Chapter 14 — After You Locked Me In The Villa, I Left You Empty

I bowed my head, folding the napkin over and over again. Not without touching. Which is too touching.

“Canh Diem.”

“You waited seven years for me.”

“If I marry you in the future—”

“Slowly.”

“No rush.”

“Let me finish.”

He was silent.

“If I marry you in the future…”

“I won't be a full-time housewife anymore.”

“I will continue to do WAN.”

“Continue designing.”

“Continue to be yourself.”

“Can you accept it?”

“When I was a WAN…”

“That's when you're the most beautiful.”

“So why can't you accept it?”

“What about the company…”

“You won't interfere, will you?”

“My company, I decide.”

“It's my company, I decide.”

“If there is an argument, each person gives up a step.”

“If you can't give in, then go eat hot pot.”

“Since when did you become so wise?”

“I've been waiting for you for seven years.”

“If it's not clear, it must be clear.”

I finally burst out laughing. It's the kind of laugh that bursts out from the bottom of my heart and I can't hide it even if I want to hide it. Just one word. But Hoac Canh Diem understood. He reached over and took my hand. The palm of the hand is very warm. Just like the temperature over the past seven years... It has never cooled down. After eating, I stepped outside and it started to rain. He held the umbrella, tilting it completely towards me.

“It will rain later…”

“You don't need to cover yourself with an umbrella anymore.”

“I wasn't that wet before.”

“Because I told them to leave three umbrellas in your car.”

I turned my head to look at him.

“Just how many things have you done that I don't know about?”

“If you say it, you will be angry.”

“The coffee shop downstairs from my company…”

“It was you who invested.”

“Because you said you wanted to have a hand-brew coffee shop under the company.”

“The road in front of my house was repaved with asphalt last year…”

“It's because you sent a report to the city saying the road surface was too bumpy.”

“I drive past there every day.”

“I said stop.”

I turned away, not letting him see my expression. But the sound of the rain is so loud... You probably won't hear me sniffing. On the way home, he drove and I sat in the passenger seat. Didn't say much the whole way. But his right hand is always on the gear lever... Very close to me. I reached over and grabbed it. His fingertips moved slightly. Then tighten again. From that day on, in Giang Van's life... There was one more person she didn't need to pretend to. No need to be patient. No need to fight alone anymore. It's finally here. A week later, Tham Diec Chu's double marriage case opened in court. On court, he was noticeably thinner. The defense attorney tried very hard. But in the face of irrefutable evidence, the space for defense is almost gone. I appeared as a witness. Sitting in the witness chair, a layer of glass looking at Tham Diec Chu in the defendant's chair... My heart was strangely calm. The prosecutor asked:

"I would like to ask the witness, while he was still in a marital relationship with you, did the defendant register his marriage with someone else?"

“Did you know about this before?”

"Don't know."

“The day the incident happened, the defendant locked me in the villa and cut off electricity and internet.”

“When did you know about this?”

“The next morning.”

“Through the maid's conversation.”

The courtroom was silent. Throughout the entire trial, Tham Diec Chu did not look at me once. Finally, the court pronounced a verdict on the spot: Tham Diec Chu committed the crime of double marriage. Imprisonment for one year and six months. Other charges remain is under trial. The Procuracy has proposed combining the sentences. According to lawyer Ha's estimates... After all the cases are over, the total execution time will be about six to eight years. At the end of the sentencing, I left the court. There were many reporters outside. I don't stop. Also do not accept interviews. Because of this... It's not worth saying even one more word. What needs to be said... The law has already said it. In the car, Tieu Ninh gave me a file of documents.

"Mr. Giang, the divorce verdict is out."

“What was the result?”

“The court accepts all of your requests.”

"Whoever owns property before marriage keeps it."

“After marriage, there is no common property that needs to be divided.”

“Tham Diec Chu left empty-handed.”

"The court determined that the act of locking her in the villa and cutting off the electricity and water was an act of restricting personal freedom and was domestic violence."

“So in addition, an additional 150,000 yuan was awarded as compensation for mental damages.”

“150,000 yuan.”

I thought a bit.

“Donate that 150,000 yuan to the women's rights protection fund.”

Tieu Ninh took notes.