He quickly turned the key in and saw that the house was quiet and terrifyingly deserted. Still hoping she was somewhere in the house, he quickly went to the kitchen and then ran to the floored room, of course he couldn't find her. He went back down to the living room and was about to take out his phone to call her, but when he saw her note on the table, he tremblingly picked it up.

“Dear Quan,

Sorry I can't compromise with you to maintain the marriage for a few more months. I want to separate first, but it's up to you to sign the divorce papers. If you want to maintain it on paper for a few more months, I also agree. But I have to leave this house, because it doesn't belong to me. Wishing you and Thanh be happy in this house!”

It was only a few words, but it took him a long time to finish reading. Basically, he couldn't believe she left him in such a hurry. She didn't understand that even though he would marry Thanh, he still wanted to leave the house to her and the daughter. Thanh and him should leave.

But she put him in a accomplished situation, giving him absolutely no chance to negotiate. Why is this woman so self-respecting and stubborn? She made him worry like crazy. It turned out that his feeling was right, she really wanted to break up with him.

Knowing that she had already moved out, he still had a faint hope that she hadn't taken her things away yet. He ran up to her room, hastily opened the wardrobe, only to realize that his hopes were out of reach. Although the clothes have not been taken all away yet, there are signs of being collected. She brought her teaching outfits, enough to prove that she really wouldn't return.

But where will she go to? Her parents are no longer in this world, and their old house has been sold. In this city she has no relatives, who will give shelter to her? He was worried and uneasy, unable to control himself. He took out his phone to call her. However, before he could connect her, Thanh's scooter was parked in front of the door. She boldly entered. Before she passed through the door, her voice sounded angrily:

“You were in such a hurry to see your wife that you didn't even say a word to me. Didn’t you feel bad to behave me like that?

He was so worried about Lam that he lost his temper, but knew he was wrong with Thanh, so he lowered his voice first, "I'm sorry, I was too hurry and didn't have time to tell you."

“You hurried through going back home and seeing her? Do you still love her?”

“Are you talking nonsense?”

Recently, he and Thanh have never spoken softly to each other. Just opening their mouths to say a few words, both of them lost patience, only wanted to destroy everything. Thanh looked at him and shouted, “You don't need to deny it. I'm not stupid but can't feel your change. Well, perhaps you have never changed, your feelings for her are still there. Something you didn't realize. There was nothing to stimulate you, then it fell asleep inside you."

“You’re getting more and more confused. Talking nonsense. Just wanting to cause troubles."

His voice was bored, but actually he was also wondering, is he really as Thanh said? Is he still in love with her?

“I wish I was confused, at least I still hope that you don’t love her anymore. She's like a witch, using her daughter to hold on you. Do you think I don't understand what's in her mind?” Thanh could no longer keep calm and began without hesitation, "Even you think I'm stupid. Wait a few more months for your daughter to stabilize. She grew up, not a child. Lam just doesn't want to leave this house, she wants to maintain the relationship with you. She is a greedy woman.”

“That’s enough, the more you talk, the more confused you become. Lam is not like you think.” He snapped, objecting to Thanh's outrageous words.

“So why is she still lingering here? Not greedy, not wanting to hold you back, is there any other reason?"

“Why do you keep giving such unreasonable comments?”

“Are you still defending her? Can't stand me talking harshly about her? Who told her to continue staying at this house?”

“Lam has moved out. Are you satisfied?” He said sadly, but Thanh heard her move out, she was too excited to notice his depressed mood.

“Good, she's awake.”

Thanh had just been madly angry, but now she was relieved as if nothing had happened. Her mood changed quickly without realizing he was looking at her, puzzled by her extreme excitement when she heard Lam no longer staying here.

"What did you say? Hearing your wordings makes me think Lam's being here is wrong." He looked at Thanh sharply.

“Wrong, nothing else. This house belongs to you, she has no role here.” Thanh was so excited that she forgot to cover up her excessive joy.

“Lam is the mother of my daughter. She has the right to be in this house.”

This is his decision from now on. He thought this house would be for his and her daughter. Even though they broke up, he still wants the best for the daughter. Lam and Van won't have to move anywhere. The one who needs to leave will be him.

“Why don't you say she's still your wife? Do you want to leave this house to her?” Thanh's anger came rushing back.

“What's wrong with that? Lam has the right to this house."

Thanh lost her calm when she heard that. She had been waiting for today, waiting for them to divorce so that she could legally come and live here. Now he says he wants to offer the house for his daughter and “ex-wife”. So what about her? Thanh shouted in frustration, no longer wanting to maintain any image, “How about me? I've been waiting for you these years, have you thought of me?"

"What did you mean? What did I do wrong to you? The apartment I bought for the two of us under your name. Did I let you be disadvantaged?”

That apartment is nothing compared to this villa. Thanh thought to herself angrily. Her goal is to soon live in this villa. That place is of no value compared to this one. Thinking of her sacrificing all those years to be a third person, now in return he wants to dedicate everything to his daughter and “ex-wife”. Thanh was so annoyed that she couldn't even bother to hide her aversion, “In the end, you think of your wife and daughter only. I'm nothing in your heart."

“Why are you mad again? I didn't abandon you or treat you badly. Why are you so unreasonable?”

Don't you have to wait for me to say I want to live in this luxury villa? All Thanh wanted was to live in such the big house. She thought bitterly to herself but didn't dare to say out.

Before, he thought she loved him unconditionally, with true love. But damn that true love, if he wasn't in good shape, wasn't good at making money, no house, no car, she wouldn't have had the courage to be his concubine for so many years. Just thinking about what she had endured, but not getting what she wanted in return made her angry.

“Are you telling that I’m unreasonable? That’s you who is inconsistent in thoughts. Before, as much as you wanted to divorce her, now hesitate and intend to leave the house to her. You love her so much that you forget yourself and don't even think about me." Thanh started crying.

“Because I thought about you that I bought the apartment for you. Never let you suffer until now. Why do you keep making trouble with me?” He shook his head tiredly.

“I want to stay at this house. I have been waiting so long, now you tell to leave it to her. Where am I in your heart?” Thanh cried because she felt she was being forced.

“How can you have this thought? This house originally belonged to Lam. You…”

“You want to say I'm greedy, right? Yes, I'm greedy. Are you bored of me?” Her voice could no longer keep calm.

“I'm so tired, Thanh, I don't want to argue with you. Now we both are angry, it's not the best time to sail out to sea when there are big waves. Tomorrow two of us calm down, talk then. Now I'll send you back to the flat."

"I don't need. You just stay here and live with the memories of your wife and daughter." Thanh said, then rushed out and slammed the door without even saying goodbye to him, and rode her scooter away.

He did not know that Diem Thanh was such fierce and confused before. Only recently has she become more and more unreasonable. Anything that touches her, she will make noise and insult others without hesitation.

He didn't realize this earlier, because she always seemed to understand. Is it because he changed her, or she hid herself so well that he didn't realize how aggressive she was. Feeling depressed, he sat down sofa, holding his head, unable to think anymore.

The area of ​​the house has not changed, but tonight it seems larger and more immense to him. Maybe because Lam’s no longer here, he feels extremely empty and lonely.

Thinking about her makes him worried. Where is she now? He took out his phone to call her. It rang for a long time but no one answered. His heart became even more uneasy. Is she so in love with him? She doesn’t care about how the daughter will feel? Tomorrow Van will call, how should he answer?

She used to love Van so much, why has she changed to this point now? Just because she wanted to quickly divorce him, she was willing to separate without caring about the daughter’s feelings. She made him actually upset. He tried calling a few more times, but she still didn't respond. He was too angry to control himself. He didn't remember that she was still teaching, so she couldn't answer his calls.

During evening, he was alone in his house. Thinking about all sorts of things about life, about the past. For the first time, he deeply felt what loneliness was like. He lay down the sofa, bored and desperate, not bothering about dinner. He felt like his life’s no longer important, nothing interesting.

Lying for a while, his phone rang. He quickly picked it up and saw that the caller was her. Although he was very angry, he still pressed answer in hurry, “Why didn't you answer my calls?”

“I can't do so during teaching.” Her voice sounded tired on the line.

“Why did you move out? Don't you think about our daughter?"

“She will understand.” Her voice was broken, "I can't continue to maintain the unhappy marriage, making three of us tired."

“It's because you’re tired. Thanh and me have already agreed, we can wait a few more months. It's just because you don't care about the daughter, you want to break up quickly."

He didn't realize he was blaming her unreasonably. She agreed to end soon, he should have been happy.

Hearing his criticism, she was extremely sad. Shouldn't she say that his mistress doesn't want her to continue staying at the house? But what's the use of saying so? Finally two of them will divorce. Don't cause more conflict between Thanh and him. Just let him think whatever he wants about her. Either way, the two will become strangers soon.

“I'm tired, I want to get out and settle down soon.”

“I have still thought that you were a mother who lived for her children before. You surprise me because you are as selfish as many other heartless women.”

“You can say whatever you want. I'll pack up slowly, and when I'm done I'll give you the key back."

“It's up to you.”

He hung up the phone without knowing what make himself feel extremely frustrated. The two’s breaking up will happen sooner or later. He knew earlier, but when it actually happened, he felt strangely uneasy. Her moving out of the house made him a little bit panic. He really didn't want her to leave this place, deep inside he still wanted everything to be maintained.

he knows he’s conflicted. It's also that he chose the divorce, now it’s the right time, he doesn't want that to happen, and he doesn't even want her to tear herself away this place. Or is it true that as Thanh said, he still has feelings for her, and because they sleep deep inside his heart, he doesn't realize he still wants to be with her?

He shook his head as if that was never true. Isn’t it that a few months ago, the idea of ​​divorce was still there, he and Thanh had already planned their wedding, just waiting for his daughter to settle down in America, then everything would be proceeded as scheduled?

Why is his heart so messed up now? All night he was immersed in endless thoughts, an immense sadness tearing his heart. For the first time in his life, he felt extremely disoriented, unable to think which path was the best to follow.

At another place, she’s no better than him. Thinking that if she could no longer see him, she would no longer feel sad because of his separation, she will have her own life, no longer entangled with anyone. But now, in her own new home, loneliness surrounds her and there is no way to alleviate it.

She misses his house, the daughter and… even him. And then she lay awake all night, thinking about the time that had passed, about his indifference. She should have hated, but on the contrary, she only felt sad and unable to forget, completely without any hatred. She knows she is weak in love, but perhaps she has to try to force herself to forget the past as soon as possible to start a new future.