…vacation of yours?” Pavel’s tone was sharp, suspicious.

Karina zipped her suitcase shut and stood tall. “By giving up everything I love. Coffee, taxis, gym. I even walked to work in the rain! All so I could look in the mirror and still recognize myself.”

He stared at her, stunned. “You really went that far… for what? To prove a point?”

“No, Pasha. To remind myself that I matter too. That I’m not just your side project while you build your dream house.” Her voice trembled, but she didn’t back down. “You humiliated me. You handed over our marriage to your mother like I was some unruly child. And you never even asked how I felt.”

Pavel remained silent.

Karina grabbed her suitcase handle. “I’m not running away. I’m choosing myself this time. Think about that.”

She walked past him without another word.

And as the door clicked shut behind her, Pavel sat down heavily on the edge of the bed.

In his hands, the phone screen still glowed — an image of the dacha he had nearly built alone. But for the first time in months… it no longer looked like a dream.
Never build your dreams by bulldozing someone else’s. A partnership means both voices matter — or you might find yourself building a future with no one left to share it with.