Chapter 19 — Back Before The Wedding Day

Khanh Linh knocked on the door and entered Mrs. Kim Chi's office with the calmest appearance possible. The chairwoman sat behind the desk, her cold eyes looking straight at her, without any gentleness like previous meetings.

"Sit down," she said, her voice cold. "I will speak frankly, without beating around the bush. I know you and Bao Ngoc have been making unusual moves in recent weeks. I also know that you are deliberately delaying some important things for the company."

"I don't understand what you mean," Khanh Linh replied, keeping a calm expression, even though her heart was mentally prepared for this confrontation.

"Don't pretend to be naive with me," Mrs. Kim Chi said, her voice sharper. "You're smart enough not to have to act like this. I know you've discovered some things related to the capital contribution contract with Ngoc Lan Capital. I want to know, what you plan to do with that information."

Khanh Linh was silent for a moment, carefully considering every word she was about to say. She understood that this was a decisive moment - she couldn't continue to avoid it, but she also couldn't reveal all her cards before the official denunciation was sent.

"I'm just protecting my legitimate rights and those of my colleagues," she replied, her voice calm but firm. "If you don't do anything wrong, I believe everything will naturally clear up."

Mrs. Kim Chi looked at her for a long time, her eyes were both angry and somewhat like she was reevaluating the opponent in front of her. "Do you think a young girl just starting out like you can compete with me? I have run this corporation for more than twenty years, and have overcome countless storms that are a hundred times greater than this."

"I have no intention of confronting you," Khanh Linh replied, her voice still surprisingly calm under the pressure from the powerful woman in front of her. "I just want to make sure everything happens legally, transparently, and fairly for everyone involved, including Bao Ngoc - who is being put in a very unfair position in this whole thing."

Mentioning Bao Ngoc's name, Ms. Kim Chi's eyes wavered for a split second before regaining her usual cold look. "That girl participated voluntarily, no one forced her."

"I think, if that was completely true, you wouldn't need to pressure him or threaten his job position to force him to sign papers within such a tight deadline," Khanh Linh replied directly, no longer dodging.

Ms. Kim Chi's face darkened, her hand clenched on the glass table. "Are you accusing me?"

"I'm just saying what I observed," Khanh Linh replied, maintaining her gaze without avoiding the threat emanating from the other person. "If you are wrong, I can completely prove my innocence by making the entire contract and the purpose of using the money involved transparent."

Mrs. Kim Chi stood up, walked to the window, turned her back to Khanh Linh, her voice lowered, carrying an implicit threatening tone. "Miss Linh, I advise you to think carefully before doing anything that could affect your own career. I have enough power to make your life, and that of your family, very difficult if I want."

Those words made Khanh Linh's heart tighten because she was worried about her parents, but she quickly regained her composure. understand that this is the time to not step back. "I respect your authority," she replied, her voice not shaking at all, "but I also believe in justice and the law. If you really haven't done anything wrong, I don't think you need to threaten me like that."

Mrs. Kim Chi turned back to look at her, her eyes filled with anger but also a little confused at the sudden toughness from the young girl she once underestimated. “You get out of here,” she said, her voice cold as ice. "And I advise you to think very carefully about what you're going to do next."

Khanh Linh stood up, bowed politely before leaving the room, remaining calm until she completely walked out into the hallway. Only when the door closed behind her did she allow herself to let out a long sigh, her whole body trembling from the tension accumulated during the conversation just now.

The phone in his pocket vibrated, a message from lawyer Kien appeared on the screen: "The complaint has been successfully sent, along with an urgent request to suspend the transaction. The inspection agency confirmed that it will review within the next 24 hours." Khanh Linh closed her eyes, a feeling of relief mixed with nervousness filled her heart - the most important piece had been placed, now she only had to wait for the result of the fateful game that she had diligently prepared for nearly a year.

She quickly found Bao Ngoc's desk and pulled him out to the familiar fire escape area to inform him of the situation. "The complaint has been sent," she whispered, her voice still a little shaky after the tense confrontation. "The inspection agency will review it in the next twenty-four hours. You just need to maintain your stance a little longer, absolutely do not sign any papers."

"I just received a call from her assistant, saying she wanted to see me again this afternoon," Bao Ngoc said, sounding worried. "I'm afraid she will apply even more pressure."

"Just say you're not feeling well and need to go home early," Khanh Linh replied, holding her friend's hand tightly to reassure her. "Just hold out for a few more hours, everything will soon come to light according to the legal path."

At that moment, Khanh Linh's phone vibrated, a text message from Dang Khoa: "I just heard my mother mention your name with unusual anger. What's going on? I need to know the truth, Linh."

Khanh Linh looked at the message, a complicated consideration arose in her heart. She quickly typed a short response: "You should ask your mother about the contract with Ngoc Lan Capital. I believe, you deserve to know the truth, even though it may be difficult to accept." Sending the message, she turned off the phone screen, not sure what Dang Khoa's reaction would be, but she understood, the time had come when she couldn't continue to hide him any longer.

"Which side do you think Mr. Khoa will take?" Bao Ngoc asked, his eyes worried.

"I'm not sure," Khanh Linh replied, sighing. "But I believe, no matter the outcome, this is still the right thing to do. He deserves to know the truth about his own family, instead of continuing to live in the ignorance his mother created."

Late in the afternoon, when Khanh Linh was packing her things and preparing to leave, Lam Quoc Bao came to her, his eyes filled with worry mixed with relief. "I heard you just met Mrs. Kim Chi in person. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Khanh Linh replied, smiling slightly even though her body still felt tired after a tense confrontation. "She made a few threats, but didn't do anything too extreme right at the office. The complaint has been sent, now we're just waiting for the results from the inspection agency."

"You have done something that not everyone has the courage to do," he said, his eyes filled with sincere admiration. "Facing such a powerful person head-on, not everyone can stay as calm as you."

"I don't feel brave at all," Khanh Linh admitted, her voice trembling a bit as she remembered Mrs. Kim Chi's cold eyes. "I just try not to let fear control my actions."

"That is true courage," Lam Quoc Bao replied, his voice gentle. "It's not about not being afraid, it's about daring to do the right thing even when you're afraid."

Those words made Khanh Linh feel a warmth spread throughout her body, dispelling some of the remaining tension. She looked at him, her eyes filled with gratitude. "Thank you, for always being here, accompanying me through all of this."

"I'll always be here," he replied, his gaze unwavering, "no matter what happens next."

The two of them stood quietly together for a while in the empty hallway, not needing any more words to fill the silence. Khanh Linh clearly feels that, amidst all the uncertainties and calculations surrounding her, this is the strongest fulcrum she has - not power, not money, but a person willing to stand firmly by her side through all storms, without asking for anything in return.

On the way home that night, Khanh Linh received a text message from Dang Khoa, just a few words: "I need time to think." No anger, no further questioning, just a heavy silence signaling that, somewhere in his heart, a fierce internal struggle was taking place between love and righteousness.