Chapter 10

The report clearly showed that the agreement paper had been manufactured later than the date written on it. The signature bore signs of being traced, and the stamp did not match the seal I had used for the property paperwork.

The judge asked whether Zhao Ming accepted the findings.

His lawyer requested a second examination.

The judge asked:

“Mr. Zhao, can you explain why this agreement was created years after the date written on it?”

Zhao Ming lowered his head.

“I don’t remember.”

“And there is no evidence whatsoever that you gave her 200,000 yuan in cash?”

“I trusted her at the time.”

“Even between spouses, trust cannot take the place of evidence.”

My mother-in-law suddenly stood up beside him.

“They both signed the agreement! How can you say it’s fake?”

The judge again told her to sit down.

Zhao Xue glared at me with resentment.

After the mediation ended, she stopped me outside the courthouse.

“Do you have to push Brother Ming this far?”

“He sued me using a forged agreement.”

“He only wants to keep the family together for the children.”

“If he sells my house, the children will truly have nowhere to live.”

“Would it kill you to give him half the house?”

“I’d lose the home where my children and I live.”

Zhao Xue lowered her voice.

“Do you know how much debt our family is in?”

“That’s your problem.”

“Mom gave me the house because I wasn’t doing well. Now that you have a home, you should help the Zhao family.”

I looked at her.

“Who taught you to turn your own difficulties into someone else’s obligation?”

Her face went pale.

“You’ll regret divorcing Zhao Ming.”

“I wish the same for you.”

She turned and left.

That evening, Zhao Ming sent me a video.

In it, my mother-in-law sat beside a hospital bed, an IV bag hanging from her wrist.

She looked into the camera and said, “Mingming, I don’t want to be a burden to you. I’ll only feel at ease if you bring the children here.”

After the video ended, Zhao Ming sent one sentence:

“Mom is in the hospital. Do you still want to keep going?”

I didn’t reply.

The next day, the hospital called to say my mother-in-law had listed me as her emergency contact when she was admitted.

When I arrived, the nurse handed me a stack of medical bills.

“Your family said you could sign for these first.”

I looked at the emergency contact information.

My phone number was indeed listed.

I asked the nurse, “Who brought her here?”

“Her son and daughter.”

“Where are they?”

“They paid the deposit, then left. They said you’d come take care of her.”

I turned and called Zhao Ming.

He didn’t answer.

I called Zhao Xue. She hung up immediately.

Standing outside the room, I saw that my mother-in-law had sat up.

The moment she saw me, she lay back down.

“You’re here.”

“I’m not signing for the medical bills.”

“You don’t care that I’m sick and in the hospital?”

“The hospital will follow its procedures.”

“I’m your mother-in-law.”

“You have both a son and a daughter.”

She clutched the corner of the blanket.

“You’re really going to watch me die here?”

I looked at her.

“The doctor said your blood pressure is only a little high.”

My mother-in-law’s expression stiffened.

A nurse came over and told her the tests showed nothing serious and that she could go home and rest.

She immediately said she was dizzy and demanded to stay in the hospital.

After the doctor refused, Zhao Ming finally called.

“Wanqing, Mom needs to be monitored for a few more days.”

“Come handle the admission paperwork.”

“I’m at work.”

“Her daughter lives nearby.”

“She’s busy.”

“Then ask Zhou Kaixuan to come.”

“You’re her daughter-in-law. What’s wrong with signing one piece of paper?”

“I won’t take your place in showing filial duty.”

I hung up, picked up my bag, and left.

When I reached the hospital entrance, my lawyer called.

“The court just contacted me. Zhao Ming has withdrawn his request to have the home declared marital property.”

“He’s dropping the property lawsuit?”

“He has submitted new documents, claiming you are unfit to raise the children on your own.”

“On what grounds?”

The lawyer paused for a moment.

“He says you have prolonged emotional problems, often insult the elderly at home, and refuse to let the children see their father.”

I gripped the phone.

So his real card was aimed at my mental state.

Zhao Ming had submitted a stack of chat histories.

They included messages I had sent while arguing with my mother-in-law, as well as screenshots of occasions when I had refused to answer Zhao Ming’s calls.

Several passages had been cut off at the beginning and end, making it look as though I had insulted my mother-in-law out of nowhere.

My lawyer warned me:

“The other side may request an evaluation of your psychological state.”

“I agree.”

“You need to prepare evidence that you’ve always been the children’s primary caregiver, and try to avoid private arguments with them.”

“I understand.”

I exported the entire chat history from the past twelve years.