From the start, Masha’s relationship with her mother-in-law, Lidiya Ivanovna, was doomed. At their first meeting, Lidiya decided Masha wasn’t the right match for her son, Vitya.

“Vitya, what do you see in that girl? She’s plain and lacks any charm,” Lidiya would often criticize.

“Mom, stop. She made a pie for you,” Vitya would defend his wife.

“I don’t care for pies. I want a daughter-in-law who can truly make you happy.”

The mother-in-law preferred Olya, a girl from a family of close friends, whom Vitya had known since childhood. They all hoped that their friendship would turn into a romance. But Vitya’s heart belonged to Masha.

After their wedding, Masha tried hard to get along with Lidiya, but the tension remained. They lived with Lidiya to save money for a future mortgage, but Lidiya refused to help them financially, believing Masha only married for money.

When Vitya left for a long business trip, Lidiya saw an opportunity.

“Masha, I’ve made borscht. Want some?” Masha asked.

“Vitya’s gone. No need for this charade,” Lidiya responded coldly.

“I’m just cooking for us. What are you talking about?” Masha replied.

“If you’re tired of pretending, no one’s forcing you to stay here,” Lidiya snapped.

Masha, frustrated, agreed to leave. Lidiya was thrilled that her plan was working. She immediately called Olya.

“Come over, we need to talk,” Lidiya said.

Olya was hesitant but agreed, believing this might be her chance to win back Vitya.

A day later, Lidiya told Vitya that Masha had left in anger and refused to make amends. When Masha called, she explained that she just needed some time apart.

“I spoke to my mom. She’s upset,” Vitya told Masha, who explained that living separately might help them.

“Why can’t you both get along?” Vitya asked.

“I don’t feel it’s my fault,” Masha said, choosing peace over further conflict.

As the weeks went by, Lidiya continued her scheme, spreading doubts about Masha’s loyalty. One day, Olya casually mentioned to Vitya that she’d seen Masha with another man, though Vitya didn’t suspect anything wrong.

Then, Masha called Vitya with joyous news: she was pregnant. Vitya, thrilled, agreed to keep it a secret until after her first trimester.

But soon after, Lidiya spotted Masha leaving a maternity clinic. She confronted Masha, accusing her of being unfaithful.

“Is this really his child?” Lidiya asked bitterly. Masha, hurt by the accusation, fainted from the stress. Doctors ordered her to rest.

Despite her guilt, Lidiya continued to plot. She called Vitya to tell him about Masha’s “affair.”

“She was leaving the clinic with a man. It didn’t seem platonic,” Lidiya claimed.

“That’s impossible,” Vitya replied, upset and confused.

Days later, Masha was discharged from the hospital. Lidiya, seeing an opportunity to further her plot, invited Masha back into the house, pretending to reconcile.

“Let’s forget the past. Come home. Vitya will be back soon,” Lidiya suggested.

Masha agreed, hoping that things might truly improve.

But Lidiya wasn’t done yet. She called Vitya, feeding him more lies about Masha’s behavior.

“Masha barged in here with her suitcases and threatened to keep me from seeing my grandchild,” Lidiya claimed.

Vitya, torn between his wife and his mother, began to doubt Masha. He called Masha, but her calm explanation only added to his confusion.

“Masha, I’m not sure who’s lying anymore. Maybe we should call my mom on speakerphone to hear the truth,” he said.

The phone call exposed Lidiya’s deception. Masha, speaking with confidence, revealed the truth, and Vitya heard his mother’s scheme firsthand.

When Lidiya returned, she found her son and daughter-in-law sitting together, united.

“I thought you’d have kicked her out by now,” Lidiya said, shocked.

“No, Mom. We’re leaving together,” Vitya replied.

Masha, pregnant with their child, was now his priority. Vitya set clear boundaries: “Any more lies or interference from you or Olya, and that’s the end of this relationship.”

Lidiya, stunned, slowly realized that her manipulation had backfired. Over the next three weeks, she began to see that her son had grown up, choosing his own family over her wishes.

On the day of Masha’s ultrasound, Lidiya met them at the clinic entrance, hoping to start fresh. But it was clear: her control over her son was gone, and she had lost the battle for his love and loyalty.