I overheard my mother-in-law’s conversation with my husband and couldn't believe what I was hearing.

Everything I had believed about my marriage turned out to be a lie. I had trusted him completely, but it was clear he and his mother had been deceiving me.

It's all clear now. They will regret this!

Everything Changed
Just a month ago, I never could have imagined how much my life would change. I was in my cozy apartment—one I had bought after years of hard work—flipping through a magazine. The smell of freshly brewed coffee filled the air. Maxim was away on duty and was supposed to be back in a week.

I reached for my favorite cup in the cabinet, but it wasn’t there. Odd—I was sure I left it here. Could it be in the dishwasher? No, it wasn’t there either.

“What’s going on here?”

I began to search the kitchen carefully.

This wasn’t the first time something had gone missing. First, my favorite sapphire earrings—my birthday gift from my parents—disappeared. Then, a silk scarf from my trip to Italy went missing. And now, the cup.

I called my husband.

“Maxim, have you seen my white cup with the golden rim?”

“Ler, did you lose something again?” he chuckled. “Maybe you moved it somewhere and forgot. You’re always so forgetful.”

“I’m not forgetful!” I snapped. “But lately, so many things have been disappearing.”

“By the way, I was thinking about that business proposal I mentioned. My friend is opening a coffee shop chain and needs investors. If we mortgage the apartment…”

“Max, we’ve already talked about this,” I interrupted him. “I don’t want to risk the apartment.”

“Ler, this is a great opportunity! We invest, earn passive income, and live comfortably!” Maxim urged.

He had been bringing it up for months—a loan against the apartment to invest in a promising business. The idea was tempting, but something held me back.

“Let’s talk about it when I get back from my vacation in three days,” I suggested.

“You’re going alone?”

“With whom? You won’t be home until next week.”

We talked a little more before hanging up.

Taking Precautions
I looked at the empty spot where the cup should have been and walked to the bedroom.

I took out a small box from my bag. The missing items couldn’t just be a coincidence, so before my vacation, I’d bought a few small cameras. Maybe I was being paranoid, but I wanted to know what was happening.

I remembered how I met Maxim—it was like a fairy tale. A chance encounter in a café, his charming smile, and his compliments.

He seemed perfect—attentive, caring, with a steady job. Three months later, he proposed, and I, like a lovesick girl, said yes. My mother was surprised at how quickly it happened, but I was sure of my choice.

After setting up the cameras, I checked the live feed on my phone. Everything worked perfectly, and now I could enjoy my vacation in peace.

The Car
That night, I couldn’t sleep. I recalled our first conversation about finances when Maxim suggested selling my old car.

“Why keep that old thing?” he said. “Let’s get a new one.”

I agreed, even though the car was in excellent condition. I just wanted to make him happy.

The next morning, I woke up with an uneasy feeling. I chalked it up to pre-vacation nerves and began packing my suitcase. Ahead of me were the sea, the sun, and two weeks of complete relaxation.

I had no idea this vacation would change my life forever.

Before I left, I checked the cameras and their connection to the server once more. Everything was perfect. I could monitor the apartment, even from thousands of miles away.

The Beach
Lying on a beach chair, I enjoyed the warm breeze and the sound of the waves. The atmosphere was carefree—children laughing, music playing from seaside cafés, seagulls calling.

I opened the camera app on my phone.

The first recording was uneventful—the apartment was empty. But then, on Tuesday… I saw the front door open, and my mother-in-law, Valentina Petrovna, entered the apartment.

Not surprising, since she had a spare key. But then…

“Maxim?” I almost dropped my phone.

He was supposed to be on duty. I turned up the volume.

“Well, son, when are you going to convince your wife to agree to the loan?” Valentina Petrovna asked, sitting in an armchair, crossing her legs.

“I’m working on it, Mom. She’s almost convinced,” Maxim replied.

“Almost?” his mother scoffed. “You didn’t take so long with your last wife.”

“Mom, it’s different. Ler has the apartment in her name and the car. We have to be careful.”

“Careful? He’ll be careful!” a woman’s voice interrupted. A young brunette appeared on the screen. “You’ve been dragging this out with her for too long, Maxim. Haven’t you fallen for her?”

I stared at the stranger, shocked. She was slim, vibrant, and confident.

“Aline, don’t start,” Maxim warned, frowning. “I’m doing everything as we agreed.”

“Dad!” Two children, around five or six, ran into the room.

Maxim scooped them up, kissing them. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. My husband had been deceiving me all along.

“Max, we need money,” Aline continued. “The kids are starting school soon, and you’re wasting time with this simpleton.”

“Exactly,” my mother-in-law agreed, “finding a fool like her isn’t easy. Clearly, she’s a provincial—no style, no taste.”

“But with the apartment and the car,” Maxim smirked.

Aline started going through my things.

“Oh, this blouse is nice. I’ll take it. She won’t need it anyway.”

“Take whatever you want,” Maxim waved. “Soon none of this will matter.”

I stopped the recording. Everything fell into place—the missing items, Maxim’s business trips, his persistent talk of taking out a loan.

I remembered our honeymoon. At the time, Maxim had said, “I can’t believe I found such a wonderful girl. It was fate!” And I, foolishly, believed him.

Now I realized—he was a professional con artist. He targets women with assets, charms them, marries them, and then… What happened to his first wife? Was she left with nothing?

I got up from the deck chair and walked along the shore. I needed to clear my head and figure out what to do. Inside, I was seething with anger and hurt. Six months of lies, manipulation, and deceit.

That Evening on the Beach
At a beach party, I was sitting at the bar when a handsome man sat next to me.

“May I buy you a cocktail?”

“Why not?” I smiled. “Today is a special day.”

“Really? What’s so special?”

“Today, I’m starting a new life,” I said, raising my glass. “Sometimes you have to lose everything to realize your strength.”

“That’s quite philosophical,” the man remarked.

“Oh no, I’m very practical,” I said, my smile turning sharp. “I’ve realized one simple truth: if you’re betrayed, your revenge must be… elegant.”

The man raised an eyebrow, but I had already begun packing.

“Thanks for the cocktail. I need to go home and prepare.”

Back in my room, I opened my laptop and started drafting a plan. I wasn’t going to make a scene—I had a much better idea.

First, I called my lawyer acquaintance.

“Hey, Pasha. I need a consultation. But no questions, please…”

Then I messaged all my friends and acquaintances, telling them I was urgently selling the apartment. To my surprise, a classmate I hadn’t heard from in years responded.

The last days of the month passed in a blur. I followed my plan, like an actress playing her part.

“Mom, I’ve decided to move to another city,” I told her over the phone.

“Ler, why? What does Maxim think?”

“You could say it’s his idea,” I said with a tired smile. “Don’t worry, everything will be fine.”

“Sweetie, you’ve been acting strangely lately. Did something happen?”

“No, Mom. It’s just… sometimes life throws you surprises. And you have to learn how to respond.”

The meeting with Semyon went exactly as planned.

He hadn’t changed much since school—still the tough guy who once stood up to two bullies. After that, no one dared mess with him.

“So you’re selling the apartment?” he asked, inspecting the rooms.

“Yes, I’m moving. But there’s one catch—I need a month to clear out my things.”

“No problem,” Semyon said. “As long as the price is right.”

Once the documents were signed, I called Maxim.

“Darling, I need to stay with a friend for a couple of days,” I said sweetly into the phone. “But I left you a surprise.”

“Really?” His voice was filled with curiosity. “What’s the surprise?”

“You’ll find out,” I replied, my tone mysterious. “By the way, I missed you so much. I can’t wait for you to come back.”

“And I missed you, honey. I still can’t believe fate gave me such a wonderful wife.”

I clenched my fists, nails digging into my palms. His words were sickening.

“Yes, fate is one wicked joker,” I said through gritted teeth, then sweetly added, “Love you, bye!”

The last call came from my mother-in-law.

“Valentina Petrovna, I washed your things. You can pick them up.”

“Oh, Lerochka, thank you! You’re such a caring daughter-in-law.”

“Oh, it’s nothing,” I smiled, picturing her smug expression. “Family is what matters.”

D-Day
I knew Maxim would be home in the evening—he always came back at the same time. On the stove, I had left his favorite stew, and on the table, a note: “Darling, I love you! There’s new shampoo in the bathroom; you’ll love it. But that’s not the only surprise. Get ready!”

I boarded a train to another city, the compartment a bit stuffy, but I felt fantastic. I could already imagine what would happen back at the apartment.

Maxim returned at his usual time. Smelling the stew, he smiled and took out his phone.

“Aline, everything is going according to plan. The naive one is preparing surprises for me. Can you imagine?”

“And what surprises?” Aline scoffed.

“Who cares! The important thing is that soon everything will be settled. I’ll divorce her, take the apartment’s money, and even claim the car.”

“Are you sure you can handle the car?”

“Why not? I bought it during the marriage—so it’s joint property.”

“Don’t mess it up!”

“Everything will work out,” Maxim assured. “I’ll take a shower and try the new shampoo she left. I’ll call you back.”

He went into the bathroom, turned on the water, and began washing his hair while humming a tune. At that moment, the front door burst open.

“Don’t you understand?” Semyon’s voice roared.

The door slammed open. Maxim froze, trying to hide behind the curtain.

“Who are you? What are you doing in my apartment?”

“This is my apartment!”

“Get out!” Semyon grabbed Maxim by the shoulder. “Now!”

“Wait, there’s been a mistake…”

“The only mistake is that you’re still here!” Semyon shoved him into the hallway.

Valentina Petrovna was coming up the stairs.

“Son, what’s happening?” she gasped, seeing his hair. “What’s with your hair?”

Maxim touched his hair, confused.

“You’re redhead…” she exclaimed. “Why are my things in the trash?!” she cried. “Some tramp tried on my favorite dress!”

“What things? What does this have to do with it?” Maxim clutched his head, nearly dropping the towel. “She sold the apartment!”

“How did she sell it?” Valentina Petrovna’s eyes widened in horror.

“That figures,” Semyon rumbled as he left the apartment. “I bought it. All by the book, with proper documents. And you’re illegally occupying it. So leave before I call the police.”

Lera smiled and ordered coffee in the dining car. She took a sip from her cup and, for the first time in a long time, laughed genuinely.

She opened a chat with her mom.

“Mom, once I’m settled, I’ll come to see you. No, Maxim isn’t coming. I’ll explain everything later.”