Chapter 1 — Marriage Is A Trap

The day I signed the divorce papers, my royalties just arrived in my account, 10,000,000 yuan.

“To Niem, why are you back?”

When Luc Canh Tham jumped up from the sofa, his shirt buttons had not yet been buttoned. I put my bag down on the shoe shelf, changed into indoor slippers, my eyes glanced over him, stopping on two glasses of wine that were still slightly steaming on the tea table. A glass with lipstick imprinted on it. Coral color. I've never used that color before.

“The company meeting ended early.”

My voice was very calm. The bedroom door opened. Phuong Dao walked out wearing my silk nightgown, her hair still wet. Seeing me, she paused for half a second and then immediately smiled.

"Is your sister-in-law back? Mr. Canh Tham said you're working overtime tonight, so I came over to sit and play for a bit. I just finished taking a shower, so I temporarily borrowed your nightgown. You don't mind, do you?"

I looked at the red mark on her neck. Not like a mosquito bite.

“Don't mind.”

I took out an envelope of yellow paper from my pocket, placed it on the tea table, and placed it on top of the glass with the lipstick mark on it.

"Divorce petition. I signed it."

The living room was silent for three seconds. Luc Canh Tham's first reaction was not to explain. But laugh.

“To Niem, what are you kidding?”

“Look at the date.”

He picked up the envelope, pulled out the document inside, and flipped to the last page. The signing date below... is from a month ago. His expression finally changed.

"A month ago? You were a month ago..."

“Already know.”

I helped him finish his unfinished sentence.

"Luc Canh Tham, the password to unlock your phone has changed four times every three months. Each time it's Phuong Dao's birthday plus a few different characters. Do you think it's that hard to guess?"

The smile on Phuong Dao's face immediately stiffened. Luc Canh Tham threw the divorce agreement onto the tea table.

"To Niem, have you been under too much work pressure lately? Phuong Dao and I are just normal friends, don't be so suspicious..."

"Your credit card bill, March, Ritz Carlton presidential suite, two nights. April, Tiffany, a necklace worth 32,000 yuan. That's the one she's wearing now."

Phuong Dao reflexively reached out and touched her collarbone.

“May, obstetrics hospital, medical examination registration history.”

I looked over at her.

“Miss Phuong, what was the result?”

Phuong Dao's hand stopped in midair. Luc Canh Tham suddenly stood up.

“You investigate me?”

"I'm your wife. Is looking at the joint account bill also called an investigation?"

He was stiffened by my throat. I picked up my bag.

"The conditions in the divorce petition are written very clearly. The house is for you, the car is for you, the savings are divided in half. You sign, I will move out tomorrow."

Phuong Dao suddenly spoke up, her voice also carrying a bit of pride.

"Sister-in-law is really generous. You bought this house after getting married and don't you need any part of it?"

I glanced at her.

“What I don't need anymore, I leave it to you.”

Luc Canh Tham blocked the door.

"To Niem, calm down. We can talk about this..."

“I'm very calm.”

I pushed his hand away.

"Luc Canh Tham, you should feel lucky because I knew about this a month ago. If I had only known today, you wouldn't even have the chance to talk."

I opened the door.

"Ah yes, my mother will be here tomorrow. Remember to take care of Miss Phuong's things. Mom's nose You have very good hearing, you can smell the second woman's perfume."

The door closes behind. The hallway was eerily quiet. I stood still for five seconds, slowly relaxing each finger that had been clenched until it turned white. My palms are full of sweat. But it doesn't hurt anymore. The pain stopped a month ago. The phone suddenly rang. I picked up the phone.

“Miss To, your new book 《100 Truths About Intimate Relationships》 has sold out in its first printing of 200,000 copies. The publisher wants to discuss reprinting with you, and that..."

“Lin Kha, we'll talk tomorrow.”

“Yes, Miss To. Oh that's right, there was a person named Co Dien who asked someone to contact her, saying he wanted to meet. Looks like they're from the Co Thi group..."

I hung up. Then call a taxi, read the address of your friend's house. Outside the car window, the apartment building I had lived in for three years gradually receded. I spent three years experiencing a failed marriage myself. The most ironic thing is, my book teaching others how to maintain marriage... has sold more than 2,000,000 copies. When Tan Loc opened the door, she was wearing pajamas, with a strand of hair tied with rollers on her head.

“Why are you…”

As soon as she saw my expression, she immediately swallowed the remaining half of her sentence. She poured a glass of hot water and put it in my hand, sat down opposite and quietly waited for me to speak. I took a sip.

“I want a divorce.”

“Is Luc Canh Tham having an affair?”

“Aren't you surprised?”

Tan Loc rolled his eyes.

“To Niem, do you think you are the only one who is a marriage expert? A man for three consecutive months, every week has two days of 'overtime' until midnight, his phone is always face down on the table, when he gets home he takes a shower first and then talks... I've been a love lawyer for eight years, I've accepted no less than fifty cases of this type."

I stopped.

“You saw it early?”

“So why didn't you tell me?”

Tan Loc looked at me, his voice very serious.

“Because you saw it too. He chose not to say, surely he had his reasons. I respect you.”

I squeezed the glass of water in my hand, not speaking. She's right. Actually, I realized it early. A person who makes money by analyzing intimate relationships, how could she not see her husband's abnormalities? I'm just waiting. Wait for a suitable moment. Wait until you completely lose hope. Waiting for the new book to be finished. Because the last chapter of that book… I needed a real example. That example is my marriage.

“Has he signed yet?” Tan Loc asked.

“Not yet. He still thinks I'm just angry.”

“So what are you going to do?”

"Wait. He will sign it.”

“Because Phuong Dao won't let him not sign. That woman has been looking forward to this day longer than I have.”

Tan Loc raised his glass of water and looked at me.

“To Niem, sometimes you are so calm that it scares me.”

The phone vibrates. It's Lam Kha's WeChat message.

“Miss To, the sales data for 《100 Truths About Intimate Relationships》 is out. After twelve days of release, total sales have exceeded 300,000 copies, rating scores on all platforms are above 9.2. Editor-in-Chief Trieu said this figure surpassed last year's bestseller champion. In addition, Co Dien contacted again, this time through the publisher. Editor-in-Chief Trieu said his identity is not simple, and advised you to meet him once."

I only answer in three words:

“To later.”

Tan Loc stopped by and took a quick look.

“Co Dien? Co Dien of Co Thi Group?”

“Are you familiar?”