Chapter 2 — A Marriage Where Love Was Buried

I forgot all about the agonizing lesson from before, darting out of the room and grabbing Gia Hang by the collar to demand answers.

Who on earth were you on the phone with?

I screamed in fury, demanding to know what shameless hussy was out there seducing someone else's husband in the middle of the night.

You are cheating on me, aren't you! I didn't see it wrong! Last time was real, wasn't it?!

Tears streamed uncontrollably down my face. Like a drowning person with no straw left to grasp, swept away by a towering wave, I could do nothing but continue to sink. A flicker of panic crossed Gia Hang’s eyes. Realizing this instantly, I completely lost control, shrieking like a madwoman.

Phuong Gia Hang, unless you give me a clear explanation right now...

I am going to divorce you!

Divorce!

I screamed in utter despair. I had expected Gia Hang to explain, to weep and beg me not to leave, to desperately try and hold our marriage together. But to my utter shock, my mention of the word divorce acted like a spark to dry tinder. The panicked look in his eyes vanished, instantly replaced by a chilling frost. Without warning, his large hand clamped around my throat.

What did you just say?

Gia Hang stood a towering one meter eighty-eight, while I barely reached one meter sixty, weighing less than forty-five kilograms. I was completely defenseless before him. He lifted me effortlessly into the air, as if I were nothing more than a helpless chick.

You want a divorce?

A suffocating wave of darkness rushed over me. I beat frantically against his arm, unable to force out a single coherent syllable. Phuong Gia Hang remained utterly oblivious to my struggle. Annoyed merely by my flailing, he tossed me carelessly to the floor as if discarding a broken old toy. My head slammed viciously against the glass coffee table, the sharp pain instantly shocking me back to full awareness. Reflexively, I looked up at Phuong Gia Hang. He had already unbuckled the leather belt from his trousers, stepping toward me with measured strides before lashing down hard across my body.

Who gave you the permission to ask for a divorce!

Phuong Gia Hang continued to whip me mercilessly, raining blows down while roaring in fury, I told you I would protect you! Have you forgotten, Loan?

How dare you even bring up divorce to me again!

His voice was carved from ice.

I gave you a chance last time, so why on earth won't you just be a good, obedient wife!

Survival instinct screamed at me to run. But escape was impossible. The moment I tried to lift my feet, he lunged forward, grabbed me by the ankle, and dragged me violently backward. Picking up a heavy wooden stool, he smashed it directly onto my leg. A sickening crack of breaking bones echoed through the room, the agonizing pain tearing a ragged scream from my throat. Through a blur of tears, I saw Phuong Gia Hang picking up a heavy glass liquor bottle and advancing toward me. Sobbing uncontrollably, I begged for mercy.

I was wrong!

I truly am sorry!

I was terrified of pushing Phuong Gia Hang over the edge into complete madness. I was terrified I would die right here, on this floor. I still had my child. I could not die in this place. I wept in utter despair, pleading with Phuong Gia Hang to spare my life. I stammered that I would never do it again, that I had only spoken in a moment of reckless anger. I was truly, deeply sorry! Phuong Gia Hang squatted down right in front of me, grabbing my chin in a tight grip, his eyes cold like an interrogator passing judgment. He asked in a chillingly emotionless tone, Do you really know you were wrong? The cold glass of the liquor bottle grazed against my tear-streaked cheek. Trembling with sheer terror, I sobbed out that I was wrong, begging for his forgiveness. I swore I would never cross him again, never ever. Finally, Phuong Gia Hang lowered the bottle and stopped his assault. That night dragged on as the most agonizing, horrific night of my entire existence. Afterward, Phuong Gia Hang gently lifted me and carried me back to the bed. He fetched the medicine box, sitting beside me to tenderly apply ointment to my bruises. He was so gentle, it felt as though we had returned to the early days of our romance. As if the man who had just brutally beaten me moments before was nothing more than a phantom illusion. But this time, I was entirely certain. It was no illusion. It was cold, brutal reality. The mild-tempered man before me was merely wearing a fragile, deceptive mask. The moment anyone dared to provoke Phuong Gia Hang, that mask would shatter, revealing the monstrous demon lurking underneath. I did not return to my parents' home. I could no longer trust my mother. Having endured years of violent abuse from my father, my mother had long since surrendered to her fate. She had accepted her miserable life, and deep down, she wanted me to become just like her. But I refused to live that way. So when Phuong Gia Hang casually asked if I wanted to visit my mother's house, I smiled sweetly and coaxed him. I told him I wasn't going anywhere, that I only wanted to stay right here at home with him and our daughter. He was visibly delighted by my answer. Even so, he still had business to attend to outside. He told me he would be home early and instructed me to be a good girl and wait for him. I nodded obediently. As I watched Phuong Gia Hang leave the apartment, I immediately whipped out my phone and re-established contact with the Women’s Alliance network I had previously reached out to. It was an organization dedicated to supporting women trapped in domestic violence. The founder was a woman who had recently been released after serving a two-year prison sentence. Unable to endure her husband's abuse any longer, she had fought back and killed him, resulting in an eleven-year murder sentence. Refusing to accept defeat, she had continuously appealed her case, and along that arduous journey, she had met countless women sharing her tragic fate, ultimately founding this sanctuary. I detailed my current predicament and poured out my ultimate wish. I typed: I only want a divorce. I want to take my child and escape from Phuong Gia Hang forever. She replied almost instantly, assuring me that someone would come to pick me up by Saturday afternoon to help me break free from Phuong Gia Hang once and for all. Until then, my sole mission was to quietly gather my personal belongings and compile every shred of evidence documenting the abuse. She asked me.

Can you manage to secure the evidence?

A sudden realization struck me. For the safety of my baby girl, I had previously installed hidden surveillance cameras around the house to keep an eye on her. Now, those very lenses had transformed into a crucial chain of evidence pointing directly to my abuse. I immediately backed up all the video footage, securing the digital files alongside the official injury diagnosis certificates issued by the hospital. Wearing a mask of casual compliance, I told Phuong Gia Hang that I had been feeling unwell and asked him to accompany me to the hospital for a checkup.

Playing the part of the submissive wife, I insisted that I didn't want my family to find out, terrified that they would worry about the state of our marriage. True to form, Phuong Gia Hang rushed back, drove me to the hospital himself, and stayed by my side through every test and examination. Midway through, the attending doctor purposefully asked him to step outside into the corridor. Once we were alone, the doctor looked at me with deep concern in her eyes and asked, Would you like me to help you call the police? The doctor was a young woman, her gaze filled with genuine empathy. Looking at your injuries, it is painfully obvious this is domestic violence. If you need assistance, I can intervene right now. Staring at this absolute stranger, a thick wave of emotion caught in my throat. I had once cried out for help to my own mother, only to have her stand by like a detached bystander, blaming me for my own suffering. Yet here was a complete stranger, willingly extending a helping hand. My eyes stung with hot tears. I managed a weak smile, thanked the doctor sincerely, but shook my head. No thank you, I already have a plan in place. The doctor pressed no further, simply urging me to be extremely careful. Stepping out of the consultation room, Phuong Gia Hang immediately intercepted me. What did the doctor keep you in there to talk about? he demanded. I answered with practiced honesty, She asked if I had been beaten. His grip on the steering wheel froze instantly. He turned his head and stared fixedly at me, a gaze so chilling it sent shivers straight down my spine. I forced a reassuring smile and replied, Of course I told her no, and I even bragged that my husband loves our family dearly. Looking right into his eyes, I added softly, From the days we wore school uniforms together all the way to walking down the aisle in wedding attire, everyone has always envied our love story.

I cherish it deeply as well.

Phuong Gia Hang eyed me with lingering suspicion, but seeing no cracks in my facade, he finally let out a relieved laugh.

I love you more than anyone, he murmured.

Loan, don't let outsiders try to sabotage what we have.

No matter what happens out there, nothing can ever shake your position in my heart.

I understood the subtext. He was referring to the mistress he was keeping on the side. I merely smiled and offered no reply. Once Phuong Gia Hang dropped me back at home, I quickly photographed every page of my medical records and began packing my belongings. To avoid arousing his suspicion, I quietly tucked things away bit by bit, waiting patiently for the day the woman from the alliance would arrive to rescue me. I was consumed by a turbulent mix of hope and anxiety, terrified that some unforeseen disaster would ruin everything. When the appointed day finally arrived, the last person I expected suddenly showed up at my door. My mother stood there watching me pack bags while holding my daughter, her eyes narrowed in deep suspicion. My heart skipped a beat, a cold fear gripping me as I thought my cover had been blown. But then she simply asked, Is it time to take the child for her routine health checkup? I froze for a fraction of a second before frantically nodding along with her assumption. Yes, I was just getting ready to take her out. Looking at my mother, I rushed to close the door behind me and intentionally remarked, Since you're free, let me call Gia Hang and tell him he doesn't need to come anymore.

He insisted on coming along anyway, claiming he wanted to soak up every moment of fatherhood.

My mother had always harbored a desperate wish for my marriage to remain peaceful, so naturally, she had no desire to replace him as my escort. She reached out as if to take the child from my arms, then hesitated, rubbed her hands together, and said, I actually have errands to run. Without a moment's hesitation, she added, Just let Gia Hang go with you.

My mother and I descended the apartment building together, my heart hammering wildly against my ribs like a trapped bird. Catching sight of the alliance vehicle parked quietly outside the residential complex, I turned to my mother and said, The ride I ordered is here. Are you really not coming with us?