Chapter 10 — I Overturned My Own Sentence

Truong Vy shook her head.

"He didn't give him a business card. But he seemed to know the person at the prosecutor's office very well."

“You just cooperate?”

Truong Vy lowered her head.

"I'm just a student from the countryside to the city, with no money or power. They said if I didn't cooperate, I would also have to go to jail."

“So you chose to let me go to jail.”

She didn't reply. Just bowed my head and cried.

"What happens after you go out? What arrangements did the Tran family make for you?"

“They gave me a new identity and told me to move to another city to live.”

“For the first two years, every month they transferred me ten thousand living expenses.”

“Then stop.”

“That's why I found this job myself.”

She nodded.

“Truong Vy.”

I looked at her.

“Do you agree to testify in court?”

She shook her head frantically like a drum.

“No… no…”

“I will protect you.”

“You can't protect me.”

Truong Vy burst into tears.

“You can't even protect yourself.”

I silently looked at her.

“Not three years ago.”

“But now it's different.”

“Where is it different?”

“The person standing behind me…”

I said slowly.

“Ten times bigger than Tran Kien Hoa.”

Truong Vy hesitated for a long time. Finally, his voice trembled:

“Let me think some more.”

I left Ton Minh's phone number with her and then boarded the high-speed train back to Hac Thanh. By the time we arrived, it was two o'clock in the morning. I went straight to Bang Vien building. Co Tham is still in the office on the 50th floor. In front of him was a thick stack of documents.

“She admitted it.”

I put the recording phone on the table.

"It was Tran Duyet's direction."

“But she doesn't dare go to court.”

“As expected.”

Co Tham opened the drawer, took out an envelope and pushed it towards me.

“Just received it today.”

Inside is the invitation. Annual banquet of Hecheng Trade Association. Ten days later.

“What does this have to do with me?”

“Tran Kien Hoa is the rotating president this year.”

“He will speak at the party.”

Co Tham looked at me.

“This is the best opportunity.”

“All Hac Thanh media will be present.”

“If at that party, someone publicly disclosed all evidence of Hoa Kien's money laundering…”

I looked straight at him.

“Are you planning on taking action that day?”

“I'm still waiting for evidence from your side.”

“Your report plus Truong Vy's recording…”

“The chain of evidence is complete.”

“But Truong Vy has not yet agreed to go to court.”

"No need."

Co Tham replied calmly.

“Just the recording is enough.”

I clasped the envelope in my hand.

“Ten days later.”

I turned around to leave. I turned my head. Co Tham looked at me, his eyes were different from his usual coldness.

“Have you ever thought about…”

“Why you?”

“What do you mean?”

“Why did Tran Duyet choose you as a substitute?”

“Her class has more than forty people.”

“Why is it intentionally you?”

I don't answer. I've been thinking about that problem myself for the past three years. Returning to the cramped rented room, I lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling. Why me? Because I study well, is the type of "cheating" that is easiest for others to believe? Or is it because I am poor, have no support, and no one stands up to protect me? Or is there another reason? The phone suddenly rang. It's Ton Minh.

“Lam Van, I found out something.”

“What?”

“Your mother's civil status records.”

My heart stopped.

“What is my mother doing?”

“Your mother's name is Truong Tu Lan, yes Are not?"

“Before, her name was not Truong Tu Lan.”

I jumped up from the bed.

“Her real name is… Co Cam Thu.”

My mind is blank.

“Co Cam Thu…”

“The second daughter of the Co family in Hac Thanh.”

“That means Co Tham's biological aunt.”

I can barely hear my own voice anymore.

“What did you say?”

“Her maternal grandfather was Co Thua Vien, founder of Bang Vien Group.”

“At the age of twenty-two, her mother argued with her family, changed her name and left the Co family to marry her father.”

“After her father passed away, she raised her alone, and since then she has no longer had contact with the Co family.”

The phone almost slipped out of my hand.

“So that means…”

“Co Tham is your cousin.”

“Does he know?”

"Don't know."