Chapter 7 — 6 Days to Clean Up Your Estate Then Divorce

Leaving the law office, my mind has never been clearer. Every step Ly Tuyet outlined hit straight at my weak point, forcing me to be decisive until the end. I no longer have the right to hesitate. I sat in the car and took out my phone. The first call, I called a familiar real estate broker.

"Ms. Truong, I'm Hua Tinh. I want to list my house for sale immediately. The price is ten percent lower than the market. I request payment as quickly as possible."

The second call, I called my cousin who helped me handle the money before.

"Brother, help me find the most professional liquidation team. I need to process the company's bankruptcy as quickly as possible."

I looked out the window, the traffic was still busy, this city had not changed. I built a home here for one man. Now, I will dismantle it all myself. Then on top of those ruins, rebuild a new life, belonging only to me and my daughter. I started the car and did not return to the old house. I changed direction and ran straight towards the small apartment that I had left empty for many years. My pre-marital apartment was not large, only two rooms and a living room of more than ninety square meters, but the sunlight was abundant, the large glass doors opened to reveal a small, quiet garden downstairs. The furniture is old, still retaining the same old style, each item is a memory of my parents and I choosing it, so clean and familiar that it makes people feel secure. There is no trace of him in this place, nor is there any breath of that family left, only me and Niem Niem remain. The feeling of safety, for the first time in many years, became so clear. My daughter and I cleaned up the small house, changed the bed sheet to her favorite pink color, placed a large teddy bear at the head of the bed, and turned the office into a drawing room for her. Colorful doodles are plastered all over the walls, both messy and vibrant, but making the room come alive. In the afternoon, mother and daughter cooked together in the small kitchen. She clumsily picked up vegetables and dropped them all over the floor, while I just laughed and didn't blame her. We worked and laughed, the yellow light elongated the shadows of mother and child on the wall, so warm that it seemed like it could erase all the wounds. After eating, I sat and read a book with my child. She leaned on my lap, her voice soft and soft, as if afraid of disrupting this peace.

“Mom, will we stay here from now on?”

“Yes, I'm here.”

I stroked my child's hair and asked a question that I already had the answer in my heart.

“Do you like Niem Niem?”

The girl thought for a moment then nodded vigorously.

“Like, because here it smells like mom.”

My heart is full, warm to the point of pain. I knew I was right, I kept the last clean corner of the world for her. That night, after putting my child to sleep, I started to handle the work. The company may go bankrupt, but my ability will not. I still have my own projects and can still rely on my expertise to raise my mother and daughter a stable life. Opening the computer, I immersed myself in drawings and figures. This world is clear, fair, without betrayal, without lies. Everything gradually fell into place, the broker called to say that someone was interested in buying the house, the liquidation team had finished preparing, and the lawyer's letter silenced the relatives. I think I can settle down for a while. Until the next afternoon. A strange number called. I hesitated for a second then answered the phone. On the other end of the line is you Niem Niem's homeroom teacher, his voice carried obvious awkwardness.

“Hello, it's like this, Niem Niem's dad just came to school, he's a bit excited right now.”

My heart fell straight to the bottom. He still comes, in the way I hate the most.

“What did he do?”

"He wants to see Niem Niem, we haven't let him in yet, he's standing at the school gate now, having an argument with the security guard, we're afraid it will affect the students."

“I understand, you help me look after her, don't let him come into contact with her, I'll be there right away.”

I hung up the phone, grabbed the keys and rushed out. My heart is no longer sad, nor angry. Only something cold and clear remained, like a decisive cut. Because of Niem Niem, I can give up everything, I can also destroy everything. Even if that person is her biological father. I drove to school, from afar I saw a group of people gathered in front of the gate, parents stood watching, and security guards were trying to keep order. In the middle of the crowd was Chu Van Bac, with a struggling appearance that was hard to recognize. In just a few days, he had become noticeably thinner, his beard had grown jagged, and his clothes were wrinkled as if they had not been changed. He was clinging to the iron gate, screaming like a madman, his voice hoarse from shouting too much.

“Let me in, I'm her father, I have the right to see my child, why are you stopping me?”

“Hua Tinh, where have you hidden my child?”

He no longer had any semblance of the man who once stood at the pinnacle of his career, leaving only a man out of control. I stopped the car, got out, and walked towards him step by step, my face without a trace of emotion. When he saw me, his eyes immediately turned red, as if he had found a lifeline and as if he had seen an enemy.

“Hua Tinh, you finally appeared.”

He screamed through the security, his voice hoarse with excitement, each word carrying an unconcealed desperation and resentment.