– I’m not giving in. And that’s not all. There’s another one from March: “The promotion plan for Marina at Pasha’s company fell through – his boss refused to hire anyone new. But don’t be sad, I found something better. We’ll make them meet by chance at a restaurant where Pasha is celebrating a successful project with his colleagues. Alina, of course, won’t go – she’s too busy with renovations, she’s even being stingy about buying a new dress…”
Alina felt the room start to spin around her. All the months she and Pavel had saved every penny, denying themselves anything, her mother-in-law was weaving intrigues behind their backs.
– Why, mom? – Pavel asked quietly. – Explain to me – why?
Vera Nicoleta sat down on the couch:
– I wanted what was best… Marina is a girl from a good family, her mother and I have been friends for life. And she truly loves you, I can see it…
– Mom, do you hear what you’re saying? What love? Marina married Sergiu two years ago!
– It turned out to be a mess! – the mother-in-law shouted. – She got upset that you got involved with… – she stopped under her son’s gaze, – with Alina, and took revenge by going out with the first guy she met!
– Vera Nicoleta, have you ever wondered why Pavel chose me? – Alina approached her husband and took his hand. – Not Marina from a good family, but a simple girl from the province?
– Because she is real, mom, – Pavel tightened his grip on his wife’s fingers. – She doesn’t try to seem better than she is. She doesn’t weave intrigues. She simply loves and cares. And your Marina… Do you remember how she asked for expensive gifts? How she threw tantrums if she was late for work? How she tried to scold me for hanging out with friends?
– She’s very emotional! – Vera Nicoleta raised her hands. – But a housewife, everything was sparkling in the house…
– She had a maid, – Pavel laughed. – Alina does everything herself. And she works just like I do.
– Exactly! – the mother-in-law interjected. – Is it fair for a wife to be at work all day? Marina could stay home and make you comfortable…
– On whose money, mom? Mine? So that later she can reproach me for every penny, like you did with dad?
Vera Nicoleta turned pale:
– Don’t you dare mention your father! He left us!
– No, mom. You drove him away with your demands and reproaches. I remember everything, even though I was little. And I don’t want history to repeat itself.
– Pasha… – the mother-in-law sighed. – I just want what’s best for you…
– Best? – Pavel laughed bitterly. – And these letters are good? Attempts to destroy our family – is that love? Do you know what I understood by reading your correspondence? That you haven’t changed. Still the same owner who can’t accept that her son has grown up and is living his own life.
– I’m not an owner! – Vera Nicoleta got angry. – I just want you to be well!
– I am well, mom. Exactly because I chose my life. Alina and I have a wonderful family. We do everything together – we work, we rest, we enjoy each other’s success. And you… you try to destroy everything.
– I’m not destroying anything! – Vera Nicoleta jumped off the couch. – I just want to open your eyes! This girl is not for you! She doesn’t even know how to cook!
– But she knows how to love, – Alina said softly. – And she will never betray. Unlike others…
– What do you mean? – the mother-in-law glared threateningly at her daughter-in-law.
– The fact that your Marina cheated on Pasha. Didn’t you know? Or did you know, but thought it was normal for a girl from a good family?
Vera Nicoleta was left speechless:
– What nonsense! Marina would never…
– Mom, enough! – Pavel interrupted. – I knew everything. About Sergiu, with whom she had affairs when we were together. And about her boss. And about her college classmate. That’s why I broke off the engagement.
– What engagement? – Alina shouted.
– The engagement that mom organized a month before we met. She gathered all the relatives, set the table… Only the bride didn’t come – she was too busy in the hotel room with her boss.
– Oh my God… – Alina clasped her hands to her cheeks. – Why didn’t you ever tell me?
– I didn’t want to stir up the past, – Pavel hugged her. – And why? We have everything good now. And Marina… let her live her life as she wants.
– Anyway, she’s more socially suitable for you! – Vera Nicoleta stubbornly said. – She went out into the world, played a little, but now she’s settled down, got married…
– Mom, do you hear yourself? – Pavel shook his head. – What status? What “played”? You always said that the most important thing in a person is honesty and integrity. Where did all that go?
– I just want you to be happy! – tears appeared in Vera Nicoleta’s eyes.
– I am happy, mom. Truly happy. And do you know why? Because next to me is someone who loves me as I am. She doesn’t try to change me, doesn’t ask me to be how others want. She simply loves and accepts.
– And me? Do you think I don’t love you?
– I love you, mom. In your own way. It’s just that your love suffocates. Like ivy – it wraps around and doesn’t let you breathe.
Alina silently watched the discussion. It hurt her to see how much her husband was suffering, but she understood – this conversation needed to happen.
– And now what? – Vera Nicoleta’s voice trembled. – Are you throwing your mother out?
Alina felt the tension in the room spreading to every corner. Pavel stood still, staring blankly, holding her hand tightly. He knew that nothing would be easy, but finally, the truth had come to light.
– No, mom, – he said calmly, but with sharp determination. – I’m not throwing you out. But you need to understand one thing: my life and Alina’s belong to us. Every decision, every celebration, every moment – they are all ours. Not yours.
Vera Nicoleta looked down, feeling for the first time how much she had hurt. Tears streamed down her cheeks, but now she had no words. Her silence spoke volumes: she realized that she could no longer control everything.
Alina sighed with relief and smiled at her husband. In that moment, she felt closer to him than ever. She knew that no one and nothing would disturb their peace anymore. Their small, warm home was now truly theirs.
– Let’s prepare the meal together, – Alina suggested. – Not for anyone, but for us, for family. For true friends, those who matter.
Pavel smiled and hugged her. They began to arrange the dishes, glasses, and cutlery, laughing together as if all the worries of the world had disappeared. The pleasant aroma of celebration and their regained freedom filled the air.
Vera Nicoleta, watching from a corner, felt a change in her soul. She understood that true care does not mean control, but respect and unconditional love. And, for the first time in many years, she wished for her son to be happy, without trying to shape his life.
When all the guests finally arrived for New Year’s Eve, the house was filled with genuine laughter, heartfelt stories, and friends who felt truly welcome. Pavel and Alina understood that it doesn’t matter how many tables there are, but how much love and harmony you put into them.
And so, amidst glasses of champagne and sparkling lights, their family celebrated not just the New Year, but the beginning of a life where everyone had the freedom and respect they deserved. Every smile was a victory against manipulation, and every hug was proof that true love cannot be controlled.
And for Pavel and Alina, this was the most beautiful New Year’s Eve of their lives, one in which they learned that love and mutual respect are more valuable than any tradition imposed by others.
