Chapter 13 — After Divorce, I Made Tra Nam Bankrupt

There were no words between us. Like the two most familiar strangers. When the red divorce book was put in my hands, I knew the ridiculous marriage of the previous half of my life... had truly ended. Stepping out of the civil affairs department, the sunlight was so bright it was blinding.

“Tu Nhien…”

Behind me, Co Trinh called me. His voice was hoarse. I didn't turn back.

“I… sorry.”

His voice was so soft it was almost inaudible.

“I never thought… things would turn out like this.”

“I just…”

“Co Trinh.”

I interrupted him. Finally, I slowly turned around and calmly looked at the man I once loved.

“You… never loved me.”

"Right?"

I asked the question that had been lingering in my mind all this time, but had never dared to face. His whole body stopped. His face was pale. Lips moved, but no words could be said. His silence… was the clearest answer. A smile as light as a floating cloud.

"Thank you."

“From now on, I can clearly see your true self.”

“Thank you also... for giving me back a way to live.”

“From now on, we no longer owe each other.”

"Wishing you and Hua Vi... hundreds of years of happiness."

“I also wish the Co family... prosperity forever.”

Having said that, I didn't look at him again. I turned around and walked towards the car. Sitting in the driver's seat, through the rearview mirror, I saw him still standing there, motionless like a gray statue. The sunlight stretched his shadow very far. Lonely... and pitiful. I retracted my gaze and started the engine. Leave him, and his entire past... behind. In the car, the radio is playing a song.

"I have crossed high mountains and wide seas, I have also passed through a crowded sea of people..."

“Everything that once was, instantly vanished into thin air…”

I softly sang along. Singing for a while, tears fell. But the corners of the lips... curled up again. Congratulations. Welcome… to your new life. The day I flew to Paris, the weather was very nice. The sky is as blue as velvet that has just been washed. My luggage is very simple, just a suitcase and a drawing board bag. Inside, is my past… and my future. As the plane took off, I looked out the window and saw the city where I lived for more than twenty years gradually shrinking. Like an old, scratched dream... receding. I don't look back. There is no longer any attachment. I know, from this moment, my life will turn into a completely new sea. Twelve hour flight. I don't feel tired at all. When I landed at Charles de Gaulle airport, an unfamiliar scent mixed with coffee and perfume enveloped me. Maison Reve's people came to pick them up, holding a sign saying "Phoenix". For the first time, I saw that name appearing in the real world. It feels very strange. It was as if the name Tu Nhien, along with all that heavy past... had been left behind on the old continent. The car drives through the ancient and elegant streets of Paris. Glide past the Arc de Triomphe, across the Champs-Elysees avenue. Sunlight penetrated through the glass window, falling in patches of light on my face. Everything is like a movie. Not real... but strangely real. Maison Reve headquarters is located in Vendome square, a Baroque-style building full of time stamps. Mr. Pierre himself came to the door to welcome me. He gave it me a warm French hug.

“Welcome to Paris, my phoenix.”

In his eyes there was undisguised respect and appreciation. In this place, I am no longer anyone's wife, nor anyone's daughter-in-law. I'm just a designer. My office is spacious, bright, and has a large glass wall facing the memorial column in the middle of the square. On the table was the latest set of drawing equipment, and a bouquet of blooming irises. Pierre said, it was hand-picked by the head artist of Maison Reve to welcome me. They say… in my designs there is a lasting vitality, like the irises in Van Gogh's paintings. My heart was gently enveloped by a warm and touching feeling that I hadn't seen in a long time. It turns out, the feeling of being recognized, respected... is so beautiful. The following days, I threw myself into work at a stressful but fulfilling pace. I and top Parisian artisans discussed every detail of the "Phoenix" collection, from the plasticity of the metal, the diamond cutting technique, to the curves of the feathers and the setting of each gemstone. They turn my drawings into works that can be touched, sparkling as if carrying a soul. No one doubted my decision, nor did anyone laugh at my ideas. We debate, criticize, and then devote all our efforts to a common goal. The pure feeling of living for creativity… captivated me. Outside of work, I started learning French and started exploring this city alone. I went to the Louvre museum to see Mona Lisa's smile, to the Orsay to see Monet's water lilies, sat at a cafe along the Seine river, sipping a rich latte and watching the people passing by. I bought a lot of beautiful dresses, with designs and colors that I had never dared to try before because of following Co Trinh's taste. I cut my hair short and changed to a neater and sharper look. The woman in the mirror... is both strange and familiar. Her eyes were bright, steady, full of expectations for the future. On that face, there was no trace of humility or ingratiation. Only calmness... and confidence remains. One night, after working overtime, I walked back to my apartment alone. Paris at night is very beautiful, the lights of the Eiffel Tower sparkle from afar. Suddenly, I remembered three years ago, when I married Co Trinh. He once said that his honeymoon would go to Paris and he would take me to see the Eiffel Tower. But then his company suddenly had a job, and then... it was never mentioned again. Now, I have arrived in Paris. Not as "Mrs. Co". It's me. I raised my head to look at the bright moon in the night sky, feeling strangely relieved. Tu Nhien... is dead. Died in that marriage full of humiliation and calculation. The one who is alive… is Phoenix. A Phoenix is about to spread its wings... on its own stage.