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Wife and Father Karina only pretended that she wanted to meet Vadim’s parents. What did she need them for, anyway? She wasn’t planning to live with them, and as for his father—supposedly well-off—the only thing to expect from him was trouble and suspicion. But if you’re playing the game, you have to see it through—especially when you’re getting married. Karina dressed up, but kept it simple—she wanted to be seen as a sweet, unpretentious girl. Meeting your fiancé’s parents is always a minefield; meeting clever parents is a full-blown trial by fire. Vadik, thinking she needed reassurance, said, “Don’t worry, Karin, honestly. Dad’s a grump, but he’s reasonable. They won’t say anything terrible to you. And they’ll love you. Dad’s a bit odd, but Mum’s the life of any party.” He gave her a pep talk outside the family home. Karina just smiled, flicking a strand of hair off her shoulder. A grumpy dad and a social butterfly mum—a combination, if ever there was one. An inward smirk. The house didn’t surprise her. She’d been in fancier ones. They were greeted at the door. Karina wasn’t particularly anxious. Why should she be? They were just people. Nina—Vadim’s mum—was a long-time homemaker, vaguely familiar from stories, sometimes going on trips with her friends, but nothing out of the ordinary. The father, Valery—aloof, but silent. But the name—there was something familiar about it… They met face to face. And Karina froze, not setting foot across the threshold. This was the end… She didn’t know her future mother-in-law, but her future father-in-law she recognised in an instant. They’d met before. Three years ago. Not often, but for their mutual benefit. In bars. Hotels. Restaurants. No one—least of all his wife or son—knew about that. Well, this was it. Valery recognised her, too. There was a flash in his eyes—could have been surprise, shock, or something darker, some scheme already taking shape—but he kept silent. Vadim, blissfully unaware, introduced her. “Mum, Dad, meet Karina. My fiancée. I’d have brought her sooner, but she’s a bit shy.” Oh dear… Valery shook her hand. A firm, almost hard grip. “Pleased to meet you, Karina,” he said, with a subtle undertone she couldn’t quite place. Anger? Warning? Or…? Karina wondered how she’d get out of this, half-expecting Valery to reveal everything. “Delighted to meet you too, Mr. Matthews,” she replied, keeping up appearances, heart pounding with adrenaline. What next? But… nothing. Valery even gave a strained smile and pulled out her chair at the dining table. Perhaps he was saving the embarrassment for later. But nothing happened. That’s when it dawned on Karina—he wouldn’t reveal her. If he did, he’d be exposing himself, too. Once she relaxed, the evening was almost easy-going. Nina recounted childhood anecdotes about Vadim, while Valery, unexpectedly attentive, asked Karina about her job—he already knew more than he let on, but his subtle irony didn’t unsettle her. He even cracked a few jokes, and to her surprise, she laughed. But the jokes were laced with meanings only they could decode. Like when, looking at Karina, he remarked, “You know, you remind me of an old… colleague. She was clever. Good with people—all kinds of people.” Karina didn’t skip a beat. “Talents come in all shapes, Mr. Matthews.” Vadim, as a besotted fiancé should, gazed at her adoringly, hearing no subtext. He truly loved her. That was both the sweetest and the saddest part—at least, for him. Later, the conversation turned to travel. Valery, looking smoothly at Karina, said, “Me—I like remote places. No fuss. Peace to sit and think, with a good book. What about you, Karina?” He was baiting her. “I like crowds—life, noise, fun,” Karina answered, not playing along. “Though, I’ll admit, extra ears can be dangerous sometimes.” Briefly, just a flicker, Nina seemed to notice something. Karina caught her future mother-in-law frown, but she dismissed it. Valery knew Karina was never one for peace and quiet. He knew why. At evening’s end, as they prepared for bed, Valery hugged Vadim. “Son, look after her. She’s… special.” It sounded like both a compliment and a warning, though only Karina got it. She felt a sudden chill at the word “special.” Only he could have chosen that word. *** That night, Karina lay sleepless, replaying their fateful encounter and pondering how to live with their newfound secret. Odds weren’t great. She imagined Valery was just as sleepless—for the same reason, plus the coming showdown. Honestly, for everything. She slipped out of bed, pulled a sweatshirt over her shorts and tee, and tiptoed downstairs. For effect, she made sure her steps were audible enough to be noticed. She slipped outside to the veranda, positive Valery would find her there. She didn’t have to wait long. “Can’t sleep?” he asked, coming up behind her. “Not tonight,” Karina replied. A breeze carried the familiar scent of his cologne. He studied her. “What do you want from my son, Karina? I know what you’re capable of. I know how many like me have been in your life. And I know you’ve only ever cared about money. You never hid your price. So, why Vadim?” If he wasn’t going to get sentimental about their past, neither was Karina. She bared her teeth in a fake smile. “I love him, Mr. Matthews,” she sang. “Why shouldn’t I?” He was unconvinced. “You? Love? It’s laughable. I know you, Karina. And I’ll tell Vadim everything—what you did, who you really are. Do you think he’ll still want to marry you?” Karina stepped closer, barely an arm’s length between them. She tilted her head, studying him. As if she hadn’t seen enough over the years. “Go ahead, Mr. Matthews,” she purred, drawing out his name. “But then your wife will learn our little secret.” “That’s…” “It’s not blackmail. It’s fair warning. If you spill about my… ‘intentions,’ you’ll have to explain our relationship too. Trust me—I’ll fill in every detail.” “That’s different—” “Really? Will you tell your wife the same thing?” Valery froze. His threat had failed. He realised he was cornered. They were in it together. “What would you tell her?” he asked. “I’d tell everyone—Vadim most of all. I’ll tell him what a loyal husband you are, and just where those long nights at work really happened. The whole story. I’ll have nothing left to lose. You want to save your son from me? Go on then. Try.” A hard choice. Advising his son against the marriage would be signing his own marital death warrant. “You wouldn’t dare.” “I wouldn’t dare?” Karina laughed. “You would, but I wouldn’t? I’ll stay quiet if you do. But you know it—if I fall, you fall. Nina values loyalty above all else.” He remembered, blindingly drunk, confessing to Karina about his cheating. How kind his wife was, how loyal, how he was the scoundrel. Nina would never forgive him. Never. So he had to choose. He knew Karina wasn’t bluffing. “Fine,” he choked. “I won’t say a word. And you… keep quiet too. No one says anything. We’ll forget it ever happened.” That’s why Karina wasn’t worried. He’d lose more than she would. “As you wish, Mr. Matthews.” The next morning, they left Vadim’s parents’ house. With a stare of pure loathing from her future father-in-law, Karina said goodbye to his wife, who had already started calling her “my dear.” Valery’s eye twitched. He was torn—unable to warn his son about his cunning fiancée, for fear of exposing himself. Losing Nina would mean losing not just his wife, but a fair chunk of his fortune—and his son would probably never forgive him. On another visit—this time for a two-week stay—Valery kept his distance, always inventing errands. But one day, home alone, curiosity got the better of him. He decided to snoop through Karina’s things, hoping to find a weakness. He rifled through her make-up bag, diary, notebook—and found a white-and-blue item. A pregnancy test. Two pink lines. “I thought my son marrying someone like you was a disaster… But this… This is a catastrophe!” He put it back, trying to hastily close the bag. Karina caught him red-handed. “Tsk, tsk. Snooping isn’t very polite,” she chided with a sarcastic glint—but she didn’t seem too upset. Valery didn’t bother denying. “You’re pregnant with Vadim’s baby?” Karina walked over, took the bag, looked him in the eye, and said, “Congratulations, Mr. Matthews—you’ve spoiled the surprise.” Valery was livid. Now Karina truly had a grip on his son. If he spoke out, the fallout would be even worse. Now he really had to keep quiet. But it was torture—watching his son walk into a trap. *** Nine months passed… then half a year more. Vadim and Karina had a daughter, Alice. Valery avoided visiting altogether. He refused to see or even think about them. He didn’t see Alice as his real granddaughter. And Karina frightened him—with her indifference to Vadim, and her shadowy past. And now—again. Nina was planning a visit to Vadim and Karina. “Valer, are you coming?” “No, I’ve got a headache.” “Again? This is getting serious.” “It’s nothing. Go without me.” Fake migraines, colds, aching limbs—he always had an excuse. He even took tablets for good measure. He just couldn’t bear to see Karina. But neither could he tell the truth. The evening dragged by. He read. Relaxed. But then noticed Nina was very late. It was 11 p.m. No sign of his wife, and her phone went unanswered. He called Vadim. “Hi son—everything all right? Has Nina left? She’s not home yet.” “Dad, you’re the last person I want to talk to right now.” Click. Valery was about to set off to the house when Karina’s car pulled up outside. Seeing her, he nearly passed out. “What are you doing here?” he demanded, shaking her. “What happened?” Karina, cool as ever, poured herself a glass of wine and settled in. “We’ve crashed.” “What do you mean ‘crashed’?” “Our secret. It’s out. Vadim found our photos on a café website—remember that ‘Oasis’ party four years ago? He was booking the place for our anniversary and found their photo album online… We’re both in it, clear as day. Flipping photographer… Now Vadim’s in bits. Your Nina’s filing for divorce. And me? Well, you got what you wanted—I might just be leaving your son, after all.” Valery stared at her, his mind spinning. That website, that party… He remembered warning them not to take photos, but who could have predicted this? He slumped to the floor. “Why did you come here?” “I needed to get away for a bit,” Karina smiled. “It’s chaos at home. Alice is with her nanny. Fancy some wine?” She offered his favourite wine. They sat on the veranda, drinking, interrupted only by the droning of crickets—the only thing left in common. “This is all your fault,” Valery said. Karina nodded, staring at her glass. “It is.” “You’re unbearable.” “So they tell me.” “You don’t even pity Vadim.” “I do, but I pity myself more.” “You only love yourself.” “On that, we agree.” He reached out, turning her face to his. “You know I never loved you,” he whispered. “Glad to hear it,” she answered, deadpan. *** The next morning, when Nina did return, ready to forgive her husband even at the cost of her sanity, she found Karina and Valery asleep together. “Who’s there?” Karina stirred. “It’s me,” said Nina, staring at the wreckage of her life. Karina smiled softly. Valery woke up a little later, but didn’t follow his wife.

My Wife and My Father Sophie pretended she was eager to meet my parents. But honestly, what did she care?

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Without a Glance at Her Son, She Left the Pram by the Garage and Went Off to Relax.

I wasnt even looking at my son when I shoved the pram by the old garage and walked off to get a breather.

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His Wife Packed Her Bags and Vanished Without a Trace: A Story of Betrayal, Broken Trust, and What It Really Means to Be a Family

His wife packed her bags and vanished without a trace Stop acting like a martyr. Things will sort themselves out.

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He Hated His Wife. Truly Hated Her… They Had Spent 15 Years Together—Fifteen Years of Waking to Her Every Morning, But Only This Past Year Did Her Habits Begin to Deeply Irritate Him, Especially One: Stretching Out Her Arms in Bed and Saying, “Good Morning, Sunshine! Today Will Be a Wonderful Day.” What Seemed an Ordinary Phrase and Her Thin Hands and Sleepy Face Only Filled Him With Aversion. She Would Rise, Walk to the Window and Gaze Out Before Undressing for Her Morning Routine. In the Early Days of Their Marriage, He Had Adored Her Body and the Freedom With Which She Moved, Yet Now the Sight of Her Awoke Only Anger. More Than Once, He’d Wanted to Urge Her to Hurry, But Managed Only to Snap: “Hurry Up, I’m Tired of This!” She Took Her Time, Living Each Moment With Awareness, Knowing About His Longstanding Affair—Even Knowing the Other Woman. Time Had Numbed the Sting of Betrayal, Leaving Only Sadness and a Lingering Sense of Her Own Unimportance. She Forgave His Aggression, His Carelessness, His Attempts to Relive His Youth—Yet She Refused to Let Him Disrupt Her Steady, Mindful Life. This Had Been Her Way Since Discovering She Was Ill. Month by Month the Illness Consumed Her, and Soon It Would Win. Her First Impulse Was to Tell Everyone the Truth—to Ease the Weight of It, To Share Out the Pain—But She Lived Through the Harshest Nights Alone, And the Next Day Decided to Remain Silent. With Each Passing Day, She Gained the Quiet Wisdom of Someone Who Faces the End. She Found Solace in a Little Village Library After a Ninety-Minute Journey, Slipping Each Day Between Shelves Labelled ‘Mysteries of Life and Death’ and Searching for Answers in the Books. He, Meanwhile, Went to His Mistress’s Home—A Place That Was Vibrant, Warm, Familiar. For Three Years He’d Loved Her Wildly, Jealously, and Felt He Couldn’t Breathe Without Her. That Day, He Made Up His Mind to Divorce: Why Torment All Three Any Longer? He Didn’t Love His Wife—He Hated Her. Here, He Thought, He’d Find Happiness Anew. He Tried to Recall What He’d Once Felt for His Wife and Failed—He Felt Sure She’d Always Irritated Him. As a Symbol of His Decision, He Tore Her Photo From His Wallet Into Tiny Pieces. They Agreed to Meet at a Restaurant—the One Where Six Months Ago They Had Celebrated Their Fifteenth Wedding Anniversary. She Arrived First. He Drove Home Before the Meeting, Hunting for the Divorce Papers, Growing More Agitated as He Searched. In One Drawer He Found a Dark Blue Folder, Sealed. He’d Never Seen It Before. Squatting on the Floor, He Ripped Off the Tape—Expecting Anything, Even Blackmail Material, But Found Instead a Stack of Medical Tests, Declarations, Hospital Letters—All in Her Name. A Jolt of Dread Ran Through Him: She Was Ill. He Googled Her Diagnosis, Staring at the Chilling Words: ‘Six to Eighteen Months.’ It Had Already Been Six Months Since the Tests. All He Could Hear Was ‘Six to Eighteen Months’ Rolling Over in His Mind. She Waited for Him Forty Minutes. Her Calls Went Unanswered. She Paid the Bill and Left. It Was a Glorious Autumn Day; The Sun Gentle, Warming Her Soul. “How Beautiful Life Is, How Wonderful It Feels to Be Alive Beneath This Sun, Beside the Woods.” For the First Time Since Discovery, She Allowed Herself to Feel Self-Pity. She’d Had the Strength to Hide the Awful Truth from Her Husband, Parents, Friends—Trying to Spare Them, Even at the Cost of Her Own Life. That Life Would Soon Only Be a Memory. As She Walked, She Watched the Joy in Other People’s Eyes—Ahead of Them Was Winter, but After Winter Always Came Spring. She Would Never Know That Feeling Again. Grief Swelled Within Her and Broke Free in Endless Tears… He Prowled Through the House. For the First Time in His Life, He Felt Sharply—Almost Physically—The Fleetingness of Life. He Remembered His Wife as a Young Woman, When They First Fell in Love and Held Such Hope. Had These Fifteen Years Ever Existed? Suddenly It Seemed They Had All Their Happiness Still Ahead of Them—Youth, Life, Joy… In Her Final Days He Showered Her With Tenderness, Stayed by Her Side Day and Night, and Knew an Extraordinary Happiness. Terrified That She Would Leave, He Felt He’d Trade His Own Life Just to Prolong Hers. If Anyone Had Reminded Him That a Month Ago He’d Hated Her and Planned to Leave, He Would Have Sworn, “That Wasn’t Me.” He Saw How Hard It Was For Her to Say Goodbye; How at Night She Cried, Believing Him Asleep. He Understood There Was No Crueller Fate Than Knowing One’s Own End. He Watched Her Battle for Life, Clinging to Any Hope, No Matter How Mad. She Died Two Months Later. He Covered the Road to the Cemetery With Flowers. He Wept Like a Child as Her Coffin Was Lowered—He Felt He’d Aged a Thousand Years… At Home, Beneath Her Pillow, He Found a Note—Her Wish for New Year’s: “To Be Happy With Him To the Last of My Days.” They Say New Year’s Wishes Always Come True. It Must Be So, For That Same Year He’d Written: “To Be Free.” Each Had Received Exactly What, Secretly, They Had Wished For…

He cannot stand his wife. He resents herdeeply. Theyve spent fifteen years together. Fifteen years of

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A Christmas Eve Miracle: How Forgetfulness, a Stray Kitten, and Two Kindly Strangers Brought Unexpected Magic to the Bailey Family’s Holiday

A Christmas Miracle Tom, seriously, how could you forget? Emily shot me an exasperated look.

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Through Thick and Thin: The Story of Antonia, the Village Widow, Her Abandoned Daughter, and the Unexpected Twists of Love, Loss, and Neighbourly Ties in the English Countryside

In Sickness and In Health Eleanor was widowed quite young, at forty-two. By then, her daughter, Grace

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He Hated His Wife. Hated Her… They Had Spent 15 Years Together — Every Morning He Saw Her Face, Yet In The Last Year, Her Habits Began To Drive Him Mad. Especially One: Stretching Out Her Arms In Bed And Saying, “Good Morning, Sunshine! Today Will Be Wonderful.” Such A Simple Phrase, But Her Thin Arms, Sleepy Face, They Filled Him With Disgust. She’d Rise, Look Out The Window For A Few Seconds, Then Slip Off Her Nightdress And Head To The Bathroom. Early In Their Marriage, He’d Adored Her Body, Her Freedom — Almost Shameless At Times. Now, Though Her Figure Was Still Lovely, Her Nakedness Made Him Angry. Once, He Nearly Pushed Her To Rush Her “Waking Up,” But Instead, He Just Snapped, “Hurry Up, I’m Sick Of Waiting!” She Didn’t Hurry. She Knew About His Affair, Even Knew The Other Woman He’d Been With For Three Years. Time Had Blunted Her Pride’s Wounds, Leaving Only An Ache Of Unimportance. She Forgave His Pettiness, His Longing To Relive His Youth — But She Wouldn’t Let It Stop Her Living Slowly, Cherishing Every Minute. That Was Her Choice After Learning She Was Ill. Her Illness Was Devouring Her Month By Month, Soon To Win. Her First Urge Was To Tell Everyone. To Slice The Harsh Truth Into Pieces She Could Share. But Instead, She Passed Her Hardest Day Alone With The Knowledge, And On The Second, Decided To Keep Silent. Her Life Was Slipping Away — And With Each Day, She Gained Wisdom In Acceptance. She Found Solace In A Tiny Village Library, Making The Hour-And-A-Half Journey Daily. Hiding Between Mum-Labeled Shelves “The Mysteries Of Life And Death”, She’d Pull Book After Book, Hoping For Answers. He Went To His Lover’s Place — Everything There Bright, Warm, Homely. Their Passion Had Lasted Three Years; He’d Loved Her Madly, Jealously, Thoughtlessly — Couldn’t Breathe Without Her. That Day, He Knew With Certainty: He’d Divorce. Why Torment All Three? He Didn’t Love His Wife — He Hated Her! Here, In This New Life, He Would Find Happiness. He Tried To Recall How He’d Once Loved His Wife — But Nothing Came. It Seemed She’d Always Irritated Him. He Tore Up Her Photo, Determined To End It. They Agreed To Meet At The Restaurant Where, Six Months Ago, They’d Celebrated 15 Years Of Marriage. She Arrived First; He, Before Meeting, Ransacked The House For Divorce Papers. In A Drawer, He Found A Dark Blue File He’d Never Seen. Tearing The Tape, He Expected Almost Anything — Except Medical Reports Bearing His Wife’s Name. A Terrible Realisation Struck: She Was Ill! He Googled The Diagnosis, The Screen Displayed: “6 To 18 Months.” Six Months Had Already Passed. He Remembered Little That Followed — Except The Horrible Phrase: “6 To 18 Months.” She Waited For Him For Forty Minutes. With No Answer From His Phone, She Paid The Bill And Left. The Autumn Day Was Glorious — Not Hot, But Soul-Warming. “How Beautiful Life Is, How Wonderful To Be Here, With The Sun And The Woods.” For The First Time Since Her Illness, She Felt Real Pity For Herself. She’d Kept Her Secret, Making Life Easier For Others, Even At The Cost Of Her Own. Soon She’d Be Only A Memory. As She Walked, She Saw Joy Shining In The Eyes Of Strangers, Looking Forward To Winter, Then Spring! Not For Her, Not Anymore. Grief Swelled, And She Wept, Unstoppably… He Paced Their Room. For The First Time, He Felt The Fleetingness Of Life. Remembered His Wife Young, When They’d First Met, So Full Of Hopes. And He Had Loved Her Then. Suddenly, The Past Fifteen Years Felt Like Nothing — Like Everything Was Still To Come: Youth, Joy, Life… In Her Final Weeks, He Was Inseparable From Her, Devoting Himself Completely — And Felt An Unprecedented Happiness In Their Time Together. He Feared Losing Her, Would Have Given Anything To Save Her. If Anyone Had Reminded Him He’d Wanted To Divorce Only A Month Earlier, He’d Have Denied It: “That Wasn’t Me.” He Watched Her Suffer, Saw Her Silent Tears At Night, Knew There Was No Worse Punishment Than Counting Your Remaining Days. He Saw Her Fight For Life, Clinging To The Faintest Hope. She Died Two Months Later. He Covered The Lane To The Cemetery With Flowers. He Sobbed Like A Child At The Graveside — Felt A Thousand Years Older. At Home, Under Her Pillow, He Found A New Year’s Wish She’d Written: “To Be Happy With Him Till The End Of My Days.” People Say New Year Wishes Come True. Maybe It’s True, For That Same Year He’d Written: “To Be Free.” In The End, Each Of Them Got What They Thought They Wanted…

He hated his wife. Hated her with a quiet fury. Theyd been together for fifteen years. For fifteen long

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A Carer for the Wife “What do you mean?” Lida thought she’d misheard. “Where am I supposed to move? Why? For what reason?” “Oh, please, don’t start with the scenes,” he grimaced. “What’s unclear here? You’ve got no one left to look after. Where you go next is none of my concern.” “Ed, what’s got into you? Weren’t we planning to get married?” “That was just your idea. I never said anything like that.” At 32, Lida decided it was time for a fresh start. She packed up and left her small hometown, hoping to leave behind her critical mother, who never stopped blaming her for the divorce. “How could you let your husband slip away?” she’d demand. But Vas, her ex, was a hopeless drunk—a waste of time if ever there was one. Lida didn’t mourn the divorce; she actually felt relieved. Still, she and her mother argued constantly, especially about money, which was always short. Time to move to the city and make a new life! Her old school friend Sue had married a widower—never mind the 16-year age gap or his looks; he had a flat and money, and Sue was living well. “I’m no worse than Sue,” Lida thought. “Thank goodness! You’ve finally come around,” cheered Sue. “Pack up quick—you can stay with us at first, and we’ll get you sorted with a job.” “Are you sure your David won’t mind?” Lida asked anxiously. “He does whatever I say! Don’t worry, we’ll manage.” Lida didn’t stay long with Sue; just a couple of weeks until she’d earned her first wages and found herself a room. And then, luck seemed to strike. “Why is a woman like you selling at the market?” asked a regular customer, Edward Thompson, with concern. Lida knew all her regulars by name by then. “It’s cold, it’s lonely, but what else can you do?” She shrugged. “You’ve got to make money somehow.” She added, playfully, “You got a better offer?” Edward Thompson was no dreamboat—at least 20 years her senior, pudgy, balding, with shrewd eyes, always fussy over his vegetables, counting out his change to the penny. But he was well dressed, drove a nice car, clearly not some bum. He even had a wedding ring, so she’d never considered him husband material. “You strike me as reliable, practical, tidy—ever done any care work?” he moved easily to ‘you’. “Yeah, I have. Looked after my neighbour after her stroke. Her kids lived far off, never had time for her, so they asked me.” “Brilliant!” he perked up, then put on a mournful face. “My wife, Tamara, recently had a stroke too. Slim chance she’ll recover, and I’ve brought her home, but I’ve no time for care. Can you help? I’ll pay you properly.” Lida didn’t think twice—it beat standing outside in the cold tending picky customers all day. Plus, Edward offered her a room in the flat—no rent to pay. “There are THREE rooms, Sue! Enough space to play football!” she gushed to Sue. “No kids, either.” Tamara’s mother, a lively 68-year-old, had recently remarried and was too busy with her new husband to care for Tamara. “Is she really that ill?” Sue asked. “Properly bed-bound—can’t do anything, barely mumbles. Doubt she’ll get better.” “Are you pleased about that?” Sue gave her a sharp look. “Of course not,” Lida said, avoiding her eyes, “but if Tamara’s gone, Edward Thompson is a free man…” “Have you lost your mind, Lida? Wishing someone dead for a flat?” “I’m not wishing for anything. Just not missing my chance, that’s all. Easy for you to talk—your life’s perfect!” After a row, they didn’t speak for months. When Lida finally told Sue she’d started an affair with Edward Thompson, Sue was appalled. “So you’re cosying up while his dying wife’s in the next room? Aren’t you ashamed? Or are you blinded by all that wealth (if it even exists)?” “You never say anything nice!” Lida snapped, and broke off the friendship. But she barely felt guilty (“maybe just a little”), convinced that well-fed people never understand the hungry. Lida cared for Tamara as diligently as she could, and once her affair with Edward began, she took on all the housework too. Lida cooked, cleaned, did his shirts, scrubbed the floors—after all, a man’s needs go beyond the bedroom. She felt sure her lover was satisfied. She hardly noticed he’d stopped paying her for the care work—after all, they were “almost married” now, weren’t they? As time passed, their passion cooled, and Edward spent less and less time at home. Lida blamed his exhaustion from caring for his ill wife, even though he never spent more than a minute a day with Tamara. And though she’d expected it, Lida still cried when Tamara passed away. Eighteen months of care—all for nothing now. Lida handled all the funeral arrangements, as Edward was “overcome with grief,” and did it all on a shoe-string, making a good show of it. Even Edward’s mother-in-law, Matilda, was pleased. But Lida never expected what Edward said next. “As you know, I no longer need your services, so you’ll need to be out within the week,” he said dryly on the tenth day after the funeral. “What do you mean? Where am I supposed to go? Why?” “Oh, don’t make a fuss,” he sneered. “What’s unclear? There’s no one left to look after, and I don’t care where you end up.” “Ed, weren’t we planning to get married?” “That was all in your head. I never promised any such thing.” The next morning, after a sleepless night, she tried to talk to him again, but he repeated the same words and urged her to hurry with the move. “My fiancée wants to renovate before our wedding,” he said matter-of-factly. “Fiancée? Who is she?” “Never you mind.” “Fine, but before I go, you’ll pay me what I’m owed,” Lida replied, no longer afraid. “You promised to pay me £2,000 a month, but I only got that twice. You owe me £32,000.” “You can do sums quickly,” he scoffed. “Don’t hold your breath for it…” “And you owe me for being your housekeeper too! I won’t get picky on pennies—give me £50,000, and we’ll be quits.” “And if not? You’ll sue? You don’t have a contract.” “I’ll tell Matilda. This flat was hers, after all. One word from me, and you’ll be out on your ear.” He blanched but quickly recovered. “Who’ll believe you? Go on, threaten me all you like. I want you out—now.” “You’ve got three days. Pay me, or we’ll have a scandal,” Lida said, heading to a hostel with her things and the little cash she had managed to save. On the fourth day, still no word, so she went back to Edward’s flat—luckily, Matilda was there. Lida didn’t hesitate; she told Matilda everything, watching as Edward paled. “She’s rambling! Don’t listen!” Ed shouted. “I’d already heard rumours at the funeral but didn’t want to believe,” Matilda’s eyes flashed. “Now I see everything very clearly. And I hope you do too, dear son-in-law. Or have you forgotten that this flat is in my name?” Edward froze. “And I want you out, not a trace left, within three days. No, make that one.” Matilda made to leave but paused near Lida. “And you, young lady, what are you hanging about for? Hoping for a medal? Out!” Lida fled, knowing she’d never see a penny. Back to the market for her—there’s always work there… (The original Russian title Сиделка для жены is best adapted as a title for the UK market as:) The Caretaker for the Wife: Lida’s Bid for Love and Security—From Small-Town Dreams to a London Betrayal

A Nursemaid for the Wife What do you mean? Lydia couldnt believe her ears. Where am I supposed to go?

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The Fiancée and the Father: When Karina Met Vadim’s Parents, an Awkward Reunion with Her Future Father-in-Law Ignites a Battle of Secrets, Blackmail, and Broken Trust in an English Suburban Home

Wife and Father Emily only pretended to care about meeting Adams parents. Why would she? She wasnt planning

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When I returned from my trip, my belongings were strewn across the garden with a note: “If you want to stay, live in the basement.”

When I got back from my trip, I found all my stuff strewn across the lawn with a note on it: If youre