Chapter 4 — Six Pairs of Slippers in Front of My Door

Marriage is about patience. Mother-in-law speaks harshly and refuses. Co Tinh likes to take advantage and endures. Co Hoai An was biased and tolerated it. My parents died early, I'm afraid of losing another "home". Only today, looking at this destroyed house... I understand. Those people have never considered this place my home. In their eyes, this is just a piece of fatty meat. Everyone wants a bite. I took out my phone and started recording the whole thing. The word Hy was plastered on the living room wall... And the old lock was taken off and was on the door. The locksmith replaced the lock with a new one. I chose the highest grade C lock. Delete all fingerprints. Change password. There is also an anti-theft chain installed inside. Ms. Vuong, the manager, stood next to her and said in a low voice:

“Tieu Hua, if they come in the future, I will no longer open the door to let them in.”

I nodded.

“Thank you.”

She sighed.

"These past few days, my mother-in-law has been going around the area handing out wedding candy, saying that I voluntarily gave up the house to my brother-in-law. She also said that since my parents passed away, the Co family took care of me, so I have to be grateful."

I said nothing. I wrote down every sentence and every word in the notes section of my phone. That evening, lawyer Tan came to help me inventory my assets. The list of lost items was three pages long. Mother's pearls. Dad's old watch. A mirrorless camera. Two gold rings. Sixty-eight thousand cash. A pair of aquamarine earrings. And the original copy of the backup real estate certificate I keep in the office safe. The safe was not pried open. Co Hoai An knows. He previously said:

“Husband and wife should not have secrets.”

Then I believed. Now remembering that sentence... I just feel my stomach churning with nausea. At two o'clock in the morning, I sat on the living room floor, a list of lost property spread out in front of me. Lawyer Tan gave me a cup of hot water.

"Hua Niem, starting tomorrow, don't meet them alone anymore. All calls must be recorded. All messages must be screenshotted and saved. Add a property loss report. Report the loss and then re-do the real estate certificate."

I nodded. At that moment, the phone rang. Co Hoai An called. I looked at the screen. Lawyer Tan pointed to the recording button. I picked up the phone. Co Hoai An's voice was pressed very low.

“Hua Niem, do you have to do anything so heartless?”

I turn on recording.

“You say it.”

He took a deep breath.

"My mother is old and can't stand being called to the police station. You withdraw the application first. Let's talk about the house slowly."

“The locks on my house have been changed.”

The other end of the line was silent for three seconds. Then he burst out laughing.

“Do you really think that changing the lock means that the house completely belongs to you?”

I squeezed the glass of water in my hand. He continued:

"Hua Niem, don't forget you've been married to me for three years. How much has the price of that house increased? After getting married, I also put money into the family. If they really divorce, I'll still get a share."

I saw the word Joy on the wall torn in half. The remaining piece of red paper drooped down. Like a layer of rotten skin.

“Co Hoai An…”

“You finally got to the point.”

Co Hoai An was silent for a while on the phone. When he opened his mouth again, his voice changed. Softened a lot.

"Nien Niem, I know you feel sorry for yourself. But Tinh Tinh is my biological sister. She has never suffered since she was a child. After getting married, she cannot let people look down on her. My mother received the three hundred and eighty thousand." I just want to back it up.”

“Using my house as a defense?”

He started to get upset.

“Do you have to say it like that? We are husband and wife, yours is also mine. Besides, that house is just sitting empty.”

“I'm staying.”

“I'm alone in such a big house, it's a waste.”

This sentence is really familiar. Mother-in-law once said. Co Tinh once said. Now even Co Hoai An speaks. I smiled softly.

“The signature on the agreement… is that you signed?”

He didn't answer right away. I don't push either. On the other end of the line, the sound of a lighter was heard. He smokes. Before, he always pretended to be clean in front of me, even saying he couldn't smell the smell of cigarettes. Turns out he also knows how to smoke. Just to see who's in front of me. After half a minute, he spoke up:

“My mother studied little and could not imitate my writing. It was very urgent that day so I signed for you. The people in the house just stay there, let's go through formalities. Does it make any sense for me to keep hanging on to this?”

My heart is completely cold.

“Where is the real estate certificate?”

“Where is my father's watch?”

His voice became even more shallow.

“Maybe your mother brought it back to her hometown and kept it. Don't think everything is so bad."

“My mother's pearls?”