Chapter 4

The hallway fell into silence at last.

Maria approached and gently patted my back. "Laura, don't let it get to you.

"It's not worth it."

A few of the older individuals who had been observing the drama came over, all speaking at once to offer their comfort.

"She was way out of line."

"Yeah, I've never seen such a daughter like her."

"Laura, don't let it bother you."

Gabriela walked over. "Mrs. Sanchez, I'm really sorry. We should have handled things better. I hope this didn't scare you too much."

I shook my head and smiled at them. "I'm fine.

"Thank you, everyone."

"Thank you, Mrs. Doyle and Mrs. Cortez."

I was truly grateful to them.

When I was at my lowest, these people, who weren't family, stood by me, protected me, and restored my dignity.

Soon, everyone began to leave.

Maria assisted me back to my room. "Laura, have some water. A sip will help you calm down."

She poured me a cup of water.

I wrapped my hands around the cup.

The warmth spread through my hands.

But honestly, my heart felt completely cold.

No, not cold. It was a strange, profound calm that I had never experienced before.

When Celia shouted her apology out earlier, I realized that whatever remnants of our so-called mother-daughter relationship had disappeared completely.

Maybe that was for the best. With it gone, I didn't need to cling to any more false hopes. Now, I could finally start living for myself.

*****

That night, I lay in bed, tossing and turning, unable to sleep.

My thoughts kept drifting back to one thing: the apartment.

Celia's reaction that day had been incredibly intense. It dawned on me that the mortgage was a matter of life and death for her.

It was something that could completely destroy her.

Would she come after me again for that apartment?

She definitely would.

With her personality, she wasn't the kind to let things go.

She had been completely humiliated that day.

She would surely seek revenge.

That apartment was her only leverage over me.

It was under her name.

She had full control over it.

She might sell it.

The thought made my heart tighten.

That apartment cost me every penny I had saved throughout my life.

It wiped out ten years of my pension.

I earned the money through my hard work and dedication.

There was no way I could let her take it without paying.

I couldn't sit and wait anymore.

I needed to find a way to reclaim what was rightfully mine.

But what could I possibly do?

The apartment wasn't under my name.

On paper, she owned it. Legally, it was hers.

Would my bank transfers be considered evidence?

I had no confidence in that at all.

I struggled to understand this situation on my own.

I needed to ask someone for advice.

*****

The next morning, I went to Maria.

I laid everything out for her about that apartment. I explained how I paid the down payment, covered the mortgage for ten years, and how the apartment was now under Celia's name.

Maria listened intently, her brows furrowed. She remained silent for a long time.

Then she said, "Laura, this is a real mess. Ideally, you should own most of that apartment.

"But the law isn't concerned with that. It's all about proof.

My heart sank.

"But don't stress too much," Maria added, her tone shifting to something gentler. "My nephew studied law and works at a law firm.

"I'll check with him for you.

"Let's see if there's a way out of this."

At her words, a flicker of hope ignited in my chest.

"Mrs. Cortez, thank you," I blurted out, so excited that I could barely speak.

Maria waved it off. "No need to thank me. Neighbors should look out for each other.

"Write down all the details of your situation...

"Including the total price of the apartment, the down payment amount, your monthly mortgage payment, and how many years you've been paying.

"Do you still have your bank transfer receipts or proof of those payments?

"That's really important."

The mention of bank transfer receipts jolted my mind.

Then it hit me.

I had them.

I kept every single one.

When we set up the supplementary card back then, Celia asked me to link my main account to make her mortgage payments easier.

I was cautious and took precautions.

Instead of using my salary card, I opened a separate savings account.

Each month, after receiving my pension, I transferred 3 thousand dollars to that account, from which the mortgage was automatically paid.

Every transfer was documented in the bank's transaction history.

To keep everything organized, I printed out my bank statements every year.

I kept them neatly organized in a brown paper bag, tucked away in the study drawer at my old apartment.

I was such a silly old woman.

How could I have forgotten something this important?

"Yes, I do!" I replied, barely able to contain my excitement. "I've got all my bank statements printed out every year."

Maria's eyes lit up. "That's perfect.

"It's the key evidence.

"With them, you'll be more emboldened."

An adrenaline rush surged through me, and my body buzzed with newfound strength. "Mrs. Cortez, I'll go get the bank statements now!"

"No," Maria replied, gripping my arm. "You can't go by yourself.

"Your daughter's still furious. If you return now, you'll be walking right into her trap."

I thought about it and realized Maria was correct.

Celia probably hated my guts right now.

If I went back, who knew what kind of trouble awaited me?

I asked, "So what should I do?

"I have to get those statements."

Maria pondered for a moment. "Alright, I'll call my nephew.

"He'll check things out for you first.

"If he believes you have a good chance, we'll figure out how to get those documents.

"Honestly, it's best if you don't go yourself.

"Let him accompany you or handle it on your behalf.

"With a lawyer present, your daughter won't dare to act out too much."

I had to admit that Maria made a lot of sense.

Some matters were best left to the professionals.

Maria called her nephew right in front of me.

She briefly explained my situation.

Her nephew responded with a few words.

Maria nodded along. "Alright, I understand.

"Okay, I'll have her get everything ready, and we'll see you this afternoon."

After she hung up, Maria looked at me and remarked, "Laura, my nephew told me...

"You have a pretty good shot at this.

"There's a legal term for your situation. It's called 'purchasing property under someone else's name.'

"Although the apartment's under her name, you're the one who actually put up the money.

"If you can gather enough evidence showing it was you who bought the place...

"There's a good chance the court will support your legal claim."

"What legal claim are we discussing?" I asked quickly.

Maria explained, "You can demand reimbursement for all the money you spent on the apartment.

"That includes the down payment and all the principal and interest you've paid on the mortgage over the past ten years.

"Or, you can claim ownership of the apartment."

Excitement overwhelmed me, making my hands shake.

I had never imagined I could reclaim the money I had spent on the apartment.

I always believed that money was lost forever.

But now, there was actually hope for its return.

Maria added, "My nephew suggested we stop by his law firm this afternoon.

"We'll sit down with him and let him take a look at your paperwork.

"His name is Ian Richter."

"Gather your things, and after lunch, we'll head out."

I nodded firmly. "Okay.

"Thank you, Mrs. Cortez.

"Thank you so much."

This time, Maria didn't dismiss my gratitude.

She smiled, genuinely relieved.