Seventeen years—was that a long time or not? Inna remembered every moment they had shared, every anniversary. And now, everything was falling apart like a fragile stack of cards.

“We need to talk. I’m leaving you, Inna. I’m going to be with Natasha.” Alexey said, his voice flat.

Silence filled the room, except for the ticking of the old wall clock his mother once gave them.

“The student from your department?” she asked, surprisingly calm.

“Yes. My feelings for you are gone. I need something new, something exciting. I’ve already packed my things.”

Inna simply nodded. “Well, let’s have a farewell dinner. Oh, and tell Natasha she’s invited too. I’d love to meet the girl who lit a fire in you that I couldn’t.”

Alexey stood there, speechless. He expected tears, yelling, maybe anger—but not this calm reaction.

The next morning, Inna calmly called the banks, met with a lawyer, and gathered important papers.

By evening, the apartment smelled of delicious food. Once everyone was seated, Inna stood up with a glass in her hand.

“Dear friends, today is special. Alexey, thank you for the 17 years we spent together. You taught me a lot… And you also taught me to pay close attention to details. Especially when it comes to money”

She began laying out documents on the table.

“This is the car loan you took out under our joint account. These are unpaid taxes for your company. And these… are receipts from fancy restaurants and jewelry stores. I assume those were for Natasha?”

Alexey’s face went pale. Natasha quickly looked up, shocked.