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<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\u2014 \u201cHold on, Katya! Someone\u2019s at the door. I\u2019ll call you back after I see who it is and what they want,\u201d Lyudmila said reluctantly, interrupting her conversation with her longtime friend. Katya had been vividly recounting her mother-in-law\u2019s birthday party from the day before, her humor making Lyudmila laugh as if she were watching a stand-up comedy show on TV.<\/p>\n
As she approached the door, Lyudmila glanced through the peephole and was immediately taken aback. She had expected to see a neighbor, since strangers couldn\u2019t usually get into the building without access. Instead, a young woman she had never seen before stood in the hallway, looking both nervous and determined.<\/p>\n
Lyudmila hesitated. She had always lived by the rule of not engaging with strangers\u2014there were too many scammers and con artists around these days, all looking to take advantage of unsuspecting people.<\/p>\n
She wasn\u2019t easily fooled, and she certainly wasn\u2019t going to entertain some suspicious stranger at her door. Dismissing the matter, she turned away, ready to resume her conversation with Katya.<\/p>\n
But the doorbell rang again. And again. The visitor seemed certain that someone was inside and was determined not to leave without an answer.<\/p>\n
At that moment, Lyudmila was home alone. Her husband, Viktor, had gone to a friend\u2019s country house to help with a fence that Saturday. She sighed, turned back to the door, and took another look through the peephole.<\/p>\n
The woman outside had a strange, almost pitiful look about her. She didn\u2019t seem dangerous, but there was something unsettling about her presence.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat\u2019s the worst that could happen?\u201d Lyudmila thought. \u201cI\u2019ll just open the door, tell her she\u2019s got the wrong apartment, and send her on her way. That should be enough to get rid of her.\u201d<\/p>\n
Without overthinking it, she unlatched the door and swung it open.<\/p>\n
The woman straightened up immediately, as if she had been rehearsing this moment. She even ran a hand through her hair, as if trying to regain composure before speaking.<\/p>\n
\u201cHello! Are you Lyudmila?\u201d she asked, fidgeting with her scarf. \u201cActually, why am I even asking? Of course, you are.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cLook at this,\u201d Lyudmila thought. \u201cScammers these days come prepared. She even knows my name.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWho are you, and what do you want?\u201d Lyudmila demanded, arms crossed. \u201cYou\u2019ve been ringing for five minutes. I didn\u2019t invite you in. So say what you need to say and get lost.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIs Viktor home?\u201d The woman\u2019s question took Lyudmila by surprise.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat the hell?\u201d she thought. \u201cShe even knows my husband\u2019s name. Definitely a scam artist, but a well-prepared one.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDid you come here for Viktor?\u201d Lyudmila asked, though she had a much sharper remark in mind.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo, I came to see you. But if Viktor is home, it\u2019ll be harder for me to talk to you,\u201d the woman replied calmly.<\/p>\n
Lyudmila narrowed her eyes. \u201cVitya? Since when does she call him Vitya?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo, my husband isn\u2019t here,\u201d she said slowly. \u201cI\u2019m listening.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
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\n\u201cMaybe we could talk inside? This isn\u2019t really a hallway conversation,\u201d the woman suggested.<\/p>\n
Lyudmila scoffed. \u201cOh, the audacity! I don\u2019t even know you, and you expect me to invite you in? Not a chance. Speak here, and make it quick.\u201d<\/p>\n
The woman hesitated, then smirked. \u201cAlright, if you insist. But do you really want me to start talking about my relationship with Viktor out here? For all the neighbors to hear?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cExcuse me? What relationship?\u201d Lyudmila\u2019s voice shot up in disbelief.<\/p>\n
Just then, the elevator dinged, and Lyudmila\u2019s elderly neighbor, Lidia Ivanovna, stepped out. She immediately noticed the tension between the two women.<\/p>\n
\u201cEverything alright, Lyuda?\u201d she asked, eyeing the stranger suspiciously.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, Lidochka, everything\u2019s fine,\u201d Lyudmila said quickly, hoping to avoid a scene. \u201cHow\u2019s the weather?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cLooks like rain,\u201d Lidia answered, but she lingered in the hallway, clearly curious about what was going on.<\/p>\n
Lyudmila sighed and stepped aside. \u201cFine, come in,\u201d she said to the stranger.<\/p>\n
The woman entered and immediately began glancing around the apartment with interest.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou have five minutes,\u201d Lyudmila said firmly, blocking the entrance to the living room. \u201cThis isn\u2019t a museum.\u201d<\/p>\n
The woman took off her scarf and coat. \u201cMy name is Olesya,\u201d she said smoothly. \u201cAnd Viktor and I are in love.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lyudmila rolled her eyes. \u201cOh, come on! Couldn\u2019t you come up with something a little more original?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat\u2019s unoriginal about it? It happens. We fell in love. You\u2019re not the first wife to be left behind,\u201d Olesya replied, trying to push past her.<\/p>\n
\u201cAre you sure? That he\u2019s fallen out of love with me and in love with you?\u201d Lyudmila asked with an amused smile.<\/p>\n
\u201cOf course! Otherwise, I wouldn\u2019t be here!\u201d Olesya said defiantly.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s funny,\u201d Lyudmila chuckled. \u201cYou see, my husband doesn\u2019t love anyone. He\u2019s not capable of it. So I think you might be mistaken, dear.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo mistake,\u201d Olesya insisted. \u201cWe work together. Ever since I started in his department, he\u2019s had eyes only for me. He even confessed his love.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cReally? That\u2019s not like him at all,\u201d Lyudmila said, raising an eyebrow. \u201cAnd what exactly do you want from me, Alice?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOlesya,\u201d she corrected. \u201cAnd I want you to divorce him. Let him go. Stop standing in the way of his happiness.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lyudmila burst out laughing. \u201cWait, let me get this straight. You want me to give you my husband because you believe he loves you? And what, pray tell, will I get out of this deal?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWell, you\u2019ll have to find another place to live, of course. Viktor and I will be living here,\u201d Olesya said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.<\/p>\n
Lyudmila laughed even harder. \u201cOh, sweetie, that\u2019s adorable! Did Viktor tell you this place was his?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t need him to tell me,\u201d Olesya smirked. \u201cI checked. His name is on the documents.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lyudmila tilted her head. \u201cOh? Did your \u2018research\u2019 also tell you that Viktor once left me and came crawling back? That he realized no one else would put up with him the way I do?\u201d<\/p>\n
Just then, the front door opened, and Viktor stepped inside. His eyes widened when he saw Olesya standing in his hallway.<\/p>\n
\u201cOlesya? What are you doing here?\u201d<\/p>\n
Olesya turned pale. \u201cI\u2014I was just leaving,\u201d she stammered, grabbing her coat.<\/p>\n
Lyudmila smirked. \u201cBut why? You came for Viktor, didn\u2019t you? I\u2019m practically handing him over!\u201d<\/p>\n
Olesya hurriedly backed toward the door, avoiding Viktor\u2019s confused stare.<\/p>\n
\u201cLyuda, what the hell is going on?\u201d Viktor asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cGood question, Vitya,\u201d Lyudmila said with a grin. \u201cMaybe you should answer it.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\u2014 \u201cHold on, Katya! Someone\u2019s at the door. I\u2019ll call you back after I see who it is and what they want,\u201d Lyudmila said reluctantly, interrupting her… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":22020,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-22019","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n