Chapter 16 — One month before the wedding, the doctor gave me a piece of paper

I held the card for a long time. Then try replacing it. I looked at myself in the mirror. Then suddenly thought of something. When did Co Tham know my clothes measurements? Don't think anymore. Date of opening of trial. City People's Court. Courtroom number three. Nine thirty in the morning. I wore that dark blue suit. Sit in the plaintiff's position. Next to him is Co Tham. He was flipping through the file. Strangely calm expression. On the opposite side. Tran Due sat in the defendant's chair. He lost a lot of weight. The beard and mustache are also not shaved cleanly. The representative lawyer is a man in his forties, slightly overweight, constantly wiping sweat. Audience seats. Chu Vy Vy was present. Diep Tieu Duong was present. Reporter Phuong Nhien was also present. There are also a few people I don't know. The trial begins. Co Tham stood up. Clear, steady voice.

"Plaintiff To Niem requests the court to determine that defendant Tran Due intentionally concealed important facts while the two sides maintained their relationship."

"The first."

“The defendant was diagnosed with non-obstructive azoospermia since 2021 but never informed the plaintiff.”

"During the period from 2019 to 2021, the defendant had a marital relationship with a person outside the case, Chu Vy Vy, but never informed the plaintiff."

"The results of the pre-marital examination showed that the defendant was positive for syphilis antibodies, proving the possibility of unsafe sexual behavior during the time they knew the plaintiff."

“During his relationship with the plaintiff, the defendant also maintained an illicit relationship with the plaintiff's colleague, Luu Uyen Nhi, and used her name to borrow seventy-two thousand yuan.”

“The above acts constitute serious deception and violate the plaintiff's legal rights.”

“Causing mental damage as well as direct economic damage.”

“The plaintiff requests the defendant to compensate eighty thousand yuan for mental damages.”

“Refund twenty-three thousand yuan of wedding preparation expenses.”

“The total is one hundred and three thousand yuan.”

Tran Due's lawyer slowly stood up. He wiped the sweat from his forehead. Looking towards Co Tham. Then suddenly said:

“Dear Jury.”

"Before debating the content of the case, the defendant would like to propose reviewing the legality of part of the evidence and the plaintiff's authorized representative."

The entire courtroom immediately fell silent. I frowned slightly. Co Tham was still standing there. No change in facial expression. It was as if he had predicted that the opponent would play this card a long time ago.

"Dear Jury, most of the evidence provided by the plaintiff comes from illegal sources. The defendant's hospital records are within the scope of personal privacy. The plaintiff collected them by improper means, so should not be accepted..."

"Regarding the legality of the evidence, we submitted a detailed explanation before the trial."

Co Tham calmly interrupted.

“Hospital records were searched through the hospital's legal channels and notarization procedures were completed.”

“All evidence comes from legal sources.”

“If the defendant has objections, please cite the specific law.”

“Instead of simply labeling it ‘illegally obtained’.”

The fat lawyer immediately blushed.

“So... what about the text message screenshots Plaintiff provided..."

“The defendant believes that it was likely edited.”

“We have submitted the original electronic data inspection report.”

Co Tham said as he held up each set of documents.

“The conclusion confirms that the data has not been altered.”

The judge took it. Flip through each page. In the defendant's seat. Tran Due started to sweat. Go to the confrontation part. Co Tham took out the hospital records for 2021.

“Request the defendant to confirm.”

“Is this March 2021 hospitalization record truly that of the defendant?”

Tran Due's lawyer immediately leaned close to his ear and whispered a few words. Tran Due was silent for five seconds.

“... Yes.”

"During the three years of being in a relationship with the plaintiff, did the defendant ever proactively inform the plaintiff of this situation?"

"... Are not."

“Does the defendant admit that he intentionally concealed the truth?”

“I didn't mean it!”

He was immediately agitated.

“I just…”

Co Tham didn't let him finish.

“The contact person in the hospital admission file is Chu Vy Vy.”

“The relationship section clearly states ‘wife’.”

"Does the defendant admit that at the time of his relationship with the plaintiff, he was still in a legal marital relationship?"

“At that time, we had already filed for divorce…”

“Divorce certificate dated July 2021.”

“While the plaintiff and defendant started dating each other in September 2020.”

“That means that during the time the marriage existed, the defendant established an emotional relationship with the plaintiff.”

“The defendant did not just hide his illness.”

“But I also hid the fact that I was married.”

Tran Due was speechless. Can't say anything more. His lawyer kept turning over documents.