Chapter 13 — Don't Touch An An

Call from investigator. She answered the phone. The other person's voice was low. "Miss Tham, Ha Khai just changed his testimony." "He said that before taking the child away, he received a phone call from Ha Dinh." "The content of the call was related to your daughter." 13 Tham Thanh Dao held the phone tightly, her face not showing a drop of blood. Lawyer Phuong immediately looked towards her. "Turn on the speakerphone." Tham Thanh Dao pressed the button to turn on the speakerphone. The investigator's voice rang out from the phone. "Ha Khai testified that at 6:58 p.m. when the incident happened, Ha Dinh called him on the phone." "The duration of the call was 36 seconds." "He said on the phone that Ha Dinh mentioned the child crying and couldn't stop crying, and told him to go over there." Ha Dinh stood at the foot of the courthouse steps, his face suddenly pale. "He said. Lie!" "I just asked him about borrowing money!" Tham Thanh Dao looked at him. "If you borrow money, do you have to mention An An?" Ha Dinh opened his mouth. "I don't have it." The other end of the phone continued to speak. "Miss Tham, please quickly go to the police station to make an additional report." Tham Thanh Dao said: "I'll be right here." She hung up the phone. Ha Dinh raised his hand to stop her. "Thanh Dao, listen to my explanation first." Tham Thanh Dao took a step back. "Explain it to the investigator." Ha Dinh's eyes fluttered. "Now Ha Khai wants to reduce the crime, surely everything will fall on my head." "He is my younger brother." "You even made me sign the dismissal form just now." Ha Dinh choked. Lawyer Phuong took the file, took a photo and sealed it on the spot. "Miss Tham, do the procedures to handle the case first." Tham Thanh Dao nodded. She didn't turn around and leave just because of this phone call. She carried a stack of documents into the court. Petition for divorce. Petition for child custody. Application for division of assets. Clues to dispersing common assets of husband and wife. The report asked that Ha family members not secretly have contact with the child. She signed each set of documents herself. Ha Dinh waited outside the lobby. He looked at her through the glass, his eyes turning from panic to resentment. When Tham Thanh Dao finished signing the last page, the court staff stamped the case. The moment that bright red seal landed, her heart became quiet. After three years of marriage, there was finally a clear way out. Leaving the court, Ha Dinh still stood at the foot of the steps. His voice was hoarse. "You really filed a lawsuit?" Tham Thanh Dao put the receipt in his bag. "Submitted." "Do you really want to leave me that much?" "It's not that you want to." "It's that you've decided." Ha Dinh's eyes turned red. "Do you have to make me the defendant?" Tham Thanh Dao stopped walking. "Ha Dinh, up until now I've only thought about what I would become. "When An An was locked in that old building, did you ever think what she would become?" Ha Dinh's shoulders slumped. But he quickly whispered: "I didn't persuade Ha Khai to take her to that place." Tham Thanh Dao stared at him. "So where did you tell him to take her?" Ha Dinh's face stiffened. Lawyer Phuong immediately raised his eyes. Tham Thanh Dao did not inquire. She just pressed the button to save the recording. Then said: "That sentence, you just said it just now." Only then did Ha Dinh react in surprise. His face was extremely unsightly. "Tham Thanh Dao, you set me up?" Tham Thanh Dao looked at him. "I have given you many opportunities to tell the truth." "You chose to lie every time." At the police station, Ton My Lan was also there. She saw Tham Thanh Dao enter the door and immediately jumped up. "What are you doing?" "Do you insist on seeing Tieu Khai sentenced to be satisfied?" Tham Thanh Dao didn't pay attention to her. Ha Dinh followed in, followed by Ton My Lan

immediately grabbed his hand. "Dinh Dinh, you can't talk nonsense." "If something happens to your younger brother, you won't be able to live in peace." Ha Dinh said in a low voice: "Mom, don't talk anymore." Ton My Lan refused to listen. "Why wasn't Mom told?" "It was all forced by her." "If she didn't go to school, how could Tieu Khai think of that way?" Tham Thanh Dao finally turned her head. "That way?" Ton My Lan immediately closed her mouth. The investigator raised his head. "Ton My Lan, the way you just said it, what is it?" Ton My Lan quickly waved her hand. "I just blurted it out." "I don't know anything." Tham Thanh Dao sat down in front of the table. "I request that this part be recorded in the record." Ton My Lan was so angry that she trembled, but did not dare to curse anymore. Additional interrogation begins. The investigator asked Ha Dinh first. "At 6:58 pm on the day of the incident, why did you call Ha Khai?" Ha Dinh lowered his head. "My mother said An An kept crying." "She told me to think of a way." "I immediately called Ha Khai." "What did you tell him to do?" "I told him to come pick up my mother." "Did I tell him to pick up the child?" Ha Dinh remained silent. All sound in the room seemed to be drained. Tham Thanh Dao looked at him, her fingers gradually tightening.