Chapter 8 — I Tear Up The Script They Wrote For My Life

Every small action. All my joys, sorrows, loves, and hates... Have become entertainment in their eyes. I frantically pulled the progress bar. In the video, there is a scene of me walking around the house in pajamas, completely defenseless. There is a scene where I am intimate with Chu Minh. Trieu Dinh. She often comes to my house. Every time she comes, she behaves like a real hostess, arbitrarily rummaging through my belongings. Even when I wasn't home... She and Chu Minh... I saw everything. I saw them hugging and kissing each other on the sofa I bought myself. I saw them wrapped around each other on my bed. There was even one time… My mother was also present. She sat on the living room sofa, watching Chu Minh and Trieu Dinh intimately in the bedroom. There was no discomfort on his face at all. On the contrary, he brought a smile full of satisfaction. It's like enjoying your most favorite work. My stomach rolled violently. I rushed to the bathroom and vomited until the world was spinning. Turns out that fake photo... was just a decoy. A smoke bomb was used to guide me to the tea shop, catching me off guard. These videos... are their truly deadly weapons. They didn't care about that notebook at all. Because they know... As long as these videos still exist, I won't dare to make a big deal out of it. I will be nailed to the pole of shame. I can't lift my head for the rest of my life. Trieu Dinh. And my mother... They didn't just lie to me. It's about wanting to completely ruin my life. What they want… Not just money or my house. It's my self-esteem, my life, and everything about me. I sat down on the cold floor, my whole body shaking. Despair was like a tidal wave engulfing me. What to do? Report to the police? Hand over the entire video to the police? Then what happens after that? Let the whole world see my "performance"? Let my name forever be tied to the words "sensitive video"? I can't do it. I bit my lip so hard that I tasted blood. Can't just ignore it. If I'm destined to be ruined... Then I have to drag them to hell with me! I went back to the computer. Stare at those video files. A crazy thought gradually formed in my head. I copied the entire video onto a portable hard drive. Then format Chu Minh's entire computer, erasing all traces. Having done all that, I started packing my luggage. I stuffed all my belongings into my suitcase. I don't want to stay even a second longer. Just as I was about to leave, my phone rang. It's a strange number. I hesitated for a few seconds then picked up the phone.

“Excuse me, is this Ms. Hua Dien?”

On the other end of the line was a low male voice. Sounds a bit familiar.

“I am Truong Chan, a friend of lawyer Tuong Anh.”

It's that policeman.

“Hello Mr. Truong.”

“Chu Minh and Trieu Dinh have already revealed everything.”

Truong Chan's voice was very calm.

“Organized fraud, falsification of evidence, extremely large amount of money involved, extremely serious nature.”

“At least ten years in prison.”

"Thank you."

I said softly.

“No need to thank me, this is our responsibility.”

Truong Chan stopped for a few seconds, seemingly hesitant.

“There is something…”

“I think I should still tell you.”

“During the interrogation of Trieu Dinh, in order to have her sentence reduced, she gave another clue new."

“She said Chu Minh could accurately grasp her preferences, manipulate her psychology, and even install so many cameras in the house…”

“It wasn't just his idea.”

“There seems to be another person behind…”

“Someone who understands you better than him, and also understands how to manipulate people's hearts better than him.”

My heart suddenly pounded.

"Trieu Dinh said she didn't understand."

"She only knew that Chu Minh was always in private contact with that person through encrypted chat software."

“The other person's code name is…”

‘The Gardener.’

“And Chu Minh…”

“It's just his 'work'.”

"Work."

Those two words were like two cold spears stabbing straight into my head. Chu Minh is not the mastermind? Is he just a puppet being controlled? So the person behind the scenes pulling the strings... The person with the code name "The Gardener"... Who is it? Why does he have to treat me like that?

"Mr. Truong, can the police find this person?"

I asked hastily.