Anna had barely finished spreading the documents on the table when Elizabeth immediately leaned forward, picked up one of the papers, and adjusted her glasses.

—Three apartments… and a commercial space— he read slowly, emphasizing each word. —Interesting.

Mark also approached, leaning against the back of the sofa.

“Wait a minute… is the place really in the center? In the old town?” he asked, and a strange gleam appeared in his eyes.

—Yes, exactly there—Anna replied calmly. —It belonged to my grandmother for many years.

Elizabeth put the document aside and smiled, although the smile didn’t reach her eyes.

“Well, this changes a lot of things,” she said, interlacing her fingers. “A lot.”

For the first time, Anna felt a palpable tension in the atmosphere.

“What do you mean?” he asked.

“Well…” Elizabeth began, feigning reflection. “You’re a family. What’s yours is also Mark’s. And vice versa, of course. We should think about how to use these properties in a… rational way.”

Mark nodded immediately.

—Exactly. For example, the premises could be sold. Prices downtown are very good right now. We could get a considerable sum.

“Sell it?” Anna blinked in surprise. “My grandmother was very attached to that place. It was her life’s work.”

“Darling,” Elizabeth interjected softly, “feelings are one thing, reality is another. Money well invested brings stability. Security.”

—And what does “well invested” mean? —Anna asked, now in a colder tone.

Mark sat down next to her.

—Mom and I have been thinking… maybe it’s time to move to a bigger house. Or even buy something in my name. You know, to balance things out.

Anna slowly withdrew her hand from under his.

—In your name?

“It’s just an idea,” she said quickly. “You already have a lot to your name. It’s not fair to have such an imbalance in a marriage.”

Elizabeth nodded in approval.

—Exactly. And there’s something else. The apartment you live in now is quite small. I could move to one of the others, closer to you. At my age, it’s good to have family nearby.

Anna felt her stomach clench.

“We haven’t talked about that,” she said quietly. “Not about sales or moving.”

“Because you were busy,” Elizabeth replied. “But now we’re here and we’re talking like adults.”

Anna stood up.

—My grandmother left this inheritance to me. Not “to the family,” not “to us,” but to me. And not for others to decide what I should do with it.

Mark sighed in irritation.

“Why are you making such a big deal out of this? We’re husband and wife. You should trust me.”

—I trusted him —Anna replied—. Until a few minutes ago.

Elizabeth frowned.

—Listen carefully, Anna. If you start drawing a line between “mine” and “ours,” you won’t get very far. Marriage involves sacrifices.

Anna smiled bitterly.

—It’s curious how those sacrifices always have to be made by the same person.

He gathered the documents and pressed them to his chest.

—My grandmother raised me alone. She never asked anything of me in return. She never told me how I should live, what to sell, or who to give anything to. The least I can do for her is respect her wishes.

“So what do you plan to do now?” Mark asked sharply.

“First, I’ll consult a lawyer. Then I’ll decide for myself. And one more thing… until I figure out what’s really going on between us, I’ll be living in one of my grandmother’s apartments.”

A heavy silence fell over the room.

“Are you leaving?” Mark asked, astonished.

“No,” Anna said calmly. “I’m going back to what’s mine.”

Elizabeth exploded:

—Incredible! After everything that’s been offered to you!

Anna headed towards the door.

—You didn’t offer me anything. You just wanted to take it away.

And for the first time since her grandmother’s death, as she closed the door behind her, Anna felt not only grief, but also an unexpected peace. She knew the road ahead wouldn’t be easy, but it would be hers. Exactly as Margaret would have wanted.