The Husband Secretly Transferred the Apartment to His Mother — But He Missed One Crucial Detail

Galina was standing by the mailbox, flipping through the documents. The usual routine — utility bills, ads, some certificates. She paused at an envelope from the Federal Registration Service. Strange. They hadn’t submitted anything recently.

She opened it. Read it. Read it again. The world flipped upside down.

“Serёzha!” she shouted, bursting into the apartment. “Serёzha, where are you?”

Her husband poked his head out of the kitchen, a sandwich in his hand.

“Why are you yelling? The neighbors will hear.”

“I don’t care!” Galya shook the paper in the air. “Explain to me what this is!”

Sergey paled. The sandwich fell from his hand.

“It’s… well…” he stammered. “Listen, Galya, it’s hard to explain.”

“Hard?” her voice cracked. “The apartment now belongs to your mother! When did you manage to pull this off?”

“Don’t shout like that…”

“I will shout! I’ve lived in this apartment for twenty years! I hung the wallpaper, replaced the floors, renovated the kitchen! And you just went and transferred everything to your mom!”

Sergey backed away toward the wall.

“Galya, wait… She’s my mother. She won’t kick us out.”

“Your mother?” Galina almost choked with outrage. “And who am I? Some random woman off the street?”

“Don’t exaggerate.”

“Exaggerate? You’ve lost your mind! When did you do this? I should have had to sign!”

Sergey stayed silent, fiddling with crumbs from his sandwich.

“Serёzha, I’m asking you! When?”

“Last month,” he whispered.

“What do you mean last month? I didn’t sign anything!”

“Well… turns out… spousal consent isn’t always required.”

Galina dropped onto a chair. Her legs gave out.

“So now I’m a homeless person in my own apartment?”

“Don’t say stupid things. Mom is kind. She understands.”

“Understands what?” Galya jumped up. “That you betrayed me? Decided to insure yourself in case of divorce?”

Sergey flinched.

“What does divorce have to do with it?”

“Oh, nothing!” she laughed hysterically. “You just decided to give Mommy a little gift! Out of the goodness of your heart!”

“Galya, calm down…”

“Don’t you dare tell me what to do!” She jabbed a finger into his chest. “You’re a traitor! A snake in the grass!”

“It’s only temporary…”

“Temporary? What, your mother will transfer it back later? To me?”

Sergey looked away.

“Well… we’ll see.”

Galina understood everything. Her husband had betrayed her. Completely and irrevocably. Twenty years of marriage, renovations, loans, sleepless nights with a sick child — all down the drain. He just erased her from his life with a single stroke of a pen.

“You… you realize I won’t let this go?” she hissed.

“And what will you do?” Sergey grew slightly bolder. “The documents were processed legally.”

“Legally?” Galina grabbed the document. “I’m going to a lawyer right now! Let’s see how legal it is!”

“Go waste your money,” Sergey shrugged. “You won’t prove anything anyway.”

Galya stormed out of the apartment, slamming the door so hard plaster fell from the wall.

“Deed of gift, you say?” Lawyer Andrey Mikhailovich twisted the document in his hands. “Yes, it’s done correctly. But you said the apartment was privatized jointly?”

“Yes! In 2004! Me, my husband, and our son Kostya!”

“And where are the privatization documents?”

“At home. Sergey always hid the papers.”

“Bring them tomorrow. I can’t say anything without them.”

Galina rushed home. Sergey wasn’t there. She rummaged through closets, drawers, the upper shelves. Finally, she found a folder in his desk. She pulled out the privatization papers — and froze.

The apartment had been registered to three people:

Galina Petrovna Morozova — one third,
Sergey Ivanovich Morozov — one third,
Konstantin Sergeevich Morozov — one third.

“So all is not lost,” she murmured.

“Kostya, it’s Mom.”

“Hi, Mom. What happened?”

“Come right away. Your father is doing something illegal.”

“Drinking again?”

“Worse. He transferred the apartment to your grandmother.”

Kostya fell silent.

“What do you mean?”

“Just like that! He secretly drew up a deed of gift. Now I’m supposed to live in my own home by her mercy!”

“Mom, what about my share?”

“Exactly! Your share is still there! He could only gift his own part!”

“Got it. I’ll come tomorrow.”

“Look,” the lawyer spread the documents on the table. “According to the privatization, each of you has one third. Your husband created a deed for the entire apartment, but legally he could only transfer his own share.”

“So?”

“So now one third belongs to you, one third to your son, and one third to your mother-in-law.”

“And does Serёzha know this?”

“I doubt it. Otherwise he wouldn’t have taken such a risk.”

Kostya leaned toward his mother.

“So… we can really put pressure on him?…”

“Yes, you can,” the lawyer nodded. “The deed of gift was drawn up incorrectly. Your husband had no right to dispose of shares that didn’t belong to him. That’s a violation.”

“So what should we do?”

“File a lawsuit. Demand the cancellation of the deed of gift in the part that concerns your shares.”

“And he won’t find out?”

“He will — when he receives the summons.”

Galina rubbed her hands together.

“Excellent. Let him worry now.”

They returned home in the evening. Sergey was sitting in the kitchen, looking gloomy.

“Well? Had a nice little consultation?” he asked.

“We did,” Galina replied calmly. “Kostya, say hello to your father.”

“Hi,” the son nodded to his father. “I heard you evicted all of us.”

“I didn’t evict anyone!” Sergey jumped up. “The apartment stays in the family!”

“In which family?” Kostya smirked. “Grandma has her own family now?”

“Don’t be smart!”

“What’s there to be smart about? You kicked Mom and me out on the street.”

“Kostya’s right,” Galina said. “We’re tenants in your mother’s apartment now.”

“Oh, stop it!” Sergey waved his hands. “Mom won’t kick anyone out!”

“And what if she does?” Kostya asked. “Then what?”

“She won’t.”

“And why are you so sure?”

Sergey remained silent. Galina sat down across from him.

“Serёzha, did you tell your mother that you didn’t give her the entire apartment?”

Her husband turned pale.

“What are you talking about?”

“The fact that my share and Kostya’s share are still ours.”

“What share?” he tried to look surprised.

“Serёzha, don’t pretend. During privatization the three of us became co-owners. You could only gift your third.”

Sergey swallowed hard.

“That’s… that’s not exactly…”

“Completely exact,” Kostya said. “Tomorrow we’re going to court.”

“To court?” Sergey jumped up. “For what?”

“For deceit,” Galina replied. “You listed the entire apartment in the deed. But you only had the right to give away your third.”

“But… but…”

“No buts. You’ll explain it to the judge.”

Sergey paced around the kitchen like a trapped animal.

“Galya, why the court? Let’s solve it within the family.”

“Within the family?” she scoffed. “Was it ‘within the family’ when you secretly filed the documents?”

“Mom’s right,” Kostya pulled out his phone. “Dad, did you even think about what you were doing?”

“I did think! I was thinking about you! About the family!”

“What family?” Galina stood up. “You betrayed us!”

“I didn’t betray anyone!”

“Then why hide it? Why not tell me you were planning to gift the apartment to your mom?”

Sergey stopped. Wiped sweat from his forehead.

“I… I thought you wouldn’t understand.”

“Understand what? That you wanted to dump me?”

“Galya, what does dumping have to do with it? We’re not getting divorced!”

“And if we do?”

“We won’t!”

“How do you know? Maybe I’ve already decided!”

Sergey turned even paler.

“You… you’re serious?”

“What do you think? After such a ‘gift’?”

Kostya put away his phone.

“Dad, does Grandma know she didn’t get the whole apartment?”

“What does Grandma have to do with it?”

“A lot. She thinks she’s now the full owner. But in reality she only has a third.”

“That’s… temporary…”

“What temporary?” Galina leaned toward him. “What did you lie to her about?”

“I didn’t lie about anything!”

“Serёzha, she believes she got everything! And when she finds out the truth?”

Sergey sank into a chair and buried his head in his hands.

“She won’t find out.”

“She will!” Kostya slammed his palm on the table. “When we file the lawsuit, all the documents will come up!”

“Why do you need a lawsuit? Let’s settle this ourselves!”

“How exactly?” Galina asked. “You’ve already ‘settled’ everything for us!”

In the morning, Galina went to see her mother-in-law. Lidiya Pavlovna opened the door in her robe.

“Galya? Why so early?”

“Lidiya Pavlovna, we need to talk.”

“Come in, I’ll put the kettle on.”

They sat in the kitchen. The elderly woman fussed with the cups.

“Did Serёzha tell you about the apartment?” Galina asked.

“He did. Such a good son I have. So caring.”

“And did he explain that he didn’t gift you the whole apartment?”

Lidiya Pavlovna froze.

“What do you mean, not the whole?”

“He only gave you his third. My share and Kostya’s remain with us.”

“I don’t understand…”

Galina took out the documents and showed her the privatization papers.

“Look. The three of us privatized it. That means each of us owns one third. Serёzha could only gift you his portion.”

Her mother-in-law took the documents. Turned them in her hands.

“But Serёzha said the whole apartment is mine now.”

“He was mistaken. Or he lied.”

“Why would he lie?”

Galina shrugged.

“Ask him.”

Lidiya Pavlovna put the papers aside.

“So what now?”

“Nothing special. We live as before. You have a third, I have a third, Kostya has a third.”

“And what if I don’t want this third?”

“Why wouldn’t you want it?”

“What do I need it for?” the old woman waved her hands. “I live in my own apartment! I don’t need someone else’s!”

Galina was surprised. She hadn’t expected such a reaction.

“Lidiya Pavlovna, did Serёzha explain why he made the deed of gift?”

“He said it would be better this way. For the family.”

“For which family?”

“Well… for ours…”

“Did it occur to you that he might be planning to leave me?”

The mother-in-law flinched.

“Leave? But you’re not fighting!”

“Not fighting?” Galina laughed. “Lidiya Pavlovna, he deceived me! Filed papers behind my back! Isn’t that a fight?”

“But he was doing it for the family…”

“For the family? Then why hide it? Why not tell me anything?”

The old woman was confused, nervously twisting the edge of her robe.

“I don’t know… Serёzha knows better…”

“Serёzha doesn’t know a lot of things,” Galina said dryly. “For example, he doesn’t know that he fooled you too.”

“Fooled me?”

“Yes. He promised you the whole apartment, but he could only give a third.”

Lidiya Pavlovna fell silent.

“What happens now?”

“Nothing special. Kostya and I will file a lawsuit. We’ll get the deed of gift annulled for our shares. You’ll only keep Serёzha’s third.”

“Can it be annulled completely?”

Galina looked closely at her mother-in-law.

“It can. If you want that.”

“I do,” the old woman said quietly. “I don’t need that third. Only trouble.”

Galina returned home feeling triumphant. Sergey was sitting on the couch, chewing his nails.

“Serёzha, your mother wants to cancel the deed of gift.”

He jumped to his feet.

“Cancel it? How?”

“Just like that. She says she doesn’t need a third of the apartment. Only brings problems.”

“She can’t! The documents are already finalized!”

“She can. Tomorrow we’re going to the notary. She’ll file a refusal.”

“Galya, wait!” Sergey grabbed her hand. “Let’s think it over!”

“What is there to think about?” she pulled her hand free. “You made the mess, now deal with it.”

“But I was doing this for the family!”

“For what family?” Galina sat across from him. “The one where the husband deceives his wife?”

“I didn’t deceive you! I just… took precautions…”

“Precautions against what? Against me?”

Sergey remained silent.

“Serёzha, you understand we can’t live together after this?”

“Why not?” he panicked. “Galya, don’t dramatize!”

“I’m not dramatizing. I’ve just realized we’re not on the same path anymore.”

“You mean you’ll file for divorce?”

“What do you think?”

A week later, all documents were ready. Lidiya Pavlovna refused the deed of gift. The apartment returned to its previous state: three equal shares.

“Mom, what about Dad now?” Kostya asked.

“I’m divorcing him. I can’t live with someone who betrayed me.”

“And the apartment?”

“We’ll divide it. My third and yours stay in the family. His third will be split by the court.”

Kostya thought for a moment.

“Mom… maybe I should transfer my share to the kids?”

“To Masha and Vovka?”

“Well, yes. Let them have a home. I’m fine renting for now.”

Galina smiled.

“Good idea. Masha is growing, she’ll need her own room soon.”

Sergey had been gloomier than a storm cloud these last few days.

“Galya, you can’t do this! Twenty years together!”

“I can,” she said calmly. “You made your choice.”

“I’ll change! I’ll fix everything!”

“Too late. Trust is gone.”

“But where will I go?”

“Move in with your mother. She has a two-bedroom place, plenty of space.”

“And the apartment?”

“The court will divide it. You’ll get your portion — sell it and buy yourself something.”

A month later, the divorce was finalized. Sergey was granted one-sixth of the apartment. The rest went to Galina.

“Mom, do you regret it?” Kostya asked.

“Regret what? Learning the truth?”

“Well… the marriage…”

Galina looked out the window.

“You know, I thought about it for a long time. Maybe it is a pity — twenty years. But then I realized: what kind of marriage is it if the husband hides things from his wife?”

“He was scared, maybe.”

“Scared of what? Me?” She smirked. “If you’re afraid of your wife, why marry her?”

Kostya transferred his share to his children. Masha jumped with joy.

“Grandma Galya, is this my room now?”

“Yours, sweetheart. Yours and Vovka’s.”

“And Grandpa Serёzha won’t come anymore?”

“No, he won’t. He lives separately now.”

“Why?”

“Because he lied. And nobody likes liars.”

Masha nodded seriously.

“I see. And we will live honestly?”

“We will,” Galina smiled. “Of course we will.”