Chapter 11 — Don't Touch My Limits

Truong Nguyet Cam sat on the ground, crying until her heart was paralyzed. Cao Hieu Quyen stood next to him, breathing heavily, his face full of resentment. Cao Trung Dan looked at them with a cold voice:

"I'll give you two three days. In three days, the apartment building has to be transferred to me. I can do without the house in Hoa Vien Anh Duong and the store on Van Hoa street. But in my father's inheritance, the portion that belongs to me is thirty-seven thousand, plus the amount of money I gave my mother over the past few years, more than ten thousand, a total of fifty thousand, you have to pay me in full, missing even a penny."

"After three days, if the money has not been paid and the house has not been transferred, I will let the lawyer file a lawsuit. At that time, it will no longer be a matter of fifty thousand, I will take back the entire inheritance, and you will have to bear the litigation fees, asset preservation fees and legal liability. Think carefully."

Having finished speaking, Cao Trung Dan stood up and opened the door:

"Go away. Don't stay here anymore. Three days later, I need answers."

Truong Nguyet Cam and Cao Hieu Quyen looked at his cold face and knew that this time he really was no longer soft-hearted and could only bow his head and leave in silence. The door closes. The whole house... fell silent. Cao Trung Dan turned around, looked at me, walked over and hugged me tightly, his voice choking:

"La Mai, I'm sorry... really sorry. In the future, I won't let you suffer any more resentment."

I leaned against him, my mind was full of chaos. Five years of patience. Five years of self-pity. As of today… there is finally a result. I know, this isn't over yet. But I also know that from today onwards, I will no longer be unconditionally patient. My limits… No one is allowed to touch. My things... No one has the right to take them away. The next morning, I brought all the evidence to lawyer Vuong's office. He looked carefully at each document, then said:

"Miss Trieu, this case has very complete evidence, the possibility of winning is almost absolute. Ms. Truong Nguyet Cam arbitrarily transferred the inheritance without the consent of the co-heirs. As an act of appropriation, Mr. Cao Trung Dan has the full right to sue, request the return of his portion of the inheritance, and at the same time request compensation for losses."

I nodded and asked:

“If we now apply to preserve assets before filing a lawsuit, can we immediately seal those three real estate properties?”

Lawyer Vuong replied.

“Just submit an application and provide security, within 48 hours the court will issue a decision, sealing the corresponding assets, preventing them from continuing to transfer or sell during the pending process.”

I thought for a moment, then said:

"Then help me prepare all the documents and request in advance. If you haven't submitted it yet, give them three days. If they resolve it within three days, we will not file a lawsuit. If after three days we still do not pay, we will submit an official application."

"No problem."

The lawyer nodded.

“I will prepare everything today, I can submit it to the court at any time.”

Leaving the lawyer's office, I called Cao Trung Dan and talked through the situation. On the other end of the phone, he only said one sentence very clearly: "La Mai, I listen to you. I can handle this matter." I know, after all… he's really awake this time. In the afternoon, lawyer Vuong sent all the prepared documents to me: a request to preserve assets before filing a lawsuit, a civil lawsuit, and all set of evidence. Print it out, a thick stack. I placed it all... right in the middle of the coffee table in the living room. The easiest place to see. In the evening, Truong Nguyet Cam arrived. No more crying loudly, no longer the arrogant look from yesterday. Her whole body seemed to have aged several years, her hair had become grayer, she entered the house more cautiously, looked at me and whispered:

“La Mai… can I say a few words to you?”

I pointed towards the sofa. She sat down, her eyes touched the pile of documents on the table, her hands began to tremble again, and after a long time she raised her head:

"La Mai... I know it's wrong... I really know it's wrong. I was wrong before, I shouldn't have been biased, I shouldn't have taken your things, and I shouldn't have hidden the inheritance from Trung Dan... I'm sorry."

I looked at her. Don't say a word.

"La Mai, you are a sensible person..." she continued cautiously, "before, I was confused, loved Hieu Quyen too much, ignored the feelings of you and Trung Dan, let you suffer so much anger... I beg you..."

Having said this, she was about to stand up and kneel down. I immediately took a step back and said coldly:

"Stop acting. If apologizing were the solution, there wouldn't be a need for the law. You didn't come here just to apologize. If there's anything, just say it directly."

She sat back awkwardly, her hands clasped together:

"La Mai... I just want to ask you... don't let Trung Dan sue, don't seal the house. That house is Hieu Quyen's only place to live. If it's sealed, her whole family will have no place to live. And the store is her only source of income, if it's sealed... she won't be able to survive."

“Can't live?”

I looked straight at her.

"That's his choice. When you secretly transferred the inheritance to him, why didn't you think about today? When you guys secretly took the flowers from me, why didn't you think that I also need nourishment?"

“It was mom who was wrong… she was really wrong…”