Chapter 11 — The Call That Locked My In-Laws Out

Manh Thoi Vien, even now, you are still calculating how much you can carve out for yourself.

He remained silent. I continued.

The house was purchased before our marriage. The car is my personal asset. As for the expenses charged to the supplementary card, I will pursue them through every legal channel. As for custody of our child, I will fight for that until the very end.

His voice darkened instantly. Do you think that child belongs only to you?

I halted my steps. What are you trying to say?

He enunciated every syllable with cold precision. If you dare to file a lawsuit, I will have the child’s surname changed to Manh and take her away.

Before I could respond, the voice of Phung Le Binh suddenly cut through the line. Why are you wasting your breath on her? Just go to the house tomorrow and take the baby away.

I gripped my phone tightly. My lawyer friend immediately gestured for me not to hang up. Perhaps Manh Thoi Vien realized he had the speakerphone on, for in the next second, the call was abruptly terminated. I stood outside the shopping center, the wind rising from the steps beneath me. The recording had saved automatically. My lawyer friend looked at me.

Now, we hold the advantage even more firmly.

13

I sent the recording of the call to my lawyer. After listening to it, she replied with only four words: Report it immediately. I did not hesitate. When I arrived home, my mother had already lulled the baby to sleep. The moment she saw the look on my face, she knew something was wrong. I played the recording for her. When Phung Le Binh’s words—about coming tomorrow to seize the baby—echoed through the living room, my mother’s hands clenched into fists. She did not cry, nor did she scold. She simply asked me, Shall we leave now?

I nodded. We did not wait for the next day. As soon as the baby was fast asleep, my mother wrapped her in a small blanket. I gathered my birth records, hospital documents, prenatal examination files, supplementary card statements, and the deeds to the house and car into a file folder. Before leaving, I backed up the cloud storage from our front door and hallway cameras. The police station was quiet in the middle of the night. The officer on duty listened to the recording, his expression turning grave.

The other party is the child’s father, but he cannot use these methods to forcibly take an infant. You two should not have any private contact for now. If they come to your home to cause trouble, report it to the police immediately.

I wrote my statement, and my lawyer added a few details over the phone. She requested that the police explicitly note in the report that I had just been discharged from the hospital, the infant was not yet a month old, and the relatives on the father’s side had expressed intentions to forcibly remove the child. The officer looked at me, his voice softening. You must prioritize your own safety and the safety of the child.

By the time we left the station, the horizon was tinged with a greyish white. My mother held the baby in the back seat. The child slept soundly, completely unaware that the world of adults had descended into such chaos. I looked at her face, and my heart settled into an unexpected calm. I had always wanted to give my daughter a complete family. But now I understood: if that family is built on calculations and threats, its completeness is merely a hollow shell. The interior had long since rotted away.

At eight in the morning, the building management called me. Ms. Ha, Mr. Manh is at the gate, saying he wants to come up to collect his belongings.

I replied firmly. Do not let him in without my express permission.

The management hesitated. He claims that it is his home as well.

I sent them the police report number from the night before. This is the official record from the authorities. If he continues to harass us, please contact the police directly.

The management replied quickly. Understood.

Less than ten minutes later, Manh Thoi Vien sent me a text message: Ha Thanh Hoa, have you gone mad? Taking this to the police?

I did not reply. He sent another: I just want to see my child.

I looked at those words and felt nothing but contempt. When our child was born, he was nowhere to be found. When we were discharged, he did not come. Now that I have blocked all access to funds, he suddenly remembers he is a father. I handed the phone to my lawyer, who replied on my behalf: If you wish to see the child, please propose a time and location in writing, and a third party must be present during the entire duration.

Manh Thoi Vien sent no further messages. However, Phung Le Binh called from a different number. I answered and started the recording. The moment she spoke, she began to cry. Thanh Hoa, I was just flustered yesterday and spoke foolishly; how could I really take the baby away?

I remained silent. She continued. Look at Thoi Vien; he hasn’t slept all night. Thoi An’s marriage plans have fallen through as well, and the whole house is in complete disarray. Open the accounts; help the family get through this ordeal first.

Finally, I spoke. Are you calling to apologize, or to demand money?

There was a pause on the other end, then her voice dropped significantly. Thanh Hoa, a woman should not be so headstrong. Men out in the world occasionally have their lapses; if you just turn a blind eye, this will all pass.

I laughed aloud. So, you knew about Tham Man all along.

Phung Le Binh went silent instantly. That silence was more telling than any response could have been. A few seconds later, she blurted out, I don’t know what you’re talking about.

I hung up. By noon, my lawyer had finished organizing the new documents, preparing to send the formal letter. My mother was in the bedroom with the baby.