Chapter 11 — After Divorce, I Made My Husband's Family Bankrupt

After seeing him off, I returned to the room. As soon as I sat down, the phone rang. Truong Khai Son.

“General Manager Diep, Trieu Le is here again.”

“The Incense Gathering Pavilion again?”

"No. This time it's in front of your factory gate. Bring along a dozen old ladies, wearing white shirts, with 'returning the family recipe' printed on them."

I closed my eyes for a second.

“Have you reported to the police yet?”

"It was reported. But they dispersed very quickly. Before the police arrived, they all dispersed. However, the video was recorded and posted online."

"I know."

I hung up and called Uncle Tran.

“Is there someone causing trouble at the factory gate?”

"Yes! Sitting still for nearly an hour, holding up the sign 'Diep Thanh returns the formula'. I sent security to chase him away, but someone outside recorded the clip and posted it."

“Is the camera recording?”

“Yes, fully.”

"Good. Copy it and send it to Uncle Ngo. Tell my dad, I'll hold a press conference tomorrow."

Uncle Tran's voice rose:

"Yes. Made at the factory. Make the entire Diep family's hundred-year history, patents, and debt evidence of the Chu family public."

"Okay! I'll go get ready now!"

I opened my laptop and started drafting the announcement. The title is simple:

“Announcement from the Diep spice factory about recent rumors — with the announcement ceremony of the 80,000,000 yuan strategic cooperation”

Halfway through writing, the phone rang again. Local landline number.

“May I ask, are you Diep Thanh?”

"We are from the Northern police station. Chu Khai's detention period will expire tomorrow. He has an application to meet you. Do you agree?"

I stopped my hands on the keyboard.

"Disagree."

“Yes, then we will—”

"Wait. What's the reason he wrote it down?"

The other side turns over the paper.

“Um… please negotiate the joint debt issue.”

“Shared debt?”

I laughed softly.

"Currently, all of Chu's restaurant's debt belongs to the legal entity of the company, and has nothing to do with me personally. The divorce agreement is clearly stated. You told him to work with the court."

“Yes, we will pass on the message.”

I hung up and continued writing the announcement. While writing the seventh paragraph, the phone vibrated again. I picked up the phone.

"General Manager Diep! I beg you! Meet my brother once! He really knew he was wrong! During those seven days, he mentioned you every day—"

“Chu Dinh.”

“When your brother cursed me in the group as a 'poor spice seller', you stood next to me and said 'don't take it to heart, sister-in-law'.”

The other side was silent.

"When your brother asked for a divorce and forced me to leave empty-handed, you said 'give her 3,000 yuan for the car fare, consider it an alms for a beggar'."

Be silent longer.

"When your brother brought Bach Anh home to celebrate, you posted 'your brother finally found true love'. I saw it all."

Chu Dinh's voice began to tremble:

“General Manager Diep… at that time I… I was confused…”

“You are not confused.”

I looked at the first line of the announcement on the screen.

"You've never considered me a family member. Five years ago you didn't, and five years later you won't either. Now your brother is in prison, the restaurant is bankrupt, your father is in the hospital, you've started calling me General Manager. That's not knowing it's wrong, it's the end of the road."

There was a cry on the other end of the line. But I don't stop.

"Remember last year's Tet? I bought your father a fur coat for 2,000 yuan, and you said in front of all of them, 'I also give you cheap things'. Then your brother asked her to choose a gift for Bach Anh, she chose a scarf for 8,000 yuan, and even posted it in the group saying 'this is a real gift'."

“General Director Diep…”

"That scarf was the money I paid. Your brother said the dividends would be returned at the end of the year. But at the end of the year, he said there were losses and no dividends.”

I closed the computer.

“Chu Dinh, in your eyes, what am I? ATM? Domestic worker? Or a step to step on?”

Chu Dinh sobbed. I don't feel anything.

“The property auction starts next week. Debt to Diep's factory is 1,830,000 yuan, debt to suppliers, bank debt, total more than 3,000,000 yuan. Even if the seven stores sold it, they could only pay half of it. The rest depends on how the law deals with it. This is the law, not my decision."

I stopped for a second.

“As for your brother wanting to meet me, tell him to send a petition to the court. I didn't see it.”

“Diep Thanh…”

Chu Dinh's voice was hoarse:

“You… weren't like that before…”

“Yes. I wasn't like that before.”

I hung up. It was completely dark outside. City lights turn on in strips. I poured a glass of water and stood by the window. Day nine. The small hall of the spice factory was filled with people. Local newspapers, television stations, and major culinary channels are all present. Truong Khai Son sat in the front row, next to Dinh Vi's representative. Bach Tung Dao did not come, but sent flowers to congratulate. On the podium, I sat in the middle. On the left is my father, on the right is Uncle Ngo. The flash flashes continuously. Uncle Tran took the microphone and stepped up.