Chapter 8 — My Husband Brought His Ex Home

This matter can no longer be explained away by the simple phrase of family affairs.

Lan Chi wept even more violently.

Comrade police, it was all my foolishness.

The fingerprints were also something I told Hao to do.

I thought that since Hui was moving in, it wouldn't do to have her constantly troubling us to open the door every single day.

Only after she finished speaking did she realize she had slipped up again. The management center fell into a completely dead silence. Hao squeezed his eyes shut tightly. The hand Hui used to cradle her dog also stiffened. I stared intently at Lan Chi.

So the lot of you had already decided to let her move in long ago.

Lans Chis lips trembled.

I did not mean it that way.

I said: You certainly meant it that way.

Your entire family has already discussed and settled everything properly.

First, you tricked me into working overtime.

Then you brought her over to inspect the apartment.

Next came moving the luggage.

After that, applying for fingerprint authorization.

And then forging a power of attorney for a long-term access card.

If I had not gotten off work early today, tonight my bed probably would have been trampled to pieces by her dog, and my home would have gained a permanent guest whom I could no longer chase away.

Hao let out a low roar: Enough! I looked right at him.

Not nearly enough.

I still want to know, exactly when were you planning to let me know about this?

He remained silent. Hui suddenly burst into tears and spoke up.

It is all my fault.

I should never have returned to the country.

I thought Hao was living a very good life, and I only wanted a temporary place to stop over.

If I had known this would cause you all to end up like this, I would rather have slept out on the street.

Her words sounded deeply aggrieved and exceedingly sweet. But this time, no one chimed in to comfort her. Because the surveillance footage, the chat history, the fingerprint application forms, and the written authorization were all laid out clearly for everyone to see. No matter how pitiful she tried to act, it could not wash away the stains on her suitcase. The police officer instructed Lan Chi, Hao, Phuong Lan, and Hui to all head down to the police station to clarify the situation. Duc Hai also hurried down from upstairs. The moment he arrived at the management center, he pointed his finger right in my face and cursed.

Tri Ha, you have completely lost your conscience!

You actually dared to let the police take your mother-in-law away?

I pulled out my phone and switched on the voice recorder.

Please, continue.

Hai's voice instantly cut off. His old face turned as red as a pig's liver.

Besides calling the police and recording audio, what else are you even good for?

I replied: I am also good at getting a divorce. Hao stared at me in shock. I did not evade his gaze at all.

At nine o'clock tomorrow morning, I will contact my lawyer.

Marital relations, division of property, residency rights, compensation for property damage—we will follow the legal procedures for every single thing.

Hao's eyes finally filled with panic.

Tri Ha, do you really have to make such a huge fuss and push this to a divorce?

I retorted: What else would you expect me to do?

Wait for you to input your first love's fingerprints into our door lock?

Wait for your mother to use my name to earn favors for herself?

Wait for the safe haven that my father bought for me to turn into a refugee shelter for your entire family?

Hao was so thoroughly interrogated by me that his face turned completely pale. Lan Chi was still crying. Hui quietly took a step backward. I saw it. The police officer saw it too.

Miss Phuong, please cooperate with us as well.

Hui stiffened. She hugged her dog tightly, tears streaming down her face.

Can I go drop off my dog somewhere first?

I said: You can drop off the dog.

You yourself are not going anywhere.

She looked over at Hao. Hao instinctively opened his mouth to speak. I directly cut him off.

If you say one more word to defend her, I will immediately hand over the chat logs of you guiding her around the underground parking garage into the residential compound straight to my lawyer.

Hao pressed his lips tightly together. On the way to the police station, I sat quietly in the backseat of the police cruiser. The streetlights outside flashed past one by one. I suddenly recalled the day my father handed me the property deed. He had told me, Tri Ha, your old man is getting on in years and cannot protect you for the rest of your life. But this apartment can at least provide you with some shelter and support. Back then, I felt he was making a mountain out of a molehill. Marriage could not possibly be that terrifying. Only now did I truly understand. What is terrifying is not marriage itself. Rather, it is the realization that after you open your door, someone takes your kindness as a skeleton key, bringing along a whole crowd of people to trample all over your boundaries and strip you of everything. Arriving at the police station, the officers requested that we give our statements separately. I handed over all the photographs, audio recordings, chat histories, and management office records. Lan Chi sat across from me, her eyes swollen like walnuts. The gaze she directed toward me was no longer filled with fury. It was pure malice. Halfway through taking my statement, the duty officer walked in carrying Hui's backpack.

Miss Xu, please come over and verify a few things.

In Miss Phuong's bag, there are several items which she claims were given to her as gifts by you.

I raised my head. Inside the transparent evidence bag lay my spare access card, my pearl earrings, and a spare key belonging to the master bedroom drawer.

My gaze landed on those pearl earrings. They were a keepsake left behind by my mother. My mother passed away young, and the jewelry she left me was not plentiful. I usually kept these earrings safely tucked away in the innermost small drawer of my vanity table inside the master bedroom. Today was the very first time Hui had ever set foot inside my home.