I received the keys to the mansion I inherited, and my husband’s family came in choosing rooms as if I didn’t matter anymore until I held up the papers and said something that wiped the smiles off their faces.

Austin grabbed Maya’s arm tightly and hissed that she shouldn’t make a scene that made his family look bad. She looked down at his hand, then back into his eyes, and told him the only scene was them coming in here to divide up loot.

She took a beige folder out of her bag and held it up in front of everyone.

“This house is not our newlywed home,” she said in a firm, icy voice that was impossible to argue with.

Part 2

Austin let go of her arm as if her skin had suddenly turned into burning coals. “What are you talking about?” he asked, his voice losing all the certainty it had just moments before.

Maya opened the folder and pulled out a copy of the notarized document for everyone to see.

“I am talking about the fact that this property is registered solely and exclusively in my name.”

Martha stepped forward with an indignant look. “So what? You are already married, and what is yours belongs to my son by law.”

“No, ma’am, not when we never even discussed this, and especially not when you decided everything without even asking me,” Maya replied firmly.