Chapter 8 — The Fateful Trial

I asked back: "Then why did the guardian write down the child's name? Why is the signature an impersonation? Why is the child's name Ha An An?" From the other side came a very light sneer: "You've only been married here for two years, what do you know? There's no need for you to brag about the Ha family's affairs in front of outsiders." I hugged baby An An tightly:

"The matter of the Ha family? Now the defendant is your three-month-old son. Vuong Xao Tran demands five hundred thousand. The police station file has your fake signature. This is no longer a family matter."

Lam Mai's breathing was clearly heavier:

“Don't speak harshly like that. I did it for the sake of this house.”

I asked her word for word: "Because of this house, can my signature be forged?" The other end of the line was silent for a few seconds. Then she lowered her voice:

"Don't force me. Now just keep this matter under wraps, it's good for both sides. On Vuong Xao Tran's side, I have a way to make her shut up."

My chest felt cold: "Mom, do you know about Vuong Xao Tran?" Lam Mai did not answer. But that halting silence was equivalent to an admission. Judge Chiang looked up at the secretary. The secretary immediately recorded the call content. The police also took out the recording device, reminding that the call was being recorded live. Lam Mai seemed to hear the surrounding noise. Her voice suddenly shrieked:

“Duong Hoa, where are you?”

I didn't answer her.

“Mom, within half an hour, please go to court. If you don't come, I will go to the police station to report the case.”

Lam Mai laughed coldly: "You dare?" I looked at the child in my arms. The baby slept very lightly, his little face was still red from crying.

"You dare to push my son to court, what else do I not dare to do?"

I hung up the phone. Ha Tuan stood in front of me, looking like he had aged several years. He said softly: "Duong Hoa, don't drag your mother into this matter." I looked at him: "At this point, you're still defending her?" Ha Tuan closed his eyes: "She is not in good health." I nodded: "So she's not in good health, so she can use my identity to go through the procedure. So if she's not in good health, she can force my son to carry a bunch of blame. So if she's not in good health, I can join in and defraud you." Ha Tuan's voice was hoarse: "I don't want to hurt you." I looked at Ha Binh standing behind him. The teenager kept his head bowed, his knuckles clenched until they turned white.

"So what about the boy? Have you ever thought about him being renamed, hidden, used as cannon fodder, what would that be like?"

Ha Binh looked up. The boy's eyes were red.

"I don't want to change my name. Grandma said, as long as I change to this name, I will keep it. She said dad will accept me."

I looked at Ha Tuan. Ha Tuan's face changed immediately. I heard my voice so light and scary:

"You didn't tell me he was your eldest brother's son, right?"

Before Ha Tuan could open his mouth, there was the sound of a cane clacking on the floor outside the courtroom door. Lam Mai was helped in by a middle-aged woman. The moment that woman took off her mask, I noticed the mole in the corner of her eye. Lam Mai stood at the door, staring at me, coldly speaking:

"It's not fake. It's that you originally owed money to the Ha family."

08 The woman standing behind Lam Mai looked away avoid me. She was wearing a gray coat, no longer the hospital nurse's uniform. But I will never mistake those eyes. During my stay, she stood by my bed for an entire night. She even held An An, saying that the baby looked so good. Thinking of this, a chill ran down my spine. Lam Mai walked in, her eyes first fell on Ha Binh. That look was not like looking at a cousin. It's like looking at a treasure that's just been found.