Nadezhda lived with her husband Sergey in an apartment she had bought herself with her own savings. Despite this, Sergey’s mother, Elena Petrovna, constantly criticized Nadezhda—her education, her job, her lifestyle—always comparing her unfavorably to another woman named Alina, whom she considered the perfect match for her son.

For three years, Nadezhda endured the humiliation. Sergey never defended her. Instead, he stayed silent and let his mother interfere in their marriage.

One day, during another unannounced visit, Elena Petrovna openly insulted Nadezhda, claiming she had no real career, no education, and lived off Sergey’s money. She even said that Nadezhda would never have intelligent children.

That was when Nadezhda finally snapped.

She confronted her husband and revealed the truth: the apartment was registered in her name. She had paid for it almost entirely with her own income, while Sergey contributed only a small part. Sergey had lied to his mother, pretending he was the provider to earn her approval.

Elena Petrovna was shocked. Sergey admitted everything—he had lied because he wanted to look successful in his mother’s eyes.

For Nadezhda, this was the final betrayal. She realized that her husband had allowed his mother to humiliate her for years and had supported the lies instead of standing up for his wife.

Nadezhda asked Sergey to leave the apartment and decided to file for divorce.

The divorce was straightforward. The apartment remained hers, as it was purchased with her personal funds. After the separation, Nadezhda felt relief rather than sadness. For the first time in years, she felt free.

Her career flourished. She was promoted to art director, her income increased, and she regained confidence in herself. Later, she met a man who respected her and never judged her by her education.

Looking back, Nadezhda understood an important lesson: you cannot build a happy life with people who don’t respect you. Sometimes, the bravest and healthiest choice is to walk away.

And once she did, her real life finally began.