Chapter 13 — The Day I Overthrew My Husband's Family

Ton Hieu Hieu cried soundlessly and hugged his father tightly.

“Dad… stop talking…”

I waited for him to calm down a bit before continuing to ask.

“Uncle Sun, what exactly are those potions?”

He took a deep breath, as if he had decided to say everything.

“She gave me a bag and told me to take it to the back of the mountain at midnight and burn it.”

"Say it's the medicine your son uses, don't let others see it."

“I don't think much, just do it…”

He stopped, a flash of fear flashing through his eyes.

“But before I burned it, I secretly took a look.”

“On one bottle there was small writing… not to be used with heart medications.”

"But Chu Kien Quan... has heart disease and takes medicine all year round."

My heart feels heavy. I guessed right.

“What happens after that?”

“I'm afraid…” he clenched his hands.

“I feel like I'm caught up in something very scary…”

“When I burned those jars, I left one behind.”

“An empty bottle… the label hasn't even been torn off yet.”

Ton Chi Cuong's words were like lightning that tore through the darkness that had lasted more than twenty years. He kept a bottle of medicine. One last piece of evidence... enough to end Liu Ngoc Mai. My heart beat wildly, both angry and excited, like the moment the knife was about to touch the guilty man's throat.

“Where is the medicine bottle?” I almost burst out.

His eyes wavered slightly, he looked at his daughter and then back at me, fear still lingering in there.

“Miss Tham… I know you are a good person.”

“But this is too big… I don't want to drag Hieu Hieu into it anymore… I'm afraid…”

I understand, it's not a normal fear, but a fear that is deeply ingrained in the bones of a person who has been crushed by power for fifteen years.

“Uncle.” I walked over, looked straight at him, my voice slow but steady.

“Do you think if you keep quiet, she will let you two go?”

“Liu Ngoc Mai is now a crazy dog cornered.”

“She knows I have all the secrets, do you think she will let you two live in peace?”

“Only by pushing her to the bottom, making her unable to raise her head anymore... can the two of you truly live in the light.”

I stopped for a moment, my voice lowered.

“This is not just about me, nor just about my father.”

“It's because of your dead wife.”

“Because of Hieu Hieu's twenty years of suffering.”

“And because it was the fifteen years of my life that were stolen from me.”

“Fair… you have to take it back yourself.”

Each word seemed to hit him straight in the heart, awakening something that had been buried for too long. His eyes changed. Fear receded, replaced by steadfastness. Hesitation vanished, leaving only determination.

"Okay." he nodded vigorously.

“I believe you.”

He went back inside and came out a few minutes later with an object wrapped in red cloth. Each layer of fabric was opened, inside was an iron box that had rusted over the years. The lid of the box opened. A brown glass jar lies quietly inside. The label has turned yellow, but the warning text is still chillingly clear.

“Forbidden to use with drugs to treat heart disease…”

Like a sentence from hell sent to earth. I used a handkerchief to carefully lift the bottle of medicine and put it in the evidence bag.

"Uncle, Hieu Hieu, from now on you two stay at home, don't go anywhere."

“Waiting for my news.”

“Tonight… I will give you two an answer.”

I left the house with the last key in hand. Outside, it was dark, but inside my heart was as clear as day day. Liu Yumei... your day of judgment has come. I sat in the car, stared at that small bottle of medicine, then took out my phone to call her. The bell rang for a long time before someone picked up.

“Hello…” Her voice was hoarse and weak, as if her soul had been drained.

“Liu Ngoc Mai.” I spoke up, each word falling coldly.

“Chu Kien Quan's grave... you must be very familiar with it.”

“Behind the mountain, under the old eucalyptus tree.”

“What did I dig up… guess what?”

A sharp scream rang out on the other end of the line.

"Impossible! You can't find it!"

I smiled softly.

"Really?"

“Ton Chi Cuong has said it all.”

I stopped for a moment, my voice slowing down like a knife cutting little by little.

“Tomorrow morning, eight o'clock.”

“You came alone.”

“Carry all your regrets.”

“Otherwise… this bottle of medicine will be in the police evidence room.”

I hung up. No need to hear another word. I know... she will definitely come. Because she has an even bigger secret. A secret that she would rather die than keep hidden. And I… will be the one to rip it apart.