Chapter 8

“Your father sold a house to buy you this place. Your family must have had cash.”

“So you simply claim I took money from you?”

Zhao Ming’s face darkened.

“Your signature is on the agreement.”

His mother stepped forward.

“Don’t think you can bully my son just because you own an apartment. Have you any idea how much he’s suffered for this family?”

I held up my phone.

“The outstanding balance was paid before the date on the agreement.”

She looked at Zhao Ming.

“Didn’t you say you lent her the money later?”

His face stiffened.

I seized on it.

“You told her the loan came later, but she says it was for the apartment. Just how many stories have you prepared?”

Realizing her mistake, she jabbed a finger at me.

“You tricked me.”

“You said it yourself.”

Zhao Ming pulled her back.

“Mom, stop talking.”

It was the first time he had told her to be quiet.

But his gaze soon returned to me.

“The court will investigate the agreement.”

“I’ll wait.”

He took her away.

The next day, his lawyer requested an investigation into my bank account.

They were trying to prove that my income after marriage couldn’t have covered the housing payments on my own.

My lawyer told me to submit my premarital income records, Dad’s transfers, and the mortgage payment history after marriage.

I stayed up late sorting through papers.

Mom came from our hometown to help with the children.

When she saw the loan agreement, her expression changed.

“That signature looks like your uncle’s handwriting.”

I looked up.

“My uncle?”

“When you bought the apartment, your father was in the hospital. Your uncle helped us with the accounts for a while. He’d seen your signature.”

I thought of the missing repayment messages on my old phone.

Zhao Ming had borrowed it.

Then I remembered he had also borrowed my property certificate, saying he needed a photocopy.

He had told me his company needed proof of residence for loan paperwork.

I hadn’t thought much of it.

Mom looked at me.

“You think he had someone copy your signature?”

“I don’t have evidence yet.”

“Then we need to find out.”

The following day, I requested the archived bank statements.

An employee confirmed that Dad had transferred two hundred thousand yuan to me that year, marked as money for the apartment.

The transfer came immediately before the outstanding purchase balance was paid.

At the same time, Zhao Ming’s account showed no large cash withdrawals at all.

My lawyer submitted the statements to the court.

The other side immediately requested a postponement.

I knew Zhao Ming was starting to panic.

But he still wouldn’t withdraw his custody application.

Instead, he became attentive with the children, taking them to and from school every day and buying them new schoolbags.

His mother changed tactics too.

She stopped insulting them. Instead, she stood at the school gate, weeping about being driven out by her daughter-in-law.

A few parents began whispering about me.

The homeroom teacher called me aside.

“Mrs. Zhao, please try not to let your family conflict affect the children.”

“I’ll deal with it.”

“They’ve been under a lot of pressure lately.”

At home, I asked them what had happened.

Zhao Nian brought out a piece of paper.

It was a note their grandmother had written them.

Only a few lines:

“Grandma has nowhere to live because your mother is an unfilial daughter-in-law. If you’re good children, persuade her to give your father the apartment.”

Zhao Heng tore the note to pieces.

“She said we’re bad children if we don’t help.”

I gathered the scraps.

“You don’t have to take responsibility for adults.”

Zhao Nian looked up.

“Mom, will you lose?”

“No.”

It was the first time I had given them a definite answer.

That night, Zhao Ming sent a voice message.

“Wanqing, Mom is at Xiaoxue’s now, sleeping on the sofa every night. Her health is getting worse. Can’t you compromise?”

I didn’t reply.

Then he sent a photograph.

His mother lay on a sofa, medical tape on the back of her hand and a box of medicine beside her.

The caption was brief.

“She’s ill. Happy now?”

I forwarded the photograph to my lawyer.

“This doesn’t prove anything. Don’t let him manipulate you.”

The next morning, I met Zhao Xue at the entrance to our residential complex.

She blocked my way.

“Mom went to the hospital today.”

“Then she should get treatment.”

“She says if you won’t take her in, she won’t accept treatment.”

“She has a son and a daughter.”

Zhao Xue gritted her teeth.

“Why do you have to push us like this?”

“All I’ve done is refuse to let you live in my apartment.”

“Then sell it. Divide everything properly, and we can all go our separate ways.”

“Is that what you’ve been after?”

She didn’t deny it.