Chapter 6: My Daughter-in-Law Was Buying My Home
For a moment, I thought I had misunderstood the document.
I read the name again.
Bianca Weber.
The proposed buyer of my apartment.
My daughter-in-law.
Alexander took the paper from my hands.
He read it once.
Then again.
"You're buying my mother's apartment?""
Bianca shook her head.
"That's not what it looks like.""
He looked at her.
"Then explain it.""
She wiped her face with both hands.
"The plan was to purchase it as an investment.""
"With whose money?""
She didn't answer.
"Bianca!""
"With the money from Dad's business!""
Ewald immediately turned toward her.
"Don't drag me into this.""
She stared at him.
"You're the one who arranged everything!""
Lydia sat down, visibly shaken.
I remained standing.
I had spent years believing that the worst thing Bianca could do was separate my son from me.
I was beginning to understand that she had never intended to stop there.
"Why would you buy my apartment?"" I asked.
Bianca looked at me.
"Because it's a good property.""
"That's not an answer.""
"Helga, you don't understand the property market.""
I almost smiled.
"Perhaps not. But I understand when someone tries to take my home.""
She sighed impatiently.
"Nobody was taking anything. We were offering you a fair price.""
"Without my permission?""
"We had permission to negotiate!""
"From whom?""
She glanced toward Alexander.
He answered for her.
"From nobody.""
Bianca suddenly became angry.
"You're acting as though I wanted to throw your mother onto the street!""
I looked at her.
"Where was I supposed to live?""
"We would have helped you.""
"Where?""
"Somewhere smaller.""
"Where?""
She looked away.
I repeated the question.
"Which apartment had you chosen for me?""
Bianca said nothing.
That was when I understood.
There had never been a plan for my future.
Only a plan for my property.
I returned to my chair and carefully placed the documents together.
"Alexander, I want you to call the police.""
Bianca's head snapped up.
"What?""
"Your mother has a right to protect herself," Alexander said.
"You're seriously going to involve the police in a family disagreement?""
He looked at her.
"Someone submitted documents pretending to have my mother's authorization. That's not a family disagreement.""
Ewald stepped forward.
"Don't be foolish. Nobody has stolen anything.""
I looked at the envelope containing the €25,000.
"Then perhaps you should return that money too.""
He slowly removed it from his jacket.
He placed it on the table.
Alexander counted the notes.
Only €24,600 remained.
He looked up.
"Where's the rest?""
Ewald shrugged.
"I don't know.""
"You took it.""
"I haven't counted it.""
"Then count it now.""
Ewald refused.
Alexander reached for his phone.
"Fine. I'll include the missing amount in the report.""
That finally made Ewald open his wallet.
He removed four hundred euros and dropped them onto the table.
The notes landed beside the envelope.
"Happy now?""
Alexander looked disgusted.
"No.""
Bianca began pacing.
"Do you understand what you're doing? You're destroying our marriage over money.""
Alexander looked at her.
"No, Bianca. You're destroying our marriage by lying to me.""
She stopped.
Then she said something that made the entire room go quiet.
"You think your mother is innocent? Ask her where she got all that money.""
I frowned.
"What are you talking about?""
Bianca pointed at me.
"She acts like she's poor and helpless. But she has investments. Property.
Savings. She never told you everything.""
Alexander looked confused.
"Mom?""
I sighed.
"Your father and I worked hard. We saved what we could.""
Bianca laughed.
"Exactly. And now she wants to keep everything while pretending she sacrificed her entire life for you.""
I looked at her for several seconds.
Then I opened my handbag.
I removed a small blue folder.
Inside were documents Karl and I had kept for decades.
Bank certificates.
Investment statements.
Property records.
And one document from a notary's office.
I placed it on the table.
"You're right about one thing, Bianca. I didn't tell Alexander everything.""
My son looked at me.
"Mom?""
I turned toward him.
"Your father and I made an investment many years ago. We bought a small commercial property when you were still at university. We rented it out, reinvested the income, and eventually purchased another.""
Alexander stared at the documents.
"I thought you only had your apartment.""
"That was what I allowed people to believe.""
Bianca's eyes narrowed.
"How many properties?""
"Two commercial units and my apartment.""
She looked stunned.
I continued.
"One commercial unit provides rental income. The other was sold several years ago, and the proceeds were invested.""
Alexander looked at me.
"Why didn't you tell me?""
"Because I wanted you to build your own life without feeling responsible for mine.""
His expression softened.
I touched his cheek.
"Your father always wanted you to have choices, not obligations.""
Bianca interrupted.
"How much is everything worth?""
I turned toward her.
"Enough for me to live comfortably.""
"How much?""
"That's not your concern.""
She laughed bitterly.
"Of course. You keep everything secret and expect everyone to respect your boundaries.""
I looked at her.
"Yes. That's generally how boundaries work.""
Alexander almost smiled.
Then Friedrich called again.
I answered.
"Helga, I've spoken with the property agency. They've agreed to suspend the transaction pending verification of the authorization.""
"Thank you.""
"But there's another issue.""
I glanced at the papers.
"What now?""
"The buyer has already borrowed money against the anticipated purchase.""
I looked at Bianca.
She was watching me.
Friedrich continued.
"The lender has a registered financial interest in the transaction. They were told the property would be transferred within thirty days.""
Alexander frowned.
"Who is the lender?""
Friedrich hesitated.
Then he gave me a name.
"NordWest Capital.""
Ewald suddenly sat down.
His face had gone grey.
I recognized the name.
It was a private lending company I had seen mentioned in the paperwork connected to his business.
"How much?"" I asked.
"Approximately €140,000.""
Alexander looked at Bianca.
"You borrowed €140,000 to buy my mother's apartment?""
She began crying again.
"I didn't have a choice.""
"Who forced you?""
"My father.""
Ewald jumped up.
"That's a lie!""
Bianca turned toward him.
"You said the money was temporary!""
"You agreed to the arrangement!""
"You told me we'd repay it after the sale!""
Their argument became louder.
Lydia began sobbing.
Alexander stood motionless.
I watched them.
The family that had spent the afternoon treating me like an inconvenience was now tearing itself apart over the very secret it had tried to hide.
Then Friedrich spoke again.
"Helga, there's one more name in the lending documents.""
I closed my eyes briefly.
"Whose?""
He lowered his voice.
"Alexander Morgen.""
My son looked at me.
"What?""
Friedrich continued.
"Your son is listed as a secondary guarantor.""
Alexander grabbed the phone.
"I never signed anything with NordWest Capital.""
"That's exactly why we need to investigate.""
I looked at the papers again.
There was a date beside Alexander's name.
February 12.
A date I remembered clearly.
It was the day Bianca had taken him away for a weekend trip to celebrate his birthday.
I remembered because he had called me from the hotel.
He had sounded happy.
He had told me how much he loved his wife.
And while he was away celebrating, someone had apparently used his identity to support a loan that could threaten his financial future.
Alexander lowered the phone.
"Mom, I swear I didn't sign that.""
I took his hand.
"I believe you.""
Then another message arrived from Friedrich.
It contained a photograph of the guarantee.
I enlarged the image.
At the bottom was a signature.
It looked like Alexander's.
But beneath it, in tiny printed letters, was the name of the witness.
I read it once.
Then I read it again.
Because the witness wasn't Ewald.
It wasn't Bianca.
It wasn't anyone from the bank.
It was someone I had trusted for years.
Someone who had helped Karl and me with our finances.
Someone who had attended Alexander's graduation.
Someone whose name I had never expected to see on a document like this.
*Friedrich Weber.*
May you like
My old accountant.
And suddenly, I realized that the person helping me uncover the truth might have been connected to the people hiding it all along.
