Chapter 7 — 47 Days of Betrayal, I Turned the Game Over

I stood up.

“But I won't sit still and wait either.”

He looked at me for a few seconds, then nodded.

“Wish you all the best.”

The plane landed at Vancouver International Airport at 3:00 pm local time. During the eleven hour flight I did not sleep a minute. Before turning on my phone, I stood in the middle of the lobby and took a deep breath, not in a weak way, but as a final adjustment before entering a real battle. David had arranged for a private investigator named Mike, over forty years old, Chinese, who had been doing this job in Vancouver for fifteen years, to drive to pick me up.

“It's me, just call me Niem An.”

“Okay, Niem An, go back to the hotel first or go straight there?”

“Come straight.”

The car drove for about forty minutes, stopping in the Richmond area, a normal residential area with rows of identical two-story houses. Mike parked the car across the street and pointed forward.

“See that blue door, building number three, apartment two, your husband is there.”

I stared at the blue door. In front of the door is a gray Toyota.

“His car?”

“Yes, bought it last week, registered under his name.”

“Is he home now?”

“There is a high possibility, he rarely goes out in the afternoon.”

I looked at that door for a long time. My daughter was behind that door, less than fifty meters away, but I couldn't step forward.

“Mike, have you taken any recent pictures of her?”

Mike opened the car compartment, took out a file and gave it to me. I opened it, eight photos. The first two pictures show Lam Tri Vien going shopping, wearing a gray hoodie that I've never seen before. The next three photos are of Tieu Hoa, the girl wearing a pink backpack walking behind him, her hair is longer, tied in two small pigtails. The sixth photo is a close-up, she's a bit thinner but still looks good. But by the seventh photo, my heart felt like it was being squeezed. In the photo, the baby is crying.

“When was it taken?”

“Three days ago, they left the supermarket, she asked for something but was refused so she cried.”

The last photo is Chu Uyen. She walked out of the blue door, long hair loose, wearing a white dress, looking very comfortable. I closed the file.

“Mike, does she go to school?”

“No, I've been watching for a week and haven't seen any school visits yet.”

A seven-year-old child who should be sitting in a classroom, is now kept in a strange house, without school, without friends, without a mother.

“Mike, next you help me with two things.”

“You say it.”

“First, continue to monitor them, especially my daughter's schedule.”

"No problem."

“Second, help me investigate Ha Khai Minh, my husband's college friend, who opened an immigration company here.”

“Ha Khai Minh… I have an impression of this name.”

Mike thought for a moment.

“In the Chinese community in Vancouver, an immigration broker named Ha Khai Minh... apparently two years ago was accused of being involved in investment fraud.”

“Investment scam?”

“Yes, there are a few customers who claim to receive money without doing any work, then sink.”

I memorized this information.

“Carefully investigate the money flow between him and my husband.”

“Understood.”

I go back to the hotel. The room is not big, but enough. Putting down my suitcase, the first thing I did was call lawyer Tran.

“Miss To, have you arrived safely?”

“Here we go, I met Mike.”

“Good, there is progress in the country, the court has officially accepted your divorce case. At the same time, judge the division of property and custody of children.”

“Is there a trial date yet?”

"Temporarily scheduled for the fifteenth of next month, but because your husband is abroad, a public announcement may have to be made, and the time will be extended."

“Can I request a trial in absentia?”

"Maybe. If the notice period expires and he still does not appear in court, the court can impose a sentence in absentia, but it will be more difficult to execute the sentence abroad.”

“What about custody?”

“I will focus on protecting you in this matter. She is a mother, has a stable job and income, and her husband is a criminal suspect and cannot afford to care for her. The possibility that the court will side with you is very high.”

“What about enforcement in Canada?”

“The child return mechanism according to the Hague Convention must be adopted. I have prepared the legal documents and will send them through diplomatic channels to the Canadian central agency."

“If it's fast, it's two months, if it's slow, it's half a year.”

Two months to half a year. My Tieu Hoa... will have to stay in that house all that time.

“Lawyer Tran, is there a faster way?”

“There is a possibility. If Canadian police officially arrest her husband, the child will be transferred to the temporary care of child protection agencies. At that time, you can apply as the mother for emergency guardianship and directly take the child home."

“Then let the police arrest him.”

“The arrest warrant has been issued and the Canadian side has also recorded it, but the arrest depends on the local side. I will keep pushing.”

Hang up the phone, I text my mom.

“Mom, I've been to Vancouver, I've seen Tieu Hoa, she's fine.”

Mom responded almost immediately.

“Really? Have you seen her?

“I can see the photo, a little thinner but still fine.”

“You have to be careful.”

“I know.”

“Nien An, take her home.”