Chapter 3 — No Dowry, No You

He pointed a shaking finger toward Truong Mien, his voice trembling with disbelief.

"You… on what grounds do you call Uncle Vien 'Dad'?"

I slipped my arm through Truong Mien’s, arching a brow as I looked at Cao Pham. "He is my husband. Naturally, he calls my father 'Dad'."

The room plunged into a heavy silence that lasted several seconds. Everyone looked from Truong Mien to me, no one daring to utter a word. Finally, my former father-in-law reacted, his face darkening as he let out a cold, sharp laugh.

"What kind of fool would want to be with a woman who has already been married once?"

My gaze swept coldly across the entire Cao family before I reached into my bag and produced two red booklets, laying them firmly on the table. They were our marriage certificates, bearing the clear signatures of both Truong Mien and myself. The date of issue was yesterday. As I raised my head to meet Cao Pham’s eyes, I saw his face drain of all color. He seemed unable to focus, or perhaps he simply refused to believe what he was seeing. He lunged forward, snatching one of the booklets. His fingertips shook violently as he held the small, scarlet document. In the photograph, I was smiling brilliantly, but the man beside me was not him. Cao Pham’s eyes locked onto the issue date.

"It was yesterday..." His voice was so raspy it was barely recognizable. "Vien Mong Tiep, have you lost your mind?"

Cao Pham suddenly jerked his head up, thrusting the certificate toward me. "Didn't we agree that we would register our marriage as soon as I returned from my business trip? How could you possibly marry someone else?" He slammed the document onto the rotating table, causing the small dishes and wine glasses to collide, creating a series of sharp, jarring clatters. "You are just doing this to take revenge on me, aren't you?"

I remained seated, calmly reaching up to tuck a stray lock of hair behind my ear. "Cao Pham, do not flatter yourself by thinking you are the center of the universe." I looked at him, my voice steady and devoid of any agitation. "Have you forgotten what you said?"

Cao Pham opened his mouth, but no sound emerged. I continued, "You said it yourself: if something as trivial as that could cause us to break up, then we really didn't need to be together in the first place." I stood up, meeting his eyes directly. "In that very moment, I decided that we truly did not need to be together. Therefore, you do not need to worry about this marriage, because I never actually married you."

The room was deathly quiet. My former father-in-law, who had been posturing like a patriarch, felt the color drain from his face, leaving him looking aged and haggard. He grabbed Cao Pham’s arm, pulling him until he stumbled. "Explain this to me right now!" he bellowed. "Didn't you two go to register the marriage that day?"

The old man’s roar was so loud it made everyone’s eardrums ache. Cao Pham kept his head bowed toward the floor for a long time before he gritted out the words. "Before we left that day, we had an argument, so we arrived late. I told her that after we married, our salaries would have to be turned over to you and Mom. I told her that as the eldest son, I had to set a good example for Little Duoc, and that she would have to listen to you in all matters, big or small... I only said those two things, and she turned against me."

As soon as he finished, the suffocating silence was shattered. My eldest aunt let out a cold laugh and slammed her teacup onto the table. "My, my, hasn't even stepped through the door yet and you’re already trying to turn your daughter-in-law into a money-printing machine? The Cao family’s abacus really is loud, isn't it?"

My former father-in-law clearly failed to grasp the gravity of the situation. He stretched his neck, shouting at the surrounding relatives, "What is wrong with a son being filial? It shows he has a conscience! This girl, Mong Tiep, is too calculating. She hasn't even joined the family and she’s already trying to seize power—what kind of standard is that?"

He spewed his words, flecks of saliva flying as he desperately sought approval from the guests. But no one answered. Truong Mien’s parents remained seated in their places of honor, perfectly composed. Father Truong set his teacup down and pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. He showed no anger, only turning to look at my father with a gentle expression. "Old Vien, it seems we must change the subject of today’s banquet. We came for the two families to meet, but it seems we have stumbled into a family matter instead."

Mother Truong reached out and covered my hand with hers. Her palm was warm and dry. "Mong Tiep, since you and Truong Mien are legally wed, you are a daughter of the Truong family now. Do not take the words of outsiders to heart."

Her calm demeanor acted like a sturdy shield, separating me from the Cao family’s pathetic entanglements. Watching this, Cao Pham’s eyes turned bloodshot. He still refused to let go, pointing at Truong Mien and trembling. "Do you even know her? How dare you register a marriage with her? We were in love for three years; you’ve only known her for a few days!"

Truong Mien, who had remained silent throughout, stood up slowly. He stood a head taller than Cao Pham, his shoulders and back perfectly straight. He reached out, took the marriage certificate, and tucked it into the inner pocket of his suit jacket.

"How long Mong Tiep and I have known each other is not something I need to explain to you," Truong Mien said evenly. "But I do know that a man who wishes to build a home and a career must first possess a sense of responsibility."

His words, neither loud nor harsh, struck Cao Pham’s face like a series of stinging, ringing slaps.