June sunshine bathed the spacious kitchen in light, where Anna was leisurely preparing her morning coffee. The foam was rising in the cezve, and the apartment was filled with the rich aroma of freshly brewed drink.

Igor appeared in the doorway, nonchalantly buttoning his shirt.

“Good morning! It smells wonderful!”

Anna poured the coffee into cups, knowing that her ability to brew the perfect coffee was one of the things that Igor always especially appreciated.

“How did you sleep?” she asked, placing a cup in front of her husband and sitting down beside him.

“Splendid. By the way, Mom called yesterday when you weren’t around.”

Anna took a sip, trying to remain calm. Calls from her mother-in-law rarely heralded anything pleasant.

“Did something happen?”

“Nothing major. She just wanted to know if you could take her to the clinic tomorrow. She has an appointment with the doctor at nine in the morning.”

Anna froze, cup in hand. The next day she had an important presentation for clients, one she had been working on for two weeks.

“Igor, that’s impossible for tomorrow. You know about the presentation.”

“Anya, but it’s Mom,” Igor’s voice took on a reproachful tone. “She doesn’t ask for such favors often. Can’t you help?”

“What about a taxi? Or Lena? She’s free.”“Lena is busy with the kids, and a taxi… Why incur extra expenses when you can ask family?”

Anna sighed deeply. These kinds of conversations were becoming more and more frequent. At first, they were small requests—buying medicine, helping with cleaning, going to the dacha. Then they began to pile up like a snowball.

“Alright, I’ll try to reschedule the meeting,” she managed to say, though internally she resisted the decision.

“Great!” Igor rejoiced. “I’m so glad I have such an understanding wife. You always know how important family is.”

He uttered the word “family” with a special warmth. From the very beginning of their relationship, he had constantly emphasized the importance of being close to loved ones, supporting them in difficult times.

That same evening, Lena, Igor’s sister, called.

“Anya, dear, could you help with the kids on Saturday? My husband and I have long wanted to go to the theater, and we’ve already bought the tickets.”

Anna was just about to visit her parents. Her mother had been inviting them for lunch for a long time.

“Lena, sorry, but we planned to visit my…”

“Come on, your parents can wait!” Lena’s tone became petulant. “Do I ask for favors like this often? The kids just adore you.”

Anna glanced at the calendar. It had been a month since she’d met her parents.

“Okay,” she conceded again.

When Igor returned in the evening, Anna told him about the conversation with his sister.

“Good on you for agreeing,” her husband approved. “Lena really needs a break; she’s with the kids all day.”

“And what about me?” Anna asked quietly.

“Oh, come on, you’re in the office all day. That’s entirely different.”

Anna fell silent. Arguing was futile.

A week later, a call came from her father-in-law, Viktor Mikhailovich.

“Annushka, here’s the thing… The car broke down, and we still need to get around. Could you let us use yours for a couple of weeks?”

Anna was taken aback. Without a car, her life was practically impossible—she had work across the city, meetings with clients.

“Viktor Mikhailovich, I can’t manage without my car. I have a tight schedule…”

“Come on, dear, riding the metro a couple of times isn’t a problem!” her father-in-law replied cheerfully. “We’re all family; we should help each other.”

Later, another conversation took place with Igor.

“Igor, how am I supposed to work without my car? I have meetings, presentations…”

“Anya, it’s only temporary. Your dad really needs it. Besides, he’s right—you can endure a little for the sake of family.”

Anna increasingly noticed that her life was turning into an endless series of concessions. Every time she tried to say “no,” she was reminded: “We’re family.”

The real test came with her promotion at work. Anna had worked hard to reach that position, studied a lot, and put in immense effort. Finally, her hard work paid off—she was promoted to department head.

Joyfully announcing it to her husband, she added:

“Imagine, now we can finally fulfill our long-time dream! Remember, we wanted to go to Europe?”

Igor smiled oddly.

“You know, here’s the thing… Mom and Dad decided to renovate the kitchen. And Katya’s wedding is coming soon…”

Anna froze. Once again, relatives were more important than their own plans.

“And what?” she asked cautiously.

“Well, they need financial help. Now that your salary has increased…”

Anna couldn’t believe her ears:

“So you’re suggesting I give up my money for the renovation and the wedding?”

Igor merely shrugged:

“Why not? We’re all family.”

Anna looked at her husband as if seeing him for the first time. When had his family become more important than their own?

That evening, she oscillated between thoughts of how they once dreamed of traveling together and building a future. All those plans were dissolving amidst endless requests from his relatives.

“We need to talk seriously,” Anna resolutely announced as she entered the room where Igor was absorbed in watching television.

“About what?” he barely tore his eyes from the screen.

“About our relationship. About money, about our plans.”

Igor reluctantly turned off the TV.

“Why are you upset? It’s just the usual situation. Your family needs support.”

“No, it’s not the usual situation,” Anna sat on the edge of an armchair. “These are my hard-earned money, Igor. I worked so hard, strived for this promotion.”

“And what now? Are you going to manage all our finances on your own?” Igor abruptly stood up. “You’ve changed, Anya. You used to be different. Now you only think about yourself.”

His words struck her deeply. Anna clenched her fingers into fists.

“I think about us,” her voice became firmer than she had expected. “About the plans we built together. About the journey we promised each other.”

“When will you find time to dream?” Igor dismissed her. “Your sister’s wedding is around the corner. Our parents have started a renovation.”

“And what about our family? Our shared dreams?”

“Enough!” Igor raised his voice. “In a proper family, a wife helps her husband’s relatives. It’s natural and right.”

The days that followed turned into an endless “silent war.” Anna left for work long before dawn and returned late in the evening, when the house was shrouded in darkness. Igor deliberately ignored her existence.

Even her mother-in-law, Nina Pavlovna, did not stay on the sidelines. Every day she called her son, loudly reprimanding her daughter-in-law over the phone.

“Your wife has completely lost her way,” she lamented. “In my day, no one would dare behave like that. We knew our place.”

Anna pretended not to hear these conversations. She threw herself even more deeply into her work. New projects demanded her complete dedication, but at the office she was valued for her professionalism rather than being accused of selfishness.

Their fifth wedding anniversary was approaching. Anna hoped that day would be a turning point—maybe Igor would remember how happy they once were, how they supported each other.

But that evening, upon returning home, she found her husband sitting at the kitchen table. He sat with his arms crossed, his face set in a tense expression.

“I’ve been thinking about something,” he began, exhaling deeply.

Anna froze in the doorway. His tone made it clear: the upcoming conversation would be difficult.

“Of course, you have the right to your own opinion,” Igor continued, “but you must understand one simple thing. In a family, everyone supports each other.”

He paused, as if giving her a chance to object. But Anna remained silent, waiting for him to continue.

“My mother devoted her whole life to me,” his voice grew louder, filled with emotion. “Sleepless nights when I was sick. Three jobs for my education. What can I do for her now, if not ensure help?”

Igor spoke faster and faster, as if trying to convince not only his wife but also himself.

“And Katya? She’s twenty. A wedding is an important milestone in life. How can we not help? And for us, it’s enough. We live comfortably.”

Each of his words struck her like blows. Anna felt a storm of misunderstanding building inside.

“You’re my wife, not someone else’s!” she declared, her voice cold and resolute.

Igor rolled his eyes.

“Here we go again. All you think about is money. Your life revolves around it,” his tone dripped with contempt.

That night, Anna didn’t sleep. She lay awake, staring at the ceiling, recalling everything: canceled meetings with her parents, weekends spent helping her mother-in-law, money lent without any expectation of return. Endless concessions and compromises that seemed never-ending.

The next morning, Anna woke up earlier than usual. She took out a large suitcase and began packing her belongings and documents. Igor watched her actions with a mocking smile.

“What is this spectacle?” he asked, leaning against the door frame. “Decided to show some character?”

“I’m leaving,” she replied calmly, locking the suitcase.

Her husband laughed.

“Are you being capricious again? Do you really think I’ll believe you’re serious?”

Silently, Anna picked up the suitcase and walked past him toward the front door. In Igor’s eyes, a hint of surprise flickered.

“Are you really doing this?” his voice wavered.

An hour later, she was opening the door of her old apartment—a small studio she had once bought to rent out. Now, it seemed like a true refuge. Here, no one would demand, judge, or reproach her.

For the first time in a long while, she felt free. No longer did she have to account for every penny. No longer would she have to sacrifice her time for others’ needs. She could simply live.

Days turned into weeks, weeks into months. Anna completely immersed herself in work, met with friends, and began exercising. Life began to paint itself in new colors again.

Igor appeared three months later. The phone rang late in the evening.

“Let’s meet, let’s talk,” his voice was soft, almost pleading. “I understand everything now. I promise I’ll change.”

Anna smiled as she looked at her phone.

“Too late,” she whispered quietly. “Far too late.”

Her husband didn’t understand the main point: it wasn’t the refusal to help his relatives that destroyed their relationship. The problem was that, in his eyes, she had long ceased to be a complete individual. She had become merely a resource for his family.

Even the fifth anniversary of their wedding passed unnoticed. Igor forgot the date, and for Anna, that was yet another sign. She spent that day at work, and in the evening she strolled along the embankment. The wind tousled her hair as the sun slowly dipped below the horizon.

Strangely, instead of sorrow, a sense of liberation emerged. It was as if a heavy backpack had been lifted from her shoulders. Now, this life belonged only to her. There was no need to be convenient—only to be happy.

Anna took out her phone and opened the airline’s website. Her vacation was starting in a week. It was time to fulfill her long-held dream of traveling around Europe. Even if alone—it would be on her own terms