Chapter 12 — Three Years of Being a Fake Wife, One Day Overturning the Table

Chu Van Bac lay on the stretcher, making hoarse sounds, his body convulsing violently, his eyes staring at me, full of disbelief. Perhaps even to the death he cannot understand why the secret he thought was perfectly hidden... was brought to light by me. Finally, I was called to the witness stand. The defendant's lawyer began the interrogation, which lasted nearly half an hour, trying to portray me as a woman greedy for money. Seeing that Chu Van Bac was in trouble, he immediately turned around.

“Miss Hua, I want to ask a question.”

He looked at me with pressure.

“If Zhou Wenbo hadn't had an accident, if he still gave her 30,000 yuan every month…”

“Will you expose everything?”

“Or will you continue to live like this, peacefully enjoying yourself?”

All eyes were on me. I didn't look at him. Just calmly look straight at the judge, voice not loud but clear.

“Lawyer, you are wrong.”

“The person I once loved was Chu Van Bac.”

“A person I thought was honest, kind, and worth spending a lifetime with.”

“What I care about has never been whether he gives me 30,000 yuan or 3,000 yuan every month.”

“The moment I knew it was all a trick, the man I loved… was dead.”

“I stayed to take care of him for a year after he was paralyzed…”

“It's not because I still love you, and it's not because I'm aiming for compensation.”

“But because I was educated and taught.”

“My conscience does not allow me to stand by and watch a life disappear before my eyes.”

“I saved a human being… not loving a fraudster.”

“My care is the ultimate limit of a human being.”

“And what they did… proves that they no longer have that limit.”

After I finished speaking, the whole courtroom fell into absolute silence. Even the defendant's lawyer stood still, unable to refute. I walked down and returned to my seat. In the audience, my mother quietly wiped away her tears, and my father held his head high, his eyes full of pride. At that moment, I knew clearly. Regardless of the final verdict, in the court of conscience and humanity… I won. Win thoroughly. On the day of sentencing, the weather was surprisingly beautiful, the blue sky seemed to have just been washed, and bright sunlight shone throughout the city. In the courtroom, the atmosphere was solemn and suffocating. When the judge began reading the verdict, I held my breath.

“Defendant Luu Ngoc Mai committed fraud and defamation, combined the punishment, sentenced to eight years in prison.”

"Defendant Chu Van Bac committed the crime of double marriage and fraud. Considering his health condition, he was sentenced to three years in prison, to be executed outside prison."

"Regarding the civil part, defendants Chu Van Bac and Luu Ngoc Mai must repay plaintiff Hua Tinh the amount of damage of 780,000 yuan."

“At the same time, compensation for mental damage of 500,000 yuan.”

“Within thirty days from the effective date of the judgment, a lump sum payment must be made.”

The sound of a hammer hitting. A deep "clack" sound, like the end of three years of my wild youth. After hearing this, Luu Ngoc Mai collapsed, like a puddle of mud, and was dragged away by the police. Chu Van Bac lay still on the stretcher, unresponsive, as if everything had nothing to do with him. Stepping out of court, flash lights surrounded me again. This time, I was able to face it calmly. I didn't say much, just bowed deeply in front of all the cameras.

“Thank you everyone for your concern, justice may be possible come late, but will never be absent.”

“My story… this is the end.”

“I hope everyone will pay more attention to women who are still suffering injustice, but cannot speak up for themselves.”

Having finished speaking, I left with Phuong Tinh and my parents. Just as I was about to get on the bus, a woman dressed neatly in a business suit pushed through the crowd and gave me a business card.

“Miss Hua, hello.”

Her eyes looked at me, not curiously, but... respectfully.

“Hello, I am the editor-in-chief of a publishing house.”

“We think her story… carries great power.”

“It shouldn't just stop at social news.”

“It should be recorded, so it can reach and help more people.”

“We… want to publish a book for you.”

I paused for a moment, received the business card, and a thought flashed through my mind that was so strange that it was unreal. Publishing books... To me at that time, it was like a completely different world, far away and not belonging to me. After returning home, life finally gradually returned to a peaceful trajectory. The compensation of 1,280,000 yuan, with the support of Phuong Tinh, was quickly fully implemented. The first thing I did… was keep my promise. I deducted 300,000 yuan and asked Phuong Tinh to set up a trust fund specifically for the education and medical treatment of Vuong Tu Anh's son, until the boy turned eighteen years old. Phuong Tinh told me on the phone that when she announced this, Vuong Tu Anh on the other end of the phone cried for a long time. In the end... could only say three words.