Chapter 16 — Eighteen People, One Meal, One Divorce

"Nowadays, there are still a few projects that profit more than ten percent a year. I'm the type of person who is only suitable for a lifetime of living on a dead salary. My vision is very narrow."

“Then why don't you drag your colleague?” I asked, my voice still steady.

He paused for a second.

"Why do you only invite relatives from your mother's family? Because they don't understand, because they trust you, because they have accumulated a little money all their lives and don't dare to spend it, so you treat them like fat pieces of meat."

His face immediately turned pale.

"They voluntarily invested, I didn't put a knife to their neck, don't forget you also get benefits."

“Isn't the money I earn all spent on you?”

“You just admitted to touching the money on the card, that's my salary, do you want to ask me a question?”

“I told you, it's all for this house.”

“Now I want a divorce, that house has nothing to do with me anymore.”

“So every penny of it has nothing to do with you, including the part you invest.”

He laughed coldly: "Do you have proof? You don't even know where I moved to."

"I don't know what to say about the bank account. The bank has already checked it. I was at school teaching when you transferred the money. I never authorized you."

He clearly panicked a bit: "You dare check my account, do you want to make a big deal out of it?"

“I just want to know where my money goes, now you have two options.”

“First, join me in thinking about a way to get that money back, figuring out how much each person has.”

“Second, we give it all to the police.”

“Do you want to call the police?” he couldn't believe it.

“If you don't cooperate, I will.”

He sneered: "Do you think the police are free to take care of these trivial matters? That company hasn't been prosecuted yet, so stop watching movies."

“Just try it and you'll know.”

The two struggled, at that moment the door "clicked" and his mother walked in carrying things. Seeing the confrontation, she froze.

“What are you doing? We had an argument early in the morning.”

“Mom, you came back just in time,” Trieu Khai said quickly, “you tell her, divorce is divorce, don't pretend.”

“What, did he not agree to the agreement?” she glanced at me.

“It's not the deal,” I said, “it's the salary card.”

"I asked, the money is all used for family expenses," she interrupted, "clothing and daily activities are free, don't even dream of asking for it back."

“I don't want to argue with you,” I tried to keep calm, “but it's my money, your son has already admitted to investing it.”

Her expression immediately changed, turning to Trieu Khai: "Invest what?"

“Mom, don't interfere, let me make it clear to her,” he said angrily.

"Don't lie to me," she raised her voice, "isn't that money said to be part of the bride price for him to keep? You told me to use your money, now it's his money, you still touch his money?"

She seemed to suddenly realize something, her face turned pale.

“You… you didn't touch my card, did you?”

The whole living room immediately fell silent.

"A few days ago, didn't you say there was less money on the card..." His voice was quieter, "I... borrowed a little."

“Borrow something!”

Her voice sharpened: "What did you use my sixty thousand for? Didn't you say you would help the company turn around capital and come back in a month?"

“Sixty thousand…” I muttered, finally understanding everything.

Understand why he rushed to bring his relatives in, why he was so sure that "I can take care of the reunion dinner," because he pushed his own mother to the edge of the cliff, and intended to drag everyone down with him.

“Don't make a big deal out of it The thing is, that project has high profits, every month there is profit, but a few months ago you didn't receive any money."

“That's the money the company gave me back!” She trembled with anger, "you said it was a subsidy, you lied to me, it was my principal!"

“You took my retirement money to invest in your company. If it collapses, how will I survive!”

Before she finished speaking, she plopped down on the sofa.

“Trieu Khai, do you know what you are doing,” I looked straight at him.

“You took your mother's retirement money, took my savings, and went to prop up a potentially fraudulent company.”

"You're not for your family, you're betting, betting we won't find out, betting the company won't collapse, betting you won't be investigated."

“What do you understand!” he shouted, "In this day and age, if you don't take risks, you won't get rich. I'm just good at standing there and talking coolly!"

“So why don't you take your own money,” I asked.

He choked, his anger turned into shame: "You don't have so much money, you still have to feed your family."

"If you women earn a little money, you should keep it. The money your mother gives you is yours, the money my mother gives you is also mine, I just use it first."

“You are crazy!” His mother hugged her chest, "I knew you were wasting your money, but I didn't expect that even my money wouldn't be spared."

“Is it someone from the company forcing you, is it Mr. Tran?”

“General Tran?” I immediately caught that name.

"Who else," she gasped, "that company owner's name is Tran. Your father used to know his father, he's an old neighbor. Otherwise, wouldn't I dare give them money?"