Maria hated Anna. For two years, the young paramedic had barely left David’s side — Maria’s lawful husband. Anna always found a reason to be nearby: an urgent call, a “chance” meeting near the shop, or a prolonged conversation after an examination. She smiled far too confidently and looked at him as if the wife standing next to him simply did not exist.
Maria did not remain silent. Several times she openly told Anna to stay away from her family. But Anna calmly replied that David was an adult man and decided for himself whom to communicate with. Sometimes she added with a mocking smile that if a man were happy at home, he would not seek attention elsewhere.
Maria could not forget those words.
David had recently turned forty, worked a lot, and often traveled around the area. And one evening, his heart simply stopped. Everything happened very quickly.
When Anna heard the news, she came to Maria’s house to say goodbye to the man she loved. At the funeral, she stood aside and did not approach the coffin. She understood that she had no right to be there. She was pale, with reddened eyes. The widow approached her and quietly said that she would never forgive her. She accused Anna of destroying their family and driving David to the grave.
— You will die soon, because I placed your photo in the coffin next to your lover.
Anna said nothing and left. And a few days later, something unbelievable happened 😨😱
On the night of her husband’s death, Maria took an old photograph of Anna out of a drawer. She looked at it for a long time and then, quietly, while no one else was in the house, approached the coffin and placed the photo on David’s chest. She believed this would punish her rival.
The widow herself told the mistress about the photograph in the coffin. And she did it deliberately.
Maria knew that their village lived on rumors and superstitions. People here believed in signs, curses, and “evil spells” more than in doctors. That was exactly what she was counting on.
After the funeral, she approached Anna and said loudly, so that the neighbors could hear, that she had placed her photo in David’s coffin. She added that such things always come at a price.
People immediately grew wary, began exchanging glances, and by evening rumors were already spreading through the village.
But the real reason was different.
Maria decided to get rid of her rival quietly, in a way that no one could link back to her.
A few days later, Anna suddenly felt unwell. First weakness, then nausea and severe abdominal pain. Within a day, she could no longer get out of bed.
Rumors immediately spread through the village. People whispered that it was the widow’s curse. They said that one must not place someone else’s photograph in a coffin, because the dead take with them the person in the picture.
Old women at the well crossed themselves and assured everyone that everything had happened according to the law of “higher powers.”
Maria remained silent. She pretended to be surprised herself. She even demonstratively attended church.
But Anna did not believe in mysticism. She was a medical professional and knew that her condition resembled poisoning. The symptoms were far too clear.
She remembered that in recent days neighbors had been bringing her food. Water had also been passed to her through acquaintances. Anna stopped eating everything she received from other people’s hands. She switched only to supplies she had bought herself and began drinking water exclusively from sealed bottles.
After a few days, she felt better.
Then she realized that someone truly wanted her dead. And the only person who benefited from this had already loudly announced the “curse” to the entire village
