Chapter 12 — My Sister-in-Law Is Not My Maid

Attorney Chu delivered her concluding remarks. The opposing counsel immediately raised an objection.

The chat history submitted by the plaintiff has an unclear origin, and we must contest its authenticity.

Attorney Chu countered without missing a beat.

The sender of this chat history is none other than the defendant's own mother, Mrs. Tran, and the recipient is the defendant's brother-in-law, Mr. Phuong. We have already formally requested the court to extract the backend data from the messaging platform for verification. If the opposing side wishes to challenge its authenticity, we wholeheartedly welcome them to do so.

The opposing lawyer glanced sideways at Tran Zuo Yuan and said nothing more. The proceedings then moved on to the arguments regarding the division of assets. The entire session lasted for about an hour and a half. Throughout the entire process, Zuo Yuan did not utter a single word. He sat there with his head bowed, as though enduring some immense, silent agony. Before the court recessed, the presiding judge announced that the verdict date would be scheduled soon.

As we stepped out of the courthouse, the sunlight was blindingly harsh. Attorney Chu walked beside me, matching my pace.

Our chances of winning are exceptionally high. Afterward, the opposing lawyer practically failed to offer any effective rebuttal. Their preparation regarding the chat history was pathetically inadequate.

About how long until the verdict?

Two weeks at the earliest.

I nodded, already turning toward the parking lot when someone called my name from behind.

Nian Su.

It was Zuo Yuan. He stood on the courthouse steps, watching me from a distance of a few paces. His lawyer reached out to pull him along, but Zuo Yuan brusquely brushed the hand away.

Nian Su, can we speak alone for a moment?

Attorney Chu gave me a questioning look.

Go ahead, I said.

I did not walk toward him. Instead, he descended the steps and stopped right before me.

I want to ask you one question.

Go ahead.

At what point did you stop loving me?

I looked straight into his eyes. Those eyes held weariness, lingering resentment, and a profound bewilderment. But they held no remorse whatsoever.

Tran Zuo Yuan.

I spoke calmly.

On the night I suffered the miscarriage, the nurse pushed me into the operating room. You stood out in the hallway calling your mother, and the very first thing you asked was whether Yu Tong had taken your child for their vaccination today.

The expression on his face instantly froze.

That was the exact moment it began.

I turned around and walked away without once looking back.

The verdict was handed down sooner than anticipated. Eleven days later, Attorney Chu called to inform me of the court's decision.

The court has granted the divorce.

And the apartment?

It ruled that you hold a sixty-two percent ownership stake. Based on the current appraised value of three million four hundred and eighty thousand, your share amounts to two million one hundred and fifty-seven thousand six hundred. Considering your actual current housing situation and the fact that the opposing party has been designated as the fault party, the court has awarded the property entirely to them, and they are mandated to pay you a compensation of two million one hundred and fifty-seven thousand six hundred within three months. Should they fail to pay past the deadline, you may apply for mandatory enforcement.

Understood.

Congratulations, Nian Su.

Thank you, Attorney Chu.

After hanging up, I sat alone in silence for a very long time. There was no overwhelming sense of relief, nor any triumphant joy. There was only a profound, unshakable peace. It felt as though I had been trapped in an exceedingly long, exhausting dream, and now, at last, I had awakened.

That evening, I invited Gu Qing Wan out for hot pot. She raised her beer glass and looked at me across the table.

Lam Nian Su, you are truly living your best life now. Single, wealthy, successful—you are officially the golden bachelorette of this city.

I clinked my glass against hers.

Stop talking nonsense.

I am dead serious.

She stared at me with uncharacteristic earnestness.

You have changed so drastically over the past year. If I hadn't witnessed it with my own eyes, I never would have believed it.

I was simply forced into it.

Never mind how you were forced into it.

She chewed on a piece of tripe, speaking with her mouth full.

As long as the outcome is good, that is all that matters.

A week later, Zuo Yuan’s side made the first installment payment of eight hundred thousand. The remaining balance was divided into two transfers, spaced a month apart. Perhaps he had to sell something or borrow heavily to scrape the funds together. I did not ask around, nor did I care. As long as the money hit my account, that was enough.

Concurrently, my career accelerated significantly. The Lang Dinh project was finally completed and officially put into operation. On opening day, the developer hosted a modest ceremony and invited several local media outlets. I stood inside the grand lobby I had personally designed, gazing up at the artistic chandelier whose sketches I had redrawn six times before finally finalizing. The light cascaded down onto the ivory-stone flooring, falling precisely into the silhouette I had envisioned in my original renderings.

General Director Lam walked over holding a glass of champagne.

Nian Su, I am beyond satisfied. This is even better than I imagined.

Thank you, Director Lam.

When can we expect the proposal for that resort hotel project? My investors want to review it next month.

I will send you the initial concept draft by the end of the month.

Wonderful.

He gently tapped his glass against mine.

Here is to a pleasant cooperation.

That evening, as I drove back to my apartment, I happened to pass through the familiar neighborhood in the southern part of the city. The place that used to be called home. My driving speed remained steady; I did not slow down, nor did I throw even a single glance in that direction. It was merely an address now, devoid of any lingering connection to my life.

By the third month following the divorce, my online design channel surpassed one million followers. A premier interior design brand reached out, offering an annual endorsement contract worth five hundred thousand. I carefully reviewed the contract clauses and discussed them briefly with Trinh Hac Nien.