Chapter 21 — The Summer Contract of Western Beauty and Beasts

One month after Nha Khanh returned from Saigon, the investigation agency officially completed the case file, fully identifying the fraudulent appropriation of property by Lam Viet Cuong in collusion with Trinh Khac Sang. All the evidence, from the recordings and text messages exchanging details of the plan, to the testimony of the former employee who worked for Viet Cuong, along with the testimony of the two defendants blaming each other during the confrontation, has created a chain of solid, irrefutable evidence.

In the morning, receiving the official notice from lawyer Khai, Nha Khanh was in the garden with Tue An taking care of the small flower bed. She read and re-read the message many times to make sure she was not mistaken - the court decided to invalidate all the share transfer documents and loan papers that she had been tricked into signing previously, and at the same time prosecuted both Lam Viet Cuong and Trinh Khac Sang for fraud and property appropriation. The official trial will take place in the next few days.

"It's done," she whispered, tears falling silently, but this time they were tears of true liberation. All the unjust debt that has weighed heavily on her shoulders for more than a year, along with the constant fear of threats, is finally about to officially end.

Bach Son, hearing the news from afar, rushed over, hugged her, and spun around with an excitement rarely seen in this normally calm man. "It's really over! You don't have to worry anymore!"

Tue An, seeing her father and Nha Khanh hugging each other happily, also ran over, hugging both of their legs, giggling even though she didn't fully understand what was going on, she could only feel the happy atmosphere spreading throughout her family's small space.

A few days later, the official trial took place at a court headquarters in Saigon. Nha Khanh, her father and Bich Tram were present as victims, while Bach Son stayed at the farm to take care of Tue An because the trial to decide his custody rights was also about to take place nearby. The courtroom was packed with people, mostly people who had business transactions with Tin Phat pawn shop, curious to see with their own eyes the day the person who had made so many miserable families pay the price.

The representative of the Procuracy presented the indictment in a steady but sharp voice, listing every milestone, every transaction, every conversation that had been collected - from the fateful document signing at the notary office, to the establishment of the front company Kim Phat Dau Investment, to the times they sent people to hunt down and threaten Nha Khanh at Doi Suong farm and in the middle of the market. The entire courtroom was silent when the recording of Viet Cuong's own voice — "She signed so well, now just waiting for the right day" — was played back publicly through the speakers.

When it was the lawyer's turn to defend the two defendants, the atmosphere became much more tense. Viet Cuong's lawyer argued that his client only played a secondary role, being actively enticed and manipulated by Trinh Khac Sang - with his long experience in loan sharking. As soon as he finished speaking, Trinh Khac Sang's lawyer stood up and objected harshly, affirming that it was Viet Cuong who proactively proposed the plan, taking advantage of the marital relationship to approach and deceive the victim, his client simply performing loan operations as requested. The two lawyers argued fiercely back and forth right in the middle of the trial, each side trying to push the heavier blame onto the other side, causing the chairperson to knock on the gavel to remind them to keep order many times.

Sitting in the victim's row, Nha Khanh looked at the scene of two people who were once closely linked to each other now turning to bite and tear each other mercilessly. A feeling of both bitterness and relief arose in her heart. When invited by the court to present herself as a victim, she stood up, walked to the dock, and took a deep breath.

"Your Honor," she said, her voice not shaking as much as she had feared, "I trusted this man absolutely, to the point of signing a stack of papers that would determine my entire future without reading a single line, just because of the words 'you trust me, right'. I had to run away in the night, lived for nearly a year in fear of being chased, had to hide my true identity even from the people I loved the most. Today, I don't stand here to Please have mercy, but to make it clear, what these two people did was not just a wrong financial transaction, but a calculated plot, aimed directly at the trust of a person who just lost his mother at a young age and always considered family the most precious thing. I hope the court will judge the right person, the right person, so that no one else has to go through what my family and I have gone through."

That brief but sharp statement made the entire courtroom silent for a moment. Mr. Duong Khai Phong sat below, looking at his daughter with red eyes, unable to hide his pride and sadness. Lam Viet Cuong lowered his head, not daring to look directly at her, while Trinh Khac Sang only curled his lips in a forced smile, trying to maintain a careless look even though his hand on the table was clenched until it turned white.

After the deliberation, the chairperson read the verdict in a solemn and decisive tone: Lam Viet Cuong was sentenced to nine years in prison for fraudulent appropriation of property, Trinh Khac Sang was sentenced to eleven years in prison for fraudulent appropriation of property and rape of property, and forced both to jointly reimburse the entire value of the property appropriated to the victim's family. The two no longer looked as confident and arrogant as before, bowing their heads to listen to the court's verdict with a severe penalty commensurate with their organized, sophisticated crime that caused serious consequences.

After the trial, standing in front of the court gate, Nha Khanh did not scream or laugh like she had imagined during the long nights of running away in fear. She just stood still, took a deep breath, letting the Saigon sunshine flood into her chest to replace the burden that had just fallen - as if she could finally completely close a sad chapter of her life, with her own testimony and bravery in court, to start a new, brighter chapter.

"You did it," Mr. Duong Khai Phong said, his voice full of pride, hugging his daughter's shoulders. "I've never seen you so strong and brave. I'm very proud of you."

"I was able to do that thanks to everyone around me," Nha Khanh replied, smiling at her father, at Bich Tram standing next to her, and at the people who had silently helped her throughout her arduous journey.

As for Duong Phat company, with the transfer documents declared invalid and the appropriated shares returned to the family, although the company still faces many difficulties to fully recover, at least the burden of unjust debt has been removed, opening up opportunities for Mr. Khai Phong to gradually restructure and revive the family's career in a more sustainable and transparent direction.

Calling Bach Son to report the news right after leaving the court, Nha Khanh heard his warm, happy voice ringing through the phone. "I'm happy for you, happy for your whole family. You ended this with your own hands, no one can deny that. Let's go home now, everyone here is waiting for you."

Those two words "coming home", simple but filled with love, made Nha Khanh's heart unusually warm. She realized that even though Saigon was the place where she was born and raised, even though there was still her father here and indelible memories, "home" now, in her heart, had a different meaning - it was the remote Doi Suong farm on the plateau, where the man she loved and her little daughter were waiting for her to return every day.

The bus taking Nha Khanh out of Saigon this time was completely different from the fateful bus trip more than a year ago. There is no more panic, no fear, no more tears of despair, but only joy and excitement to return to the true home of my life, where all dangers have finally receded behind, making way for a bright future that is wide open ahead.

Before getting in the car, Mr. Duong Khai Phong held his daughter's hand tightly, his eyes both nostalgic and reassuring. "I will arrange things here smoothly and come visit you soon. Please take care of your health and take good care of your husband and my adopted grandson."

"I will wait for dad to come up," Nha Khanh hugged her father one last time before getting in the car, squeezing his hand one more time before letting go - a rare feeling of completeness was spreading throughout her body: she had found her father again, found honor and justice for her family with her own testimony, and had also built a new loving home. That was something that just over a year ago, amid the panic of the night of her escape, she never dared to dream of.

On the bus, Bich Tram sat next to her and saw her off to the station, constantly giving her many instructions, from keeping in touch more often, to definitely inviting her to the official wedding if the two of them decided to hold a proper wedding again in the future. Nha Khanh laughed at her best friend's enthusiasm, promising not to keep her waiting long.

During the long journey back to the plateau, Nha Khanh sat with her head against the glass window, watching the landscape gradually change from high-rise buildings of the city to rolling hills and familiar green tea gardens. She remembered the reverse journey of more than a year ago — this same road, these same winding turns, but then her heart was filled with only fear and despair, but now, every turn that brought her closer to Frost Hill Farm made her heart swell with an indescribable happiness.

When the car stopped at the familiar town bus station, Nha Khanh immediately saw the tall figure of Bach Son waiting with little Tue An next to the old pickup truck. Seeing her get out of the car, Tue An immediately let go of her father's hand, ran towards her faster than ever before, hugged her legs, looked up at her and smiled widely, her eyes shining with joy that she rarely showed so clearly.

"An misses you very much, doesn't he?" Nha Khanh knelt down, hugged the baby tightly, tears of happiness rolled down continuously.

"For a few days when I left, she kept standing outside the gate waiting, every night hugging my old coat before she could sleep," Bach Son said, his voice was equally choked, he walked over and hugged them both in the middle of the crowded bus station, no longer afraid or shy like the first days they met.

That evening, the whole Doi Suong farm held a small festival. Uncle Sau Lanh cooked a sumptuous meal to celebrate Nha Khanh's safe return, to celebrate justice finally being served. He also invited a few close neighbors in the village to join in the fun. The atmosphere was filled with laughter and congratulations echoing throughout the farm yard, which normally only had the sound of wind and insects.

"So from now on, I won't have to worry about being watched or harassed by strangers," Uncle Sau Lanh laughed, pouring another cup of tea for everyone. "I'm so happy for you two, you've finally passed the most difficult part of the journey. And I heard that you even stood in front of the court and gave a speech to convince them, it's true that my daughter-in-law is not suitable."

"Thank you, thank you everyone for always being by our side and helping us all the time," Nha Khanh said, her voice emotional, bowing her head to thank each and every one of them, the simple, kind people who had silently protected her since the first day she set foot in this strange land.

Sitting around a simple but cozy tray of rice, looking at the loving faces surrounding her, Nha Khanh knew that this was where she belonged, the true family she had found after all the troubles she had gone through. There are no more lavish parties and calculated relationships like her old life in Saigon, only sincere, simple but lasting love remains, enough for her to feel secure for the rest of her life ahead.

After the meal, when the guests had left, Bach Son and Nha Khanh led each other out to the porch to enjoy the night breeze, leaving Uncle Sau to clean up and lull Tue An to sleep. The sky of the highlands tonight was clear and full of stars, as if reflecting the relieved and peaceful mood of both of them after a long and arduous journey that had just ended. Bach Son gently wrapped his arms around her shoulders, pulling her against his chest. They both silently looked at the stars, no need to say another word, because all emotions were now complete in that warm silence.