Chapter 18 — The Mother Who Stole Her Dream

19 When the police read that old phone number, my mother's shoulders visibly slumped. She still wanted to pretend she didn't know.

"It's an old SIM, I forgot it a long time ago."

The police looked at the computer screen.

“The history of the previous confirmation code usage still remains.”

“The login location almost exactly matches your phone location.”

My mother was about to shut her mouth, but in the end she remained silent. My younger brother stood next to me, his face ashen. All along the way he didn't say another word. When the police asked him to narrate the incident, he said in a hoarse voice:

“The ID is yours to take.”

“Mom told me to take it.”

“Mom said that as long as my sister can't take the test tomorrow, she will obediently listen.”

My mother turned and glared at him.

“Shut up!”

The police knocked on the table.

“This is not my house.”

“Each person speaks in turn.”

I looked at her sitting there, suddenly feeling both strange and familiar. Strange because this was the first time she was forced to speak according to rules. Familiar because she still wants to use her scream to crush everyone down. But this time no one backed down. Ha Minh Triet gave the police the school's camera records, the time of the loss report, and records linking the old phone number. Ms. Lam added the academy's certification. I directly requested to cancel the irregular status and get a temporary identification certificate. After reviewing the documents, the police voice calmed down.

“Tomorrow you can use the temporary confirmation to check.”

“Official identification will be done again later.”

“Now we also have to change the public service account link information.”

I nodded. When changing information, the system requires facial confirmation. The screen lit up, I saw myself in it. Dark blue eye circles, white lips, messy hair from running back and forth. But that face did not hide. I update each item in turn. Unlink old phone number. Change emergency contact. Reset login password. It was like cutting off every rope that had been tied to my body over the years. My mother stood next to me and smiled coldly.

“What if you change it?”

“Can blood relationships be changed?”

I looked at her.

“Blood relationships cannot be changed.”

“But representation can be revoked.”

“Responsibility for managing trust money can be prosecuted.”

“You can get your money back.”

“The signature signed by the mother on behalf of the child may also be canceled.”

Her lips trembled. Ha Minh Triet continued:

“Miss Dinh, next you must coordinate the investigation.”

“Including using trust funds, falsifying identity information, falsifying documents and fabricating online.”

Finally, my mother was scared. Her eyes turned red, but not because of me. But because of herself. She suddenly turned to my younger brother.

“You quickly tell me.”

“We are one family, we cannot cause chaos to this extent.”

My brother raised his head, looked at me, then looked down again. It doesn't say. I know it's not like it suddenly awakened my conscience. It's that he finally understands that today's events can involve him too. After asking him to sign the record, the police asked:

“Are you eighteen years old?”

My brother shook his head.

“Not yet.”

The police looked at my mother.

“So the responsibility of the guardian is even heavier.”

Her face was pale. When I left the police station, it was almost ten o'clock at night. The cold wind blew into my face. Ms. Lam called a car to take me and Duong Duong back to our room to rest pre-arranged school. Ha Minh Triet stood on the steps and handed me a file.

“The temporary confirmation, inspection documents, and medical department evaluation are all inside.”

“Don't be afraid tomorrow.”

I held the file and suddenly asked:

“Was grandma very angry that year?”

Ha Minh Triet was silent for a moment.

“She wasn't just angry.”

“She is still very remorseful.”

“She said she found out too late that she was locked in the family.”

My throat immediately closed up. Ha Minh Triet lowered his voice:

“But she also said that as long as you still want to dance, you can definitely leave.”

I bowed my head and looked at the corner of the file. That corner was flattened by his hand. Just like many years ago, my grandmother helped me smooth out the broken road again. Returning to the school break room, Duong Duong forced me to sit in front of hot porridge and beef rice.

“Eat.”

I looked at the meat in the lunch box, my nose was a little spicy.

“Where did you buy it so late?”

“Order food.”

She stuffed the chopsticks into my hand.

“Don't regret money.”

“I invite you tonight.”

I picked up a piece of beef and slowly swallowed it. Very hot. Has the scent of grease. When the hot meat reached my stomach, my whole body felt like it had weight again. Duong Duong sat opposite, watching me finish half the box before breathing a sigh of relief.

“If you're stressed tomorrow, look at me.”

I burst out laughing.

“You're not sitting at the judges' table.”

“I can sit in the audience.”

She said it very seriously.

“Just turn your head and you'll see me.”

The lights outside the window gradually turned off. On the phone, my mother sent another text message.

“Do you really want to force your mother to die?”

I looked at it for two seconds then took a screenshot and saved it. Then block the number. At that moment, the world became quiet. For the first time, I slept at night without her voice. It's just that before I went to sleep, I touched the photo of my grandmother in my wallet. I silently said in my heart: Grandma. Tomorrow I will go and reopen that door.