renting. You two are young, healthy — you’ll earn more. Irochka needs this more than you do.”
“But this is my inheritance,” Lena said quietly.
“So what? We’re family! Irochka is struggling, and you’re living comfortably. That’s just not right.”
Andrei stayed silent, studying the cracks in the floor.
“We haven’t decided what to do with the apartment yet,” Lena tried to protest.
“What’s there to decide? It’s obvious. Tomorrow we’ll go tell Irochka she can move in.”
“Galina Petrovna, can Andrei and I talk this over…”
“There’s nothing to talk about!” she snapped. “Andrei, say something. Tell your wife what the right thing to do is.”
Andrei looked at Lena, his eyes pleading for understanding.
“Lena, maybe Mom’s right? Irka really is in a tough spot…”
“And we’re not?” Lena snapped. “We have a mortgage!”
“A mortgage is nothing,” Galina waved her hand. “You both have good salaries. You’ll manage. Irochka is struggling with the kids.”
Lena felt her anger boil. No one had asked her. No one had even considered her opinion — the decision had already been made.
“I want to talk about this privately with my husband,” she said, trying to stay calm.
“Talk all you want,” Galina said. “But don’t take too long. Irochka needs to notify her landlord.”
When the parents left, Lena and Andrei were alone. He avoided her eyes, fiddling with his phone.
“Well?” Lena asked. “Are we going to talk?”
“Talk about what?” Andrei shrugged. “Mom’s right. Irka needs help.”
“And you don’t want to ask me how I feel about that?”
“Lena, don’t be selfish. Think of the kids. Think of family.”
“What family? Your sister who’s been mooching off your parents for years? Who borrows money every month and never pays it back?”
“It’s not her fault her husband’s a failure.”
“And it’s not my fault that my aunt died and left me an apartment! It’s my inheritance, Andrei!”
“Ours,” he corrected. “We’re a family.”
“Then why was the decision made without me?”
That night they had a massive argument. Andrei stormed out to his parents’ house, coming home late when Lena was already asleep. The next morning he tried to make peace, but the conversation once again turned to Lena being “greedy” and needing to think of others
