She only wanted one thing — a car. But instead… she lost everything.

Twenty years of marriage. Twenty years of waiting for one simple joy — to finally drive her own car.

Then, her father gave her a gift — 1.5 million rubles. A chance to make that dream come true.

But just weeks later, the money was gone. Her husband grew distant.

And her mother-in-law, who always complained about being broke, suddenly wore gold jewelry, carried designer bags, and bragged about a Mediterranean cruise.

What started as a dream… turned into a nightmare.

When Olivia began to search for the missing money, she had no idea that the one who betrayed her was sitting right across the breakfast table.

A buried secret. A devastating betrayal. And a woman who would never believe in love the same way again.

 

Olivia stood by the window, watching as the neighbors loaded their new foreign cars with kids’ bikes and travel bags. The family was heading to their country house. Once again, she was left at home, observing other people’s joys.

Twenty years of marriage, and she still had to commute to work on public transport, spending two hours a day on the road. “Olivia, are you at the window again?” came her husband’s voice from the kitchen.

“Breakfast is getting cold.” Alex was a good man, but too compliant. He worked as an engineer at the factory, earned decently, but they could never save up for a car. Either the rent went up, or his mother needed help with repairs, or some other unexpected expenses popped up.

“I’m coming,” Olivia replied, stepping away from the window. They ate breakfast in silence. Alex scrolled through news on his phone. She thought about the day ahead.

Her job at the tax office required constant focus, and getting there on a crowded bus was becoming harder. “Listen, maybe we should ask my dad for money for a car after all?” Olivia suggested unexpectedly. “He’s said more than once he’s willing to help.”

Alex looked up from his phone. Something fleeting crossed his gaze—embarrassment, perhaps, or awkwardness.

“I don’t want to be in debt,” he muttered. “We’ll manage on our own.”

“What debt, Alex? He’s my father. And he has money; his construction business is doing well. It’s no problem for him.”

Olivia’s father was indeed a wealthy man. After his wife’s death, he devoted himself entirely to work and his daughter. The construction company he founded thirty years ago was now one of the most successful in the city. Olivia knew her dad was ready to help with any expenses, but she was proud and preferred to solve problems on her own. “I don’t know.” Alex buried himself in his phone again. “We’ll think about it.”

That same day, when Olivia returned from work, she was met by an unusually animated husband. “I have news for you,” he announced as soon as she crossed the threshold. “Your dad stopped by today.”

Olivia tensed. Her father never came without warning, especially during work hours. “What happened? Is he okay?”

“No, everything’s fine. Just…” Alex hesitated, then blurted out, “He gave money for a car. Can you imagine? He just came and said it’s for you, for a car. It’s time his daughter traveled in comfort.”

Olivia felt her breath catch. Years of dreaming, and suddenly this gift from fate. “Seriously? How much?”

“One and a half million rubles.” Alex jumped with excitement. “He said it’s enough for a good used foreign car or a new domestic one.”

Olivia sat on the couch, trying to process it. One and a half million—that was more than she earned in two years. Her father truly loved her boundlessly.

“What else did he say?”

“Oh, that you deserve comfort and convenience, that he’s tired of seeing you suffer with public transport. And he also said…” Alex faltered.

“What else?”

“That I should have taken care of this long ago? You know, as a man.”

Olivia nodded. Her father was always straightforward and didn’t hesitate to voice his opinion. But she knew he didn’t mean to offend; he just worried about his daughter.

“So, we’ll start looking tomorrow?” she asked hopefully.

“Of course, I’ve already spotted a few options online. There’s a great Toyota Camry for one and a half million—recent year, one owner, full set of documents.”

Olivia hugged her husband. Finally, the dream was becoming reality. She already imagined driving to work in her own car, how she and Alex would go to his parents’ country house, independent of train schedules.

But a week passed, then another, and no talk of buying the car. When Olivia asked, Alex said all the options weren’t as good as they seemed in photos. “You see, that Camry has twisted mileage,” he explained. “And the Hyundai has suspicious documents. We need to keep looking.”

Months went by. Alex kept finding flaws in every car they viewed. Either the engine sounded off, or the body was in bad shape, or the price was inflated. Meanwhile, Olivia noticed strange changes in her mother-in-law’s behavior. Margaret, who usually complained about her small pension and high costs, suddenly looked different.

New gold jewelry, an expensive handbag, quality shoes. None of it fit with her constant talks about lacking money. “Alex, where did your mom get money for those purchases?” Olivia asked one day as they returned from Margaret’s.

“Oh, she probably saved up,” her husband replied uncertainly. “She’s thrifty.”

But Margaret had never been thrifty. On the contrary, she loved spending and often asked her son for help with bills or medicine.

And a month later, her mother-in-law announced a real sensation. “My dear children, I’ve decided on a big trip. I’m flying on a Mediterranean cruise. Two weeks. Italy, France, Spain.”

Olivia nearly choked on her tea. A Mediterranean cruise cost at least 300,000 rubles. Or more. “Mom, where did you get that kind of money?” Alex asked directly.

“Oh, sonny, I’ve worked my whole life, saved for a rainy day. And now I thought, what am I waiting for? Health isn’t ironclad; I need to live for myself.”

Margaret beamed, showing off a new gold tooth that apparently fit into her “live for myself” program. “Can you imagine the sunsets there? And they promised show programs every evening, a restaurant with Michelin stars.”

Olivia stayed silent, but unease grew inside her. Too many coincidences. The money from her father vanished in vague car searches, and suddenly her mother-in-law had funds for a luxurious life.

As they walked home, Alex was unusually quiet. “You’re thoughtful,” Olivia noted.

“Yeah, just thinking about Mom. Money appeared out of nowhere. You don’t know where from?”

Alex shook his head, but Olivia noticed his cheek twitch. He always did that when nervous or hiding something.

The next day, her father called her at work. “Daughter, how’s the car situation? Chosen one yet?”

Olivia felt her face flush. She hadn’t properly thanked him for such generosity. “Dad, we’re still looking. Alex is very picky; he wants the ideal option.”

“I see. And where’s the money kept? In the bank earning interest?”

“I don’t know. Ask Alex.”

“Okay. By the way, I plan to drop by tomorrow. Haven’t seen my son-in-law in a while. Maybe we’ll look at options online together.”

After talking to her dad, Olivia felt uneasy all day. Something was off. Her intuition, honed from years of dealing with people at the tax office, suggested something bad was happening in their family.

That evening, she decided to talk straight with her husband. “Alex, show me that money.”

“What money?” He didn’t even look up from the TV.

“The one and a half million Dad gave.”

“Why do you need to see it? It’s in the bank, accruing interest.”

“Which bank?”

Alex hesitated. “Sberbank. On deposit.”

“Show me the account statement.”

“Olivia, what’s gotten into you? I said everything’s fine with the money.”

“Then show it. These are my money, after all.”

“I’ll bring the statement from the bank tomorrow.”

But the next day, there was no statement. Alex said he forgot to go to the bank due to work emergencies. And in the evening, her father arrived.

Her dad sat at the kitchen table, carefully studying printouts from car sites that Alex frantically searched on his phone.

“Look here, David,” the son-in-law showed, clearly nervous. “This Mazda is good, but high mileage. And this Hyundai seems okay, but it was in an accident.”

Her father flipped through silently. Olivia watched him and saw his face gradually darken. David wasn’t used to empty chatter in business. Over forty years, he’d learned to distinguish real action from fake busyness.

“Alex, tell me honestly,” her father suddenly looked up from the papers, “Have you actually gone to see even one car?”

“Of course I’ve gone,” Alex rushed. “Olivia and I looked at several cars. Right, honey?”

Olivia felt her stomach tighten. They had indeed viewed two cars in the first month, but then Alex always found excuses.

“We did,” she said quietly, not wanting a scene in front of her dad.

“And not one suited in four months?” Her father set aside the printouts and looked straight at his son-in-law. “You know, Alex, in my experience, it’s impossible not to find a decent car in that time with that sum.”

“Well, David, you understand, the market’s full of scammers now.”

“Then tell me one simple thing.” Her father leaned back in his chair. “Where are those funds I gave you right now?”

Silence hung. Olivia heard the wall clock ticking and the fridge humming. Alex opened and closed his mouth like a fish out of water.

“In the bank, on deposit,” he finally squeezed out.

“Which bank?”

“Sberbank.”

“Give the account number.”

“I don’t remember it by heart.”

“Then show the transaction statement.”

“I don’t have it with me.”

Her father pulled out his phone, dialing the bank app. “We’ll check the balance now.”

Olivia saw her husband’s face turn deathly pale. His hands shook as he took the phone.

“Daughter, so, did you buy the car with the money I gave Alex?” her father asked, not taking his eyes off his son-in-law.

“No,” Olivia whispered. In that moment, she realized the money was gone. She realized where it had gone. But I think I know why your mother flew off on that expensive cruise.

Alex dropped the phone on the floor. The sound of shattering glass rang like a shot. “I’ll explain everything,” he muttered. “It’s not what you think.”

“What exactly isn’t?” Her father spoke quietly, but steel rang in his voice. “That you took money meant for my daughter and gave it to your mother for fun?”

“She was in debt,” Alex cried out. “She had serious problems.”

“What problems?” Olivia interjected. “She always said she lived fine.”

“She got into microloans.” Alex covered his face with his hands. “Racked up credits, interest piling up. They threatened to take her apartment.”

“And how much did she owe?” her father asked coldly.

“400,000.”

“400,000,” her father repeated. “And the cruise cost how much?”

“300.”

“Total 700. And where’s the other 800,000?”

Alex was silent.

“Where’s the other 800,000, Alex?”

“She… she said she needed a bit more for settling in, for new furniture. Said she’d lived in poverty her whole life.”

Olivia felt rage rising inside her. Not just anger—real, scorching fury. Her father, working day and night, had set aside that money especially for her, and her husband just took it and gave it to his mother for whims.

“Do you realize what you’ve done?” She stood from the table. “You stole my money.”

“I didn’t steal. I planned to pay it back.”

“From where? Your salary’s 40,000 a month. Mom promised to repay.”

“When? In ten years?”

Her father watched the argument silently, then rose and headed for the door. “Dad, where are you going?” Olivia called.

“To talk to your mother-in-law.”

“David, no need,” Alex panicked. “We’ll sort it out ourselves.”

“Too late, son-in-law. You should have sorted it when you took someone else’s money.”

An hour later, her father returned with a grim face. “Your mom,” he addressed Alex, “is a very interesting woman. Turns out, she not only went on the cruise but updated her apartment—new kitchen for 200,000, living room furniture for 300, bathroom remodel for 150.”

“So she spent it all?” Olivia asked, stunned.

“Not quite. Some left in the account, but she planned to spend that on a new fur coat for winter.”

“What did she say?” Alex asked barely audibly.

“A lot, mostly that she has every right to spend money her son gave her, that she’d saved her whole life and now deserved comfort. And about repaying, she said she owes no one, and if I need money, let Olivia ask me herself.”

Olivia sank onto the table. So, that’s it. One and a half million rubles evaporated into nothing. The dream of her own car pushed back indefinitely.

“But I’m not leaving it like this,” her father continued. “Tomorrow we go to a lawyer.”

“A lawyer?” Alex perked up. “Why?”

“Because I gave you the money for a specific purpose: buying a car for my daughter. I have witnesses. My secretary was there when I handed it over. There’s video from the building cameras.”

“You breached the agreement and spent it elsewhere. That’s misuse of a loan.”

“But we’re family.”

“Family or not, the law’s the same for all. Either you and your mom return the money voluntarily, or we’ll settle in court.”

Alex cried. Olivia looked at him with disgust. Not a man, but a wimp. Even after stealing his wife’s money, he couldn’t own up.

“But we don’t have that money,” he sobbed.

“But your mom has a new kitchen, furniture, and cruise memories. So, you’ll take loans and sell assets.”

“David, maybe some other way?”

“No other way. Tomorrow morning, go to your mother and explain. You have a week to find a solution. If no money in a week, I file suit.”

Her father prepared to leave but turned at the door. “And daughter, think hard about your family life. A man who can rob his own wife isn’t capable of more.”

After her dad left, she and Alex sat in silence for a long time. Then Olivia stood and went to the bedroom. “Olivia, say something,” her husband called.

She turned. “What do you want me to say, Alex? That I forgive you? That it’s okay? That it happens?” Her voice grew louder. “You betrayed me. You stole my dream. You didn’t even ask my opinion if you could give my money to your mother.”

“But I planned to return it.”

“When, in how many years? And since when is helping your mom more important than my needs?”

Alex was silent.

“You know what kills me most?” Olivia continued. “Not that the money’s gone, but that for four months you looked me in the eye and lied. Every day, pretending to be a caring husband searching for the best car for his wife.”

“I wanted to find a way out.”

“What way? You knew the money was gone. What were you counting on?”

“I thought Mom would return it.”

“Your mom had no intention of returning it. She thinks she deserved that money just for birthing you.”

Olivia slept in the living room. All night she lay awake, thinking about how to go on. Twenty years of marriage, and only now she saw what kind of man she’d shared a bed with—weak, spineless, ready to betray for his mommy’s comfort.

The next day, the real nightmare began. Margaret met them at the door with shouts: “How dare you threaten me? I owe your dad nothing. My son gave me the money of his own free will.”

“Mom, calm down,” Alex tried to soothe her. “Let’s talk calmly.”

“What’s there to talk about?”

Her mother-in-law waved her arms, flashing new gold bracelets. “I’ve slaved like a horse my whole life, raised kids, and now when I want to live a bit for myself, everyone’s unhappy.”

“Margaret,” Olivia interjected, “those funds my dad gave specifically for my car. You spent someone else’s money.”

“Someone else’s?” Margaret flared. “My son brought it, so it’s mine. And your dad should watch who he gives money to.”

“But you understand it needs to be returned.”

“I understand nothing and will return nothing. Spent it and did right.”

Olivia felt her blood boil. This brazen woman not only stole her money but thought she was right. “Then you’ll return it through court,” she said coldly.

“Sue wherever you want.” Margaret shrugged dramatically. “I have no money, and there’s nothing to take from me. The new kitchen, furniture, gold—these are essentials for life. By law, they can’t be seized.”

Olivia realized the talk was pointless. Her mother-in-law had planned ahead and wouldn’t return anything voluntarily.

That evening, her father brought a lawyer—his old acquaintance, Victor, who specialized in family and property disputes.

“An unpleasant situation, but solvable,” the lawyer said after hearing everything. “We have witnesses to the transfer, video, clear purpose of the loan.” Margaret and Alex breached the agreement.

“What can they counter?” Olivia asked.

“They’ll claim it was a gift, not a loan. But we have testimony that it was for the car.”

“And the outcome?”

“At best, full repayment through asset sales or forced collection. At worst, partial if they prove some was for real needs.”

“How long will the process take?”

“Three to four months if they don’t resist actively. But from your mother-in-law’s stance, they’ll drag it out.”

The next day, Olivia filed for divorce. “Are you serious?” Alex didn’t believe it, receiving the documents.

“Absolutely.”

“But we’ve been together twenty years.”

“That’s why I can’t forgive. Twenty years I thought you were decent. And you turned out…” She paused, searching for words.

“What?”

“A thief. A common family thief.”

“Olivia, but we can’t just… I wanted the best.”

“For whom, Alex? For me or your mommy? You know how she is. If I’d refused, she’d have nagged me to death.”

“And I’m not a person? My feelings don’t matter?”

“They do, but…”

“No buts, Alex. You made your choice, and I’m making mine.”

The divorce went quickly—they had little property, no kids. No claims beyond the stolen money.

The loan repayment suit dragged on for six months. Margaret hired a lawyer and obstructed, filing motions, demanding experts, calling witnesses. In the end, the court ordered her and Alex to repay one and a half million rubles jointly. With no cash, they sold her new furniture and kitchen at half price, and covered the rest with loans.

“Satisfied?” Margaret asked Olivia after the verdict. “Destroyed a family over money.”

“Your son destroyed the family when he decided his mommy’s whims were more important than his wife,” Olivia replied calmly. “And the money—it’s justice.”

“What justice? We’re neck-deep in debt now.”

“You should have thought of that before the cruise.”

A year after the divorce, Olivia stood in a car dealership choosing a vehicle. One and a half million rubles sat in her account. Her father insisted the repaid money go directly to her.

“Which do you recommend?” she asked the manager.

“For the city, Hyundai Solaris is great. Reliable, fuel-efficient, spacious. Fits your budget.”

“I’ll take it,” Olivia said.

When all papers were done and she sat behind the wheel of her own car, she felt incredible relief. Finally, the dream was real.

True, the price was higher than planned—she’d lost a husband and ruined ties with his family. But was it worth regretting? No. A person who can betray their closest for a mother’s whim doesn’t deserve trust. And living with someone you don’t trust isn’t life—it’s slow death.

Her father waited at home with cake and flowers. “Well, happy with the purchase?”

“Very.” Olivia hugged him. “Thanks for everything.”

“Just no more loans to anyone,” he chuckled. “The lesson was painful but useful.”

“What’s up with Alex?”

“What about him? Paying credits. Running errands for Mom. She got a job as a cleaner in an office center, by the way. Pension doesn’t cover payments.”

“Serves them right.”

“You know, daughter, I’m glad it turned out this way. You deserve a better man.”

“Maybe,” Olivia said thoughtfully. “Or maybe being alone isn’t bad. At least no one will deceive me.”

Through the window, her new car shone—beautiful, reliable, bought with hard-earned money. Money she’d fought for, but which came justly in the end.

And somewhere across town, Alex and his mother calculated how many more years they’d pay off credits, atoning for moments of dubious happiness and the trust they’d so easily betrayed.