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<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\u201cCongratulations on the inheritance from your aunt!\u201d exclaimed the mother-in-law.<\/p>\n
Victoria stared at the unpaid bills spread out on the kitchen table. In the next room, Artem was enthusiastically describing his new project\u2014an online self-development course. Over five years together, she had seen him repeatedly pursue ideas that led nowhere: an eco-friendly store, a bicycle repair shop, meditation courses. Every time, he borrowed money, and every time, she was left to fix the financial mess.<\/p>\n
Her phone buzzed\u2014it was her mother-in-law.<\/p>\n
\u201cVika, did you transfer money to Artem\u2019s phone?\u201d she asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cI paid yesterday\u2026\u201d Victoria replied, though every penny mattered now that layoffs had started at her agency.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe needs more support!\u201d her mother-in-law insisted. Victoria coldly promised to help, despite her financial strain.<\/p>\n
Later, Artem rushed in, glowing with excitement. \u201cA potential partner just called. He says my idea is brilliant!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHow much will we need to invest this time?\u201d Victoria asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cAbout three hundred thousand,\u201d he said. \u201cBut it\u2019s nothing compared to what we\u2019ll make!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe don\u2019t have that kind of money,\u201d she replied.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know! But Maxim is ready to lend it,\u201d Artem said.<\/p>\n
Her stomach churned. \u201cDid you pay him back the last loan?\u201d<\/p>\n
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<\/p>\n
Before Artem could respond, Victoria\u2019s phone rang. A notary was calling about her aunt, Yelena Pavlovna Sokolova.<\/p>\n
\u201cYelena Pavlovna has passed away,\u201d the notary said, \u201cand you are the sole heir.\u201d<\/p>\n
Victoria froze. She barely knew Aunt Lena, but now she was inheriting a city-center apartment, a country house, and savings. Artem\u2019s face lit up. \u201cThis is our chance!\u201d<\/p>\n
Just then, her mother-in-law entered. When she heard the news, her eyes gleamed.<\/p>\n
\u201cAn apartment and a country house? What a turn,\u201d she said, eyeing Victoria closely.<\/p>\n
Victoria felt uncomfortable under her mother-in-law\u2019s scrutinizing gaze. That evening, Artem and Tamara began discussing the inheritance, already mentally dividing it up.<\/p>\n
The next morning, Tamara called again. \u201cDid you find out the value of everything?\u201d she asked. When Victoria said she hadn\u2019t seen the documents, Tamara urged her to act quickly, mentioning Artem\u2019s loan secured against their apartment and his brother\u2019s financial troubles.<\/p>\n
Victoria\u2019s mind was spinning. Why had Artem kept the loan secret? Why were her in-laws already planning how to spend her inheritance?<\/p>\n
That night, Tamara and Artem casually discussed \u201cfamily matters\u201d over dinner, with Tamara suggesting the inheritance should go toward paying off debts.<\/p>\n
Victoria\u2019s frustration boiled over. \u201cDo you think I owe it to give my money to your family?\u201d she demanded.<\/p>\n
Tamara smiled, unfazed. \u201cIn a family, you need to help each other.\u201d<\/p>\n
Victoria stood up. \u201cI\u2019ve been used as a source of funds. It won\u2019t happen again.\u201d<\/p>\n
A week later, Victoria filed for divorce. She moved into her aunt\u2019s apartment, choosing to renovate it and start fresh. She set up a home office and opened her own travel agency, which quickly gained recognition. She also kept the country house, spending weekends there to clear her mind.<\/p>\n
While sorting through Aunt Lena\u2019s belongings, Victoria found a diary. On the last page was a note: \u201cFinancial independence is freedom. But only if you decide yourself how to manage your money.\u201d<\/p>\n
Victoria smiled. Her aunt had known exactly what she needed to hear. In her new life, with her agency thriving, Victoria knew one thing for sure: her life was finally her own.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\u201cCongratulations on the inheritance from your aunt!\u201d exclaimed the mother-in-law. Victoria stared at the unpaid bills spread out on the kitchen table. In the next room, Artem… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":22135,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-22134","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n