Chapter 5 — Cheating Marriage

"Thanh Mien, it's all your fault, it's all your fault. You made me grow up without a father." "Mom, mom, I dreamed about you a while ago. I wonder, all these years, have I lived an unhappy life?" "You don't have the face to see me." I gently comforted her: "Mom, don't think like that. You're very brave, really. I'm still proud of you to this day. You're simply brave enough to protect yourself when you're hurt." "When I got home, I went to the market to buy a lot of food. "Mom, now I know how to cook many dishes. Wait until I come home to cook for you. I will never finish eating alone." "Does your daughter often have to eat alone?" I was silent for a while. During my marriage with Co Nam Son, I ate alone most of the time. Many times, after cooking, he would just say: "I'm busy today," and I would have to throw away all the food I had made. "Mom, I'm divorced." She didn't show any surprise, just patted my head: "Thanh Mien, you know, about marriage, I can't give you any useful advice. I just want you to be happy." Those days living in the countryside were warm and pleasant. Mom always wakes me up for breakfast. At noon, we sat together in the house, listened to the sound of rain outside, watched movies and took a satisfying nap. In the afternoon, mother and daughter cooked together, then went out to watch the sunset. It was as if she was trying to make up for the years we had lost of closeness and love. That's the real feeling of a home, not guarding an empty house alone, waiting for someone who can't wait forever. "Thanh Mien, I'll embroider a new peace charm for you, is that okay?" Mom wore glasses, under the warm light, each needle carefully embroidering the peace charm. I suddenly remembered the amulet my mother had embroidered for me before. I gave it to Co Nam Son. "Thank you, mother, I like the peace amulet you made." Mother said: "Only two more days to finish. At that time, I will bring it to the temple to pray for you." But that amulet could never be completed again. Mom's life stopped the day she was hit by a car. Nhiep Oanh stood there, full of arrogance: "Oh my god, Mrs. Co, it's so embarrassing. My people aren't very good at driving." I looked at her in despair: "Nie Oanh, what do you want?" "This is the price for you and Co Nam Son daring to toy with me. Our family is about to be cornered by him." That day, it had been a long time since I called Co Nam Son: "Co Nam Son, why don't you go die?" I've seen his tricks and is very good at taking advantage of the media to put his opponents in dire straits. This is his final move. If I guess correctly, tomorrow the story of Nhiep Oanh driving into someone will become a hot topic in Bac Thanh. In the end, the Tran family will completely collapse. "Am I your wife? We are divorced. Can you let me go? I just want to live peacefully with my mother." I have never sobbed like that in front of him. "Co Nam Son, I beg you, can you completely leave my life?" His voice was a bit pleading: "Thanh Mien, I really didn't expect things to turn out like that. My intention was not to cause the Tran family to collapse." Co Nam Son took the position of the Tran family, cooperated with several large companies in Bac Thanh, and easily received investments. But he still often comes to my place, sometimes standing downstairs for a whole day. Now everything is going well for him. Finally, he remembered me and began to reminisce about our ten years of love. I said: "Co Nam Son, give me half of the company's shares." He agreed immediately, even asking: "Thanh Mien, have you forgiven me?" Of course not. I indeed followed him back

Back to Bac Thanh. He pulled me to stand in front of the large window, looking down at the panoramic view of Bac Thanh: "Thanh Mien, from now on I will have more time. I can be with you often, and will not forget any of our holidays." He knows clearly how to be a good partner, but he always puts me in last place, not even bothering to pretend anymore. I went to people I knew and handled the shares that Co Nam Son had transferred to me. Taking advantage of his trust, I let him quietly sign many contracts. Perhaps your trust in me is only useful to this extent. Even though he indirectly killed my mother, he still thought that I loved him with all my heart and trusted him completely. He signed every document without hesitation. Until he realized, the company he was proud of for so long now belonged to me, and he was burdened with debt. I still clearly remember the unbelievable look on his face at that time. "Thanh Mien, is it you?" I saw Co Nam Son crying. He screamed in pain: "Why, Thanh Mien? We are about to be able to live well again like before." I also asked him: "Why? Obviously I am happy with my mother, why do you have to drag me into this? I have gone through so many years of hardship with you, without asking for anything. I just want to live peacefully with my mother, is that okay?" It is said that Co Nam Son went crazy. His house was confiscated, there was no place to live, every day he wandered the streets of Bac Thanh. "Hey, have you seen my Thanh Mien anywhere? I want to bring her rice mixed with grilled meat, she likes this dish the most." People passing by avoided it, no one realized that this was Director Co, who was famous throughout Bac Thanh. They only said contemptuously: "You crazy person, where did this come from?" Unfortunately for him, that day he met Nhiep Oanh, the person he bankrupted. She and her juniors beat Co Nam Son. She said: "Thanh Mien is right, you are just a useless person. I am truly blind." Hearing that, Co Nam Son suddenly became crazy: "What did you say? You lied! Thanh Mien loves me the most, she loves me the most!" He rushed to grab Nhiep Oanh's hair, the two of them scuffled. But Nhiep Oanh's men did not leave him alone. They brutally beat him to death. Winter in Bac Thanh is very cold. After the beating, Co Nam Son had no place to stay and huddled on the street overnight. On the way home from the company, I saw him from afar through the car window. This winter is as cold as the winter 10 years ago, but now there is no one left to wash dishes to get money for Co Nam Son's medical treatment.