Chapter 17 — After Divorce, I Am a Real Angel

When I arrived, Pho Kinh Nghien was present. He sat in the position next to the window, in front of him was an untouched cup of black coffee. Outside the window was a rushing stream of water. He looked out at the river surface. The angle of his face in the sunset looked extremely cold. Hearing footsteps, he turned around and saw me, his eyes moving slightly.

“Sit down.” he said.

I sat down opposite and ordered a glass of lemonade. The waiter left and we fell silent. Pho Kinh Nghien looked at me, as if he had a lot to say but didn't know where to start.

“You've gotten thinner.” He suddenly spoke.

I smiled: "The deputy general came to me, just to talk about this?" He pursed his lips, his fingers gently rubbing the rim of the cup: "To Tuyet went to find you?"

“Yes.”

“What did she say?”

“Talk a lot.” I looked straight into his eyes, "Said I might have been a kidnapped child, said that that year might be related to the Pho family, said you wanted to make it up to me so you married me. Pho Kinh Nghien, is she telling the truth?"

Pho Kinh Nghien's pupils constricted, his hand holding the cup tightened.

“You trust her?”

“I don't believe her, but I believe in the evidence.” I pushed the copy of the newspaper and the photo Tran Tinh gave me in front of him, "This is the news of the fire at the hospital in the next city 22 years ago, along with a photo of a nurse secretly holding a newborn baby. Deputy CEO, do you have anything to say?"

Pho Kinh Nghien picked up the photo and just glanced at the changed face.

“Where did you get this photo?”

“Is that important?” I stared at him, "The important thing is, who is the person in the photo, who is the child being carried away? Pho Kinh Nghien, you've known for a long time, right? You know I'm not from the To family, know that my background has problems, but you don't say anything, just stand there looking at me like an idiot, struggling between the To family and the Pho family. Is it fun?"

"To Nghien..." He put down the photo, his voice was hoarse, "Things are not what you think."

“So what is it like?” I smiled, "Pho Kinh Nghien, over the past three years, I've watched you be madly in love with To Tuyet, watched you treat me like you are, watched you deny my existence in front of everyone. I used to think that it was because I wasn't good enough, because I wasn't as good as To Tuyet, so I desperately tried to please you, desperately wanted you to look at me a little more. Now that I think about it, I'm really stupid. You're cold to me not because I'm not good, but because... you don't dare to treat me well at all. to me, right? You're afraid that if you treat me a little better, it will expose you and make people suspicious. Why does the person in power of the Pho family especially care about a fake genius?"

Pho Kinh Nghien was silent. Dusk falls, orange light shines through the glass window, landing on his face, clearly illuminating the struggle and pain in those eyes. After a long time, he spoke, his voice very soft: "Yes, I knew it a long time ago." My heart throbbed fiercely. Even though I had expected it in advance, hearing him admit it still felt like someone had stabbed me with a knife.

“Since when?” I asked.

“Before marriage.” Pho Kinh Nghien looked out the window, "Grandpa told me, the To family has an adopted daughter, who survived the fire 22 years ago. He said, the To family is kind to the Pho family, told me to marry her and treat her well."

“There is grace?” I laughed bitterly, "What kind of favor? It's the favor of helping to exchange children. Or grace helps conceal the truth?”

Pho Kinh Nghien suddenly looked at me: "To Nghien!"

“What, did I say it wrong?” I pressed him closely with my eyes, "Pho Kinh Nghien, do you dare say that the Pho family has nothing to do with the past? You dare say that I was switched without the Pho family knowing?"

He opened his mouth, but in the end he couldn't say a word. That's tacit admission. I laughed, but tears fell again.