A sharp slam of the front door echoed through the apartment, making Vera start. She had long learned to recognize Sergey’s “storm days,” when every little detail set him off. His moods shifted like April weather: sudden, lavish tenderness one moment, uncontrollable explosions of rage the next.

“You were talking to your sister again?!” he shouted, pointing at her like she were some misbehaving child. “Always her problems! Always your parents! I can’t take it anymore!”

Vera forced herself to remain calm, but her heart froze. The insults, the attacks on her honest, hardworking family, burned through the room like poison. That night, something inside her cracked: she knew this was the end.

The next day, Sergey arrived at work, brimming with confidence—until his world came crashing down. During an unexpected meeting, he discovered the truth: Vera’s father—the man he had scorned as a “simple peasant”—was in fact the head of the banking group where Sergey had held his vice-presidency. The humiliation was absolute.

And Vera, composed and icy, stepped into the room with the documents: divorce papers and the immediate revocation of Sergey’s authority. Her cold, unwavering gaze left no room for power plays or manipulation. Sergey’s world, built on arrogance and disdain, crumbled into dust.