— Then let’s make a good arrangement. You give me half of the apartment, and we’ll separate peacefully, — said Stas, placing his hands on the table and leaning forward.
— Half of the grandmother’s apartment? — Anita raised her eyebrows. — Are you serious? In thirteen years of marriage, I’ve heard a lot of strange things from you, but this… this is something else.
— Property acquired in marriage is divided in two, — he said in a tone as if explaining a fundamental truth, and repeated, — You will give me half of the apartment, and we’ll separate peacefully.
— Half of the grandmother’s apartment? — Anita raised her eyebrows again. — Are you serious? In thirteen years of marriage, I’ve heard a lot of strange things from you, but this… this is something more.
There was silence in the room. Stas walked back and forth across the spacious room, stopping by the window. The view from the grandmother’s “Stalinka” was stunning: the central square of the city, the old buildings with moldings, the square…
— Fine, — he finally said. — Let’s talk about Masha.
— What does Masha have to do with this?
— She also has a right to this apartment. And as her father, I can represent her. My daughter will live with me, so the apartment is now mine.
Anita slowly stood up from her chair:
— Is this the first time in twelve years that you’ve remembered you’re a father? Not a single parent-teacher meeting, not one visit to the doctor when she had bronchitis, not one birthday last year. But now you’re ready to represent her? Now you’ve decided she will live with you?
— I’ll call Rita, — said Stas. — Let a lawyer explain your rights and duties to you.
Anita shrugged:
— Call. I think your sister will explain to you that you have no rights over the inheritance I received before marriage.
Half an hour later, Rita arrived at the apartment, a tall woman in a formal suit. She immediately pulled out the document files.
— Stas, I checked the records in Rosreestr. The apartment really belonged to Anita’s grandmother and then passed down by inheritance. No trace.
— But I spent all these years…
— All these years? — Rita said. — Living in your spouse’s apartment doesn’t grant property rights.
— And the rights of the child? — Stas crossed his arms over his chest.
— Masha has a legal representative: her mother. And the apartment is not jointly owned property, — replied Rita. — I can sue, but it’s a waste of time and money.
Stas:
— So my sister is against me?
— I’m not against you. I’m for the law, — Rita answered calmly. — And I advise you not to complicate the divorce with irrational lawsuits.
When Rita left, Stas remained silent for a long time, looking out the window. Then he turned to Anita:
— Okay, let’s do it differently. Masha will live with me.
— Why?
— I’m her father. I have the right to see my daughter.
— Yes. But she will stay with me.
— We’ll see, — said Stas. — You don’t even know what I’m capable of.
The next day, Anita picked Masha up from school. The girl seemed especially lively.
— Dad came today. He brought me a new phone. He said he’ll buy a new iPhone soon.
Anita tried to hide her surprise. — Does he come to school often?
— Twice a week. What’s the big deal? He’s my dad.
In the evening, the class teacher called:
— Anita Sergeevna, I wanted to consult you. Stanislav Mikhailovich has started coming to school frequently, asking about Masha’s academic results, talking to her during breaks. Is this normal?
— Yes, we’re in the process of a divorce. He has the right to see his daughter.
— You see, he asked about her schedule, found out who usually picks up Masha. He also hinted that he planned to officially apply for sole custody.
Anita’s hands went cold. There it was. Once he couldn’t get the apartment, Stas decided to act through his daughter.
On the weekend, Masha spent the day with her father:
— Mom, can I sleep at dad’s? He rented a nice apartment! And his fiancée Vera promised to teach me how to make Carbonara pasta.
— Fiancée? — Anita didn’t know about this. — How long have they been together?
— I don’t know. It’s great! She works at a real estate agency. She says being a realtor is a calling.
In the afternoon, Anita called Rita:
— We need to meet. There’s an important conversation.
The cafe was a little crowded. Rita looked concerned.
— I’ve discovered something by accident. Vera really is a realtor. And she’s already looking for a buyer for your apartment.
— How? She has no right…
— And if Stas gets custody of Masha? Then he could claim a part of the apartment as the representative of a minor. They’ve calculated everything with Fe.
— What should I do?
— First, gather evidence. I have a plan.
A week later, Masha returned from her father’s house crying:
— Mom, I’m not going there anymore!
— What happened?
— I overheard them talking with Vera. She said she already found a buyer for our apartment, and they’re moving to another city as soon as everything is settled. And dad told me I’d get used to a new school quickly.
Anita hugged her daughter:
— Now you understand why he became so attentive, right?
— Sorry, mom. I was so stupid! I thought he was missing something.
Rita organized a meeting at her office. There was a substantial stack of documents on the table.
— Here’s what we found out, — she said, spreading out the papers. — First, Stas took a loan for five million rubles. Second, I checked: the money was withdrawn and disappeared somewhere.
— What loan? — Anita was surprised. — This is the first time I’ve heard of it.
— Because he took it a month before the divorce. And now the bank is demanding repayment. Also, — Rita pulled out an email printout, — Vera already posted an ad for the sale of your apartment. True, it doesn’t have photos yet.
— But how could she do that?
— Pre-contract. She gets the down payment from potential buyers, promising that the apartment will be vacated. Three people have already paid one hundred thousand.
Masha, sitting in the corner of the office, lifted her head from her phone:
— I recorded your conversation. Vera told dad she found a company willing to buy the apartment for money, no questions asked.
Rita nodded:
— Well done. That’s important evidence.
— What now? — asked Anita.
— We’ll file a counterclaim. I have evidence that Stas planned a real estate fraud before the divorce. Here’s an extract from his phone: he called realtors, asked about the urgent sale of property.
Someone knocked on the door. Stas appeared at the threshold:
— Have you decided to hold the family council without me?
— Come in, — said Rita. — We’re discussing your financial matters.
— What other financial matters?
— For example, a five million loan. Or preliminary contracts for the sale of an apartment you have no part in. Or maybe we could talk about the custody application you’re preparing.
Stas paled:
— You’ve been spying on me?
— No, I was just doing my job. I’m a lawyer, in case you forgot.
— You’re my sister!
— That’s why I’m trying to stop you before you commit a crime. Real estate fraud is a crime.
Masha got up from her seat:
— Dad, is it true that you and Vera are going to move to another city?
— Who told you that?
— I overheard. And I recorded your conversation.
Stas slumped into a chair:
— You don’t understand. I have big debts. Vera proposed a plan…
— A plan to deceive your own daughter? — Anita was furious. — Using the child to get the apartment?
— I needed money!
— And I needed a father, — Masha said softly. — A real father, not someone who comes to school with gifts just to get access to mom’s apartment.
Rita pulled out another document:
— Here’s the statement to the prosecutor’s office. Everything is here: the loan, preliminary contracts
