Chapter 20 — The Secret in the Basement B2

18I thought... I heard wrong. However... The person standing outside the door called again.

"Dad came to pick me up."

The blood in my body... It seemed to freeze in the blink of an eye. Nguyen Thanh Vien. In my memory... He was always a gentle person. Never raised his voice to anyone. He opened a small bookstore. The catchphrase is always:

"Just peace is enough."

Every time I ask about my mother. His eyes were all red. Mother passed away due to illness. He didn't tell me the details... Just because he was afraid I would be heartbroken. Yet right now... He was standing right in front of this cold storage door. Right at the moment... Mom's recording just mentioned... The old bronze clock. Manh Ky An looked at me. Eyes full of vigilance.

"Don't go over there."

Immobility. The door to the storage room... Slowly opened. Outside light flooded in. My father held a black umbrella. Standing silently at the door. His pants were soaked. Also very gray. Just saw the blood on my forehead. His eyes immediately felt pain.

"How did you become like this?"

That moment... I almost wanted to rush forward. I want to ask you... Mom's voice... Still echoes in the recording pen. Don't trust anyone you know. I clasped the moisture-proof box in my hand.

"How did you know I was here?"

He was silent for a few seconds.

"Someone called Dad."

"I don't need to know."

I looked down at his wrist. The sleeve is empty. There is no clock. His right hand... Still buried deep in his pocket. I have known since childhood. Dad doesn't like wearing jewelry. But... Suddenly... A very old memory appeared. That year I had a high fever in the middle of the night. Dad carried me to the hospital. When paying hospital fees... He rolled up his sleeves. On the wrist... There is a very light mark. Exactly the same mark... Left by wearing a watch for many years. My voice trembled.

"Three years ago..."

"The day the fire happened..."

"Where is Dad?"

His eyes softened slightly.

"I'm not awake."

"Follow Dad."

"Dad take me home."

"I asked dad..."

"Three years ago..."

"Where is Dad?"

I almost screamed. On the hospital bed... Uncle Ma suddenly took a deep breath. Uncle tried to raise his hand. Pointing straight at my father.

"...don't go..."

"...follow..."

My father looked at Uncle Ma. His eyes were very calm. But... It sent chills down my spine. That wasn't the look at an old acquaintance. It's like... Looking at a problem... That should have disappeared a long time ago.

"You were so seriously injured."

"Stop talking nonsense."

In Uncle Ma's cloudy eyes... Fear was clearly visible. At that moment... Han Lap Thanh took a step forward.

"Nguyen Thanh Vien."

"Still dare to appear."

My father looked at him. On his face... There was no surprise at all.

"As expected..."

"He's still alive."

That one sentence... Crushed the last ray of hope in me. Not just knowing. But we've known each other for a long time. My throat trembled.

"Dad knows Han Lap Thanh."

"Know Uncle Ma."

"I also know Thieu Chan Hai..."

"And also the Luong family."

Dad sighed softly.

"Adult stories..."

"It's very complicated."

"That year..."

"Your mother is too stubborn."

"She insisted on pulling them all into the water."

I took a step back.

"So..."

"Dad betrayed mom?"

He frowned.

"Dad is saving me."

"Your mother took you to such a dangerous place."

"If it weren't for dad..."

"I died in the fire that year."

My tears... I can't hold back anymore.

"Savior child in the video..."

"The person who carried the child out of the fire..."

"It's Uncle Ma."

"And dad..."

"What did Dad do?"

No reply. At that moment... The voice of the man surnamed Luong rang out from the screen again. It was like from beginning to end... He was just watching a play.

"Mr. Nguyen."

"The scene of father and son reuniting..."

"Touched?"

My father's face immediately darkened.

"Shut up."

The man surnamed Luong laughed.

"You let Thieu Chan Hai take charge for three years."

"Make me clean up all traces for you."

"Now..."

"And I still want to get the things Wen Kieu left behind."

"What qualifications do you have..."

"Which orders me?"

I suddenly turned towards the screen. The man with the surname Luong... is not the last one standing. Like Thieu Chan Hai. Just a chess piece... Used to be taken advantage of by my father. Finally... Dad's face completely turned cold. He looked at me.

"Give the box to dad."

"Just give it to dad."

"Everything today..."

"All three can handle it."

"Shao Chan Hai will plead guilty."

"The Luong family..."

"Will also accept."

"I will still be your daughter."

I looked at the man in front of me. Suddenly feeling... Strange and scary.

"...Where's your mother?"

"Finally..."

"Where is mom?"

The corner of Dad's eye twitched slightly.

"Not anymore."

"No more..."

"How?"

He avoided my eyes.

"...Accident."

I laughed. Tears... Don't stop falling again.

"You guys..."

"Everyone likes to use the word 'accident'."

"The fire..."

"It was an accident."

"The car accident..."

"It was also an accident."

"My mother..."

"It's even more of an accident."

"Now..."

"Even Uncle Ma..."

"It almost turned into an accident."

The last patience... In my father's eyes... It seems to have run out. He slowly raised his hand. Immediately... Outside the door appeared two strange men. Both were wearing warehouse worker uniforms. In his hands... Holding black batons. The commander immediately drew his weapon. Loud warning. But... My father still did not back down. He just looked at me.

"Don't force me, Dad."

Manh Ky An immediately blocked in front of me.

"Mr. Nguyen."

"If you take one more step..."

"There will be no way to save today."

Dad looked at Manh Ky An. Laugh softly.

"Exactly like my senior."

"I don't understand at all..."

"Survive..."

"How hard can it be?"

Manh Ky An's face immediately changed.

"My senior's car accident..."

"Also arranged by you?"

No reply. That silence... Was the clearest answer. At that moment... The man named Luong in the screen suddenly burst out laughing softly.

"I give you one more gift."

The image on the surveillance screen... Suddenly switched. Outside the warehouse. There were several cars coming at a very fast speed. In the backseat of a car... It's Thieu Chan Hai. He must be under surveillance. But now... Appeared right in front of the warehouse again. The voice of the man surnamed Luong... Suddenly became crazy.

"Nguyen Thanh Vien."

"He wants to swallow all his old debts alone."

"I won't let you get what you want."

"Ten more minutes..."

"All data backed up in the warehouse..."

"Will upload automatically."

"Unless..."

"Your own hand..."

"Destroy the memory card..."

"In your daughter's arms."

This is the first time... My father's face really changed. He immediately rushed straight towards me. I hugged tightly moisture-proof box. Move backwards. However... The toe of my foot got caught on an electric wire lying on the ground. The whole person lost balance. Hit the iron cabinet behind hard. The moisture-proof box... Fell out of my hand. The lid of the box popped open. The memory card... Slides straight under Uncle Ma's hospital bed. The next second... And Manh Ky An... Rushed forward at the same time.