Chapter 20 — After Divorce, We Learn to Love Again

"The witness is a former maid of the Co family."

"She testified that during her pregnancy, she repeatedly refused prenatal checkups."

"And giving birth on my own in a private house without adequate medical conditions."

"Accordingly, they believe she placed the fetus in serious danger."

"At the same time, concluding..."

"Her parenting ability and judgment are questionable."

My fingers unconsciously tightened.

"...It's the truth."

Lawyer Phuong calmly replied:

"It's true."

"But the motive is completely different."

"She accepted to give birth in unsafe conditions..."

"It's because I'm afraid that at the Co family's house, my children will be in danger."

"If we can prove it with the muskrat incident..."

I immediately nodded.

"Thanh Hoa took pictures back then."

"The spice bottle laced with musk is still there."

"Label."

"Ingredient."

"Manufacturing date."

"They were all photographed."

"There are also records of examinations at private clinics."

"That day I was hospitalized because there were signs of a threatened miscarriage."

Lawyer Phuong's face immediately relaxed.

"It's good to have physical evidence."

He turned to the next file.

"One more thing."

"Co Tram Chu has officially submitted to the court a statement of support for her."

"Also attach the entire investigation report on your mother's behavior."

"Including..."

"Bank transfer evidence proves that Trieu Ngoc Lan hired a maid to put toxic substances in her food."

I was stunned.

"He..."

"Have you submitted all that?"

"That's right."

"Personally send it directly to the court."

I was speechless. He personally handed over all evidence of his biological mother's crime to the court. That means... Trieu Ngoc Lan not only lost the child custody case. She is also likely to face criminal prosecution. Putting substances that can cause miscarriage in pregnant women's food... That is an act of intentional harm. I raised my head to look at lawyer Phuong.

"He..."

"Do you know the consequences of this?"

Lawyer Phuong nodded.

"Definitely know."

"His legal team couldn't help but mention it."

I pursed my lips slightly.

"Knowing that clearly..."

"And he still submitted?"

Lawyer Phuong looked at me.

"Miss Khuong, in my experience, a man is willing to personally put his biological mother on the defendant's bench just to protect his ex-wife's children... No, it should be said to protect his ex-wife... Such a case is truly extremely rare."

I didn't reply.

"The trial is scheduled for next Wednesday. Are you ready?"

"Already ready."

Stepping out of the law office, it was drizzling outside. March in city A is still as cold and gloomy as ever. I stood in the middle of the rain, opened my phone and sent Co Tram Chu a text message.

"You didn't have to go to this extent."

He answered very quickly. There are only four words.

"You volunteered."

On the day the trial opened, the audience seats were full. Trieu Ngoc Lan sat in the plaintiff's seat. She was impeccably dressed, but her face was yellow and had aged ten years in just over a short year. The lawyer representing her is a famous marriage and family lawyer in City A, surnamed Chu. On my side is lawyer Phuong, and lawyer Tran in Tinh city provides remote support. Co Tram Chu did not attend the trial. But the statement and all the evidence documents he sent were placed Right in front of the judge, every page was clear, black and white. As soon as the trial began, Trieu Ngoc Lan's lawyer immediately took the right to speak.

"Dear Jury, my client is the grandmother of two minor children, of course she loves and wants to take care of them. Meanwhile, defendant Khuong Niem arbitrarily took the two children abroad without notifying or discussing with any family members, depriving the children of their right to be with their father and other relatives. This act alone is enough to prove that the defendant is extreme and irresponsible in decisions related to the matter. child rearing."

Lawyer Phuong immediately stood up.

"Protest."

"First, at the time of leaving city A, Ms. Khuong Niem had a legal divorce agreement in hand, in which both parties agreed to give custody of the child to the mother."

"Second, her taking her children away was not at all motivated by extremism, but to protect their safety."

"We will present evidence to prove that plaintiff Trieu Ngoc Lan once directed others to put substances harmful to the fetus in the defendant's food during her pregnancy."

The whole courtroom immediately stirred. Trieu Ngoc Lan's face changed completely.

"Slander!"

She jumped up.

"Plaintiff, please sit down."

The judge frowned and reminded.

"We request withdrawal..."

Trieu Ngoc Lan's lawyer was just about to speak when lawyer Phuong interrupted and directly handed a thick file of documents to the court clerk.

"This is a bank transfer statement provided by the Chairman of the Co Group, Mr. Co Tram Chu. The records clearly show that from March to November 2022, plaintiff Trieu Ngoc Lan regularly transferred five thousand yuan every month to a maid."

"This maid admitted that the above amount of money was compensation for following the plaintiff's instructions and secretly putting musk and other substances harmful to pregnant women into the defendant's daily meals."

"At the same time, this is the defendant's medical examination record at a private clinic."

"In May 2022, the defendant was hospitalized because of signs of threatened miscarriage. Test results showed that abnormal components appeared in the blood."

"The treating physician's written report confirms that this ingredient is completely consistent with the symptoms caused by long-term use of musk."

The entire courtroom fell completely silent. Trieu Ngoc Lan sat motionless on the chair, her whole body shaking non-stop. She turned her head to look toward the audience, as if looking for someone. Co Tram Chu did not come.

"Based on all of the above evidence." Lawyer Phuong looked straight at the Trial Panel. "We believe that plaintiff Trieu Ngoc Lan is not only completely ineligible to request a change in custody of her two children, but her behavior also shows signs of constituting the crime of intentionally causing injury. We reserve the right to report the case to the police."

Trieu Ngoc Lan's lawyer's face turned pale. He bent down and exchanged a few small words with his client. Trieu Ngoc Lan seemed to be trying to explain something. But the lawyer's expression became increasingly awkward. Finally, he slowly stood up.

"Our side..."

"Please withdraw the lawsuit."

The judge looked both ways.

"The plaintiff confirmed that he voluntarily withdrew single?"

Trieu Ngoc Lan slowly closed her eyes.

"...I confirm."

The trial ended. From start to finish... Less than forty minutes. Stepping out of the court, Trieu Ngoc Lan stopped me right on the steps. The expression on her face was so complicated that I couldn't read it.

"Khuong Niem."

"Hello, Uncle Trieu."

"I lost."

I calmly looked at her.

"This has never been about winning or losing."

"You ruined my life."

I shook my head.

"The person who ruined me..."

"Not you."

"But it's you."

Trieu Ngoc Lan's lips trembled slightly.

"If that year..."

"You have never appeared in Tram Chu's life..."

"If you hadn't appeared that year..."

I calmly interrupted her.

"If you hadn't appeared, my son would still be being chased and slashed everywhere by my eldest uncle's men. The Co group was also swallowed up a long time ago."

I looked straight into her eyes.