Chapter 6: Declaring Divorce
Chapter 6: Declaring Divorce
Nhã Phương folded the last blouse and placed it inside the suitcase.
The zipper remained open.
She stood beside the bed and looked around the room.
The room where she had once tried so hard to become a Huỳnh.
She had chosen the curtains.
Bought the small vase on the nightstand.
Arranged the books on the shelf.
Placed a framed photograph of herself and Minh beside the lamp.
She had thought those little things would turn a cold room into a home.
Now they looked like evidence from someone else's life.
Behind her, Minh stood silently.
“Phương.”
She didn't turn.
“Yes?”
“You're really leaving.”
“Yes.”
“Tonight?”
“Yes.”
He swallowed.
“Because of what happened this morning?”
She closed the suitcase.
“No.”
He frowned.
“Then why?”
Nhã Phương finally looked at him.
“Because this morning wasn't the beginning.”
She picked up her handbag.
“It was the last straw.”
The library had been silent after Madam Huỳnh's confession.
It wasn't an accident.
Four words had destroyed twenty years of certainty.
Minh had demanded answers.
His mother had refused to give them.
Nhã Phương had watched the argument unfold and realized something with painful clarity.
She could spend another ten years inside this family trying to uncover every secret.
She could become stronger.
Smarter.
More careful.
She could fight every battle.
But she didn't have to.
She didn't owe the Huỳnh family her life simply because she had married one of their sons.
She owed herself the right to walk away.
So she had returned upstairs.
And she had begun packing.
Minh followed her.
“Where will you go?”
“My parents' house.”
“I'll take you.”
“No.”
“Phương.”
“I said no.”
He stepped in front of the door.
“Please don't leave like this.”
She looked at him.
“Like what?”
“Angry.”
“I am not angry.”
“You slapped Mother.”
“Yes.”
“You're filing for divorce.”
“Yes.”
“And you're telling me you're not angry?”
Nhã Phương nodded.
“I'm tired.”
That answer silenced him.
Downstairs, the shouting began.
Madam Huỳnh had discovered the suitcase.
“You're leaving?”
Nhã Phương continued walking.
“Yes.”
“You think you can walk out of this house whenever you want?”
“Yes.”
“You are a Huỳnh now!”
Nhã Phương stopped.
“No.”
Madam Huỳnh's face twisted.
“What did you say?”
“I was your daughter-in-law.”
She looked at Minh.
“I was your son's wife.”
Then she turned back.
“But I was never your property.”
Madam Huỳnh slammed her hand against the table.
“Ungrateful!”
Nhã Phương remained calm.
“I don't owe you gratitude for being humiliated.”
“You came here with nothing!”
“My parents gave me enough.”
“You think your little family is worth anything compared with the Huỳnh family?”
Nhã Phương smiled faintly.
“Yes.”
Madam Huỳnh stared.
“They taught me that money isn't the same as worth.”
“Don't lecture me!”
“I wasn't.”
Nhã Phương picked up her suitcase.
“I was saying goodbye.”
Madam Huỳnh moved toward her.
“You cannot divorce my son.”
Nhã Phương looked at her.
“I can.”
“You think Minh will agree?”
“He doesn't have to agree with my decision for me to make it.”
“You will destroy his reputation.”
“No.”
She paused.
“Your family destroyed that long before I arrived.”
Minh stepped between them.
“Enough.”
Madam Huỳnh looked at him.
“You're taking her side?”
Minh's voice was quiet.
“Yes.”
The older woman stared at her son as if he had betrayed her.
“After everything I've done for you?”
Minh closed his eyes.
“Mother…”
“I raised you.”
“I know.”
“I protected you.”
“I know.”
“I sacrificed everything.”
“I know.”
“Then how can you choose her?”
Minh looked at Nhã Phương.
Then back at his mother.
“Because she shouldn't have to suffer just because you did.”
Madam Huỳnh went silent.
Nhã Phương walked toward the entrance.
Minh followed.
“Wait.”
She kept walking.
“Phương, please.”
She stopped at the door.
He caught up.
“I'll change.”
She looked at him.
“I believe you.”
“Then stay.”
“I can't.”
“Why?”
“Because I don't want to spend another year waiting to see whether you change.”
His eyes reddened.
“I love you.”
“I know.”
“Then don't do this.”
She looked at him with sadness rather than anger.
“Love isn't enough when a person doesn't feel safe.”
He swallowed.
“I can make you safe.”
“You should have done that before I had to ask.”
He had no answer.
The front doors opened.
Cold morning air swept into the mansion.
Nhã Phương stepped outside.
Then Madam Huỳnh shouted from behind her.
“You'll regret this!”
Nhã Phương stopped.
She turned.
Madam Huỳnh stood in the doorway.
“You think your parents will take you back?”
“They will.”
“You think you can survive without this family?”
“Yes.”
“You'll come crawling back.”
Nhã Phương looked at her for a long moment.
Then said quietly:
“No.”
Madam Huỳnh's face hardened.
“You're nothing without us.”
Nhã Phương smiled.
“Then why are you so afraid of me leaving?”
Silence.
Madam Huỳnh had no answer.
Nhã Phương turned toward the waiting car.
She took one step.
Then heard her mother-in-law scream:
“Minh! Stop her!”
Minh didn't move.
“Minh!”
Still nothing.
“Your wife is abandoning you!”
Minh looked at his mother.
“No.”
His voice was quiet.
“She is leaving me.”
He looked toward Nhã Phương.
“And I finally understand why.”
Nhã Phương placed her suitcase inside the car.
Before getting in, she turned around.
Minh was still standing beneath the doorway.
She could see the pain on his face.
For a second, she almost broke.
Almost.
Then she remembered every morning she had awakened wondering what new humiliation awaited her.
Every time Minh had told her to endure.
Every time he had chosen silence.
She couldn't go back.
Not yet.
Perhaps not ever.
She got into the car.
Minh walked toward her.
“Please.”
She lowered the window.
He stood there, breath visible in the cold air.
“I'll sign whatever you need.”
Nhã Phương nodded.
“Thank you.”
“You're really going to divorce me.”
“Yes.”
He looked down.
“Do you hate me?”
“No.”
“Then what do you feel?”
She thought for a moment.
“Nothing.”
That hurt him more than anger would have.
She raised the window.
The car began moving.
Minh stood in the driveway until she disappeared.
But Nhã Phương hadn't gone far.
Halfway to her parents' home, she received a call.
She answered.
“Hello?”
A man's voice came through.
“You're leaving the Huỳnh family?”
She frowned.
“Who is this?”
“You don't know me.”
“Then why are you calling?”
“Because I know what happened to Mr. Huỳnh.”
Her hands tightened around the phone.
“Who are you?”
“The man at the gate.”
She looked out the window.
“Where are you?”
“I followed you.”
Her heart stopped.
“Why?”
“Because you are the first person in twenty years who has been brave enough to ask the right questions.”
She remained silent.
Then he said:
“Don't go home yet.”
“Why?”
“Because someone is waiting for you there.”
Her blood ran cold.
“Who?”
The line went dead.
Nhã Phương immediately told the driver to stop.
She sat motionless.
The divorce could wait.
Her parents couldn't.
She called her mother.
No answer.
She called again.
Still nothing.
Then her father.
Nothing.
A third call.
No response.
She looked at the driver.
“Turn around.”
“To the Huỳnh estate?”
“No.”
Her voice hardened.
“To my parents' house.”
The car accelerated.
Back at the Huỳnh estate, Madam Huỳnh stood beside the window.
Minh entered the library.
“You knew she would leave.”
His mother didn't turn.
“Yes.”
“You pushed her away.”
“She was never going to stay.”
“You're wrong.”
Madam Huỳnh looked at him.
“She would have stayed if you had chosen your family.”
Minh's face hardened.
“No.”
“She was weak.”
“No.”
“She was ambitious.”
“No.”
“She wanted our money.”
“No.”
Madam Huỳnh stared at him.
“Then why did she leave?”
Minh's answer came quietly.
“Because she finally realized she didn't need us.”
His mother looked away.
Then whispered:
“She'll learn.”
“What?”
“She'll learn that leaving this family is not so easy.”
Minh stared at her.
“What did you do?”
Madam Huỳnh didn't answer.
He stepped closer.
“Mother.”
Still nothing.
“Where is the man who came to the gate?”
She slowly turned.
“He left.”
“Why?”
“He gave me a message.”
“What message?”
Madam Huỳnh's face became pale.
“He said…”
She stopped.
“What?”
“He said the truth about your father's death would be revealed tonight.”
Minh's heart sank.
“By whom?”
His mother looked toward the empty driveway.
“By the person who ordered it.”
At that same moment, Nhã Phương's phone rang again.
Unknown number.
She answered.
A woman's voice whispered:
“Mrs. Huỳnh.”
“Who is this?”
“I know you're divorcing Minh.”
Nhã Phương's expression hardened.
“Yes.”
“Good.”
“Why?”
“Because if you remain married to him, they can use you.”
“Who?”
The woman hesitated.
“The Huỳnh family.”
Nhã Phương stared ahead.
“What do you want?”
“To warn you.”
“About what?”
The woman's voice trembled.
“Your husband isn't the man you think he is.”
Nhã Phương frowned.
“What are you talking about?”
“I don't have much time.”
“Tell me.”
“The accident…”
A pause.
“Your father-in-law didn't die because of the crash.”
“I know.”
“No.”
The woman whispered:
“You don't.”
“Then tell me.”
“He survived.”
Nhã Phương's breath stopped.
“What?”
“He survived the accident.”
“That's impossible.”
“He was alive when they took him from the car.”
“Who?”
“Your mother-in-law.”
Nhã Phương's blood ran cold.
“Why?”
The woman began crying.
“Because your father-in-law knew who she really was.”
The call ended.
Nhã Phương sat frozen.
She looked at the road ahead.
The divorce.
The photograph.
The mysterious man.
Madam Huỳnh's fear.
Her father-in-law's supposed accident.
Everything was suddenly connected.
She whispered to herself:
“What did I marry into?”
Then her phone rang again.
This time, it was Minh.
She almost ignored it.
But she answered.
“Minh?”
His voice was breathless.
“Phương, don't go home.”
Her heart dropped.
“Why?”
“I just found out something.”
“What?”
“My mother…”
He struggled to speak.
“She has people watching your parents' house.”
Nhã Phương went completely still.
“Why?”
“I don't know.”
“Minh.”
“I need you to listen to me.”
“What?”
His voice lowered.
“Come back.”
“No.”
“Please.”
“Why?”
“Because the man at the gate wasn't lying.”
Nhã Phương closed her eyes.
“About what?”
Minh whispered:
“My father may still be alive.”
Silence filled the car.
Then Nhã Phương looked out at the road.
She thought of the woman who had told her the same thing.
She thought of Madam Huỳnh's fear.
And suddenly she understood why her mother-in-law had been so desperate to control her.
Nhã Phương hadn't simply married into a powerful family.
She had accidentally walked into a twenty-year-old crime.
And now that she was leaving, someone was terrified of what she might discover next.
She looked at the driver.
“Turn around.”
The driver nodded.
“Back to the Huỳnh estate?”
Nhã Phương looked at her wedding ring.
Then slowly removed it.
“No.”
She placed it in her palm.
“Take me somewhere else.”
“Where?”
Nhã Phương looked toward the city.
“To the man who knows the truth.”
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And for the first time since entering the Huỳnh family, she wasn't running away.
She was going after the truth.
