Chapter 1 — 600,000 Yuan And A Broken Marriage

On my wedding day, the dowry check for 600,000 yuan (about 2.1 billion VND) suddenly "evaporated" without a trace. I immediately asked to check the surveillance cameras. Unexpectedly, the person who took it back was her future mother-in-law. She secretly took it, then put it straight into the hands of her youngest son who had just gotten engaged. I stood right in the banquet hall, without hesitation, called the police. She was so angry that her face turned red, she pointed straight at me and scolded:

“You have married into their family, your money is also mine!”

I laughed. Not a weak smile, but a cold smile that makes people feel guilty. I took out my phone, dialed the lawyer's number, my voice was terrifyingly calm:

“Mom, have you forgotten… your son has already signed a prenuptial agreement.”

My name is Kieu Can, today is the big day for me and Tran Hao. In the wedding hall of the five-star hotel, the guests were crowded, the champagne tower reflected sparkling light, and the scent of flowers and cakes mixed in the air, so sweet that it made people lightheaded. I wore the carefully selected wedding dress, held my father's arm, and walked step by step towards the man who promised to love me for life. The ritual went perfectly. When exchanging rings, Tran Hao was so emotional that his hands shook. Under the stands, my future mother-in-law, Liu Jinhua, smiled until her eyes widened. Anyone who doesn't know would think how much she loves this daughter-in-law. In the middle of the toast, I returned to the main table to prepare to change into a dress to serve drinks. My mother quietly pulled my hand, her face not very pleasing to the eye.

“Careful, your dowry check for 600,000 yuan… I was trying to save it for you just now, why can't I find it now?”

My heart suddenly sank a beat. That check was my support, something my parents kept for me to protect myself. I put it in my bag with me, intending to deposit it into the couple's joint account after the wedding.

"Don't worry mom, maybe I forgot it in the break room, let me find it."

I carried the heavy skirt of my dress and my maid of honor Tieu Hieu came with me. The two of us almost turned the entire room upside down, but there was still no trace of the check. A bad premonition silently crawled up my spine. Tieu Hieu is quick-witted:

“Sister-in-law, don't panic, there is a camera in the hallway on this floor, let's go to the security room to take a look!”

The security manager realized I was the bride so she was very cooperative and quickly reopened the cameras in the main desk area and the hallway leading to the room. Fast forward… search… The frame stopped at half an hour ago. I only saw Luu Kim Hoa sneak closer to the handbag I temporarily placed on the chair, glanced around, then quickly pulled the zipper, took out a prominent red envelope inside, and stuffed it straight into the loose sleeve of the cheongsam she was wearing. All the blood in my body seemed to rush to my head, I was so dizzy that I almost couldn't stand. But what makes me explode is behind me. She swayed and walked straight to the table of her youngest son, Tran Due, who had just gotten engaged. Avoiding everyone's gaze, she secretly stuffed the envelope into her "darling's" hand! Tran Due immediately smiled brightly and proudly raised his chin towards his fiancee Vuong Thien.

“Report the police.”

My voice was so cold that even I felt strange. Security manager is a bit hesitant:

“Today is your happy day… how about we handle it privately first…”

“I said, call the police.”

I emphasized each word, coldly ice.

"Right away."

Tieu Hieu looked at me worriedly, but still didn't hesitate to pull out her phone. I turned around, picked up my skirt, and like an angry lion, rushed straight towards the main table. The music was still playing, the guests were still laughing and talking, but in my eyes there was only a thief smiling hypocritically. I snatched the microphone from the MC's hand. The music immediately turned off. All eyes in the lobby turned to me.

“Mrs. Liu Jinhua.”

I didn't even bother to say "mom".

“Please explain to me, what does it mean that you stole the 600,000 yuan dowry check from my pocket, then gave it to your son Chen Due…?”

The whole hall was shocked. Her face suddenly turned white, then turned red, jumped up like a cat whose tail was trampled, pointed straight at me and cursed:

"Kieu Can! What nonsense are you talking about? Who stole your money! You married into the Tran family, your money is also the Tran family's money! I used my family's money for my youngest son to buy a house, what's wrong? You dare to slander me!"

Tran Hao panicked and ran to pull me:

"Tieu Can! What are you doing! Is there something that can't be said nicely? Mom, please stop talking..."

“Speak kindly?”

I shook his hand away, pointing straight at the surveillance screen.

“The camera is so clear, how do you tell me to speak nicely?”

“Congratulations, on the first day of marriage, I met a thief in the house?”

Tran Due and his fiancee Vuong Thien turned pale and tried to secretly retreat, but were stopped by Tieu Hieu. Seeing that the situation was not good, Luu Kim Hoa decided to attack. She sat down on the ground and cried loudly:

"Oh my god, there's no more natural law! Daughter-in-law bullies mother-in-law! I'm old and can't live anymore..."

At that moment, the police arrived. As soon as she saw the real police appear, her cries immediately stopped. She put her hands on her hips, turned around and shouted loudly:

"Comrade police, you came at the right time! Quickly take this unfilial daughter-in-law back to me, she dares to slander her elders!"

I calmly walked up, my voice clear with every word:

"Hello everyone, I'm the one who reported the case. This person stole a 600,000 yuan cash check in my name. The surveillance camera recorded it all. The evidence is currently on the person of the man in the blue suit."

After listening, the police turned to her mother-in-law:

“Please cooperate with us in the investigation.”

This time, she was really panicked, her words began to become confused:

"What investigation! I'm his mother-in-law! What's wrong with me taking his money? He's already a member of the Tran family, his money is naturally my money! You guys are in charge of heaven and earth, are you now even in charge of your mother-in-law taking money from your daughter-in-law?"

I looked at that brazen face and suddenly burst out laughing. In the suffocating silence, under dozens of rotating phones pointing straight at me, I slowly dialed a call and turned on the speakerphone.

"Lawyer Ly, sorry for the inconvenience. The pre-marital property agreement I signed—especially the clause stipulating that all my pre-marital assets, including cash, real estate, and gifts from my parents, are unrelated to my husband and his relatives, and that if a dispute arises, it will be handled in the direction of theft or appropriation—has now come into effect."

I looked up, looked straight at her pale face and Tran Hao's dumbfounded eyes, each word falling. like a hammer:

"That's right, it's right now. The amount of money taken is 600,000 yuan, people and evidence are all here, there are cameras as evidence. Would you please come and handle it for me immediately?"

The call ended. The entire banquet hall was so silent that you could hear a pin drop. The mother-in-law gasped, like a fish out of water, unable to utter a single word.