My Mother-in-Law Claimed My Daughter's Missing Teeth Were a 'Cultural Ritual' — It Was Just the First of Her Many Lies to Steal Everything
Armed with Arthur’s advice and a renewed sense of purpose, Lena began her search for an independent appraiser.
She started with a list Arthur had provided, making calls from David’s study, surrounded by the ghosts of his creativity.
Her initial calls were met with polite, but firm, refusals.
“I’m sorry, Ms. Rojas, but we have a conflict of interest,” one appraiser stated, his voice professional yet distant.
“We’ve worked with the Kuznetsov family extensively in the past.”
Another firm cited “previous engagements” that would prevent them from taking on her case.
The phrasing was always vague, the tone always apologetic, but the message was clear: no one wanted to cross Maria.
Lena felt a familiar knot of frustration tighten in her stomach.
It was exactly as Arthur had warned her.
Maria’s influence reached further than she had imagined, a silent, pervasive network that seemed to anticipate Lena’s every move.
She expanded her search, venturing beyond Arthur’s recommendations, scouring online directories for appraisers outside the city, hoping to find someone untainted by Maria’s connections.
She scheduled a consultation with a smaller, independent appraiser named Mr. Jenkins, located in a neighboring county.
Mr. Jenkins, a man with tired eyes and a perpetually rumpled suit, listened intently as Lena explained her situation, detailing the shockingly low valuation of David’s studio.
He reviewed the initial report by Bogdan Volkov, his brow furrowing deeper with each page.
He then pulled up comparable properties in the area on his computer, showing Lena current market rates.
“Ms. Rojas, this valuation by Mr. Volkov… it’s severely understated,” Mr. Jenkins said, his voice quiet but firm.
“By at least 35 to 40 percent. Based on current market trends and the square footage alone, not to mention its unique features as an artist’s studio, it should be significantly higher.”
A surge of vindication, cold and hard, shot through Lena.
This was concrete proof.
“So, you can provide an independent appraisal?” Lena asked, a desperate hope in her voice.
Mr. Jenkins hesitated, looking from the document to Lena, then to his computer screen.
He seemed to weigh his words carefully.
“I can,” he began, then paused.
He pushed his glasses up his nose.
“However, I must give you a warning, Ms. Rojas.”
He leaned forward, his voice dropping to a near whisper.
“Challenging the Kuznetsov family’s valuations, especially if Mr. Volkov is involved, can be… complicated.”
Lena’s heart sank.
“Complicated how?” she asked, her voice barely audible.
“Mr. Volkov is known to be… well-connected. He has a reputation for handling appraisals for certain powerful families. Sometimes, when a valuation is challenged, particularly by someone outside the immediate family, things can get… difficult for the challenger.”
He didn’t explicitly mention threats or retaliation, but the unspoken implication hung heavy in the air.
His eyes, full of weary experience, conveyed a clear message: proceed with extreme caution.
“Are you saying he’s corrupt?” Lena pressed, feeling a renewed surge of anger at the blatant manipulation.
Mr. Jenkins shrugged, a slight, almost imperceptible movement.
“I’m merely saying that he has a very specific clientele, and they don’t appreciate having their valuations questioned. It can lead to… professional inconveniences for those who do the questioning.”
Lena realized what he was hinting at.
Mr. Jenkins, a small, independent appraiser, was subtly warning her that if he issued a higher valuation, he could face professional repercussions, potentially even lose his license or his business.
This wasn’t just about Maria being influential; it was about a deeply entrenched, corrupt network designed to protect her interests.
“So, you won’t do it?” Lena asked, the hope draining from her.
“I will,” he said, surprising her.
“But you need to be aware of what you’re up against. This isn’t just a simple disagreement over property value. This is a powerful family trying to exert control.”
He wrote down his fee, a figure that made Lena’s stomach clench, but she knew she had no choice.
“I’ll have the report ready for you in a week,” Mr. Jenkins promised, though a shadow of concern still lingered in his eyes.
Lena left his office feeling a mix of triumph and profound unease.
She had secured a second appraisal, but the warnings, the implied threats, cast a long shadow.
Maria wasn’t just using lawyers; she was using a network of complicit professionals to tighten her grip, to isolate Lena and deplete her resources.
The cost of this fight was escalating, not just in money, but in the sheer mental and emotional toll.
She had secured a small victory, but it came with a chilling glimpse into the depth of Maria’s influence and the lengths she would go to get what she wanted.
The insidious nature of the fraud was becoming clearer, entwined with threats that extended beyond legal documents.
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