Sofya placed the vase of flowers on the table and critically inspected the result. Everything was perfect. A pristine white tablecloth, crystal glasses, expensive champagne in a silver bucket with ice. In the kitchen, a duck with apples was baking in the oven, and in the refrigerator there were desserts from the city’s finest pastry shop. And the weather had not let them down. The country house was bathed in greenery and sunlight.

“Maybe we shouldn’t have spent so much?” Alexey entered the veranda, glancing at the festive table with displeasure.

“This is your mother’s anniversary,” Sofya shrugged. “A seventieth birthday comes only once in a lifetime.”

“But she didn’t ask for any of this,” said her husband. “They could have just given her money, period.”

Sofya sighed. Of course, Nina Petrovna hadn’t asked for anything. A mother-in-law never liked to ask her daughter-in-law for anything, especially when Sonya earned more than her son. But then, for the rest of the year, she would constantly remind everyone that her daughter-in-law had shamed her in front of her friends.

“Do what you think is best,” Alexey turned away and left.

It was always like that. No support at all. Sofya bit her lip and continued decorating the cake with fresh berries. Alexey never took her side. He preferred to remain neutral, not getting involved in the conflicts between his mother and his wife. In his opinion, women should sort out their own relationships.

The first to arrive were the mother-in-law’s friends. Three ladies in identical colorful dresses and with identical haircuts. Only their names were different: Klavdia Maksimovna, Valentina Semenovna, and Tamara Grigorievna.

“Ninochka will be here soon,” announced Klavdia Maksimovna, surveying the set table. “Oh, and is that caviar?”

“Black and red,” Sofya nodded.

“And where is the meat platter from?” asked Valentina Semenovna curiously. “Did you order it from a restaurant?”

“Yes, from ‘Belyy Aist’ (White Stork),” answered Sofya.

“How interesting,” squinted Tamara Grigorievna. “Really classy, then.”

Sofya nodded silently and stepped away to greet the rest of the guests. She noticed the murmuring among her mother-in-law’s friends but chose not to pay attention. Let them talk what they wanted. What mattered to her was Nina Petrovna’s comfort.

When a car appeared on the driveway with the celebrant, Sofya waved. The taxi stopped right at the doorstep. Out stepped a short woman in an elegant blue dress, with her hair slicked back and wearing bright lipstick.

“Nina Petrovna, happy anniversary!” Sofya walked forward with a bouquet of roses.

“Oh, you shouldn’t have,” the mother-in-law pursed her lips as she accepted the flowers. “How much money you must have spent!”

“It comes from the heart,” Sofya smiled. “Come on, everyone is waiting for you.”

The banquet began with toasts and congratulations. The guests noisily discussed the celebrant’s life, recalling cheerful stories. Nina Petrovna sat at the head of the table with a strained smile, as if bestowing a favor with her mere presence. Sofya noticed that her mother-in-law barely touched her food, even though the dishes had been chosen especially to suit her taste.

“Don’t you like it?” Sofya quietly asked, leaning toward her mother-in-law.

“Nothing,” Nina Petrovna replied dryly. “I just have no appetite.”

Sofya stepped away to where Alexey was standing by the window.

“Your mother isn’t eating anything at all,” she remarked.

“I see,” her husband shrugged. “Maybe she’s on a diet.”

The female guests glanced at Sofya with unmistakable interest. She felt those stares on her skin. Whether it was envy or disapproval, Sonya was long accustomed to such reactions. Many were irritated by her independence and confidence. And also by the fact that she had built a successful career without relying on her husband.

The phone in her pocket vibrated. A call from a client. Sofya frowned. It was her day off, but this project was too important.

“Excuse me,” she said, rising. “I need to answer.”

Sofya left the house, heading to a distant corner of the garden. There, no one would interrupt her conversation.

“Good evening, Sergey Valentinovich,” she greeted. “Yes, I remember the deadlines.”

The conversation lasted several minutes. When Sofya finished, she decided to return unnoticed. She did not want to attract unnecessary attention. Only upon reaching the veranda did she hear her name. Or rather, she heard them talking about her.

“Your daughter-in-law is climbing the career ladder, isn’t she?” Klavdia Maksimovna’s voice resounded. “Aren’t you tired of putting up with her?”

Sofya froze, pressing herself against the side of the house. She knew it was wrong to eavesdrop, but her legs refused to move.

“Rich, independent, always having her own opinion,” continued Klavdia Maksimovna. “How do you put up with such a daughter-in-law, Ninochka?”

Laughter erupted on the veranda.

“And what choice do I have?” Nina Petrovna snorted. “But I’m not worried. She is not my son’s wife. Just a girl with money, nothing more! We’ll milk as much as we can from her. And then I’ll find a proper match for my son.”

Her heart clenched painfully. Sofya had always known that her mother-in-law harbored ill feelings toward her, but not to this extent…

“Could I ever have wished for such a daughter-in-law?” continued Nina Petrovna. “She doesn’t listen to advice, never asks for opinions. And most of all, it’s impossible to control her.”

Sofya’s throat went dry. She slowly backed away from the wall. Alexey! He must be there with his mother. Could it be that he thought the same? Sofya peeked from behind the corner. Indeed, her husband stood next to his mother in silence. Not a single word in defense of his wife. As if he agreed with every harsh phrase.

Her legs buckled. Sofya slowly retreated behind the house where no one could see her. Tears stung her eyes. The pain of betrayal was unbearable. The cold evening air only amplified her sense of loneliness.

“What for?” Sofya thought, leaning against an old apple tree. “What did I do wrong?”

She had given her all to this marriage. Supported her husband when his business failed. Cared for him when he was ill. And as soon as she became successful, they began to consider her an unsuitable wife.

Wiping away her tears, she fixed her makeup. After a few minutes, she took a deep breath and straightened her posture. It was time to return to the celebration. Let no one know that she had heard everything.

“Well, her mother is right about one thing,” Sofya mused to herself with a slight smile. “I really am independent. And I’m not about to cry in front of these people.”

Straightening her shoulders, Sofya returned to the veranda. The guests continued to chatter loudly about something, paying her no attention. Only Nina Petrovna gave the daughter-in-law a withering look. Alexey stood by the window with a glass in his hand, casually chatting with some distant relative.

Sofya approached her husband and touched his elbow.

“I need to leave immediately,” she said calmly. “I got a call from work; there’s a problem with the project.”

“On your day off?” Alexey didn’t even turn to face her. “Alright, go if you must.”

No questions. No concern. Just an indifferent acceptance. Inside, an icy calm spread.

“Stay with your mother; I’ll call a taxi,” she added.

Sofya noticed Nina Petrovna smirking, clearly pleased that her daughter-in-law was leaving before everyone else. Their eyes met for a brief moment. Sonya smiled and nodded to the mother-in-law in farewell.

“Nina Petrovna,” Sofya said, “happy anniversary once again.”

Sofya drove home in complete silence. Once in her apartment, she turned on the light and looked around. Five years of marriage. They lived in her apartment. During that time, Alexey had never done anything to make their apartment cozier. All the responsibilities had fallen on her shoulders, even though Sofya worked far more than her husband.

Without extra emotion, Sofya took out a suitcase and carefully packed Alexey’s belongings. Shirts separately, trousers separately. Socks in a special bag. She did it methodically, as if carrying out a routine errand.

After finishing with the belongings, she opened her laptop and found the contacts of a firm that installed doors and replaced locks. Despite the late hour, the dispatcher promised to send a technician by nine in the morning. Sofya thanked him and hung up.

Sofya knew she was doing the right thing. Somehow, her soul felt lighter, as if a heavy burden had been lifted from her shoulders. Sofya took a shower and went to bed.

At nine in the morning, the doorbell rang. The technician worked quickly and professionally. Within an hour, the old locks were replaced with new ones, and Sofya received a set of keys.

Alexey called around ten, sounding displeased. Sofya chose not to explain the reason for her departure over the phone. Let him come and hear it all in person.

At half past ten, the doorbell rang again. Sofya opened the door and saw her bewildered husband. Alexey looked disheveled, as if he hadn’t slept well.

“What’s going on?” he asked, trying to step inside.

Sofya blocked his way.

“I heard your conversation at the anniversary,” she said calmly, looking Alexey straight in the eyes. “‘She is not my son’s wife. Just a girl with money, nothing more!’ I am quoting your mother verbatim.”

Alexey paled and lowered his gaze.

“Those are just words,” he mumbled. “You know how my mother is—she always talks like that. It’s her celebration; she’s the star, and everyone talks about you.”

“But you were silent,” Sofya snapped. “You stood right there and didn’t say a word to defend me.”

“I didn’t want any conflict,” Alexey tried to justify himself. “Why make the situation worse? We drink, and everything will be forgotten.”

Sofya shook her head. By the door stood a suitcase with her husband’s belongings.

“One night was enough for me to realize that I don’t need this marriage.”

“You can’t just decide everything like that!” Alexey protested.

“I can, and I have decided,” Sofya said firmly. “I’m filing for divorce. I no longer want to waste my time and money on people who don’t appreciate me.”

Alexey grabbed the suitcase and retreated toward the stairs.

“You’ll regret this,” he threw over his shoulder.

Sofya closed the door. Inside, she felt a firm conviction. Enough was enough. Five years of an unequal marriage was enough time to understand that nothing would ever change.

An hour later, the phone rang. The caller ID showed her mother-in-law’s name. Sofya took a deep breath and answered.

“What do you think you’re doing?!” Nina Petrovna’s voice rang out with indignation. “How could you kick my son out?!”

Sofya listened silently as a torrent of accusations—”selfish,” “careerist,” “heartless”—poured in her direction. The mother-in-law didn’t hold back. And then she hit the main point.

“Your behavior has put our family at risk!” Nina Petrovna exclaimed. “I always knew you would only cause problems!”

Sofya smiled, her logic unassailable.

“Nina Petrovna,” she replied calmly, “if you were so dissatisfied with a daughter-in-law who paid for your anniversary, now you’ll have the chance to find someone better.”

Without waiting for a response, Sofya hung up and turned off the phone. Ahead lay a new life—without constant criticisms, toxic relatives, and a husband who had never been on her side. Just thinking about how much strength and nerves she would save made her feel light.

“Free,” Sofya thought.

She had no regrets about her decision. Five years were enough to realize that the person by her side was not the one. Now, Sofya knew that everything would be different.