Chapter 10 — 20 Million Yuan Buys Freedom, Not Marriage

Leave the restaurant, stand on the side of the road to call a car. The phone rang.

"To Niem, I'm Luu Duong. Don't misunderstand, I'm not defending Tran Hao. I just want to say, lately he's been borrowing money everywhere, I heard he owes a lot."

“What does him having to borrow money have to do with me?”

“He said everywhere that you owe him 5,000,000 yuan.”

I tightened my grip on the phone.

“What did he say?”

"He said that out of the 20,000,000 yuan dowry, 5,000,000 yuan was his share. After she bought the house, she refused to pay it back. He used that as an excuse to borrow money, saying he would pay it back when he got it."

“That's a fabrication.”

"I know. But he said it in so much detail that many people believed it. Also—"

“He said he would sue you.”

I hung up. The autumn wind blows, a bit cold. I stood there for thirty seconds, then dialed a number.

“Lam Van, help me find a lawyer.”

Lawyer Lam Van introduced the name Trieu Dung, specializing in handling civil disputes, quite famous in the world. I narrated the whole incident. Lawyer Trieu finished listening and asked a few questions.

“Do you have a remittance document from your father?”

“Yes, transfer directly to my personal account.”

“What does the transfer content say?”

“‘Give Niem Niem a dowry’.”

“Did you and Tran Hao sign any written engagement agreement?”

“Do you contribute money to buy any property?”

"No. All expenses are paid by me alone, I have a full transfer history."

Trieu lawyer leaned back in his chair.

"To Niem, he can't win against you. The dowry money from your father is an asset given to you personally. The two of you are not married, have not lived together, and do not have any legal basis to support his request. But the fact that he spread outside that you 'swallowed the entire dowry' constitutes an infringement of honor. You can completely counterclaim."

“I want to sue.”

"Okay. I need you to provide three things. One, your father's money transfer documents and the transfer content. Two, evidence of Tran Hao's external fabrication - text messages, witness statements are fine. Three, the entire money transfer history in the past three years that you gave him."

That night I came home and sat and arranged all night long. Each money transfer to Tran Hao, each chat "car payment", "living expenses", "father hospitalized", all were screen-shot and printed out. Fold into a thick volume. The next day, I gave it to the lawyer. He flipped it over and looked at me.

"To Niem, in three years you have transferred a total of 437,600 yuan to Tran Hao. Do you know this number?"

“I didn't think carefully before.”

"Most of these amounts are in the name of 'loan' or 'repayment', but the other side has never refunded a penny, nor has a loan note. Legally, reclaiming will have a certain degree of difficulty. But if you can prove fraudulent behavior - for example, fabricating car loan money, fabricating hospitalization stories - then the nature is completely different."

“Can I get it back?”

"Yes. Combined with his violation of honor, I am sure of victory."

“So sue.”

The day I applied, I received a phone call from Tran Hao. He used a different number to call.

“To Niem, are you really suing me?”

“You are the one who goes around saying I swallowed the dowry first.”

"It's the truth!"

"The truth? My father gave me 20,000,000 yuan, the transfer content clearly states. What evidence do you have to prove that the money is yours?"

“Your father said it in front of my whole family—”

"You said it for me. For me. Not for you. I want to squeeze it." distort the truth, go to court and say it.”

"To Niem, if you insist on going to court, do you believe I will uncover all your matters?"

“What's wrong with me?”

“The thing about me and that guy named Co! The relationship between the two of them, on the surface they pretend to be decent, but behind their backs—”

"Tran Hao, if you make up any more lies, my lawyer will add a lawsuit request."

The other end of the line was silent for a few seconds.

“Okay. I'm good. Just wait.”

He hung up.