“It’s great. Listen, this is a strange question, but did you happen to mention my car to anyone? I mean, to any third parties.”
A pause.
“I did. I mentioned on a collector’s forum that I’d seen a rare model in pristine condition. But no details, no names, no addresses. Just as a point of interest. What’s wrong?”
“My brother found out about the car. He’s suing me, demanding a share of the inheritance.”
“Damn, Alex, I’m sorry if I somehow…”
“No, no, it’s not your fault. I’m just trying to figure out how the information leaked.”
“I have a theory. The collector’s world is a small one. If your brother is interested in classic cars or knows someone who is, the information could have gotten back to him.”
“Victor doesn’t care about cars. He doesn’t care about anything but money.”
“Then maybe someone in his circle saw my post and told him. I’m really sorry, Alex. I never thought it would cause any problems.”
“It’s okay. Thanks for being honest.”
Alex hung up. So that was it. Victor found out about the car through his connections in the collector’s world and decided he was entitled to it. Greed. Plain and simple human greed.
Alex went back to work, but his mind was racing. Court. He’d never been in a lawsuit before. He didn’t know how it worked, what he needed to do. He needed a lawyer. A good lawyer who specialized in inheritance law.
During his lunch break, he searched online and found a few law firms with good reviews. He called one of them and scheduled a consultation for that evening.
The lawyer, a man in his forties with sharp eyes and a confident demeanor, listened to Alex’s story and reviewed the documents.
“This is a straightforward case,” he said, leaning back in his chair. “The will was properly executed, certified by a notary, and you inherited the property legally. Your brother has no grounds to demand a revision.”
“Then why is he suing me?”
“Because he can. In our legal system, anyone can file a lawsuit for any reason. The real question is, will he win? I don’t think so.”
“But what if he does?”
The lawyer shrugged.
“It’s unlikely. But theoretically, a court could find the distribution unfair if it’s proven that one heir received a disproportionately large or small share. However, in your case, the testator himself determined who got what. That was his right.”
“So I shouldn’t worry?”
“I wouldn’t say that. Your brother has hired lawyers, which means he has a strategy. He might try to argue that the will was signed under duress, or that the testator was not of sound mind, or that the property was improperly valued.”
“My grandpa was completely lucid until the very end. He wrote the will a year before he died, with a doctor’s note confirming his mental capacity.”
“That’s good. That makes it difficult for them to challenge it on those grounds. That leaves the property valuation. Did you have the garage re-appraised after you inherited it?”
“No. Only the car that was inside it.”
“And your brother knows about the car?”
“He does now.”
“That could be the problem. If he can prove that the car was part of the inheritance that should have been valued when the will was written, he could demand a redistribution.”
Alex frowned.
“But the car belonged to my grandpa. He had the right to do whatever he wanted with it.”
“Correct. But if the will only mentioned the garage and not the car, then technically, the car could have been overlooked. It’s a legal loophole.”
“What should I do?”
“First, prepare for court. I will represent you and build our defense. Second, do not sell or gift the car until the court makes a decision—that could be seen as an attempt to hide assets. Third, gather all the evidence you can that your grandpa intended for you to have the car.”
“I have a letter from my grandpa. He wrote to me, explaining why he left the garage and the car to me.”
The lawyer’s eyes lit up.
“A letter? That’s excellent. Bring it to our next meeting. It’s strong evidence of the testator’s intent.”
They agreed on a fee and discussed the details. The lawyer took the case. Alex left the office with a heavy heart. Victor. His own brother. Suing him to take away the last thing he had from their grandfather.
He pulled out his phone, found his brother’s number, and dialed. It rang for a long time. Finally, Victor answered.
“Yeah?”
“It’s me, Alex.”
“Oh, Alex. What’s up?” His voice was indifferent, almost bored.
“I wanted to ask what the hell you think you’re doing, suing me?”
“Oh, you heard. They work fast.” Victor chuckled. “Listen, Alex, it’s nothing personal. It’s just business.”
“Business? We’re brothers, Victor!”
“Exactly. And that’s why I thought you’d do the brotherly thing. Share what you got unfairly.”
“Unfairly? Grandpa left me the garage in his will.”
“The garage, yes. But he didn’t know there was a car worth a fortune inside. If he had, he would have done things differently.”
“He did know. He put it there himself. He took care of it his whole life.”
“Well, that’s what you say. But do you have any proof?”
“I do. A letter from Grandpa, where he explained everything.”
Victor was silent for a moment.
“A letter? What letter?”
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