Chapter 21 — The Husband's Secret

There is an announcement of an in-depth assessment of the City Children's Hospital. And a memory card containing the recording. Aunt Khuong said. "Before, I wanted to advise the old lady." "She scolded me for worrying so much." "She said she was old and couldn't take risks like that." "She said Diep An was young, Vien Vien was also young, the child couldn't remember anything." When I heard this, my palms turned cold. When the police made the report, Aunt Khuong signed her name very slowly. When writing the last stroke, her tears fell on the paper. "Auntie, Tieu Du asked me, did you steal your sister's things?" "I don't know how to answer." I said. "Tell the boy." "You didn't steal." "The robber was not you." Aunt Khuong covered her face and sobbed. At this moment, my mother called. Her voice was extremely panicked. "An An, you guys go home quickly." "There were two people outside the door wearing protective suits, saying they were coming to check the gas." "Mom didn't open the door." "But they kept prying open the clock box in front of the door." My head buzzed. On the other end of the phone, Vien Vien suddenly cried loudly.19I ran home and told my mother to immediately call the police. Lawyer Trinh also called. Her voice was very steady, but her face was pale. "Don't open the door." "Install the anti-theft chain." "Carry Vien Vien to the innermost bedroom." "Block the door with a heavy object." My mother on the other end of the phone said yes. Vien Vien's cries came intermittently, like a string tightening around my throat. I sat in the car, my fingers were so cold that I could barely hold the phone firmly. I called Tham Nghien. He picked up the phone very quickly. I asked directly. "Those people in the southern city, are you calling?" Tham Nghien froze for a moment. "Who?" I said. "Don't pretend." "Someone pretended to check the gas and pry open the meter box where I live." His voice changed completely. "Is Vien Vien inside?" I said. "Do you even know she's inside?" He said urgently. "It's not you." "Diep An, it's really not you." I gritted my teeth. teeth. “Then it's your mother.” The other end of the line was silent for half a second. Then came the sound of a chair being pushed out. "Go there now." I said. "You're not allowed to come close." I hung up. The car drove all the way to the south city. Every red light makes me crazy with waiting. When we arrived, there was a police car downstairs. Two people wearing protective gear were squatting next to the wall. The policeman is asking questions. I rushed upstairs. As soon as the door opened, my mother held Vien Vien and stood in the living room, her whole body trembling. Vien Vien cried so much that her face turned red and her voice was hoarse. I held my baby in my arms. As soon as she touched me, she immediately grabbed my collar. The force of the hand was very small, but it seemed to pull me back to the ground. My mother said, those two people knocked on the door very politely at first. Said he smelled gas downstairs and wanted to go in and check. She thought it wasn't right, so she asked the building management board. The management said there were no inspection arrangements. She didn't speak anymore. But those people didn't leave. One of them started tapping the meter box, saying that if he didn't open the door, the gas would be cut off. My mother was scared and carried Vien Vien into the bedroom. Luckily, I reported it to the police in time. The police officer later said that those two people were not gas company employees. They said they took a temporary job. Someone gave the address and told them to go up to the house and take pictures of the situation in front of the door. Be ready to confirm whether there are children in the house or not. I asked. "Who paid?" The police officer said, the other party contacted him online and is currently investigating. But in my heart I had the answer. Attorney Trinh put this into evidence. She told me. "From now on, Vien Vien can't just rely on hiding." "We have to make the other person leave a mark every time he makes a move." In the evening, Tham Nghien arrived. He didn't go upstairs. Just stand outside the gate of the residential area. I looked down from the window and saw him.

He looked up for a long time. I'm not going down. He sent me a message. It's not you who arranged it. I replied. Then you should manage your mother well. A while later, he sent again. Your mother admitted it. She said she just wanted to confirm if the children were here. I looked at that text and was so angry that I burst out laughing. Just. Whatever they do, they always use the word "just" to cover it up. Just get the mouthpiece. Just doing a screening. Just confirming the address. But every time Vien Vien panicked, not once was it "just". The next morning, the visitation hearing was temporarily pushed forward. I left Vien Vien at home, looked after by my mother and a community worker contacted by the policewoman. For the first time, I didn't carry Vien Vien with me. Before closing the door, she sat on the table looking at me. Eyes round. I walked over and kissed my child. "Mommy will be home soon." She reached out and grabbed my hair. I swallowed my tears and put my child's little hand back on the toy. The hearing room is not large. Tham Nghien sat opposite. My mother-in-law also came. Her face was very bad, but she still tried to maintain a tough look. Their lawyer said, I had prevented the father-child relationship for a long time, causing a stressful mental state, which was not beneficial to the child's growth.