Chapter 10 — Three Thousand Yuan Every Month, In Return The Whole Family Is Ruined

The lawyer's cold voice still echoed in my head, each word seemed to freeze every thought.

“…has been placed under criminal detention.”

“…your money… I'm afraid…”

My mind is blank. The phone slipped from my hand, fell to the floor and broke, the screen cracked like a spider web, exactly like the feeling in my heart right now. General Zhao... was arrested? Embezzlement? Illegally raising capital? How could it be... The person I trusted the most, the biggest support in my plan... was the one who pulled me into the abyss. Nearly 1,000,000 yuan. I patiently calculated and collected all the money in exchange for freedom. I was planning on using it to get a divorce, leave, start over. Now, it all disappears in one sentence. A cold ran down my spine, spreading throughout my body. I stepped back, bumping into the prepared suitcase. The suitcase that originally symbolized freedom... has now become a joke. I slid to the floor. It's over. I pushed others into a corner... I didn't expect to be standing at the edge of the cliff myself. They lose money and face. And I... lost everything. There's nothing left. One thing is gone. Vuong Lan outside the living room seemed to notice something unusual. She stopped crying and raised her head to look at me.

“What's wrong with you?”

The voice was hoarse, mixed with a bit of gloating.

“You've been retaliated, right?”

“A cruel woman like you will have to pay the price sooner or later!”

I looked at her. For the first time… I don't feel hate. Just found it funny. Two women. One sat on the ground outside the living room. One slumped in the bedroom. But… I can't fall. I can't let her see me fall apart. I took a deep breath, stood up on my hands and knees. Legs still shaking. But I stood up straight. I picked up the broken phone and called the lawyer again. The bell rang for a long time.

“It's me, Tham Duyet.”

My voice was so calm that even I felt strange.

“I need all the information.”

“My funds have been frozen, right?”

The lawyer was silent for a beat then answered.

"That's right."

"This type of case will last a long time, and the recovery of assets depends on the final verdict."

“But… you should prepare yourself mentally.”

"Your money is a personal transaction, the order for reclaiming it will be very low."

Very low… meaning almost none.

“Okay, I know.”

I hung up. Ask no more. No need anymore. I sat on the bed, looking out the window. It's getting dark. Like my future. It's not completely dark yet. I still have brains. I still have evidence of Chu Minh's affair. I'm still myself. As long as I'm alive, I can do it again. This game… is not over yet. Just move on to a new game. A game... crazier. I opened my wallet and pulled out my salary card. There was exactly 3,000,00 yuan left in there. All my assets right now. I laughed. Laugh until tears. Then wipe clean. Step out. Vuong Lan is still sitting there. Seeing me, she opened her mouth to curse. I don't give it a chance. I threw the card down in front of her. She was stunned.

“What… do you mean?”

“Very simple.”

I looked at her, my eyes cold and calm.

“From now on, this card is still under your control.”

“Every month, it's still 3,000 yuan.”

“But all household expenses… divided in half.”

"You have half. I have half."

“No money?”

I smiled faintly.

“Tell your daughter to send it back.”

“Or sell the gold.”

“Or go out and make money yourself.”

“No matter what… I won't give another penny.”

“Your son's name is the same.”

“If he wants to return, he must bear his share It."

“If not…”

I looked straight at her.

“Then you two get out together.”

Vuong Lan was completely stunned by what I said. She looked at the card lying on the ground in bewilderment and then looked back at me, her eyes filled with confusion as if she couldn't understand what I was trying to do.

“What… what do you want to do?”

I repeated that question, slowly squatting down in front of her, looking straight into those cloudy eyes, my voice so soft it was cold.

“I want you guys… to truly live in hell.”

"Before, you guys just didn't have money to spend, but you still had a house to live in, you still had food I cooked every day, you still had something called peace."

“From now on, all of that… is gone.”

“I paid for this house, so if you want to live, you have to pay the rent, take care of your own food, and I won't serve anyone anymore.”

"Electricity, water and gas bills are divided equally per person. If I lack one penny, I will cut it off, so you can try living like primitive times in this city."

My voice was still gentle, but each word fell like a cold ice needle, piercing straight into Vuong Lan's heart, making her whole body tremble, her face pale.

“You… you are breaking the law!”

She strained every word, trying to keep the last bit of momentum.

“I am your mother-in-law, Chu Minh is your husband, you are obliged to raise me!”

I laughed, a thin and cold laugh.