Chapter 10 — Cashing Out of a Broken Past

The group erupted into a frenzied brawl, their violence unabated until the police finally descended upon the scene. Only a few days later, the Man Corporation officially declared bankruptcy. My father, unable to withstand the crushing weight of such a catastrophe, suffered a massive stroke at home and passed away shortly after. Man Huu An sought out Ky Tu Han to confront him, and in the heat of their desperate struggle, both men plummeted from a great height, meeting their end together in a singular, gruesome heap. As for Lam Hoan, by the time anyone discovered her, she had been locked away in a basement by Ky Tu Han for nearly a month. The darkness had shattered her mind, leaving her a broken, raving lunatic. It was not until much later that these grim fragments of news reached me.

Once the chaos surrounding the name of Ky Tu Han had been laid to rest, I boarded a plane alone and flew to Switzerland. At the foot of the Alps, the lake lay shimmering, its waters as clear and serene as polished jade. The mountain breeze wove through my hair, gently sweeping away the lingering dust and sorrows of my former life. Once, someone had promised to walk through the mountains and rivers of the world by my side. For the longest time, I believed that it was that person I truly longed for, but only later did I realize that it was these vast, majestic landscapes that had always been the true object of my desire.

A voice drifted from behind me.

"Miss Uc, what a coincidence. We meet again."

I turned around. Just as I did, the mountain wind surged once more, causing the hem of Ha Dinh’s coat to billow and dance in the air. His eyes and brow were bright with a warmth that held a hint of a smile, and he began to walk toward me, his pace steady and unhurried.