Chapter 10 — My House is Not a Living House

The story of her mother-in-law coming to the company causing chaos quickly spread throughout Hoa Truc. The next morning, Trinh Hac Nien called me into his office. I thought he wanted to talk about yesterday, but the first sentence was:

"Do you need any support from the company? For example, increasing guest registration at the front desk."

"Just need to add registration. Thank you, General Manager Trinh."

He nodded.

"Okay. Just focus on taking care of your personal matters, don't let it affect your work. Lang Dinh's side has seen your deep deployment plan since last week, they are very satisfied."

"Yes. Construction drawings will be issued next Friday."

He stood up, walked to the door and suddenly stopped.

"Ah yes. Next month there is an industry conference with the theme 'Urban renovation and commercial space'. The organizers invited Hoa Truc to share. I nominate you."

"Lang Dinh's case is very suitable for sharing content. Think about it. If you agree, I will confirm with the organizers."

"Okay, I'll consider it."

After he left, I sat quietly for exactly five minutes and then texted him a message.

"I'm in."

It was an opportunity I didn't want to miss. If the sharing session at the conference is successful, it means that I officially have a place in the interior design world of this city. Previously at the design institute, such opportunities never existed for me. Standing on stage is always the director or deputy director. The plan is made by me. Fame belongs to them again. But now things are different. I am the key designer. The work is mine. The name is also mine. The person who steps on stage will still be me. Over the weekend, I framed the presentation for the conference, then spent two more evenings rearranging the case and choosing the perspective. At eleven o'clock on Sunday night, as I was editing my presentation for the third time, the phone rang. Tran Trac Vien. I was silent for two seconds before answering the phone.

"What is up?"

His voice was very tired.

"Nien So, the court has already received the summons. The trial will be held on the fifteenth of next month."

"Yes, I know."

"Did you really decide like that?"

"I told you a long time ago."

The other end of the line fell silent for a long time.

"Nien So, I've already found a lawyer. He said... based on the capital contribution ratio and debt repayment history, if the court grants a divorce, you can receive more than sixty percent of the house's value."

“That said, I still have to make up the difference for you.”

“If the court says so.”

His breathing was heavy.

“Did you go to this extent... just for money?”

I smiled softly.

"Tran Trac Vien, the deposit for this house, my parents and I put in four hundred and fifty thousand, your side contributed two hundred thousand. Five years of installments, each month I pay half, or four thousand two. Five years total is two hundred and fifty thousand. Counting before and after, I put in seven hundred thousand. Now the house has a market value of three million five hundred thousand. According to the division ratio, I take six parts, equivalent to two million one hundred thousand, not one more than one dong, not one less than one dong. Do you call it money? No, it's taking back what belongs to me."

He was silent.

“Is there anything else?”

“Then see you in court.”

I hung up. As soon as I put down the phone, I saw Co Thanh Van send a text message.

"Are you sleeping yet?"

I answered: She continue message:

"Would you like to eat with me tomorrow afternoon? There's something to talk about."

The next day at noon, Co Thanh Van came downstairs to Hoa Truc to pick me up. The two of them chose a Japanese restaurant near the company and then went to their own room.

"What's up?"

I asked while picking up a piece of salmon. Co Thanh Van put down her chopsticks, her expression a bit awkward.

“Yesterday I saw Tran Vu Dong post a post on my friends circle.”

"I blocked her a long time ago. What did she post?"

Co Thanh Van gave me the phone. On the screen is Tran Vu Dong's post, accompanied by a photo of three children taken together. Content: Thank you all my relatives for taking care of me. After a few things that happened recently, I know who is truly honest with me, and who secretly stabs a knife in their back. There is someone who calls us sister-in-law on the surface, but behind her back, she wants to divide our whole family. It's okay, my mother and I will be fine. There were more than forty comments below, all on her side.

"After this person gave birth, he didn't care about taking care of the child, and even posted some insinuating posts online."

"Sister-in-law like that is really too much. Are we all part of the same family and can do that much?"

"Don't be sad, Vu Dong, we are always on your side!"

I returned the phone and continued eating.

“Aren't you angry?”

Co Thanh Van looked at me.

“If she wants to post anything, she can post it.”

“Aren't you going to respond?”

"What is the effect of a few posts on the circle of friends? The court summons has already been sent, the trial will begin next month. Even if she posts a hundred more posts, it won't change the outcome."

Co Thanh Van nodded.

"That's good. I'm just afraid you'll be upset after reading it."

"No."

Really no. Three years ago, I probably would have felt sorry for myself, would have gotten angry, and would have found every way to explain. But now... What does it have to do with me what they say or do? After eating, I returned to the company, opened the computer and continued to complete the construction drawings for the Lang Dinh project. At three o'clock in the afternoon, Trinh Hac Nien stopped by my place.

"Nien So, the conference schedule has been finalized. You are scheduled for the second afternoon session. Twenty minutes to present, ten minutes to answer questions."

“There is one more news.”