Marina sat at the kitchen table, staring at the cold cup of tea in front of her. The day had begun with a quiet, joyful triumph: the apartment she had worked tirelessly for was finally hers. The pride she felt in that achievement was like a breath of fresh air—freedom, independence, and escape from the constant, stifling pressure of her mother-in-law’s presence.
Galina Sergeyevna had always been a looming figure in their home, one whose critical remarks and veiled condescension had poisoned every corner of their lives. The constant comparisons to other women in the family—especially Alexey’s cousin, Nastya, who had three children by now—left Marina feeling suffocated, like she was never doing enough, never living up to the standard set by someone else’s ideal.
But none of that mattered now. The apartment was hers. Or so she thought.
The door to the kitchen creaked open, pulling Marina out of her thoughts. Alexey’s voice broke through the stillness of the room, casual and matter-of-fact.
“I filed for divorce. And for property division too. You do realize half of your apartment belongs to me now, right?”
Marina froze, her fingers gripping the cup tightly as she tried to process his words. He sat across from her, the smug smile on his lips barely hiding the underlying tension in his posture. The documents were spread in front of him like a small battlefield, the weight of what he was saying crashing over her.
“Are you joking?” she finally managed to say, her voice trembling. “Do you really think you can take what you’ve never contributed a penny toward?”
Alexey just shrugged lazily, not a flicker of guilt or regret in his eyes. “The law is the law, Marina. We’re married, which means everything is shared.”
His words stung, but it was his casual, almost indifferent tone that hurt the most. Marina had always known he didn’t contribute much to their relationship, never supported her ambitions, never truly cared about her dreams. But this? This was the betrayal that would shatter everything.
Her mind was racing as she watched him, his fingers fidgeting nervously with the edge of the papers. There was a small crack in his confident façade, something she recognized as fear. But it was too little, too late.
“I just don’t understand,” Marina said softly, more to herself than to him. “How could you do this?”
At that moment, she heard the soft shuffle of footsteps in the hallway. Galina Sergeyevna entered the room, her presence as commanding as ever. She leaned against the doorframe, a knowing smile on her face.
“Alexey, have you discussed everything already?” she asked in that sickly-sweet voice that Marina had come to hate.
Marina turned to face her, her anger simmering beneath the surface. “You knew?”
Galina didn’t flinch. She stepped into the room, her eyes glinting with an almost predatory gleam. “Darling, we’re just thinking about your future. It’ll be easier for you if you agree. No more… stress.”
“No more stress,” Marina repeated bitterly. She could barely keep her composure. They had planned this, she realized. This was about more than just an apartment. It was about taking everything she had worked for, everything she had fought for, and turning it into something they could claim.
“So that’s it,” Marina said, setting the cup down with a thud. “You were with me just for the apartment?”
Alexey smirked, leaning back in his chair. “Don’t exaggerate. It just happened this way.”
His words were empty. Marina knew the truth. They’d never cared about her, not really. They saw her as a means to an end, a stepping stone to get what they wanted. And now that she had achieved something on her own, they wanted to take it from her.
Her voice, when it came, was soft but filled with quiet rage. “You know I won’t let this go quietly, right?”
Alexey’s smile faltered, just for a second, and Marina knew she had him. He wasn’t as confident as he appeared.
The next day, Marina took the first step. She went to the bank, demanding the records of every transaction, every deposit, every withdrawal made in the last three years. She needed to know if Alexey’s claims had any foundation at all.
She received confirmation within minutes: the apartment had been paid for entirely by her inheritance. There was no trace of shared funds, no contribution from Alexey’s side. It was hers, and hers alone.
Then, she visited the lawyer. The case, the lawyer assured her, was strong. All the renovation costs had been covered by her, and the apartment was legally considered personal property due to its origin from her inheritance. They couldn’t take it from her.
“I don’t care what they say,” Marina told the lawyer, her voice steady and resolute. “Let them try.”
When the court day came, she walked into the room with her head held high. Alexey and his mother sat on one side, his friends scattered around them, all of them looking at her with smug expressions. They expected her to give up, to cave under the pressure. But she wasn’t going to.
One of Alexey’s friends tried to soften the situation. “Maybe we can settle?” she purred, looking at Marina with false sympathy.
Marina didn’t respond, just walked past them, her gaze cold and determined.
In the courtroom, the judge began to speak. “This is a property division case,” he said, glancing at the paperwork in front of him.
Alexey, still sitting with his foot bouncing nervously, glanced at Marina. “But…” he began, his voice faltering.
His earlier confidence had disappeared, replaced by doubt. And that was enough for Marina. She stood tall, facing the judge.
“Your Honor,” she said firmly, her voice unwavering, “according to the law, property bought with inheritance funds is not subject to division.”
The documents she had brought spoke for themselves. The case was closed. Marina had won. Alexey sat there, his mouth open, unable to respond.
And in that moment, Marina realized something. She didn’t just win a legal battle. She had reclaimed her independence, her freedom, and her dignity. She wasn’t just a guest in her own life anymore. She was the one in control.
As she left the courtroom, her steps were lighter than they had been in years. The weight of the past, of her marriage to Alexey and his family, was finally lifted. And now, she was free to move forward.