Kristina carefully arranged the documents on her desk. The whole day had been tense. Negotiations with new clients had stretched into the late evening. But it was worth it — a major contract was signed.
At home, she was greeted by silence. Roman was sitting in the kitchen in front of his laptop. His face showed deep concern. Kristina noticed papers scattered on the table and a calculator.
“Roma, are you okay? How are things?” she asked, walking toward the fridge.
“Not really. We need to have a serious talk.”
“About what? Did something happen?”
Roman closed the laptop and turned to his wife. Anxiety was clear in his eyes. Kristina became alert. Her husband only wore that expression in critical situations.
“Kristin, things at the restaurant are really bad. Worse than I thought.”
“How bad?” Kristina asked quietly.
“We’re losing clients every day. Profit has dropped by seventy percent.”
Inside, Kristina felt a tightening. She knew Roman was having business problems but had no idea how catastrophic it was. She sat down in the chair opposite her husband.
“So what do you suggest we do?”
Kristina struggled to stay calm.
“There’s a rescue plan. But it requires a lot of money.”
“What money? How much?”
Roman sighed wearily. He looked at Kristina and, as if reluctantly, admitted:
“A lot. I can’t even say the exact amount.”
Kristina frowned.
“About how much?”
Roman tapped his temple with a finger. Thoughtfully scratched his hair from his forehead. Nodded as if to himself.
“Listen carefully. The restaurant needs a complete overhaul.”
“Overhaul how?”
“First, the menu. Our dishes are outdated. Competitors are offering new trends.”
Kristina nodded, trying to understand her husband’s reasoning. But the hypothetical numbers frightened her. Large investments meant a serious risk to their family budget.
“Secondly, the interior. The hall looks like it’s from the nineties.”
“How much will that cost?”
“The designer estimated the renovation at half a million. Plus new furniture, lighting, equipment.”
Panic gripped Kristina at these words. Half a million just for a small part of the renovation! And there were other expenses too. She tried to calculate the total investment amount.
Roman continued:
“And that’s not all. We need a strong advertising campaign.”
“What kind of campaign?”
“Ads on social media, radio. And in print media. Contextual advertising on the internet.”
“How much does that cost?”
Roman named another figure. Kristina mechanically summed all the amounts mentioned. The total exceeded any limits for their family. It was all their savings plus an additional loan.
“Roma, but there’s no guarantee it will work out? What if the investments don’t pay off?”
“They will pay off! I consulted experts. They’re confident of success.”
“What experts?”
“Restaurant business specialists. They studied our case.”
An inner voice told Kristina that the idea was too risky. But she saw how important it was to her husband. Roman had poured his soul into the restaurant for the past five years.
“And what if we don’t invest this money?” she asked.
“The restaurant will close in three months. At most, six.”
“Close completely?”
“Yes. Debts are growing, no clients, staff is leaving.”
Kristina understood her husband was backed into a corner. The restaurant was his brainchild. Roman opened the place before they met. Losing the business meant a personal tragedy for him.
“But Roma, where can we get such money? We don’t have that kind of free funds.”
“There’s your apartment. We can take a loan secured by the property.”
These words hit Kristina like thunder on a clear day. She didn’t expect such a proposal. The apartment was her only serious asset.
“Pledge my apartment? Roma, are you serious?”
“Absolutely serious. It’s the only way to get the needed amount.”
“But what if the business still doesn’t take off? We’ll be left homeless.”
“Kristin, I’m sure of success. The plan is thought out in detail.”
Kristina got up and began pacing the kitchen. Thoughts were tangled. On one hand, she wanted to support her husband. On the other — the risk seemed unjustifiably high.
“Roma, give me time to think. This is too serious a decision.”
“There’s no time. Creditors demand a decision by the end of the week.”
“Creditors? By the end of the week? Why didn’t you say anything before?”
“I didn’t want to upset you. I thought I could handle the debts myself.”
Kristina stopped and looked at her husband. In his eyes, she saw despair and last hope. Roman truly believed new investments would save the restaurant.
“All right, let’s discuss all options tomorrow,” she said quietly, trying to buy time.
“Kristin, I understand this is hard,” Roman rubbed his temples with tired hands. “But there’s no choice.”
“There’s time until the end of the week. So we can weigh everything,” Kristina replied, hoping to find an alternative solution.
Inside, Kristina was torn by a storm of conflicting thoughts. She loved her husband and wanted to help him. But risking the apartment seemed madness. It was her only anchor in life.
The following days passed in tense conversations. Every evening, Roman returned to the loan topic. He brought new arguments, showed calculations, convinced her of the project’s potential.
“Look at these figures. With the right approach, payback will take one and a half years.”
Kristina nervously asked:
“And if something goes wrong?”
But Roman was confident.
“Nothing will go wrong. The plan is accurate to the penny.”
Kristina studied the papers. But doubts did not leave her. Too much depended on external factors: the economic situation, competition, customer preferences. All could change at any moment.
On Friday, Roman came home with a thick folder of documents. Kristina immediately understood — her husband was ready to act.
“Kristin, I brought all the necessary papers,” he announced solemnly, placing the folder on the table.
“What papers?” Kristina asked warily, though she guessed the answer.
“Documents to re-register the apartment. In my name. So the interest will be lower,” Roman calmly explained.
Kristina froze. She didn’t expect that her husband had already prepared all the legal formalities. It meant he was absolutely sure of her consent. Panic began creeping in unnoticed.
“Roma, we haven’t made a final decision yet!” she exclaimed, looking at the official seals.
“Time is running out,” Roman explained, opening the folder. “The bank requires confirmation of the collateral property.”
“But the apartment is registered to me. Why re-register it?” Kristina asked, confused.
Kristina saw many documents with official stamps and notary signatures. Growing anxiety overwhelmed her. Her husband was clearly following a pre-planned scheme. But something made her uneasy. Something told her not to sign the papers.
“You see, bank rules are very strict,” Roman began explaining. “Only the owner of the collateral property can take the loan.”
“So you want to become the owner of my apartment?” Kristina said slowly.
“I don’t want to, but I have to,” Roman sighed. “Believe me, it’s unpleasant for me too.”
Kristina couldn’t believe her ears. Her husband spoke as if re-registering the apartment was a simple formality. But for her, it meant losing her only property.
“Roma, I bought this apartment before our marriage,” she reminded him. “It’s my personal property.”
“But we’re a family!” Roman objected. “Everything should be shared.”
“Shared — yes. But that doesn’t mean you can dispose of my property,” Kristina answered firmly.
Inside Kristina, resentment grew. She understood that her husband was trying to put her before a fact. Roman was counting on her agreement and had already prepared all the documents.
“Kristin, I don’t understand your stubbornness,” Roman said irritably. “This is about saving my business!”
“This is about risking losing our home!” Kristina sharply replied.
“We won’t be left without a roof. The business will definitely take off,” Roman insisted.
Kristina saw how her husband’s expression changed. Calm conviction gave way to irritation. Roman did not expect such resistance from her.
“I can’t take a loan for the business while the apartment is registered to you!” he suddenly blurted.
“Then don’t!” Kristina sharply answered. “Find other ways to finance!”
“There are no other ways!” Roman raised his voice. “You just don’t want to help me! Clinging to this apartment like a tick!”
Kristina got up from the table. Anger overwhelmed her. Her husband accused her of selfishness, though he asked her to risk their only property.
Kristina said coldly:
“I bought this apartment before the marriage with my own money. And I’m not going to save your restaurant at my own expense.”
Roman sarcastically exclaimed:
“Great! So you choose the apartment over our marriage!”
Kristina replied:
“I choose common sense over a gamble.”
They stood facing each other like two opponents. Kristina saw anger and disappointment in her husband’s eyes. Roman took her refusal as a betrayal.
“If the restaurant closes, it will be your fault,” he said accusingly.
“No, it will be the result of your business mistakes,” Kristina retorted.
“So it’s decided. You’re destroying our marriage out of your own selfishness,” Roman concluded.
Kristina smiled wryly. Her husband tried to shift responsibility for the collapse of their relationship onto her. But she was no longer going to play those games.
“If saving the marriage requires sacrificing the apartment, then I don’t want such a marriage,” she said calmly.
Roman gathered the documents and headed to the door. On the threshold, he turned back.
“When you’re alone in your precious apartment, remember this conversation,” he threw at her.
“I definitely will,” Kristina answered. “And I’ll thank myself for the right decision.”
The door slammed shut. Kristina was left alone. But instead of sadness, she felt relief. She had protected her interests and resisted manipulation. The apartment remained her property, and the future depended only on herself.