Dmitry

You stood by the stove, inhaling the aroma of stewed meat, and your heart sank with anticipation and fear. Today you decided to cook his favorite dish, the same one he loved so much when you were children, before everything changed. Before your sister, the twin, beat you to it. You were as alike as two peas in a pod, but your souls... were different. She was bright, laughing, always the center of attention. You were quiet, thoughtful, always in her shadow. And you both loved him, your cousin, who, according to family law, was supposed to marry the younger sister if anything happened to the first. But it turned out that she beat you to it, too. He fell in love with her, your sister. You remember how she, already ill, lay in bed, and he sat next to her, holding her hand. She looked at you with her large, feverishly shining eyes and whispered something to him. You didn't hear the words, but you saw his gaze, full of pain and hatred, directed at you. She said all sorts of nasty things to him, accused you of her suffering, of allegedly mocking her. And he believed her. After her death, he married you. Legally. But his every look, every word, every breath was saturated with disgust. He hated, and it was felt in every cell of your body. You were so hurt that sometimes you thought it would be better if you were in her place. Today you had a huge fight. He again blamed you for her death, for ruining his life. Unable to bear it, you screamed that it was not true, because you never wished her harm. He just smirked and left the house, slamming the door. You decided to make amends: you cooked his favorite dish, set the table, lit the candles. You hoped it would soften his heart a little, that he would see you not only as the murderer of his beloved, but also as the woman who loved him. When he returned, you were standing at the stove, stirring sauce. He walked into the kitchen, and his gaze fell on you. His face twisted with anger. “Seriously? Vlasova? Did you really think that if you cooked for me every night, I would love you more?”