I decided to support my husband in a special way. Every week, he visited his parents’ house…

About his sense of responsibility. About how he was afraid to tell Anna. Afraid of losing her.

I knew I was being despicable, he said, head bowed. I lied to you. But I didn’t see another way.

I didn’t want to hurt you, Anya, I swear. I never stopped loving you. Anna was silent.

She looked at him, searching for the truth in his eyes. She saw remorse, pain, but also a stubborn resolve. He had made his choice and it wasn’t just about him.

The night passed in silence. They lay on their respective sides of the bed, a chasm between them. Anna couldn’t sleep.

Her mind swirled with thoughts, fragments of phrases, memories. She recalled their life, their love, their plans for the future. It all seemed fragile now.

Unreal. She didn’t know what she felt. Anger, hurt, disappointment, or something more complex and profound.

In the morning, Igor left for work, leaving Anna alone. She wandered the apartment like a ghost. Everything felt foreign, unfamiliar.

Even the books on her shelves, which she loved so dearly, now seemed false, hypocritical. She stood by the window and looked outside. The world went on as if nothing had happened.

People rushed to work. Children played in the yard. Birds sang in the trees.

But her life had collapsed in an instant. She remembered Elena’s words about Igor being a good father. About how he cared for Sasha.

About how there was nothing between them but responsibility. Anna wasn’t sure whether to believe her, but something in Elena’s voice and gaze suggested she was telling the truth. Anna knew she needed time.

Time to think, to make a decision. She couldn’t simply forgive Igor, but she couldn’t just leave him either. Too much bound them.

Too much had been invested in their relationship. The next day, Anna told Igor she needed to leave. She needed to be alone to think things through.

Igor didn’t try to stop her. He understood she had that right. Anna went to a different village, not to Igor’s parents, but to an old dacha she owned.

She spent several days there, walking in the forest, reading books, reflecting on her life. She recalled their first meeting, their wedding, their early years together. Everything had been so good, so calm, so reliable.

Could it all have been a lie? Had Igor been living a double life all these years? Anna couldn’t believe it. She knew Igor as an honest, decent man. How could he have done this to her? But then she remembered Elena’s words about how Igor didn’t want to hurt her.

How he feared losing her. How he did it all for Sasha. And Anna began to understand…