– Len, are you feeling worse?
— I’m feeling a little dizzy.
The notary immediately closed the folder.
– She needs to sit down and call an ambulance if her condition does not improve.
“I’ll call,” Artyom said.
“No need,” Lena answered quietly. “I’m just tired.”
Irina Pavlovna looked at her carefully.
— Are you sure?
– Yes.
The notary nodded.
« Then I’ll continue briefly. Elena Andreyevna has prepared a declaration recognizing her right to a marital share and a property division agreement. According to this agreement, the house will be transferred to her ownership in its entirety, and Artyom Sergeyevich will be compensated for his confirmed investments. »
Artyom raised his head.
– Fully?
– Yes. This is your decision, made voluntarily.
Valentina Petrovna grabbed the edge of the table.
– Artyom, you won’t sign!
– I’ll sign.
– Will you give the house to her?
« I’m not giving it away. I’m returning to Lena what belongs to her. »
– She waited until she was pregnant on purpose!
« No, Mom. You waited until she was defenseless and then put her out in the rain. »
There was silence.
Stage 3. « The mother-in-law kicked her pregnant daughter-in-law out, thinking the house belonged to her son. An hour later, the notary’s car drove into the yard. »
Valentina Petrovna looked at her son for a long time, as if she saw a stranger in front of her.
— I did everything for you.
– No, Mom. You did what was most convenient for you.
— And who helped you? Who sat by your bed at night? Who denied themselves everything?
« And I’m grateful. But gratitude doesn’t give you the right to humiliate my wife. »
– She’ll leave you as soon as she gets the house.
Lena shuddered.
« I wasn’t planning on getting the house. I wanted my husband and I to have honest documents. »
« You have nothing left! » the mother-in-law shouted. « He’s going to leave you anyway! »
Artyom looked at his wife.
– Lena, I don’t want to leave.
– But you let it happen.
– I know.
He sat down next to her and took her hand.
« I’ve been silent for too long. I thought I was keeping the peace. In reality, I was just making you suffer. »
Lena didn’t answer right away. She wanted to believe, but trust isn’t restored by just talking.
The notary handed over the documents.
« If you both agree, we can sign today. But I recommend Elena Andreyevna see a doctor first. Considering her condition, it’s not an urgent procedure. »
Lena looked at her husband.
– I’ll sign.
Artyom also took a pen.
– I agree.
Valentina Petrovna rushed towards him.
– You have no right!
– I have.
– I won’t allow it!
– You’ve already allowed yourself enough.
He signed the first sheet, then the second.
Lena signed next to it. Irina Pavlovna checked the documents, stamped them, and carefully placed them in a folder.
— From this moment on, the agreement is considered certified.
Valentina Petrovna seemed to stop breathing.
The house, which she had ruled as her fortress, in an instant ceased to be an instrument of pressure.
« So, you’re kicking me out? » she asked.
« No, » Artyom replied. « I’m asking you to stop interfering in our family. »
– What if I don’t stop?
– Then we will limit communication.
– You won’t dare take my son away from me!
– You can’t take away an adult, Mom.
Lyudmila Nikolaevna quietly packed her bag.
– Valya, we really better leave.
– Are you against me too?
« I’m not against you. I just don’t want to live in a house where a pregnant woman is left out in the rain. »
The teenagers silently followed their mother.
Valentina Petrovna was left alone in the hallway. She looked at her keys, then placed them on the nightstand.
– You’ll regret it, Artyom.
– Perhaps. But not about protecting my wife.
Stage 4. « The mother-in-law kicked her pregnant daughter-in-law out, thinking the house belonged to her son. An hour later, the notary’s car drove into the yard. »
After her relatives left, Lena hesitated to enter the bedroom. She didn’t want to see the curtains removed and the furniture rearranged.
Artyom returned his things to their proper place himself. He put the suitcases in the closet, laid out his shoes, and hung up his jacket.
“I’ll fix everything,” he said.
— Not everything can be fixed by rearranging things.
– I know.
– Your mother said that you agreed to kick me out.
– I didn’t agree.
– But she was confident that she could do it.
Artyom sat on the edge of the bed.
« Because for many years I let her make decisions for me. I told myself it was just respect for my mother. But respect is not submissiveness. »
Lena lay down tiredly on the pillows.
— I was afraid that I would be left alone.
– You won’t stay.
— I need time to trust you again.
– I’ll give you as much time as you need.
At that moment, Lena’s stomach began to hurt again. She turned pale and clutched the sheets.
Artyom called an ambulance.
At the hospital, doctors said the cause was severe nervous tension. Lena spent several hours under observation. Fortunately, the threat was alleviated.
Artyom sat in the corridor all this time, not moving away from the door.
When the doctor allowed him to enter, Lena saw that he was holding a small package in his hands.
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