Parking in front of the house, he did not ring the door bell but unlocked by himself and drove into the yard. His aimless footsteps brought him to the kitchen. Just as he predicted, she was preparing dinner. Seeing him, she was extremely surprised, "Why are you here? Is Thanh busy again?

"No. We just had an argument.” His voice was boring.

“Oh, is it something serious?” Lam is worried.

"Nothing." He shook his head, not wanting to talk about it.

She also didn't want to interfere deeply in his and Thanh's affairs, so she didn't ask anymore. But he looked sad, she couldn't help but comfort him. “Actually, there are times when you two are not happy, but each of you should try to put up with one another, then it will be okay. You’re older than Thanh, so you’re more forgiving towards her."

“I don't know either. But she's been suspicious lately." He really wants to say he’s very discouraged.

“Suspicious of you and me?”

“Oh how did you know?” He was surprised.

“Because I'm also a woman. We are very sensitive. You’ve been coming back here a lot lately, making Thanh sad. I think you should spend more time with her.”

The matter is not simple, he has realized that Thanh has not been reasonable lately. Just a little bit of disagreement will cause her to scream loudly, what else can he discuss? He shook his head in frustration, "I said it would only take a few more months, but she still makes a great fuss."

“I think you are unfair to Thanh. She's been waiting for you for many years, you should give her a title. Maybe I'll talk to our daughter.” She gave her opinion.

"Impossible!" He objected emphatically, "Wait for a few more months."

“You should be with Thanh more then. Don't come back here anymore. We can lie to our our daughter that you’re at the hospital or whenever you're free, you can call her personally."

She was trying to come up with the best solution for everyone, but he seemed to ignore, his attitude showed no signs of cooperation. “I know, I will arrange it.”

"Or I'll move out so Thanh won't be suspicious anymore." She gave her opinion again.

“You said nonsense.” He was annoyed, "Why do you have to move out? I told you, just keep everything the same. I will talk to Thanh again.”

She was afraid of getting him into trouble, but he didn't consider this important, then it was up to him. She held her tongue, ending the story. He also quickly changed the subject, "What are you preparing for dinner?"

“Sour shrimp soup with pork ribs dried with fish sauce. Do you want to eat some?”

She invited perfunctorily, but this man took it seriously. His face relaxed, he stepped closer, the corners of his lips curled up. "If you don't mind."

He said and sat down. Even if she was bothered, she couldn't bear to refuse him. The two of them sat there eating together like an old couple, harmonizing and respecting each other. He really likes this atmosphere. Maybe he's old, afraid of tenseness, just likes peace instead of arguing with someone every day.

For her, she’s just thinking that in a few more months, she'll tell the truth to the daughter and force him to sign the divorce papers. Now try to maintain the fake couple for a while. But she thought too early, Thanh never let herself suffer. Thanh gave her a surprise a few days later.

***

After finishing the fifth class period, she was preparing to ride to home when Thanh called. That made her extremely surprised. She was not careful with her words at all, just straightly asked her for meeting. She could only passively come to the place where Thanh had mentioned. Is there any other wife like her? Even if she's a nominal wife, she can't let her husband's mistress be such confident. She shook her head as if secretly frustrated with herself.

Sitting opposite Thanh in a coffee shop, she was curious about what Thanh wanted. The two of them have nothing to discuss with each other. Because of her passive nature, she waited for Thanh to speak first. It really didn't take long for Thanh to start, "Your little Van has been in America for more than a month right?"

“Yes!”

“Has she settled down yet?”

“Almost okay.”

“So why haven't you divorced Quan yet? How much longer do you want to last? Are you deliberately making excuses to delay the divorce?” Her voice was loud, as if Lam were the one at fault in this matter.

Thanh's behavior is a bit funny. She made Lam feel like she was Quan's the wedded lawful wife, and she was just interrupting their happiness. She was too lazy to argue, just calmly looked at Thanh, “How does Thanh know I was making excuses? It's not that I don't want to sign the divorce papers."

“Then why haven't you two filed the divorce petition in the court yet? Don't tell me it's because Quan doesn't want to." Thanh’s voice is grating.

Lam is too gentle. Thanh should have understood that she had no right to sit here and question her. She can use the wife’s right to protest against Thanh saying such outrageous wordings. But the type of person who is not used to being harsh, even if she is unhappy with people's attitudes, she still gently objects, “I'm not saying Quan doesn't want to divorce. We agreed to wait a few more months, when our Van was better, we would file the petition in the court.”

“A few more months? Before it’s a few years, now it’s a few months. I really don't understand. I just feel like you’re deliberately holding back. Do you think you can delay the divorce successfully? Do you think Quan will return? Even if he wanted to, he wouldn't be at peace with me.” Thanh growled loudly.

Thanh's extreme behaviour makes her unable to be gentle anymore. She also said seriously, "Whom do you think you are to question me? If you show this attitude to talk, then sorry, I don't want to continue. You’d better wait until we divorced, then use such wordings to tell me. Now, I have no obligation to answer."

“Do you also know how to be sour? I thought you were very gentle.” Thanh ironized.

“My behaviour depends on the opposite person. You are younger but lacks of respect to older people, don't expect them to be nice to you in return."

She won't allow herself to be weak anymore. Before, she didn't want to make noises, but the more she is gentle, the more the lady is despising her. Thanh's attitude was extremely unkind. "You're fiercer than I thought."

Thanh looked at her and continued to talk unreasonably, "To be frank, you just used an excuse to delay signing the divorce papers. Do you want to borrow your daughter to hold Quan? If you don't agree to divorce, I will make trouble to you. I will send a complaint letter to your school."

Thanh is too angry to see herself graceless. She has no right to raise her voice to Lam. If that were someone else, Thanh could have been assaulted for destroying her family’s happiness. Thanh didn't even realize her absurdity, and she still kept threatening Lam.

Truly, Lam has never met the person who is as vulgar and unreasoning as this lady. In her pedagogical environment, she has never encountered such aggressive, insolent, and abusive people. She wondered Thanh was also educated, but why did she behave such badly? In a hospital environment, does she follow the same way?

Or is it that she is not inherently the aggressive type, and just misunderstood that she refused to divorce, therefore she overreacted like that? Otherwise, how could Quan have a relationship with such a shrewish woman? Could it be that his taste has changed drastically?

“Thanh just does what Thanh thinks is right. Now sorry I can't continue this conversation." Lam has no longer patience.

“Don’t you want to face this? Do you want to be thick-skinned to stay at that house? That house belongs to Quan, don't you feel embarrassed if you keep staying there?" Thanh exclaimed.

“Thanh turns out to want me to move out of the house. Is that all? To put it bluntly, Thanh is afraid that I fight over the house with Quan, will lose Thanh's part."

"I do not mean that." Seemingly realizing that she had said something wrong, Thanh reacted quickly, but Lam didn't bother to care what was really on her mind.

She stood up and looked straight at Thanh, affirming every word, "You don't have to worry. I never take what is not mine. My nature doesn't like to win things that I don't put effort into.”

“I expect you can do what you said. Hopefully you will move out of that place soon.”

Leaving the coffee shop, Lam’s mood was worse than ever. Now she understands why Thanh is afraid that she won't sign the divorce papers and move out of the house. Thanh was worried that Lam would take some benefits. Thanh is not carefree at all, her ambition is too great. It's true that human being, everyone is greedy, but to this extent making her scared. Thanh hasn't even married Quan yet, but she's already worried about scrambling for the house.

Anyway, everyone has own way of living, she has no right to criticize Thanh. However, she did not want to see this harsh woman again. If she continues to meet Thanh, it will make her doubt the life. She is afraid that she will be pessimistic due to such the horrible person.

Lam’s personality has never been tight-fisted with anyone like the way her parents taught, but Thanh makes her scare of the life, makes her see that human is full of calculation, selfishness, and pettiness. People who live only know their own benefits and are willing to ignore the feelings of others.

Suddenly her mood dropped, and then she made a decisive decision that made Quan unable to keep up. Perhaps few people know that she is the type of person who has a fragile appearance but is extremely tough inside, sometimes stubborn and not easy to compromise.

She rode home, skipping preparing for lunch. She went to her room, took out her suitcase and packed her clothes. It's impossible to take all at once, she can only bring a few Ao Dai, teaching outfits in advance, some textbooks, lectures, and what's really necessary. The remaining will gradually get later.

Finishing everything, she dragged her suitcase downstairs, tried to lift it onto the back seat and tie it up. After that, she wrote him a few words, then started heading to the gate. As she stood and locked the door, looking at the house for the last time, tears welled up in her eyes. Finally ended the fake marriage of ten years. From now on, she and him have truly gone own ways.

There have been many years of memories, a lot of joys and sorrows in this house. Once she leaves, she can no longer turn back. But how does she has a chance to turn back? The two of them have come to this point, there's no saving it anymore. She told herself to be strong. Even though she couldn't bear it, she still tried to stop her emotions and pain, ride out of the gate.

***

He sat in the consulting room, suddenly feeling restless. Tried to examine the patients but he was like having butterflies in his stomach. This has never happened to him before. he doesn’t believe in the so-called sixth sense, but today he is really extremely impatient. Hopefully nothing will happen.

He reluctantly continued until the end of the afternoon examination, feeling so uncomfortable at this time. He then drove straight back to the house, forgetting to inform Thanh, afraid that she would cause trouble to him again.

Heading to the gate of the house, the door was locked. This was something that had never happened before. She has always been a family woman. At this point of the time, she is never anywhere else, except diligently cooking in the kitchen. Suddenly he was afraid that something might happen to her. He quickly turned the car engine off and got out to open the house door, but in his haste he tripped over the edge of the door and almost fell.