Chapter 22 — Unclosed Profile

The large courtroom of the City People's Court was filled with attendees on the opening morning of the trial, including press reporters who had closely followed this shocking case for many months. Thao Vy sat in the witness row, her heart beating fast when she saw Ms. Cao Thi Yen, Pham Anh Tuan, Mr. Luong Duc Thinh, Hoang Anh Kiet and his accomplices being led into the courtroom in detention clothes, their appearance completely different from the authority and confidence that some of them had shown.

The presiding judge, an elderly judge with a stern demeanor, announced the opening of the trial, clearly reading out the charges against each defendant — from corruption, giving and receiving bribes, to murder, criminal organization, and intimidation of witnesses.

"This is a particularly serious case, lasting for twelve years, causing severe consequences for many families," the judge said, his voice solemn, his eyes scanning the entire row of defendants. "The court will consider all evidence and testimony in the most fair and objective manner."

Prosecutor Mai presented a detailed indictment, leading the court through the entire development of the case — from the first murder twelve years ago, the death of investigator Dang Van Hung, to the recent string of murders and the long-running corruption conspiracy involving Mr. Luong Duc Thinh.

When it was Ms. Cao Thi Yen's defense lawyer's turn to speak, he tried to argue that Ms. Yen only played an indirect role, did not directly order the murder, and that Pham Anh Tuan's actions were arbitrary and beyond the scope of her direction.

"My client just made a mistake in managing corporate finances, and had no intention of causing any death," the defense lawyer said, his voice trying to downplay the severity of the crime.

Prosecutor Mai stood up to immediately object, showing the recording of the call between Ms. Yen and Pham Anh Tuan that the police collected during the investigation. "This recording clearly shows that Ms. Cao Thi Yen was fully aware of the serious consequences of the actions she directed, even though she did not directly act."

Ms. Yen sat in the defendant's position, her face was pale, lacking any of the authority that Thao Vy had seen before. When asked by the court if she had any opinion, she just quietly shook her head, her eyes avoiding all attention around her.

In the afternoon, it was Pham Anh Tuan's turn to be called in for direct questioning. He honestly declared everything he had done, without denying or trying to reduce his responsibility, just as he had promised Thao Vy before.

"I accept whatever punishment the law gives me," he said, his voice filled with sincere remorse. "I just hope that the families of the victims can somehow find comfort in knowing that the truth has been completely revealed."

Hearing those words, Thao Vy felt a surge of complex emotions — not complete forgiveness, but a certain understanding of the sincere repentance of the man who had been pushed into a path of sin with no way out by his own blind loyalty.

On the second day of the trial, Mr. Do Quang Hai was called to testify. Although his voice still trembled slightly because of nervousness, he presented clearly and in detail everything I know about the threat twelve years ago, about the meeting between Ms. Yen and Mr. Thinh that he accidentally witnessed.

"I have been silent for twelve years out of fear," he told the court, his voice choking. "But now, I realize, that silence only makes the guilty continue to commit more crimes. I hope my testimony can contribute to bringing deserved justice."

Next, Mr. Sau was also called up, recounting the details of the meeting at Hoang Long restaurant twelve years ago, along with the threatening break-in he had recently experienced. Mr. Thinh's defense lawyer tried to question the reliability of his memory after all these years, but Mr. Sau still maintained his stance, answered clearly, and did not flinch.

"I'm old, but my memory is still clear," he answered frankly in response to harsh questioning. "And what I witnessed, I will never forget, no matter how many years have passed."

The judge, after listening to the entire testimony of both witnesses, took careful notes, occasionally asking a few clarifying questions to ensure the objectivity and completeness of the information presented to the court. The atmosphere in the courtroom became more tense as the defense attorney continuously tried to find loopholes in the testimony, but both Mr. Sau and Mr. Hai admirably maintained their stance.

The auditorium, packed with spectators, could not hide their emotions at the sincere and responsible testimonies of the two elderly witnesses. A few reporters hastily took notes, preparing for articles that will be published tonight, bringing the entire developments of this shocking trial to the masses who are watching every day through the media.

At the end of the second working day, Thao Vy felt a certain relief when she saw that all the witnesses showed steadfastness and steadfastness in the face of the questioning efforts of the defense lawyers. She met Bao Nam outside the courtroom, and the two briefly discussed the proceedings of the trial.

"Everything is going exactly as we expected," Bao Nam said, his voice somewhat relieved, his eyes full of trust for her. "Tomorrow it will be Mr. Thinh and Hoang Anh Kiet's turn to be directly questioned, and yours too."

"I'm ready," Thao Vy replied, her voice steady even though she was still a little nervous before her most important testimony tomorrow.

On the way home, Bao Nam suggested stopping by to visit Thao Vy's father's grave before dark, a way for her to find the peace she needed before the important day ahead. The cemetery is quiet, the sunset dyes the space golden, creating a quiet but warm scene.

Thao Vy stood in front of her father's grave, placed a bouquet of her favorite white chrysanthemums on the grave, her eyes looked up at the stone stele engraved with his name. "Dad," she whispered, "tomorrow, I will stand in court and tell your whole story. This, I hope, will be the final step in bringing the truth fully to light."

Bao Nam stood quietly behind, allowing her to have private space with her father. After a moment, he moved closer and placed his hand on her shoulder. "Uncle Hung is definitely proud of you, right now," he said, his voice sincere, his eyes gently looking at her in the sunset. gradually fade.

"I believe so too," Thao Vy replied, turning to smile at him, her eyes shining with rare peace amid the recent stressful days. "Thank you for bringing me here. I feel much more confident now," she added, squeezing his hand gratefully.

The two of them stood quietly together for a while longer before leaving the cemetery as night began to fall, bringing with them a complete mental preparation for a challenging but also extremely meaningful tomorrow.

That evening, Thao Vy called her mother to update the court situation. “Everything is going well, Mom,” she said, her voice reassuring. "Tomorrow it's my turn to testify. I'm a little nervous but I'm thoroughly prepared."

"I believe you will do well," Mrs. Hoa replied, her voice full of encouragement. "I wish I could go to court with you, but the prosecutor said it would be best for me to avoid appearing so as not to affect the objectivity of the trial."

"I understand, mom," Thao Vy replied. "But I know, even if I'm not physically present, mom is always by my side in my heart."

The conversation with her mother helped Thao Vy feel more stable before going to bed. She lay down on the bed, reviewing one last time what she would present to the court tomorrow, trying to rearrange her thoughts so that they were both professionally complete and emotionally sincere, to be able to convey her father's story to the jury as completely as possible.

She opened the small wooden box, took out an old family photo, and placed it on the desk right in front of her, as a source of spiritual motivation for tomorrow. "Daddy," she whispered one last time before turning off the light, "I will not disappoint you." Sleep came slowly but peacefully, bringing with it dreams of a future where justice was finally fully served, ending twelve long years of waiting.