.”

Natasha’s voice trembled, “you said we were divorced. That we lived separately. That you were going to buy us an apartment.”

“Natashenka, I’ll explain everything.”

A ringing silence tumbled the room.

Without saying a word, Natasha turned and ran out of the apartment. T

“Inna,” Alexey clutched his head, “why are you doing this?”

“Why?” she laughed.“How did you expect it to be? For me to cry, beg you to stay?

To roll around at your feet?”

She scanned the room:

“You know what’s the most amusing? I truly loved him. Every wrinkle, every gray hair.

Even his snoring at night seemed endearing to me. I was ready to grow old with him, to raise grandchildren.”

“Dear,” Vera Pavlovna whispered, “maybe it’s not worth it.”

“No, Mama, it is,” Inna raised her voice for the first time that evening. “Let everyone know.

Let them know how your son took out loans for gifts for his mistresses. How he used our shared money. How he lied to me, to you, to everyone!”

She published another document:

“And this is especially interesting.

Remember, Lesha, three months ago you asked me to sign some papers? You said it was for the tax office? It turned out to be a guarantee for a loan.

You mortgaged my car, can you believe it?”

“Son,” Alexey’s father said heavily as he rose, “we’ll probably leave too. Call when… when you come to your senses.”

Vera Pavlovna grasped Inna:

“Forgive us, dear. We never thought he…”

“Don’t apologize, Mama.

You have nothing to do with this.”

Alexey sat there. His expensive suit now seemed like a silly masquerade costume.

“You know, I could have done a month ago when I found out everything. I could have bought your car, torn up your suits, had a meltdown at your workplace.” Inna said.

“But I decided to do it differently,” she said.

“I’m flying out tomorrow.

The Maldives, can you imagine? I’ve always dreamed of visiting there, but you always said it was a waste of money.”

She put the keys on the table:

“The apartment must be bought by the end of the week. I’m selling it.

And yes, don’t even try to withdraw money from the accounts.”

Alexey looked at her with a sad expression:

“What am I supposed to do now?”

“That’s no longer my problem,” she said

“You know what’s the funniest part? I’m truly grateful to you. You made me wake up, shake off the dust.

I suddenly realized that life doesn’t end with you.”

She walked to the door and turned around one last time:

“Goodbye, Lesha. I hope it was worth it.”

The door closed quietly. Alexey was left alone in the hollow apartment.

Inna began a new trip which marked a first step of her new life.