Quote Originally Posted by Martin Miles View Post
Даже будучи взрослыми, когда они спорили о наследстве отца, доме, который (house) он построил своими собственными (own) руками, остальные хотели манипулировать (or again управлять) ею как пешкой в шахматной партии, но Светлана избежала участия.

Only children believe that each person is a good person. For a long time Svetlana thought that way, most likely because she was the youngest member of the family. In fact, the others encouraged her to think this way since it made her easy to exploit. Even as adults, when they quarrelled over the inheritance of their father, the house that he built with his own hands, the others wanted to use her as a pawn in their chessgame, but Svetlana avoided participation.
будучи (literally being)+ the instrumental case = as adults, as a teacher etc. Expressions with "будучи" are bookish. Synonymic and neutral way to say the same is clauses with "когда" (when).
chessgame = шахматная партия.

Всегда рад помочь. I always glad to help you.