When I fulfilled my dream and bought a house for my husband and me, he declared on the very first day: «My mom, sister, and kids will live with us…

«He’s lying. He’s been lying to me all this time.» «Looks like it,» she nodded.

«The question is, why? And what do we do next?» I sank into a chair, feeling my strength suddenly leave me. «I don’t know. I have no idea what to do.»

Sophia sat closer and hugged my shoulders. «Listen,» she said quietly but firmly. «Whatever’s happening, you’re not alone.

I’m with you. We’ll handle this together, like we’ve always handled problems. Okay?» I nodded, feeling tears streaming down my cheeks.

«I think you should move into the new house for now,» Sophia continued. «First, it’s your house. You have every right to live there.

Second, you’ll feel more confident—on your territory, your rules. Third, it’ll be a surprise for Ethan when he returns. Maybe it’ll force him to show his cards sooner than planned.»

The idea of moving into the house without waiting for Ethan’s return seemed appealing. Indeed, why sit in the rented apartment when I have my own house? Besides, there I’d feel like the master of the situation, not a victim of circumstances. «You’re right,» I said, wiping my tears.

«I’m moving. Right tomorrow.» «Good girl,» Sophia smiled encouragingly.

«I’ll help you with the things.» Every morning of the following week, I woke up with one thought: what on earth is happening in my life? Moving into the new house became my salvation from anxious thoughts.

With Sophia’s help, I moved the necessary things, and the empty rooms began to come to life little by little. We bought simple but sturdy furniture: a bed, sofa, dining table, a few chairs. I started settling into the walls of my dream, though not as I had originally imagined.

Without Ethan, with a bitter residue of distrust in my soul. Two days remained until my husband’s planned return when something unexpected happened. My phone rang early in the morning, the screen showing Lily’s name—Ethan’s niece.

It was strange—we hardly communicated, and I didn’t even have her number in my contacts. «Hello?» I answered, puzzled. «Aunt Olivia, it’s Lily,» the girl’s voice sounded muffled, as if she was afraid of being overheard.

«I… I have to tell you something.» «What happened, Lily? Everything okay?» «Yes, but… anyway, I thought you should know. They’re all here, at our house—Uncle Ethan, Grandma, Mom.

They keep talking about moving in with you. Grandma already sold the house, and everything’s been moved out.» I felt an icy hand squeeze my heart.

«What are you talking about, Lily?» «They’re planning to move into your new house. All together—Grandma, Mom, Tyler, and me. Uncle Ethan says the house is big, plenty of space for everyone. Grandma said it’s even better that you don’t know—fewer problems.»

I sank into a chair, unable to believe my ears. «Lily, are you sure about what you heard?» «Of course. Mom already packed all our things, we’re supposed to move in a couple of days.

Uncle Ethan promised to enroll me in the best school in the city. And they were talking about some laundromat or coffee shop. I don’t understand everything, but I heard Grandma say the money from selling the house needs to be invested in the business and that this simpleton shouldn’t interfere. I think she meant you. Sorry.»

«This simpleton»—that’s exactly how Patricia called me in conversations with her son when she thought I couldn’t hear. So Lily wasn’t making it up. «Thank you for telling me, Lily.

This is very important to me.» «You won’t say it was me who called?» fear was in the girl’s voice.

«Grandma will be really mad.» «I promise, no one will know. But tell me, why did you decide to call me?» «I don’t know,» she hesitated. «It just seemed unfair. And also…

You’ve always been kind to me. You didn’t look at me like a problem child. And your house…

I saw the photos Uncle Ethan showed Mom. It’s so beautiful. I’d like to live there, but not like this.

Not by deceit.» After talking with Lily, I sat motionless, trying to process what I heard. Everything fell into place: Ethan’s strange behavior, mysterious conversations with his mother, the lie about the trip, the suitcases in the hallway.

They planned to move in all together into my house, without even asking my opinion, without discussing it with me. My first impulse was to call Ethan and tell him everything I thought about his betrayal.

But I held back. If he had lied to me all this time, there was no point expecting him to tell the truth now. No, I needed to act differently.

I called Sophia and told her about Lily’s call. «I knew it!» she exclaimed.

«It all fits. But don’t worry, they won’t succeed. The house is in my name, and I’d rather burn it to the ground than give it to those people.

What are you going to do?» «I don’t know yet,» I admitted. «I need to think it over.» Various thoughts swirled in my head. I recalled our life with Ethan, eight years of marriage, his small and large deceptions that I always forgave, his attitude toward his family and me.

How he always took his mother’s side in our conflicts. How he allowed her to humiliate me. How he turned a blind eye to his sister using us, our money, our help, giving nothing in return.

I realized that my marriage to Ethan had never been what I imagined it to be. I loved not the real man, but an image I had created myself. The image of a talented, kind, somewhat dreamy designer who just had bad luck.

But reality was different. And now this reality was about to burst into my life, into my house, destroying my hopes for a happy future. It was time to face the truth and make a decision.

In the morning on Friday, the day of Ethan’s supposed return, the doorbell rang. I knew it was him—Sophia had installed a camera at the entrance, and I saw him on my phone screen. He stood on the threshold with a bouquet of flowers and a wide smile, as if nothing had happened, as if he hadn’t lied to me all this time.

Taking a deep breath, I opened the door. «Olivia!» he stepped toward me with open arms.

«You’re already here. I thought you’d be at the apartment.» «As you see, I moved,» I replied coldly, making no attempt to hug him back.

He froze for a moment, then his smile widened, though now uncertainty showed in it. «That’s wonderful. The house is simply stunning, you chose well.

And you’ve already bought furniture. Good job.» He walked into the living room, casting admiring glances around.

«Such high ceilings, such spacious rooms. It’ll be great here.» «Where were you, Ethan?» I interrupted him.

He turned, and panic flashed across his face for a moment. «I told you, at Mom’s. Fixing the roof.»

«I called your mom,» I said calmly. «She said you weren’t there and the roof is fine.» Ethan paled but quickly composed himself. «Yes, I wasn’t really at Mom’s.

I didn’t want to worry you, but I had a chance to join an interesting project. It was in another city, I had to leave suddenly. I thought you wouldn’t understand.»

«Enough lies, Ethan,» I was tired of his inventions. «I know where you were and what you planned.» He froze, looking at me in bewilderment…