Chapter 11

They included messages in which my mother-in-law refused to help when I gave birth, messages where she told Zhao Ming to transfer money to Zhao Xue, and a voice message where Zhao Ming admitted that my father had bought the house.

One of Zhao Ming’s messages read:

“My father-in-law bought you the house. I never said I wanted a share.”

He had sent it in the second year of our marriage.

There was another message, from my mother-in-law to Zhao Ming:

“You’re living in her house, so put up with it for now. Once she has children, sooner or later the house will belong to the kids.”

That sentence made me stop for a long time.

So from the very beginning, she had considered this home Zhao family property.

Zhao Ming knew it too.

Only when he needed the house did he change his tune and call it marital property.

I gave the full chat history to my lawyer.

She said, “This can prove the other side’s statements have been inconsistent.”

The day before the court hearing, Zhao Ming went to pick up the children at school.

At my request, the homeroom teacher did not let him take them away alone.

He waited for me outside the school gate.

“Wanqing, let’s talk.”

“If you withdraw your custody claim, I can ease up on the visitation arrangements.”

“What do you want to turn me into before you’re satisfied?”

“You used the children and the house to pressure me first.”

Zhao Ming looked exhausted.

“Mom is living in a rented place near the hospital now. Zhao Xue won’t take her in.”

“Why isn’t she staying at Zhao Xue’s?”

“Zhou Kaixuan doesn’t agree.”

“Then rent a place for her.”

“I don’t earn enough.”

“You could sell your car.”

Zhao Ming had bought that car for himself two years earlier. It had cost more than 200,000 yuan.

“Selling the car still wouldn’t be enough.”

“Then ask Zhao Xue to pay back what she owes.”

“She says she has no money.”

I looked at him.

“You all keep passing the responsibility around, and in the end you dump it on me.”

Zhao Ming was silent.

I thought he would keep arguing, but he asked only one thing:

“Do you really have no affection left for our marriage?”

I answered:

“Affection cannot replace boundaries.”

He looked at me for a long time.

“The children will suffer if they go with you.”

“At your family’s home, they can’t even keep their own rooms.”

Zhao Ming’s face darkened completely.

“One day you’ll realize how hard it is for a woman to raise two children alone.”

“I’ll bear that hardship myself.”

He turned and left.

The trial began the next day.

Zhao Ming’s lawyer first submitted the chat history, emphasizing that I was emotionally unstable and disrespectful to my elders.

My lawyer submitted the complete conversations.

In the full record, my mother-in-law was the one who had messaged first:

“Sooner or later this house will be handed over to my son. You’re an outsider. Stop interfering.”

I had replied:

“Only my name is on the deed. You have no right to make arrangements.”

Only then came the sentence the other side had cut out and presented as an insult.

The judge asked Zhao Ming whether he admitted the chat history was complete.

He did not answer.

Next, our side submitted the children’s birth certificates, vaccination records, tuition receipts, signed parent-meeting forms, medical records, and household expense statements.

My name was on almost every page.

Zhao Ming’s lawyer said he had also contributed to the expenses.

Our side submitted the transfer records.

Most of the money had gone to Zhao Xue and my mother-in-law.

The judge asked Zhao Ming:

“You say you have enough time to care for the children. Please describe your specific plan.”

Zhao Ming said, “I can ask my mother to help.”

The judge looked up.

“Where is your mother living now?”

Zhao Ming paused for a few seconds.

“My mother isn’t in good health.”

“Then who would care for the children?”

He did not answer.

The judge asked again:

“Are you seeking custody because of your ability to care for the children, or because this is connected to the dispute over the house?”

Zhao Ming’s lawyer immediately said, “It has nothing to do with the house.”

Our side submitted, right there in court, the picture of the agreement Zhao Ming had sent me.

Its terms were clear:

If I added his name to the property deed, he would withdraw his custody claim.

The courtroom fell silent.

Zhao Ming suddenly turned to look at me.

“How did you get that?”

“You sent it to me.”

My lawyer produced the original record on my phone, proving that the picture had come from Zhao Ming’s account.

His lawyer requested a recess.

The judge granted fifteen minutes.

Zhao Ming came over to me and lowered his voice.

“Did you really have to submit this?”

“It’s evidence you sent yourself.”

“I was only trying to negotiate with you.”

“The condition was that I hand over my house.”

“Can’t you give the children a complete family?”

“A complete family can’t be bought with the mother’s separate property.”

He raised a hand to cover his face. A few seconds later, he said: