Chapter 5 — A Marriage of Convenience, A Graceful Exit

Ta Van Vien originally had a biological older brother. Three years ago, during a gambling match in the United States, that brother was shot dead right in front of a casino. The matriarch of the Ta family was enraged beyond measure, hiring an elite team of lawyers to sue the casino owner and demand an explanation. However, the casino owner had deep ties to local organized crime, and his younger brother was a prominent attorney in that region. The two sides were locked in a stalemate, and because the incident occurred on foreign soil, the case ultimately hit a dead end and was quietly buried. Had one investigated more thoroughly, one would have discovered that the homosexual lover of that lawyer was, in fact, a very close friend of Ta Canh Van during his time studying in the United States. Love can make people weak, but hatred can forge a beast. Ta Canh Van was raised on resentment. Like a venomous serpent, he remained silently hidden for years, waiting only for a single moment of vulnerability to deliver a lethal strike. People of this nature are those one should absolutely never provoke.

Doctors are not gods. Someone with a shattered skull and brain matter exposed cannot possibly survive. After more than ten hours of continuous emergency surgery, the doctors declared Ta Van Vien dead. The matriarch of the Ta family nearly fainted upon hearing the news. Yet, it was only nearly—because the police had already arrived. They came with the signed confession of the truck driver who caused the accident, intending to arrest the criminal suspect. The driver was not foolish. Initially, the matriarch had promised that as long as he killed the target, she would pay all the medical costs for his mother and his daughter’s hereditary illness. But now, he had ruined her plans. The man he had killed was the only son she cherished above all others. He no longer had anyone to protect him. Seeking a lighter sentence, he immediately confessed everything without omitting a single word. Based on his testimony, the police moved swiftly to arrest the matriarch. She still attempted to use her status to threaten them, hoping to escape legal accountability, only to encounter two fresh, young officers who were entirely unafraid of her power. It was then that she truly panicked. Her voice, ragged and laced with terror, echoed through the hospital corridor.

I sat with Ta Canh Van at the police station, and once our statements were processed, we were released. After a day of chaos, I began to feel exhausted, but Ta Canh Van remained remarkably clear-headed. He finished his paperwork before I did, and from somewhere, he had acquired a crisp suit, his presence now marked by a faint scent of cologne. I turned to look at him; he adjusted the thin metal frames of his glasses on the bridge of his nose and smiled elegantly. "Director Tham, you should go home and rest. Once you have had a good night's sleep, I will deliver the shares and the fifteen billion as promised." Looking at his composed demeanor, I understood that this man, who had endured for so many years, had finally seized the power he sought.

As for me? I no longer cared for the chaotic nest known as the Ta family. The internal affairs of the house were as complex as a snake pit, with tangled branches and descendants clawing at one another. To scramble for power in such a place was no different than snatching a piece of meat from a pack of starving wolves. I had stayed with the Ta family for less than a year, yet I had seen enough to know this place was a mire—without careful preparation, one should never step into it lightly. Besides, I had plenty of work to attend to at the Beijing branch. It was not yet time for a "fairy to descend the mountain to seize power." As long as I was fully protected by marriage laws and received the shares and the fifteen billion that were rightfully mine, that was more than enough.

The car stopped in front of the Ta estate. As I stepped out, I saw Ta Uyen Uyen waiting—her face as pale as a sheet. Seeing me, she parted her lips, but no words came out. I stepped closer and gently patted her shoulder. "Ta Van Vien is dead." Ta Uyen Uyen nodded with difficulty and looked up at me, devoid of her former arrogance and defiance. I exhaled a long breath and spoke in a light tone. "Your studies must continue. The Law Faculty at the University of Munich is not easy to enter, and given your current standing, you have a long way to go. Study properly."

I leaned in, looking directly into her eyes. "As for other matters, Ta Van Vien left you no assets—no shares, no trust funds, no real estate. And legally, the two of you share no adoption relationship; Ta Van Vien did not hold legal guardianship, so you have no right to inherit a single cent from him." Upon hearing this, Ta Uyen Uyen’s complexion turned deathly white, and she could barely stand. Ta Van Vien had raised her merely to satisfy his own whimsical amusement, never truly caring for her future. After all, she was meant to rely on him, and giving her too much wealth would only lead to complications. It was not strange at all that he had left her nothing. Seeing her on the verge of collapse, I sighed and signaled to the lawyer waiting behind me.

The female lawyer stepped forward, gently taking Uyen Uyen's hand to offer her a contract. Her voice was soft and composed. "Director Tham is your legal stepmother, so she will naturally not leave you to fend for yourself. This contract clearly states: as long as you commit to not participating in any activities related to the internal disputes of the Ta Corporation, and do not appear in any business affairs under the title of 'adopted daughter of Ta Van Vien,' you shall receive the following benefits: all expenses for your studies in Germany, fifty million yuan in cash, two luxury apartments in Beijing, and all the high-end jewelry and luxury goods that Ta Van Vien once gifted you."

Ta Uyen Uyen stood frozen like a statue, then slowly lifted her head to look at me, her gaze clearing as if waking from a nightmare. I responded with nothing more than a calm, indifferent look. Spending a sum of money in exchange for Ta Uyen Uyen never setting foot in the Ta Corporation again was well worth it. She could not cause waves now, but should someone exploit her name to infiltrate the company in the future, it would be a major nuisance. If she lacked ambition and signed, everything would proceed smoothly. If she refused, I possessed ten thousand ways to make her disappear from the Ta family forever. A moment later, Ta Uyen Uyen gripped my hand tightly, her eyes frantic. "I agree! I agree to sign! Give me the contract, I will sign it right now!" Hearing that, I smiled with satisfaction. The jewelry Ta Van Vien had bought for her alone was worth at least fifty million. Now, with the additional cash and property, if she were sensible, she would live a life of comfort in Beijing forever.

The school term arrived. I saw Ta Uyen Uyen off to study abroad and then began processing the shares and assets I had inherited from Ta Van Vien. This commercial marriage had not lasted long, but from a business perspective, I had reaped a considerable profit. Although Ta Canh Van held the majority of the shares, my portion was sufficient for me to hold a seat on the Board of Directors of the Ta Corporation.

That day, I went to the company and happened to run into Ta Canh Van. He had been completely transformed—dressed in a sharp suit, moving with a confident, graceful, and polite air. He greeted me with a smile and invited me for coffee. I agreed. At the cafe beneath the building, Ta Canh Van brought two freshly brewed cups and sat beside me. I took mine, sipped it, and joked lightly, "I thought you would invite me somewhere more luxurious."

Ta Canh Van shook his head, his gaze drifting toward the glass window. The autumn sunlight filtered through the large pane, casting shadows across his face. The scene was warm, yet I detected a flicker of loneliness in his eyes. A moment later, he spoke softly. "When I was young, every time I walked past here on my way to school, I would stand and look inside—watching the people in suits working in the offices. Back then I thought, one day I must work here and earn money to support my mother. But now... I have become the master of this place, yet my mother is no longer here."

I remained silent. Not long ago, Ta Canh Van had petitioned the court to retry his mother’s accident from years ago. He claimed his mother had not died in an accident, but was murdered by the matriarch. He had presented a complete, precise, and logically sound chain of evidence. The charges against the matriarch were not merely for intentional homicide, but for several other crimes. Combined, the highest penalty was death, and even at its lowest, there was no escaping prison. Someone who had spent a lifetime scheming and calculating, only to ultimately hand her entire legacy over to the illegitimate child she had despised the most—I wondered what she would be thinking while sitting in her cell.

Ta Canh Van regained his composure and looked at me, smiling apologetically. "Forgive me, I have let you see something unsightly." I waved my hand dismissively. He continued, "They say the one who isn't loved is the third wheel. But looking back now... those words were really just to comfort someone who never truly belonged to me. The infighting within the Ta family has not ceased. Fortunately, during my time as a professional CEO, I forged enough solid connections to hold my ground for now. As for us... this is the end."

After speaking, he rose and politely said his goodbyes. Once he had left, I looked out through the glass. The first autumn in Beijing. The sun was less harsh, but still brilliant. The trees lining the street were lush and shady, and the city remained as vibrant as ever. I had not been in Beijing for a year, yet I had built a new company, gained a seat on the board of the Ta Corporation, resolved a commercial marriage, and pacified a pack of starving internal wolves. As for my future—it had only just begun. [Finished]