The scent of cinnamon and vanilla fills the kitchen. I check the cheesecake recipe again, even though I already know it by heart. My hands tremble slightly as I take the cake out of the oven. Please let it be perfect this time.
“Andrei, did you fall asleep in there?” my husband’s voice calls from the living room. “The guests are waiting for dessert!”
I quickly slice the cheesecake, decorating it carefully with fresh raspberries. Every movement is precise—I don’t want to make a mistake. His words from the last family dinner still linger in my mind: “Clumsy as always. You can’t even cut a simple cake properly.”
Taking a deep breath, I carry the tray into the living room. Andrei’s family is gathered there—his parents, his sister, and her husband. They are chatting and laughing. My mother-in-law watches me with her usual skeptical look.
“Here comes our chef!” Andrei says with a smirk. “Let’s hope there are no surprises this time.”
I place the plates on the table, keeping my eyes down. Andrei takes the first bite, and I hold my breath.
“Hmm…” He makes a dramatic face. “Do you really think this is edible? Cheesecake isn’t supposed to be this dry!”
“I’m sorry, I—” I start to explain, but he interrupts.
“How hard is it to remember a simple recipe? I keep telling you—160 degrees, no higher! Any fool could do it, but you…”
His mother sighs. “Andrei, don’t be so harsh. She tried her best.”
“That’s the problem—she tried,” he says, pushing the plate away. “Maybe I should have married someone who can actually cook.”
A nervous chuckle spreads through the room. I stand there, gripping the tray tightly. Something inside me shifts—quietly but firmly.
“I’ll bring the coffee,” I mumble and walk to the kitchen.
As I set the cups on the tray, my hands shake slightly. A thought echoes in my mind: How much longer? How much more can I take?
That night, I stand in front of the mirror, studying my reflection. My face looks pale, my shoulders slumped. Where is the girl who once dreamed of love and happiness?
From the living room, I hear Andrei on the phone:
“Yeah, imagine—she messed up the dessert again. I don’t know what to do with her… I might as well be talking to a wall.”
I stare at my reflection, and something inside me becomes clear. A decision forms in my mind—one that should have come a long time ago.
Enough. It’s time for a change.
The next morning, after Andrei leaves for work, I pack my suitcase. Neatly, methodically. I write a short note and place it on the kitchen counter. Then, I grab my passport and walk out the door.
I don’t look back.
Hours later, I sit in an airport café, sipping coffee. A one-way ticket rests beside me. The phone vibrates—messages from Andrei, his sister, his mother. I don’t answer.
By the time I land in Barcelona, I feel lighter than I have in years.
Months pass, and I begin a new life. I take baking classes, learn Spanish, and make friends. One day, I rent a small bakery space and start selling my own pastries.
One morning, as I pull a perfect cheesecake from the oven, my phone buzzes. It’s an email from a publisher:
“Dear Maria, we are interested in your story. Let’s discuss publication.”
I smile. Who would have thought that my struggles would turn into a book that might inspire others?
That evening, I sit on my balcony, watching the sunset over the sea. The air smells of salt and freedom. My phone buzzes again—a message from Andrei:
“I still love you… Please come back.”
I don’t reply. Instead, I close my eyes and take a deep breath.
For the first time in years, I am truly free.
And you know what? I will keep baking cheesecakes. But now—only for myself.