Chapter 12 — You use Filial piety to tie me down, I use divorce to end it

Then it crumbled. Chu Minh Khai's pupils constricted violently. Chu Minh Le trembled and pointed at my face, her lips moved but she couldn't utter a word.

“Where is Ms. Truong?!”

Chu Minh Khai's voice was hoarse, filled with disbelief. I calmly replied.

“I gave her twenty thousand yuan, let her go to a place that you can't find in your whole life, and start a new life.”

Chu Minh Khai's face immediately turned red and purple like pig liver. He suddenly rushed towards me, wanting to snatch the phone from my hand. I was already on guard and immediately took a step back to avoid him.

“Chu Minh Khai, don't waste your time.”

I gently shook the phone in my hand.

“I have backed up countless copies of this recording.”

“Send it to my lawyer, my friends, even set an automatic email timer.”

“If something happens to me…”

“Tomorrow morning, the entire media will receive this 'surprise gift'.”

Chu Minh Khai's movements stiffened in midair. His eyes turned from anger to panic, and in the end only ashes of despair remained.

“What do you really want?”

He finally removed the last layer of his disguise, his voice trembling.

“What do I want?”

I laughed, but the laughter was cold to the bone.

“Chu Minh Khai, I should have asked you this question.”

“What do you want to force me into?”

I gradually pressed closer to him, my eyes sharp as knives.

“You want me to hand over this recording to the police and accuse you two brothers of instigating, falsifying evidence and slandering?”

“Or do you want me to send it to the disciplinary committee where you work, so they can listen…”

“How did a department-level officer plan to harm his wife and take advantage of his own bedridden mother?”

“I'll post it all online so everyone can see clearly the disgusting face of your Chu family?”

With every sentence I said, Chu Minh Khai's face became a little whiter. Chu Minh Le was so scared that he sat down on the ground and could only mutter:

“No… don't…”

“Now I give you two options.”

I stopped in front of Chu Minh Khai, looking at his face distorted by fear.

“First, let's go to the police station and explain everything.”

I paused for a moment, emphasizing each word.

“Tomorrow morning at nine o'clock, meet at the Civil Affairs Department.”

“You left empty-handed.”

“House, car, savings... all belong to me.”

“We…”

“Cut it off completely.”

“I'm dreaming!”

Chu Minh Khai was like a cat whose tail was stepped on, immediately screaming.

"That house was bought by me before marriage! On what basis would I give it to you?"

“Based on this.”

I raised my phone and shook it gently in front of his eyes.

“Relying on this could make you lose your reputation.”

“Even…”

“Chu Minh Khai, you are a smart person.”

“Money or future, which is more important…”

“I think you understand better than I do.”

“I'll just give you one night to think.”

“Tomorrow morning at nine o'clock, if you don't show up…”

“Or dare to play tricks…”

I leaned close to his ear, using a volume that only the two of us could hear, and softly said:

“I will make you…”

“Just like your mother.”

“Stay in this hospital for the rest of your life.”

Having finished speaking, I didn't look at him anymore, turned around and left with steady steps. Behind him, Chu Minh Le's desperate cry rang out. Along with Chu Minh Khai's heavy breathing. I won. This fight, from the moment he decided to take advantage of his mother… He lost miserable for a long time. The next morning, eight fifty. I appeared on time at the door of the Civil Affairs Department. The sunlight is very beautiful. Falling down on you, bringing gentle warmth. I took a deep breath. Even the air seemed to carry the scent of freedom. At exactly nine o'clock, a familiar black car stopped on the side of the road. The car door opened and Chu Minh Khai got out. Just overnight… It was like he had aged ten years. Hair is messy. Deep sunken eye sockets. Chin full of jagged green beard. He was still wearing yesterday's clothes, wrinkled as if he had just picked them up from a pile of trash. In his hand, he held a bag of documents and walked towards me with heavy steps. There are no unnecessary words between us. He gave me the file bag. Inside were real estate certificates, vehicle registration papers and a few bank cards. The password is written on a small piece of paper. I didn't even bother looking, I just stuffed it all into my bag. Enter the hall. Fill out paperwork. Throughout the whole process, we were like two strangers.