Chapter 12 — I Returned After 18 Years and Found Mother's Lifelong Secret

I took the recording pen and left the warehouse. Behind him is Lam Dao's bottomless eyes. I'm not going home. That place... has long lost meaning to me. I looked for a 24-hour cafe near the harbor. Order a glass of black ice. The most bitter type. I need to be absolutely alert. Outside the glass window, the sky gradually turned to the milky white of dawn. A new day begins. For Giang Minh, it was the beginning of the end. I took out my old phone. The screen has only one name.

"Mad dog."

Naming it like that... very suitable. I typed the message according to the instructions.

"Giang Minh, son of Giang Chan Quoc. Debt not paid. Current address... The Giang family will not be responsible from now on. It's up to you to handle it."

I have attached the address. Then press send. No shaking hands. Don't hesitate. No gloating. Don't feel guilty either. Just like throwing away a bag of trash. I took out the SIM card, broke it in half, and dropped it into the shop's trash can. Then, I took out my recording pen. Small. Black. Silence like a secret. I wear headphones. A series of noises rang out. Then my mother's voice appeared. Her voice seemed to echo from the end of a tunnel.

“When I heard this part... Giang Minh must have received retribution.”

“Don't blame your mother for being cruel.”

“This house… has been rotting for a long time.”

“Instead of letting it rot, it's better to burn it all.”

“The things I can't do… there's only you left.”

She stopped, breathing rapidly.

“Listen carefully.”

"About the diamond. About the treasure Lam Phong left behind."

“The clue is not in the stone.”

“It's not on the map either.”

“But in the box.”

“A purple wooden box containing diamonds.”

“Look closely at the bottom of the box.”

“Shine the ultraviolet light.”

“You will see a name.”

“A name… that shouldn't have appeared.”

“Let's find that person.”

“That person will show you the next step.”

“Vi Vi… this is the last thing I do for you.”

“Having that property… going very far.”

“Don't come back.”

“And don't trust anyone.”

“Even… Lam Dao…”

The recording stops suddenly. There was only a lingering sound. I took off my headphones. Silence for a long time. Don't trust anyone. Even Lam Dao. Final warning. Also a new puzzle. I put away my recording pen. Take out the wooden box. The bottom of the box is smooth. The naked eye can't see anything. I need a UV lamp. At that moment, my phone vibrated violently. I hesitated for a second. Then answer the phone. On the other side was the sound of him screaming and crying.

"Vi Vi! I'll be right back!"

“There's something wrong at home!”

“A group of people rushed in!”

“They sealed the house!”

“And drag Minh's wife away!”

He panicked.

“Someone came to collect a debt!”

“Say he owes money!”

"The company also called! Say it's embezzlement, prepare to report to the police!"

"Vi Vi! What's going on!"

“Did you do it!”

I don't answer.

"Vi Vi! Think of a way! Her sister..."

There was a crash on the other side. The scream tore Jiang Ming's throat.

"Don't hit me! I pay! I pay!"

Then the call was cut off. I put down the phone. Pick up the cold cup of coffee. Bitter to the throat. I stood up and left the shop. Before leaving the door, the phone rang again. The voice is electronic, distorted, unable to distinguish between male and female.

“Giang Vi.”

“Have fun?”

My heart tightened slightly.

“Who are you?”

“Someone doesn't want you to find the treasure.”

The voice continued.

“Give me some advice.”

“Stay away from Lam Dao.”

“He is not an ally.”

“He's just a greedier wolf.”

“And don't waste your time looking for a UV light.”

“The secret at the bottom of the box… I know.”

“That's the name of a jewelry designer.”

“Someone died thirty years ago.”

“His name is… Tran Mac.”

A jewelry designer has been dead for thirty years. That mysterious voice was like an all-knowing ghost. He knew the content of the recording. Know the secret at the bottom of the box. Maybe even… following me from the beginning.

“Who are you anyway?”

I asked urgently.

“Why tell me those things?”

On the other side, distorted electronic laughter rang out.

“I won't help you.”

"I just don't want Lam Dao to have something that doesn't belong to him."

“You're just a pretty interesting piece.”

“Giang Vi, take care of yourself.”

The phone hung up. Callback — subscriber does not exist. I stood in the middle of the street, holding my phone tightly. The cold wind cuts through my fingertips. Things are more complicated than I thought. Enigmatic. And Tran Mac — who died. How do they relate to each other? What role did my mother play in all of this? I can't keep being dragged around like that. I have to regain the initiative. I took the bus to the city library. Thirty years ago.