“Computer repair and maintenance,” the inspector continued calmly, opening his folder. “We have statements from several clients, receipts for parts, and screenshots of your online advertisements.”
“Preliminary calculations show that in the past year alone, you earned at least thirty thousand dollars in illegal income.”
Alex slumped into a chair.
At that moment, the woman from the pension fund stepped forward.
“And where can we find Miss Gloria Smith?”
“She lives separately,” Lily replied.
“We know her address.” The woman nodded. “Our colleagues are already there.”
“The fact is, we have information that she has been illegally receiving a survivor’s pension for fifteen years.”
“Upon investigation, it turned out that the death certificate of her husband, James Smith, is fake. He is alive and currently residing in Boston.”
Alex covered his face with his hands.
“That can’t be,” he muttered. “Mom would never.”
“Unfortunately, she could,” the pension fund representative said dryly.
“Moreover, Miss Smith is officially listed as unemployed and receiving corresponding benefits. Although, according to our data, she is selling homemade alcoholic products without the proper license.”
Lily stood leaning against the wall, feeling as if she were watching some surreal play. She hadn’t sent any statements.
So who had informed the authorities about her mother-in-law’s and husband’s schemes?
Over the next hour, a full search of their apartment was conducted. They found Alex’s notebook with a list of clients and amounts received, boxes of computer parts, receipts, and invoices. Everything was carefully documented and logged.
Alex was called in for questioning at the tax office. Before leaving, he cast a bewildered, almost pleading look at Lily, but she only shook her head.
“I didn’t send anything, Alex. I swear.”
After the inspectors and her husband left, Lily finally managed to catch her breath.
Cheryl woke up from her nap, and it was time to feed her, change her, and play with her. The ordinary duties of motherhood strangely calmed her, restoring a sense of normalcy in this insane day.
In the evening, Kathleen from the tax office called.
“You won’t believe it,” she whispered excitedly into the phone, “but the complaint against your mother-in-law and husband was filed by your husband’s father, James Smith.”
“Apparently, he accidentally discovered that he was listed as deceased when requesting some certificate. Can you imagine?”
Lily was stunned into silence.
What a twist.
Alex’s father, whom Gloria had considered erased from her life for years, had delivered such a blow.
“And what happens now?” Lily asked.
“Gloria is facing criminal charges for large-scale fraud and document forgery,” Kathleen replied. “She’ll have to return all the illegally received payments—about two hundred thousand.”
“Your husband will most likely face a hefty fine for unpaid taxes.”
After that conversation, Lily felt a strange emptiness. She hadn’t wanted this ending. She only wanted a little fairness—the ability to manage her own money—and instead an entire family had been torn apart.
Alex returned late in the evening, gaunt and silent. He went to the kitchen and poured himself some water.
“How did it go?” Lily asked cautiously.
“What do you think?” He snapped. “They charge taxes for three years with penalties and fines, almost half a million.”
“Where am I supposed to get that kind of money? Maybe I can arrange a payment plan?”
Alex gave a bitter smile.
“You can stretch it over two years, but it’s still an enormous sum, and it’ll be even worse for Mom.”
“She’s facing real jail time and it’s all because of you and your damn card.”
“But I didn’t send anything,” Lily objected. “It was your father who filed the report.”
“Your father?” Alex looked at her incredulously. “How do you know?”
“My friend from the tax office called me. Your father accidentally discovered that he was listed as dead and filed the report.”
Alex collapsed into a chair, covering his face with his hands.
“What a nightmare.”
Lily cautiously approached him and placed a hand on his shoulder.
“Alex, I really didn’t want things to turn out this way. I just wanted to be respected in this family—to be able to manage my own salary.”
He briskly shook off her hand.
“Don’t touch me. It’s your fault anyway. If you hadn’t started that rebellion with the card, none of this would have happened.”
In his eyes, Lily saw such hatred that she instinctively stepped back.
At that moment, she realized their relationship was over. Whatever happened next, Alex would never forgive her for this humiliation, this collapse of the world where he and his mother had ruled unchallenged.
The following months turned into a living nightmare.
Gloria was charged with fraud and document forgery. Court sessions began. Alex was forced to sell his car and take out a loan to pay off the tax debts. The atmosphere in the house became unbearable. He blamed Lily for all the misfortunes even though she truly hadn’t sent any statements. In his eyes, however, it was she who had set off the chain of events by refusing to give his mother the card.
The final blow came when Alex, in yet another argument, raised his hand against Lily again—this time in front of Cheryl.
The little girl cried in terror, and Lily knew it was time to go. She filed the police report for domestic violence, packed her things, and moved into a rental apartment. The grueling divorce process began. Alex tried to fight for custody of the child, but failed. Lily had medical records of his assaults and neighbors’ testimony about the fights.
Gloria was sentenced to three years probation and required to repay all the illegally received benefits. To settle her debts, she had to sell her summer house and take a job as a cleaner in a shopping mall. She became a hunched, bitter old woman, hissing curses whenever she saw her former daughter-in-law.
Two years passed.
Lily stood by the window of her rental apartment, watching three-year-old Cheryl play with building blocks.
So much had changed during that time. After the divorce, she threw herself into work, earned another promotion, and became a department head. Her salary now covered living expenses, rent, and even allowed her to slowly save for her own home.
Alex paid child support, though not without delays. After all the fines and repayments, he had to change jobs. He was now a simple courier for a delivery service. Little of the confident man he used to be remained. When he came to pick up Cheryl for the weekend, Lily barely recognized him—gaunt, defeated, shoulders always slumped.
Gloria was still working as a cleaner, trying to pay off her debts to the state. Lily occasionally saw her from a distance: her former mother-in-law mopping the floors in the same shopping center where Lily shopped with her daughter.
A strange feeling would arise in those moments. Not schadenfreude. No—rather a sadness at how pride and greed can destroy a human life.
The doorbell interrupted her thoughts.
Cheryl jumped up with joy.
“Dad’s here!”
Lily opened the door. On the doorstep stood Alex holding a bag of toys for his daughter.
“Hi,” he said quietly. “I’m here for Cheryl.”
“Come on,” Lily stepped aside.
She was already ready. In her backpack were a change of clothes, medicine just in case, and a list of everything she liked to eat.
Alex nodded without looking her in the eyes. He always avoided direct eye contact during meetings as if afraid to see reproach—or worse, pity—in her gaze.
“Daddy!” Cheryl ran to her father and hugged his legs.
“What did you bring me?”
“Cheryl, that’s not how you speak,” Lily gently scolded. “You need to say hello first and then ask about gifts.”
“It’s okay.” Alex smiled at his daughter. “I brought you a new doll just like you wanted.”
While Cheryl excitedly unpacked the gift, Alex finally summoned the courage to look at his ex-wife.
“How are you?” he asked quietly.
“Good,” Lily shrugged. “I got a promotion at work, so now I’m the head of the department.”
“Congratulations,” Alex said. His voice held no envy or sarcasm, only fatigue. “I’m happy for you.”
“And how’s your mom?”
“The same as always. Working, paying off debts, aged a lot, and she still hates you, Lily.”
“I’m not to blame for what happened,” Lily said quietly. “It was your father who filed the papers.”
“I know,” Alex surprisingly agreed. “I realized it later after the anger subsided, but Mom will never admit she’s at fault. It’s easier for her to hate you.”
They fell silent watching their daughter play. In that quiet, there was no hostility—only the weariness and resignation of two people who had been through a storm and ended up on opposite shores.
“Daddy, are we going to the zoo?” Cheryl asked, tugging at her father’s sleeve. “You promised.”
“Of course, Bunny,” he said, lifting his daughter into his arms. “We’ll go wherever you want.”
He turned to Lily.
“I’ll bring her back Sunday evening as usual.”
“Okay.” She nodded. “Call if you need anything.”
After they left, Lily returned to her empty apartment. Strangely, she felt neither sudden joy nor even satisfaction at how things had turned out—only a quiet sadness for what could have been, but never was.
She took her wallet from her bag and pulled out the hidden bank card—the very card that had sparked the scandal two years ago. The card then had become a symbol of her freedom and independence.
Now that card was stored in a small safe along with other important documents. Lily rarely used it, having opened new accounts, started a savings deposit, and obtained a cashback credit card. But she kept this first card of freedom as a reminder never to let anyone control her life or her money again.
Cheryl would return on Sunday, but for now, Lily had time for herself. She could read a book, watch a movie, meet friends, and no one demanded an account of where she went or how much she spent.
It was simple, ordinary freedom: the right to manage her time and her money. Freedom she had earned—and paid a high price for.
Lily smiled, carefully returned the card to her wallet, and walked to the window. Ahead lay an entire evening, an entire life: hers alone—Lily’s and her daughter’s—without control, without someone else’s instructions, without the need to account for every cent.
She brewed herself some tea, took out her favorite book, and settled into the armchair. Outside, a light summer rain washed the world, promising a new beginning, a new life in which she made her own decisions.
And that new card, now resting in the safe, was not just a piece of plastic.
THE END.