The leap year had come and gone, but Lilia’s life hadn’t gotten any easier. If anything, her troubles seemed to have multiplied. On New Year’s Eve, her boyfriend walked out on her. Not just some casual fling, but a man who was practically her fiancé. True, they hadn’t set a wedding date yet, though they’d long agreed it would be sometime in the summer.
Lilia was well-settled in terms of housing, and quite comfortably so. After her grandmother passed away, she inherited a spacious three-bedroom apartment in an upscale building once reserved for party officials and high-ranking bureaucrats. Her grandfather had been the head of the local education department for many years, and her grandmother had served as a school principal, so it was no surprise that Lilia followed in their footsteps and chose a career in teaching.
Her job, however, had been a bit of a letdown. After graduating from university, she landed a position as an English teacher at a school in a rough neighborhood. Many of her students were “difficult,” with little interest in learning, and when the pandemic hit and classes shifted to remote learning, getting through to her rowdy pupils became nearly impossible.
So, barely making it to summer break, Lilia decided to take a step back and “find herself.” Deep down, she dreamed of becoming an artist. She’d shown a knack for drawing back in school, but her parents had been adamantly against her pursuing studies at an art academy.
— Only education, only continuing the family legacy! — they’d declared at a family meeting where everyone had a say.
And so, Lilia ended up with a diploma with honors, fluent in both English and German, but with no desire to return to the classroom. Instead, she decided to try working remotely, a choice made easier by the whole pandemic situation. She took on translation gigs, though clients were few and the pay wasn’t great. Still, it was enough to cover small, pleasant indulgences.
Her partner, Roman, took care of everything else. A top manager at a Ukrainian-American joint venture, he earned a handsome salary. Lilia was perfectly content with this arrangement—she’d sleep in until nearly noon, brew herself a cup of coffee, leisurely tidy up the apartment, prepare dinner, and then settle down to her translations in the afternoon. In the evenings, she and Roman would watch TV shows or romantic movies together, chatting about their future plans. Lilia even started quietly dreaming of having a baby. Why not? She was twenty-five, the perfect age for it…
This idyllic life lasted six months, and they were the most peaceful, harmonious months of her life. Sure, Roman—or “Romy,” as she affectionately called him—had to work long hours and often stayed late at the office (sometimes even on weekends), but he always made up for it by bringing home something tasty, a bouquet of flowers, or gifting her jewelry and new clothes. Lilia didn’t mind his frequent absences.
After all, she was an introvert at heart. Since childhood, she’d cherished moments of solitude to focus on her own interests without anyone bothering her. This setup suited them both—Roman earned the money, while Lilia painted, kept the house in order, and spoiled her fiancé with culinary masterpieces. And in the realm of intimacy, they were a perfect match...
But on December 31st, everything came crashing down. Lilia still couldn’t fathom why she hadn’t seen the warning signs. That day, she’d been in high spirits, flitting around the kitchen like a vibrant butterfly in her silk Japanese kimono. The salad was ready, a roast chicken was finishing in the oven, her signature Napoleon cake was soaking in cream, and all that was left was to prepare the caviar sandwiches Roman loved so much and arrange exotic fruits on a tray—for herself, of course.
Romy had gone to the store to pick up champagne, so when the doorbell rang, Lilia assumed it was him returning.
“Strange, did Romy forget his keys?” she thought fleetingly. But with a cheerful hum, she headed to the hallway, anticipating some delightful surprise.
What happened next was indeed a surprise, though hardly a pleasant one…
Standing at the door was a blonde woman Lilia didn’t recognize, wearing a short mink coat unbuttoned to reveal an ample bust, accentuated by a tight white sweater. Her bright red, glossy lips curled into a skeptical smirk as she took in Lilia.
— So, you’re Roman’s live-in girlfriend? — the brazen woman (as Lilia mentally dubbed her) asked, skipping any semblance of a greeting.
The word “live-in” dripped with such contempt from her lips that it felt like she’d already written Lilia off as some hopeless woman no one would ever marry.
— I’m his fiancée, — Lilia replied, fighting the urge to slam the door in the stranger’s face and never see her again. But her intuition screamed that she needed to find out who this woman was and why she was here. So, Lilia didn’t send the uninvited guest packing, though she remained at the threshold, making it clear she had no intention of letting her inside.
— Can I come in? — the blonde smirked, nudging Lilia aside with her shoulder and barging into the apartment like a tank. She glanced around and, surprisingly, nodded approvingly. — Not bad. Nice renovation! And so spacious…
— I don’t understand. What do you want from me? — Lilia finally snapped, her patience wearing thin. — Do you have something to say to Roman? Then go wait for him in the hallway. He’ll be back from the store any minute!
The blonde raised her small but expertly enhanced eyes, framed by thick, false lashes and heavy makeup, to meet Lilia’s gaze.
— Good, I’m glad he’ll be back soon, — she replied, plopping down uninvited onto a soft ottoman and stretching out her legs in tall boots. — He won’t be able to dodge the truth any longer. He keeps putting it off—first until your birthday, then until the start of the school year, now until New Year’s… Well, I’ve had enough! I decided to take matters into my own hands, which is why I’m here!
Lilia’s heart pounded anxiously in her chest.
— What matters? — she asked, utterly confused.
— It’s quite simple, — the blonde explained, her tone not aggressive but rather condescending. — Roman loves me, and we’re expecting a child together. So, I think it’s best for you to part ways quietly and peacefully, maybe even stay friends…