Chapter 10 — The Day You Sent Me To Jail

Coming from someone who has been deleted as a friend by me but has not yet blacklisted. Tham Yen Bach. He sent a friend request again. I don't agree. 5 minutes later, another news. It's still him. He changed another way... using a phone number to send SMS directly. 【Duong Duong, I'm sorry.】 Duong Duong. The name he used to call me before. But only call in extremely private times. For example, late at night when I was about to fall asleep in his arms, his lips were close to the top of my head, mumbling loudly in his mouth. Sugar Sugar. Those two words are like a needle, stinging. Just one. Then disappeared. I deleted that message. Continue drying your hair. The hot air from the dryer whirred, drowning out all other sounds. I closed my eyes and let the hot wind blow my hair from wet to dry. From heavy to light. From pain to indifference. Friday. Uncle Tien called.

“Miss, Tham Yen Bach is about to arrive in Zurich.”

“Coming again?”

"This time, he didn't have to use the company's name. He bought a personal plane ticket. He'll arrive tomorrow afternoon."

I was silent for a moment.

“He knows which hotel you stayed at.”

“Yes. The last negotiation took place here.”

“Changing hotels.”

"I've already made arrangements. I've had someone book another hotel. You can move there this afternoon."

“Okay.”

“Miss…”

“What's wrong, uncle?”

Uncle Tien hesitated.

“You really haven't met him?”

I looked out the window. It's sunny today. On Lake Zurich there are sailboats gliding. White sails full of wind swell under the deep blue sky.

“No see.”

"What's the point of meeting him? To hear him say sorry to you? To hear him explain why he locked you up? Or to hear him tell if he remembered you at the wedding or not?"

“All of those things, I don't want to know.”

“I just need him to know one thing.”

“What?”

I took a deep breath.

“The price must be paid.”

"Every thing he does has a price. He locks you up, the price is Tham Thi. He chooses Hua Nhuoc Tinh, the price is losing you."

"That's enough. I don't need anything else."

Uncle Tien didn't say anything more.

“Okay. I know.”

I hung up the phone and started packing my luggage. Furniture is not much. A suitcase, a handbag. In the middle of cleaning, I saw something on the dressing table that I forgot to put away. A necklace. The gold necklace is very thin, the pendant is shaped like a very small leaf. It's a gift from Tham Yen Bach. The first year of our relationship, he came home from work and took it out of his pocket.

"I keep choosing," he said that day, "This looks like you. Tiny, not dazzling. But very resilient."

I picked up the necklace. The metal layer is a bit tarnished. Because I've been wearing it for 3 years now, I rarely take it off. When my personal belongings were confiscated at the detention center, they were put in a plastic bag. When I was released, they gave it back to me. I always carry it with me. Even Zurich brought it with them. But I don't wear it. I held it tightly and stood there stunned for a moment. The edge of the leaf cut into my palm. Then I walked to the window and opened it wide. The Zurich wind blew in. Cool, carrying the breath of lake water. I stuck my hand out the window. Open your fingers. The gold necklace flashed in the sunlight. Then fall straight down. Very fast, very light. Fell into the bushes downstairs. Can't be seen anymore. I closed the window. Continue packing your luggage. 【Chapter 8】 The day Shen Yen Bai arrived in Zurich, I moved to another hotel. I have carefully instructed the receptionist of the old hotel not to disclose any information about the guests. But I know he will find it. It's just a matter of time. He is Tham Yen Bach. He wants to find someone, there's no way he can't find someone.