Chapter 2 — I Just Take Back What Belongs To Me

"The house is in your name." He emphasized. "You can give it to whoever you want. What right do you have to interfere?"

I looked at him.

"I mean... you don't have any proof, right?"

He was stunned for a second then burst out laughing.

"That's right. What evidence do you have?"

I was silent. He urged impatiently:

"Sign or not? If you don't sign, I'll let the lawyer handle it according to the law."

I stood up and walked to the window.

"What's the hurry?"

He frowned.

"What do you mean?"

"Nothing." I calmly replied. "Let me think more."

He stared at me for a few seconds, snorted coldly, then took the file and left. The door just closed. I silently looked at the night outside the window. Suddenly remembered the year we got married. At that time, Tran Hao pointed at this house and smiled and said:

"Wife, this will be our home."

Our home. But now... He wants to give our home to another woman. The phone suddenly vibrated. Is an announcement from WeChat Moments. The person who posted... is Chu Nha. In the photo is a red book. The status line reads:

"New home, future worth looking forward to."

Below are a series of likes and comments.

"Congratulations!"

"You're so awesome!"

"This house must be very expensive to renovate, right?"

I looked for a while. Then quietly exited. Khuong Vy's message appeared again.

"Did she post it to show off? Take a screenshot and save it, it will be useful later."

I followed. Screenshot. The wind outside the window is very cold. I closed the window and returned to the office. The computer is still on. On the screen is the company's financial report. I worked overtime until eleven o'clock at night to complete this quarter's books. When Tran Hao returned, he glanced at me and smiled faintly.

"You just work overtime every day, not caring about your family. Why do you have to find someone else outside?"

I didn't raise my head.

"Are you listening?"

"I heard."

He muttered a few words then went into the bedroom. Keep working. The numbers on the screen appeared coldly clear. During the past five years... The balance in my salary account has never exceeded 30 thousand yuan. Because every month... Installments to buy a house. Electricity and water bills. Management fee. All paid by me. What about Tran Hao? His salary... How much was saved in the end? Monday, Tran Hao again urged me to sign the divorce agreement.

"Did you finally sign or not?" He threw the document down in front of me. "Don't let me invite you to drink and not drink, but you want to drink as punishment."

I picked up the agreement and flipped to the last page. In the signature box... He already signed. The handwriting is generous, exactly like the signature on the marriage certificate that year.

"Tran Hao, how much money did you transfer to Chu Nha?"

He stopped.

"What did you say?"

"In the past half year, how much have you transferred to her?"

His expression immediately changed.

"You investigate me?"

"Are not." I calmly replied. "Just asking."

He stared at me for a few seconds then smiled coldly.

"How much you transfer is your business. It's your money."

"Your money?"

"Correct." He replied matter-of-factly. "The money you earn."

I won't say more. Seeing that I still refused to sign, he began to lose patience.

"Lam Niem, what do you want in the end? Do you think it will help if it lasts longer? I tell you, that house already belongs to Chu Nha. I won't I didn't get a single penny."

I put down the agreement and stood up.

"I have to go to the company."

Without waiting for him to finish his sentence, I picked up my bag and walked out. Arriving at the company, I opened the computer and logged into the system. In the list of insurance beneficiaries... named Tran Hao. Five years ago, I bought an insurance policy and listed him as the beneficiary. I clicked a few times. Clear his name. Before work, the human resources department sent a text message, asking me to add some documents. I open the email. There is another document in there. This is the application Tran Hao just submitted last week. He changed the beneficiary of the corporate pension fund. Thanh Chu Nha. I stared at that line for a long time. He doesn't just want the house. He also wanted to erase all traces of me from his life. I leaned back in my chair, looking up at the ceiling. I thought he was just temporarily confused. Then it will turn around. Now I know... Never again. That night, Khuong Vy invited me to dinner. She carefully looked at all the documents, took a sip of coffee and said:

"Nien Niem, you will definitely win this case."

"Really?"

"Deposit with transfer documents. Installments with bank statements. There is also evidence of adultery."

She spoke as she pointed to each item.

"Furthermore, before filing a divorce lawsuit, he also intentionally transferred assets and transferred the house's name to his mistress. With this much evidence, it would be difficult for the judge to judge you unfavorably."

I looked at her.

"Miss Vy... thank you."

Khuong Vy smiled.

"What politeness? Do we still need to say thank you in our relationship?"

She put away the files and looked at me seriously.

"Nien Niem, I know you are very heartbroken. Five years of love, it's over."

She paused for a moment then continued:

"But what my father left behind... we absolutely cannot let them take it away."

I nodded slightly. When I got home, Tran Hao was not there. I opened the drawer and looked at the old savings book. The year my father passed away... I was only twenty-three years old. The only thing he left me... Was that old house. The day I sold it... I cried all night. It was my father's last keepsake. But Tran Hao said... The deposit to buy a new house is still missing. I believed him. I put the savings book back and closed the drawer. The phone suddenly lit up. It's Tran Hao's WeChat message.

"Let's sign the agreement tomorrow."

I don't answer. Less than a few seconds later, another message appeared.

"If you dare to make a big deal out of it, I will make you lose your reputation."

I looked at that text... Then burst out laughing.