Chapter 001: A Foreign Daughter-in-Law Falls from the Sky
This matter is also a source of pride for him. However, he truly cannot feel proud at the moment, as the more he thinks about it, the more uneasy he becomes
Thus, he also took a long leave from the company, completed all the formalities with the assistance of a lawyer, and after celebrating the Spring Festival, he eagerly followed others to Houston
In life, there will always be one or two fortunate moments, and he had one five years ago. He won tens of thousands of yuan in the lottery, which made him extremely happy. Coincidentally, a colleague from the company invited him to join a travel group to the United States, allowing him to go out and broaden his horizons.
And there is no need to doubt that ID card; the person on it is indeed myself. However, this ID card has been lost by me for many years, and it was lost in the United States.
No, no, no, this is not a matter of money. Think about it, if it were that simple, why not have me sign the documents domestically and just give me the money directly?
This quick marriage registration is not recognized in the country; you must obtain a marriage certificate domestically. However, in the United States, it is legal. Therefore, the young lady will not let him leave empty-handed and will offer him a divorce settlement of over 200,000 USD
Houston, Texas, is not unfamiliar to the Chinese people. It is famously known as the Space City and was also the place where Yao Ming once strived. Although Liu Heming, as a pseudo-fan, is not very skilled at basketball, he does have some understanding of the area, not to mention that he thoroughly inquired about it with Baidu before going abroad
He has always felt that he is holding back the country, as his income level can never keep up with the rising housing prices. After working for several years, he has thought about getting married, but he simply cannot afford it. The money he earns is not even enough to cover the bride price, let alone buy a house that costs over 20,000 per square meter.
The United States is a capitalist country, where interests are pervasive. For the sake of profit, two individuals who are at odds can temporarily cooperate, and for the sake of profit, they can also betray their own conscience
However, the lawyer's words prove that he is indeed overthinking; a loser cannot instantly transform into a wealthy and handsome man. He remains who he is, that Liu Heming, who is nearly thirty and has achieved nothing.
At that moment, the lawyer presented a stack of photocopies, among which was a marriage registration form. The name Dexter, signed in a somewhat slanted manner, was unmistakably my own, and I could still recognize my handwriting. At that time, I was infatuated with "Bloodthirsty Judge," so I had given myself this English name.
The current situation is that the other party is going to remarry, so it is necessary to get a divorce first. His identity card was left as a "token of love" when they got married. It is precisely through this identity card that they were able to find him
The matter dates back to last year, specifically the end of 2013, when Liu Heming, who was counting down the days at work in anticipation of the annual leave to return home, received a shocking piece of news: his wife was going to divorce him, and this wife was an American girl
In the years of living in the United States, I have witnessed too much. Especially when handling divorce cases, both parties often seek to find as many faults in each other as possible before the divorce, in order to secure a larger share of the property division during the divorce.
Could it be that someone needs their own heart, liver, spleen, stomach, and kidneys? Is this an organization for the trade of human organs? Even if one were to be subjected to such treatment here, it is likely that no one would care
Jack nodded and said, "Although I am not directly employed by you, I am still your lawyer. The fees will be deducted from your earnings this time, which I already explained to you when we were in the country."
"It seems that you haven't rested well," Jack said to the person opposite him
However, after overturning this idea, he would still have other thoughts emerging. He hasn't really slept well at all and lacks energy, having already consumed two cups of coffee to perk himself up in such a short time
At that moment, looking at the lawyer who had come to his door, Liu Heming smiled slightly, thinking it was utter nonsense. After being single for so long, he was actually being told that he had a wife.
However, when the lawyer took out a photo and an identification card featuring his somewhat youthful face, he felt that this matter could indeed be worth discussing
People often say that in life, eight or nine out of ten things do not go as one wishes, but for Liu Heming, there have been too many disappointments, and suddenly encountering something favorable has left him somewhat unable to accept it
"Then you honestly tell me, is there something else regarding this matter?" Liu Heming asked, staring into his eyes
He is currently sitting in a fast food restaurant by the roadside, savoring authentic American coffee, yet his mood is as gloomy as the drizzling rain outside
And now this daughter-in-law named Sasha McGill, the girl in the photo, was married during a trip to Las Vegas. The details of the process are long forgotten; who knows how the marriage happened back then, but in any case, he got married.
The bell on the fast food restaurant door rang, and a lawyer named Jack, who had previously sought him out in the country, walked in. Liu Heming waved to him.
He has never been formally married, but he has seen people getting divorced on television. Especially in the United States, it often involves lawyers bringing the divorce agreement, and with a quick signature, the divorce is finalized. Is it really necessary to travel thousands of miles to China to find oneself? Is there even a need to seek a "separation fee" for oneself?
He had a burst of imagination and suspected that this was a colossal scam, targeting someone as insignificant as himself, perhaps concealing some grand conspiracy within.
Although he is called Jack, he is of Chinese descent. However, he excelled in his studies back then and obtained a law degree while studying abroad, which is why he stayed here to work
Yet there was a voice telling him that this was impossible. This is not a movie where one can simply take it off and use it; one must match it properly. It is not possible to complete a physical examination solely with one's own identification card.
For him, this is a substantial amount of money, over 1 million. Once he gets it back, he will have a place to live, and perhaps he can even marry a real wife
One can only say that this daughter-in-law was married in a somewhat muddled and confused manner; it would not be an exaggeration to say she fell from the sky.
Liu Heming shook his head, "Adjusting to the time difference is too exhausting. I have a question to ask you, and you must answer me honestly. You are my lawyer, and everything should be considered for my sake, right?"
I said, "My friend, can we not always focus on money? I feel that there are other matters involved here. My English is not fluent, let alone reading those dense agreements and the like. Today, you must help me keep a close watch; if there is anything that catches your attention, you must let me know." Liu Heming said as he looked at him.
Otherwise, how could he envy Liu Heming's good fortune? He has only come to the United States once in his life, and then he married a wife. He doesn't have to worry about anything; after signing the divorce, he can easily get over two hundred thousand dollars to spend.
I can only say that at that time I was completely blinded by money, only seeing the breakup fee and not thinking about anything else. Then last night, I was also struggling with jet lag, tossing and turning unable to sleep, and the "conspiracy theories" in my mind resurfaced.
In fact, this is quite normal; wealthy individuals always consider matters differently than we do. If you sign the divorce papers, you may need to supplement it with a confidentiality agreement. From the information I have gathered, their family is very conservative, and in their eyes, you might be seen as a blemish. " Jack shrugged his shoulders and said
OK, in fact, I think you are overthinking it. When wealthy individuals divorce, the key issues often revolve around the division of assets. I actually envy your good fortune; even in the United States, two hundred thousand dollars is still a substantial amount. Jack nodded with a smile
Therefore, they would also hope that this matter can be resolved peacefully and without causing any trouble. Moreover, I advise you not to plan on occupying more property. From my perspective, I suggest that you may only consider making some modest additional requests.
Are there any other matters? Do you wish to negotiate for more assets? It is indeed possible. Your wife's family is quite respectable and is a well-known family in Houston. However, you might be able to secure around 100,000 dollars at most; if it exceeds that amount, they are likely to refuse a divorce settlement.
The girl in the photograph leaves me with little impression; it is a half-length portrait. She has blonde hair and blue eyes, with fair skin, and her deep-set eyes seem as if they could draw your gaze in. Especially those blue eyes, which, even through the photograph, appear to possess a certain enchantment