Chapter 24 — Anonymous Drawing

Dinner that weekend took place at a small riverside restaurant, simple but cozy, where Khoi Nguyen and Dieu Linh talked to each other not about work, but about the past years, about the little things each person had experienced during the eight years apart. That was the first of many evenings after which the two of them gradually regained the familiar rhythm that had existed between them, although now, it had a much more mature, cautious tone than the innocence of the age of fifteen or sixteen.

But that joy didn't last long before another storm hit, this time from within the corporation. In early October, when the project entered the interior completion phase, Mr. Bach Dien convened an emergency meeting of the board of directors, with the official reason being "re-evaluating the overall investment efficiency of the Old Ben project before the final acceptance phase".

"I have asked the audit department to review all costs incurred by the project," Mr. Bach Dien said in the meeting, his voice unusually serious. "The total cost exceeded the original budget by nearly twenty percent, mainly due to successive design adjustments. I recommend that the council consider replacing the current design unit with a larger architectural office, with better budget control experience, to complete the remaining items."

That proposal caused a stir in the entire meeting room, and Khoi Nguyen, even though he had anticipated that one day his uncle would find a way to cause trouble, still couldn't help but be shocked by the drastic level of this proposal.

"I completely oppose this proposal," Khoi Nguyen said, standing up, his voice resolute. "All costs incurred have a legitimate reason, have been approved in the correct process, most of which stem from adjusting the design to meet the legitimate wishes of the surrounding community - something that this project itself, from the beginning, committed to respect. Changing the design unit at the final stage of completion not only wastes all the invested effort, but is also a serious act of disrespect to the unit that won the bid fairly and transparently from the beginning."

"This is not a personal matter, Khoi Nguyen," Mr. Bach Dien replied, his voice still calm but determined. "This is my responsibility to shareholders, to the long-term financial stability of the corporation. I cannot let your personal emotions influence such an important business decision."

"You're the one who's letting personal prejudice influence this decision," Khoi Nguyen countered, his voice shaking with indignation but still trying to maintain the necessary restraint. "I never really believed in the transparency of this bidding process, from the beginning, just because I personally knew the chief architect. But the data, records, and even the opinions of the independent jury all proved the opposite."

The atmosphere in the meeting room became suffocatingly tense, the other board members looked at each other, no one wanted to speak up amid the fierce debate between uncle and nephew. Mr. Bach Son, sitting in the chair position, silently observed for a long time before speaking.

"I suggest postponing this decision for a week," he said, his voice decisive, to end the escalating argument. "During that time, I will personally review all incurred cost records, compare them with the technical report, to make the most objective decision."

The meeting ended in a heavy atmosphere, no one was really satisfied with the results of the postponement. Khoi Nguyen, after leaving the meeting room, immediately called Dieu Linh, his voice was still heavy with worry.

"Maybe they will change the design unit at this final stage," he said, not hiding the truth even though he knew this news would hurt her. "I tried my best to protest, but the final decision lies with my father."

Dieu Linh was silent for a moment on the other end of the line, feeling a familiar disappointment rising, but this time, instead of reacting with anger or hurt like eight years ago, she took a deep breath, trying to stay calm.

“I understand,” she said. "But I believe in the quality of the work I did, Khoi Nguyen. If the council decides to make changes for purely financial reasons, without fully considering the true value of the design, that is their decision, and I will accept it as a professional, no matter how painful it is."

The calmness and maturity in her answer made Khoi Nguyen admire her and feel determined to do everything possible to protect the project worthy of the dedication she spent.

During the following week, Khoi Nguyen spent all his time preparing a set of detailed analysis documents, comparing each expense incurred with the actual benefits brought - community support, the long-term brand value of the corporation when fulfilling its social commitments, and positive assessments from architectural professionals about design quality. He also proactively met with each board member individually to present and persuade, not with personal emotions, but with data and solid arguments.

In the middle of that week, Mr. Bach Dien took the initiative to meet Khoi Nguyen privately, not in the official meeting room, but in his private office late one afternoon, when most employees had left.

"I know you think I'm intentionally causing trouble because of personal prejudice," Mr. Bach Dien said, his voice much softer than the tense atmosphere in the meeting room. "But I want you to understand, I have no ill will towards Ms. Dieu Linh, or towards you. I'm just the one responsible for keeping this ship from sinking, Khoi Nguyen. This group supports more than five thousand employees and their families. Every spending decision, no matter how small, I have to consider the long-term consequences."

"I understand your responsibility," Khoi Nguyen replied, his voice softening, realizing this was not the time to continue the confrontation. "But I hope you understand, this project is not just a simple financial investment. It is our family's commitment to the community, and that reputation, once built, will bring much more long-term value than the current budget gap."

Mr. Bach Dien was silent for a moment, looking out the window, the sunset dyed the entire office yellow. "I admit, part of me is worried about you, not just the corporation. I don't want you to make unconscious decisions because of your personal feelings that you'll regret later. I've seen my brother, your father, make hasty decisions out of concern for his family, and you probably remember the consequences more clearly than anyone else."

That reminder, although somewhat bitter, made Khoi Nguyen realize that behind his uncle's toughness, there was not only pure financial calculation, but also a sincere worry, even if the way it was expressed was somewhat clumsy and hurtful.

"Thank you for worrying about me," Khoi Nguyen said, his voice sincere. "But I have become much more mature than eight years ago, uncle. I believe, this time, I am alert enough to distinguish between the right decision and personal feelings. And I believe, keeping the commitment to the community, to the person who won the fair bid, is the best decision for the long-term future of the corporation."

Mr. Bach Dien looked at his nephew for a long time, then nodded slightly, not completely convinced, but enough to realize that Khoi Nguyen's determination did not come from temporary impatience. "Okay. I won't object anymore at the next meeting. But I hope you remember, every decision needs to come with responsibility, Khoi Nguyen."

At the final decision meeting, Mr. Bach Son stood up, holding the thick file his son had prepared, looking around the meeting room.

"I have carefully reviewed the entire file," he said, his voice firm. "The costs incurred by the project have a completely legitimate basis and have been approved according to the correct process at each stage. Changing the design unit at the final stage of completion will cause much greater damage than the current costs incurred, both in terms of finance and reputation of the group. I decided to keep the current design unit, and asked the council to focus on ensuring the project is completed on schedule and with the committed quality."

That decision was passed with a majority of votes in favor, ending the biggest crisis that the Old Ben project has faced since its inception. Mr. Bach Dien, although not completely satisfied, also accepted his brother's decision without further objection, only reminding that he would continue to closely monitor the expenses in the remaining period.