“Either you pay for your nephew’s beach trip, or we move in with you,” the brazen sister gave an ultimatum.

Lena was doing the monthly expense inventory when the doorbell rang, followed by a familiar voice. Her heart skipped a beat—Marina again. On a Monday morning. As if she could sense when her husband was home and when he was at work.

—“Andrey, where are you?” Marina called from the hallway, barely saying hello. —“I need to talk to you.”

Andrey came out of the kitchen with a cup of coffee, smiling at his sister.
—“Hello, Marina. How are you? And Artyom?”

—“All good,” she shrugged off her coat and carelessly threw it over a chair. —“Listen, I need to talk to you. Seriously.”

Through clenched teeth, Lena greeted them and bent back over the papers. In the three months since Marina returned to town, these “serious talks” had become routine. First, she needed twenty thousand for the rent deposit. Then another ten for initial expenses. Andrey pulled out his wallet without hesitation, while Lena stayed silent, grinding her teeth.

—“Andrey,” Marina sat down opposite her brother and folded her hands on the table. —“I need your help. Again.”

—“What happened?” he frowned. —“Problems at work?”

—“No, work is fine. Thanks for getting me into your company.” Marina looked toward Lena. —“It’s something else. Artyom needs a break. He’s going through a tough time with the divorce and the move. The psychologist says he needs a change of scenery.”

Lena raised an eyebrow. A psychologist. Of course. Marina always had expert opinions on everything.

—“And what does the psychologist recommend?” Andrey asked cautiously.

—“The sea. At least two weeks. Turkey or Greece.” Marina pulled out her phone and showed a travel website on the screen. —“I’ve done the math. Two hundred thousand for both. Includes flights, hotel, meals.”

Lena felt her face flush. Two hundred thousand. Last year they spent a hundred fifty on their own vacation, and they were still tight on budget.

—“Marina,” Andrey put down the cup and frowned. —“That’s a lot of money. The company’s finances are tight right now. Loans, taxes…”

—“And Andrey,” Marina’s voice grew harder, —“I’m not asking for a gift. I will pay you back. When I recover, I’ll return everything—with interest.”

—“When will you recover?” Lena couldn’t hold back. —“You’re thirty-five years old. You have an education, two hands, and two feet. How much longer are you going to live off others?”

Marina slowly turned toward her.

—“Excuse me, what’s it to you? I’m talking to my brother.”

—“What it is to me is that this is our family money. Mine and Andrey’s.”

—“Lena, please,” her husband tried to intervene.

—“No, Andrey,” Lena stood up and gathered the papers. —“Let your sister explain why her son is more important than our future. We wanted to renovate the bedroom this year. We’ve been saving. And now what? Spend it all on Artyom’s trip?”

Marina paled.
—“How dare you! We’re talking about a child! A traumatized child!”

—“A spoiled teenager that his mother taught to demand!” Lena snapped back.

—“Enough!” Andrey stepped between them. —“Lena, you’re crossing a line. Marina, calm down.”

But his sister no longer listened. Her eyes shone with tears—of anger, not sadness.
—“I see,” she nodded slowly. —“I know who’s in charge here. Fine.” Marina straightened up, looking her brother in the eye. —“Then I’ll say it another way. Either you pay for your nephew to go to the sea, or we move in with you.”

Silence fell. Andrey opened his mouth, but no words came out.

—“What?” Lena whispered.

—“You heard right,” Marina grabbed her jacket. —“My contract ends soon. Either you help us make that trip and then we look for a new place calmly, or we move in with you. By law, I have the right. Andrey is my brother, and this apartment was bought during marriage, so it belongs to our family.”

—“Marina, what are you saying?” Andrey stammered.

—“Either you pay for your nephew’s trip to the sea, or we move in with you,” the brazen sister gave her ultimatum again. —“Decide.”

Lena sank into a chair. Her vision blurred. Living with Marina and Artyom in the same apartment? In their cozy two-room home, where every corner had been lovingly decorated? Hearing complaints, whims, demands every day?

—“Fine,” Andrey said quietly. —“Fine, I’ll give you the money for the trip.”

Marina smiled radiantly.
—“Andryusha, thanks! I knew you’d understand. Artyom will be so happy!”

—“Just…” he licked his lips. —“I don’t have cash on hand. I’ll pay with a card, okay?”

—“Of course!” Marina took out her phone. —“Let’s do it now, before the last-minute deals run out.”

Andrey silently took a credit card from his wallet. Lena watched him and did not recognize the man. Where was her husband? The one who had planned renovations, dreamed of children, saved for their own house? This stranger was feverishly entering card numbers, obeying his sister’s whims.

—“Great!” Marina closed her phone. —“The payment went through. We fly Saturday.” She kissed her brother’s cheek. —“You’re the best! Artyom will be thrilled!”

After she left, the couple sat in silence. Andrey looked at the floor, Lena at the wall.

—“Two hundred thousand,” she finally said. —“Two hundred thousand rubles.”

—“Lena…”

—“Don’t say anything.” She stood and went to the window. —“You realize she’ll keep demanding more and more. And if you don’t give it—” she pointed —“she’ll move in with us. With a teenager who blasts music and gets dizzy from words.”

—“She’s my sister.”

—“And what am I?” Lena turned to him. —“A stranger? Just some woman living in your apartment?”

—“Of course not…”

—“Then why doesn’t my opinion count? Why didn’t you discuss it with me?”

Andrey looked up.
—“What was I supposed to do? You heard her: they’ll move in with us!”

—“So what?” Lena stepped closer. —“Let them move in for a week. A month. She’ll realize it’s uncomfortable and start looking for a better job, a cheaper place. Like she doesn’t know she can get money from you whenever she wants.”

—“You don’t understand. Artyom is my nephew. He’s suffering because of his parents’ divorce…”

—“And aren’t we suffering?” Lena’s voice broke. —“Aren’t we tired? Don’t we want a vacation? Don’t we dream of children, of our own home?”

Andrey said nothing.

The next day, Lena called the bank.

—“Hello,” she said into the phone. —“I want to cancel a credit card transaction. A large sum was charged yesterday without my consent.”

—“One moment,” the operator replied. —“Checking… Yes, there is a two hundred thousand ruble transaction still in process. Do you confirm cancellation?”

—“I confirm.”

That night, Andrey came home looking stormy.

—“Marina called,” he said without even greeting. —“The money for the trip wasn’t approved.”

—“What a surprise.”

—“Lena, what did you do? They already bought the tickets!”

—“Then they can return them. Or pay for the trip themselves.”

—“They don’t have money!”

—“Then they don’t go,” Lena didn’t look up while cooking. —“Lots of people in the world can’t afford resorts. And yet, they manage.”

—“Lena…”

—“And Andrey,” she turned to him. —“I’m your wife. We’re a family. Either that means something or it doesn’t. There’s no third option.”

The phone rang. It was Marina. Andrey hesitated before answering.

—“Hello?”

Lena only caught fragments but it was clear: her sister was furious. Her voice was hysterical, words flooding out like an avalanche.

—“Marina, calm down,” Andrey murmured. —“Yes, I understand… No, it wasn’t on purpose…”

The call lasted half an hour. Lena listened to her husband’s excuses, his attempts to explain, make concessions, find middle ground. And with every minute, she realized she was married to a man who didn’t know how to say “no.” Who would give his last penny just to avoid a fight.

—“She’s not talking to me anymore,” Andrey announced, putting down the phone.

—“Good.”

—“Lena!” he exclaimed. —“She’s my sister!”

—“And what?” She placed a plate in front of him. —“What’s changed? She still works in your company. Still lives off the money you gave her. The only difference is she won’t demand a resort.”

—“You don’t understand… Her situation is complicated…”

—“Everyone’s situation is complicated,” Lena said tiredly. —“Your parents had a complicated time raising you. Mine too. We have a complicated situation: we’re saving for the future, planning children, dreaming of a bigger apartment. But somehow, everyone else manages, and your sister thinks she has the right to demand.”

For three days, they talked in fragments. Andrey grew darker each day—his sister ignored his calls and was formal at work. Lena saw how much he suffered but didn’t give in.

On Thursday, she couldn’t take it anymore.

—“You know what?” she said, entering the room with packed suitcases. —“Go to your sister. Have an honest talk. Make peace.”

—“Lena, what are you doing?”

—“I’m packing. I’m going on vacation.” She zipped her suitcase. —“To Turkey. For two weeks. With the money that was supposed to fund Artyom’s vacation.”

—“Really?”

—“Totally serious.” She showed a printed ticket. —“Flight tomorrow at seven a.m.”

Andrey looked at her, bewildered.
—“And me?”

—“You decide,” Lena said. —“Who do you want to live with. Me or your sister. But keep this in mind: if you choose your sister, I won’t be here anymore.”

—“Lena, don’t give ultimatums…”

—“It’s not an ultimatum,” she replied calmly. —“It’s just a fact. I’m tired of being the third wheel in my own family.”

In the morning, preparing to leave for the airport, Lena looked around the apartment. Her apartment. The one they decorated together, where they planned to live happily. Andrey was asleep, clutching a pillow—they had talked all night and reached no agreement.

A note on the dresser read:
“If you want to save our family, think about who comes first. If your sister means more than your wife, good luck. Lena.”

On the plane, she finally relaxed. Two weeks without family conflicts, Marina’s demands, or Andrey’s hesitation between two women. Two weeks to decide if it was worth coming back.

Her phone vibrated. A message from her husband:
—“Lena, forgive me. Now I understand. I’m waiting for you at home. I love you.”

She turned off the phone and looked out the window. Ahead, the sea—infinite, free, indifferent to human passions. Maybe things would change when she returned. Maybe not. For now, one thing mattered: she had learned to say “no.” And that was already a victory.