Marina briskly loaded the dirty dishes into the dishwasher, selecting the express-wash setting. The Friday dinner had gone splendidly: Igor relished her famous mushroom pie with enthusiasm. Even Nastya, who typically sneered at anything the “upstart”—as she called Marina behind her back—prepared, polished off two generous slices.
“I’m heading to the shower,” Igor announced from the hallway. “We have football with the guys tomorrow; I need to rest well.”
“Go ahead,” Marina waved him off, resuming her task of wiping the countertop.
Nastya sat in the living room, deeply engrossed in her phone. She had appeared the night before, as usual, unannounced and burdened with a heap of shopping bags, wearing her signature sour expression. “Just here for the weekend,” as always.
“Would you like some tea?” Marina asked, peering from the kitchen doorway.
“No,” Nastya snapped without glancing up.
Marina shrugged, accustomed to such coldness after three years of marriage. Igor always reassured her, saying, “Nastyukha’s prickly but will soften eventually. Don’t take it personally.”
Water flowed from the bathroom. Marina turned on the kettle and reached for her favorite mug in the cupboard. Suddenly, Nastya’s voice carried from the living room in a hushed tone that was still clearly audible in the quiet apartment:
“Mom, how are things? Yes, I’m at their place… No, she made her usual terrible food again… Listen, I spoke with the lawyer.”
Marina froze, gripping the mug in her hand. Nastya lowered her voice even more.
“Yes, through the court… Since the apartment was passed from Grandma to Igor alone, not both of them… No, that fool doesn’t even realize she can be removed from registration… Igor will sign whatever you want if you ask him properly…”
The mug slipped from Marina’s grasp and shattered on the floor.
“What’s going on?” Nastya loudly inquired.
“Dropped a mug,” Marina replied, a chill spreading through her.
The apartment — the three-bedroom flat at the city center where she and Igor had shared their life for three years. A generous gift from his grandmother, intended “for the young couple.” Yet now Nastya schemed to evict her.
“As usual,” Nastya mocked, appearing in the doorway. “Clumsy, aren’t you?”
“Sorry, got distracted,” Marina said quietly, collecting the broken pieces, thankful Nastya couldn’t see her face.
“Why not use a dustpan?” Nastya scoffed.
Marina fetched the dustpan, hands trembling.
“Why are you shaking?” Nastya asked, narrowing her eyes. “You just dropped it, no big deal.”
“I was startled,” Marina lied.
Nastya snorted disdainfully before returning to the living room.
One thought relentlessly circled in Marina’s mind: They want to push me out of my own home. That’s why Nastya showed up unannounced now.
Igor emerged from the bathroom whistling a tune.
“Oh, you broke a mug?” he smiled. “Don’t stress; we can buy ten like it.”
“Yes,” Marina forced a faint smile.
Igor kissed her head gently and went into the bedroom.
That night, Marina lay awake. Igor snored softly while she stared at the ceiling, mulling over what to do. Should she tell her husband? But he adored Nastya and defended her fiercely. What about confronting her mother-in-law, who had always concealed her resentment? No, even she might be complicit.
By dawn, Marina resolved to take matters into her own hands. But how?
Taking the First Step
Early the next morning, Marina quietly slipped into the kitchen. Her hands trembled so badly she missed stirring her coffee twice.
“Calm down,” she whispered. “Think this through.”
Her eyes landed on a lawyer’s business card stuck on the fridge—Sergey Valentinovich, who had assisted their neighbor with property matters. Nervously, she grabbed her phone.
“Good morning! Sergey Valentinovich? This is Marina Kotova, Olga Petrovna’s neighbor,” she murmured, frequently glancing at the door.
“I urgently need legal advice. Can we meet today at one? Perfect!”
Igor shuffled in, pillow creases still marking his face.
“Morning,” he yawned, leaning in for a kiss. “Why so early?”
“Just woke up,” Marina replied evasively. “I’m visiting a friend. Haven’t seen her lately.”
“Who?”
“Lenka,” she blurted the first name that came to mind.
“Got it,” he yawned again. “I’m taking Nastya to the movies. She asked yesterday.”
Of course, Marina thought silently but said nothing.
The Legal Consultation
At Sergey Valentinovich’s office, amid the scent of coffee and paper, the balding lawyer listened carefully.
“The apartment was gifted by your husband’s grandmother… Are you registered as residents?”
“Yes, right after the wedding.”
“And who is the apartment’s official owner?”
“Um… Igor handled the paperwork.”
The lawyer sighed deeply.
“First, confirm the legal owner. If it’s solely your husband, then you face difficulties. If it’s jointly owned, his sister has no claim.”
“How do I check?”
“Request an ownership extract through governmental services or the municipal office—today if possible.”
With a plan in hand, Marina returned home, tripping over Nastya’s shoes in the hallway.
“Back so soon!” Nastya taunted. “Where were you? We missed you.”
“At a friend’s,” Marina answered, steadying her voice.
“We went to the movies with Igor,” Nastya smirked. “My little brother still prefers those dumb action flicks.”
Marina nodded and retreated to the bedroom, closing the door quietly. She quickly found the government portal, ordered the ownership extract, paid, and waited anxiously.
Confronting the Truth
That evening, after everyone had gone to bed, Marina checked her inbox. The extract was there. Hands shaking, she opened it.
“Owner: Sokolov Igor Alekseevich.”
A gasp escaped her lips. Nastya was right—the apartment belonged solely to Igor; Marina was only registered there. Anger replaced fear. Not on her watch!
The following morning, before anyone stirred, Marina called the lawyer again.
“Sergey Valentinovich, here’s the situation…”
“Have you been officially registered there for over three years?”
“Almost three.”
“Good. Then you possess usage rights. Plus, everything acquired during your marriage—furnishings, appliances—is joint property. And if you contributed to renovations…”
“We did! I saved every receipt,” Marina recalled.
“You’re in a strong position. Gather all documentation. Most importantly, don’t sign anything from your husband or his relatives without consulting me.”
“Thank you!” Marina said sincerely.
“Also consider informing your husband.”
Marina sighed deeply. “I doubt he will side with me.”
Preparing for the Battle Ahead
For the next two days, Marina navigated a tense atmosphere, wearing smiles and maintaining appearances. Meanwhile, she compiled a dossier of receipts for furniture, appliances, renovations, bank statements showing expenses, and scanned the marriage contract specifying jointly owned assets.
On Monday, Nastya announced she was extending her stay.
“I unexpectedly got time off,” she said sweetly to Igor. “You wouldn’t evict your own sister, right?”
“Stay as long as you want!” Igor laughed.
Marina clenched her teeth silently.
That evening, Marina overheard another secretive phone conversation.
“Mom, everything’s proceeding as planned… Yes, I’ll stay longer… No, he suspects nothing… The paperwork is nearly finalized… Igor will sign; he has no choice…”
Her fury surged. Not so fast, Nastya.
The next day, Marina took a day off to visit the notary and municipal office. By nightfall, she had an organized folder and a firm strategy.
Family Gathering Turns into a Reckoning
“Maybe we should invite your parents this weekend?” Marina casually suggested during dinner. “It’s been some time since we had a family get-together.”
Nastya glanced up, suspicious.
“Good idea!” Igor smiled. “Nastyukha, Mom will be delighted you’re here too.”
“Of course,” Nastya muttered through clenched teeth.
Saturday, Marina began cooking early, giving her all. The table soon groaned with food. Igor’s parents—Alexei Petrovich and Vera Sergeevna—arrived. As usual, the mother-in-law scrutinized Marina with a critical gaze.
“You look well, Marina dear,” Vera said with a counterfeit warmth.
“Thank you,” Marina replied graciously. “Please, sit.”
After dinner began, Igor raised his glass:
“To family! All of us together!”
“To family,” Marina echoed, sipping thoughtfully.
Nastya caught Marina’s eye, smirking faintly. Marina knew this moment wouldn’t last.
“By the way,” Marina spoke up loudly. “I need to address something.”
All eyes turned her way.
“Igor, I accidentally overheard Nastya speaking with your mother a few days ago.”
Silence engulfed the room. Nastya turned pale.
“What do you mean?” Igor frowned.
“Your sister and mother plan to persuade you to transfer ownership of the apartment solely to yourself and remove my registration. Essentially, to cast me out.”
“Nonsense!” Vera protested. “Igor, your wife is delusional!”
“Marina, what is this?” Igor’s confusion deepened as he looked between them.
“I heard everything,” Marina confirmed firmly. “Nastya said, ‘That fool doesn’t even know she can be deregistered,’ and that you ‘will sign anything if asked properly.’”
“You were spying on my calls?” Nastya exploded.
“I overheard while cleaning the kitchen,” Marina replied. “But the issue is you want to evict me from a home I helped build.”
“Your home?” Vera interrupted. “This apartment belongs to Igor! Grandma gifted it to him!”
“This is nonsense,” Igor took Marina’s hand reassuringly. “No one is throwing you out.”
Nastya and Vera exchanged glances.
“Here’s a folder,” Marina said, pulling out the documents. “All the information you need.”
Igor flipped through the papers.
“What is all this?” he asked bewildered.
“Receipts for all our furniture, appliances, renovations,” Marina explained, pointing. “Bank statements proving half the expenses are mine, and here,” she added, “a lawyer’s declaration regarding my housing rights.”
Nastya’s face drained of color.
“You consulted a lawyer?” she hissed.
“As soon as I suspected your intentions,” Marina straightened. “I won’t allow myself to be displaced from the home I’ve called mine for three years, where I invested time and money.”
Igor looked at his mother and sister with newfound understanding.
“Nastya, Mom, is this true? Were you planning this?”
Vera laughed nervously. “Igor, don’t be ridiculous! We were only discussing…”
“Discussing what?” Marina interjected sharply. “How to deceive your own son?”
“Don’t speak to my mother like that!” Nastya snapped.
“Don’t conspire to evict me!” Marina raised her voice.
“Quiet!” Igor slammed his fist. “Nastya, is it true?”
Nastya stayed silent.
“You were preparing for our divorce?” Igor’s voice was quiet but firm.
No reply.
“I’ve already filed for recognition of my share of this apartment as jointly owned property,” Marina said, gathering her documents. “Given my contributions, it should be at least 30%. If you want a fight, fine. But I won’t surrender what’s mine.”
“Marina…” Igor rubbed his temples. “Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”
“Would you have believed me?” she smiled sadly. “You always defend Nastya.”
Igor’s gaze hardened.
“I want both of you to leave. Now.”
“Igor!” Vera gasped.
“Leave!” he repeated firmly. “I need to speak with my wife.”
Nastya grabbed her bag and fled. Vera shot Marina a fierce look before leaving. Alexei lingered, apologetic.
After their departure, Igor sat silently.
“Forgive me… I didn’t expect this from them.”
“And I didn’t expect to have to defend myself against your family,” Marina replied softly.
Resolution and Strength
A month later, everything was official. Marina became a co-owner, claiming a 40% share. Igor insisted it be more than the lawyer advised.
Nastya ceased visiting, restricting contact to brief calls with Igor. Vera treated Marina coldly at family events, and dinners were strained.
One evening, as they embraced, Igor said, “I’m glad you proved stronger and wiser than all of them. You didn’t let them deceive you.”
“I realized no one will fight for me but me— not even you,” Marina replied.
“That won’t happen again,” he pledged, kissing her forehead.
Marina nodded. She no longer feared losing her home. One truth was clear: from now on, only she would determine her destiny— without interference from her mother-in-law, sister-in-law, or even her husband.
Key Insight: Marina’s ordeal highlights the crucial importance of understanding one’s legal rights and gathering evidence to protect one’s home from hidden familial conflicts.
This story reminds us that standing firm in our truth and seeking proper counsel can empower us to defend what rightfully belongs to us.