Chapter 12 — Once I don't hold back, your whole family has to pay the price

Maybe at this time... Chu Minh is completely confused. He thought this was just an online war of words. A morality game… that he can manipulate. But he didn't expect... I would use the law. Something he didn't understand at all… to counterattack. The mother-in-law was also silent. No more calling and cursing. That afternoon, she also asked a distant relative... to pass on the word. The devious content... is all about advising "family members not to stress". Chu Minh said that he was suddenly confused, hoping that I would respect my old love and let it go. And saying that she is seriously ill... it's all because of me. If you still have any love left, you should come to the hospital to visit. After listening... I just felt funny. They still don't know where they went wrong. Scared because I'm no longer someone who's easy to bully. Their descent into the water... was not without regret. It's the instinct to bow to the strong. I asked that relative... to bring back a sentence.

“Let my lawyer talk to them.”

I can almost imagine... the angry look on her face when she heard that sentence. In the evening, Luc Trach took me home. The car is very quiet.

“Okay?” he asked.

“Yes, they started to get scared.”

“That's a good sign.” His voice was calm. “Fear… will cause them to make mistakes on court.”

I nodded. It's very clear in my heart. This is just the first shot. Even though that post has been deleted... the photos have spread everywhere. My reputation… was really damaged. A statement... cannot be erased. I have to win this case. Not just to vindicate. But also let them pay the price. The car stopped in front of the building. I took off my seat belt. I'm back. His eyes in the dim light... were so deep and unpredictable.

“Tomorrow… the summons will reach him.”

“Are you… ready?”

I looked at him. Then smile. No more weakness. No more hesitation. All that remains is… steadfastness.

“I'm always ready.”

The court's summons... was like a verdict, delivered straight to Chu Minh's hands, not giving him any way out. I didn't see his expression at that time with my own eyes, but Giang Dao recounted that people at his company had already spread the word. The moment he received the paper, Chu Minh's face turned pale, his hands shook so much that he couldn't hold them, and his whole body seemed to have been drained of all strength. He quit on the spot and ran home in panic, as if just leaving that place everything would disappear. Maybe… he finally understood. This is no longer a family quarrel, not their usual quarreling game. It's a real lawsuit. A place where... every word has a price. The lies that were used to attack me... will now become evidence, exposed to the light. In the days that followed, the Chu family was in complete chaos. Chu Minh ran everywhere looking for a lawyer, but when he heard that the defendant was Hang Thien and the lawyer representing him was Luc Trach... most of them immediately refused. In the end, he only found a young lawyer, new to the profession, who reluctantly took on the case. The mother-in-law is even more confused. She ran out of the hospital and went to Chu Minh company to cause a ruckus, using her old tricks again... crying, tantrums, demanding the leader to intervene. The result... was invited out by security, becoming the laughing stock of the whole company. And Chu Dong... disappeared. She deleted her online accounts, changed her phone number, like a mouse crawling into a dark corner. Afraid the truth will be revealed. Fear of taking responsibility. That whole family... was like a broken anthill. They used to think... bloodline was a strong fortress best. Just by sticking together... we can blatantly oppress others. But when that “outsider”… could no longer endure— that fortress… collapsed immediately. Pre-trial mediation is scheduled for a Friday afternoon. I put on a neat gray suit and walked into the room with Luc Trach. Chu Minh was present, sitting next to the young lawyer, looking so worried that he couldn't hide it. Just a few days... but he seemed to have aged ten years. Messy hair, dark eyes, tired look as if all energy had been exhausted. Seeing me, his lips moved slightly. But the lawyer next to him immediately pulled his sleeve and stopped him. The mediator is an experienced female judge.