Chapter 20 — Back Before The Wedding Day

The next morning, the atmosphere at Bao Tin Group was unusually tense. As soon as Khanh Linh entered the lobby, she felt the judging eyes and sporadic whispers from other employees. It seems that news about the upcoming inspection team has begun to spread within the company.

At her desk, she received a call from lawyer Kien as soon as she sat down. "The inspection agency has officially received the complaint and decided to temporarily block the money transfer transaction between Bao Tin and Ngoc Lan Capital, waiting for the results of the investigation," he announced, his voice full of excitement. "This is an important first victory, my child."

"Thank you very much," Khanh Linh replied, feeling a great burden lifted from her heart. "So what will be the next step?"

"The inspection team will work directly at the company in the next few days to collect evidence and interview relevant parties," Mr. Kien explained. "You and Bao Ngoc need to be mentally prepared to cooperate fully and honestly with the inspection team. I will accompany you both throughout this process as a representative lawyer."

Hanging up, Khanh Linh breathed a sigh of relief but also understood that this was just the beginning of a long and complicated process that lay ahead. She immediately texted the good news to Lam Quoc Bao and Bao Ngoc, both of whom responded with equal relief.

At noon, when Khanh Linh was having a meal with Bao Ngoc at the company canteen, Mrs. Kim Chi suddenly appeared, walking straight to their table, her face pale, no longer the cold authority as usual, but instead a carefully suppressed panic.

"Miss Linh, I need to talk to you," she said, her voice low but filled with tension.

Khanh Linh stood up and followed her to a deserted corner of the cafeteria. "What do you want to say?"

"The inspection team just called to inform me," Ms. Kim Chi said, her voice for the first time since Khanh Linh knew her took on a weak, almost pleading tone. "Miss Linh, I know you are a kind-hearted person. If you withdraw your complaint right now, I promise to compensate you adequately, both in terms of position and finances. We can resolve this peacefully, there is no need to let things go this far."

Khanh Linh looked straight at her, clearly sensing the sudden change in this powerful woman's attitude - from threatening to begging in just one night. "I'm sorry, ma'am," she replied, her voice firm but not harsh. "This is no longer my decision alone. The complaint has been officially received by the authorities, and I believe this is the only correct way for everything to be resolved fairly and transparently for everyone, including you."

"Do you think I will accept defeat so easily?" Mrs. Kim Chi's voice suddenly changed, the weakness just now disappeared, replaced by familiar cold eyes. "You should remember, I still have many ways to make things more difficult for you, if you continue to be stubborn."

"I understand that," Khanh Linh replied, undeterred by the second threat. "But I also believe that the truth will always win in the end, no matter how difficult the road to get there is."

Mrs. Kim Chi glared at her for a long time, then turned and left His anger was not hidden, his hasty gait was completely different from his usual calm, majestic demeanor. Khanh Linh stood silently watching, understanding that the real war had only just begun, and that in the coming days there would be even more turbulence waiting ahead.

Returning to the dining table, Bao Ngoc looked at her with worried eyes. "What did she say to you?"

"She tried to negotiate, then turned to threats when I refused," Khanh Linh replied, sitting down, trying to keep her voice calm even though there was still tension in her heart. "But I think her panicked reaction is a sign that we're on the right track."

That afternoon, when the news that the inspection team was about to enter was officially confirmed within the company, the atmosphere at Bao Tin Group became more chaotic than ever. Some employees whispered, others seemed worried about the company's future, while Dang Khoa was completely absent all day, with no text messages or calls from him.

Late at night, when Khanh Linh was preparing to go to bed, she received a brief text message from an unfamiliar phone number, the content of which sent chills down her spine: "Be careful for your family, Ms. Linh. Not every war is worth sacrificing everything." She looked at the text message, her heart pounded, immediately called to check on her parents' situation, and was relieved to know that they were both safe and preparing to go to sleep like any normal day.

She immediately called Lam Quoc Bao, her voice still shaking a bit as she recounted the content of the threatening message. He was silent for a moment, then his voice sounded serious, unable to hide his worry. "You take a screenshot of that message right away, don't delete it. I will let Uncle Kien know, it may be necessary to report this threat to the police, it could be important additional evidence showing the seriousness of the incident."

"I'm okay, just a little surprised," Khanh Linh reassured, although her voice was still shaking. "I worry more about my parents."

"I will ask an acquaintance over there to keep an eye on your area in the next few days, until things calm down," Lam Quoc Bao said, his voice determined not to take any risks. "Don't hesitate to ask me for help with things like this, the safety of you and your family is always the top priority."

"Thank you," Khanh Linh replied, feeling a reassuring warmth spreading despite the uncertain situation. "I don't know how I would have managed without you by my side all this time."

“You will never have to know that,” he replied, his voice gentle but firm, “because I will always be here.”

The next morning, lawyer Kien confirmed that he had officially reported the threatening message to the police, and added it to the file sent to the inspection agency as evidence that there were signs of obstruction in the investigation process. “This was a mistake on their part,” he said over the phone, his voice full of confidence. "Such threatening actions only make the incident more serious in the eyes of the authorities, proving that they are panicking and have something really to hide."

Putting down the phone, Khanh Linh looked out the window, her heart heavy with anxiety but also full of determination. She understood that the fateful chess game had now entered its most tense phase, and she needed to prepare well God forbid even more violent waves lie ahead, before the light of true justice can shine.

That weekend, Khanh Linh stopped by her parents' house, not stating the real reason but making an excuse to want to stay a few days to rest. She silently observed around the familiar neighborhood, not noticing any unusual signs, but still maintained the necessary vigilance. Mr. Tai, unaware of the troubles his daughter was facing, was just happy to have his daughter visit him more often recently.

"You've been coming home a lot lately, I'm very happy," he said, cutting off the excess thread on a recently completed shirt, a familiar gentle smile on his lips.

"I just want to spend more time with my family, dad," Khanh Linh replied, sitting down next to her, trying to hide the worries rolling in her heart. Looking at the familiar peaceful scene of the small garment factory, she told herself, no matter how fierce the game ahead was, as long as she could protect this peace, all her efforts would be worth it.

That night, before going to sleep, she opened her notebook and wrote down the last lines of this tumultuous period: "The denunciation has been received, the transaction is temporarily blocked. Ms. Kim Chi has changed from threatening to begging, then back to threatening - a sign of real panic. Dang Khoa remains silent, not sure which side to choose. The next stage will be the most decisive - need to mentally prepare for a fierce counterattack from the other side."

Closing the notebook, she turned off the light and lay down in the quiet darkness of her familiar childhood room. The sound of her father's sewing machine still echoed steadily downstairs, a simple sound but enough to calm her soul after a long and turbulent day. She closed her eyes and told herself, no matter how many new challenges tomorrow brings, as long as she maintains these core values, she will always find a way to stand firm.