Chapter 16 — After You Locked Me In The Villa, I Left You Empty

Half a year later. WAN's annual show is held in Milan. This is the first time WAN as an independent brand has stepped onto the main stage of Milan Fashion Week. The auditorium was filled to capacity. In the front row were editors-in-chief of major fashion magazines, international buyers and powerful figures in the industry. Backstage, thirty models are constantly changing outfits. Tieu Ninh held the walkie-talkie and ran back and forth.

"General Giang! The light is ready!"

“It's done!”

“Let's get started.”

The stage lights turned off. Music rang out. The moment the first model stepped onto the runway... The entire auditorium simultaneously let out a very quiet sound of surprise. Because what she wore… It was the final piece of the 《Pha Ken》 collection. A long white dress made from 3,600 handmade silk flowers. The skirt of the dress stretches across the runway... Like a galaxy. I stood backstage looking up at the big screen. The phone vibrated once. It's a photo sent by Hoac Canh Diem. He sat in the second row of the show and secretly took a selfie while watching the catwalk. Extremely attentive expression. Behind are bright runway lights. Caption has only one sentence:

“The clothes my wife designed.”

After looking at it, I quietly put the phone away. After the show ended, Professor Bernard said one sentence in the interview. That statement was reposted countless times by large and small media.

“WAN is already in the top 10 independent brands in Asia.”

“And I believe that within the next five years…”

“It will become a global name.”

That night, during the celebration in Milan, I drank a lot of wine. Not for fun. It's because I can finally relax. Three years of patience. Half a year of fighting. Seven and a half years of waiting. All the pressure... It's like the moment the 《Breaking the Cocoon》 dress had its first zipper cut. Oh one. Hoac Canh Diem stood next to me and supported me.

“Your mouth is distorted.”

“My mouth is like that.”

"No."

“Your mouth is beautiful.”

“Shut up.”

He laughed. Under everyone's gaze, he reached out and adjusted the hair next to my ear. Very light movement. But editor Truong's camera made a "click" sound. The next day, that photo appeared on 《Phong Thuong》's social network. The title is:

"WAN founder - Giang Van and Huo group CEO - Hoac Canh Diem, after the Milan show."

The comment area is almost uniform in one type of content:

“This is a magical couple.”

"Look at the eyes of the other person's husband and then look back at the Tham family."

“Giang Van deserves the best.”

And in a certain detention center in S city... Perhaps Tham Diec Chu also saw this news. No one cares about his feelings anymore. A story... It's not the climax that ends. But at the most peaceful moment... Silently closing. One year later. A very ordinary Wednesday afternoon. I sat in the studio drawing the design. Tieu Ninh knocked on the door and entered.

“General Giang, WAN's annual financial report is out.”

"How much?"

“Revenue this year is 1,200,000,000 yuan.”

“48% growth over the same period.”

“You don't seem too agitated.”

“Numbers are what investors look at.”

“I'm more concerned about whether the fabric batch for next month's collection has arrived yet.”

“Tran Thi Fabrics delivered yesterday.”

“I'll go out first.”

Tieu Ninh left. I continued to draw. Outside the glass door is the skyline of S city. I bought this office building myself. This studio is designed by me. The WAV golden trophy hanging on the wall... I won it myself. No one lives a moment for me. But there is one person... Has always been by my side through every moment. At five thirty in the afternoon, Hoac Canh Diem called.

“Are you done yet?”

“There's one more drawing.”

“Then I'll wait for you.”

“Wait where?”

“Coffee shop downstairs.”

“It's the shop you invested in.”

“I'll be right down.”

“No rush.”

I looked at myself in the mirror. The woman in the mirror is thirty-one years old. Back straight. No heavy makeup. On the collar is a WAN brand pin. The woman three years ago sitting in the darkness of that villa... is no more. Instead it is— Don't need anyone to define your life. The door of the coffee shop downstairs was pushed open. Hoac Canh Diem sat in a familiar corner, two glasses of hand-brew in front of her. Seeing me, he smiled.

“Really fast.”

“Have you been waiting long?”

“It's been seven years.”

“There's no shortage of these minutes.”

I sat down opposite him, picked up a cup of coffee. Outside the window, the sunset of S city is very beautiful. Life is very normal. But on those ordinary days... There's always someone by your side. That's enough.