Chapter 15 — Fake Lover Turns Out to Be Fiancee

In the days after the meeting with Ta Vo Tam, the atmosphere in the Duong family villa became much more tense. Bach Dang doubled his vigilance, always walking close to Gia Khue every time she left the house, constantly observing every corner around her, including the seemingly safest places like the company office or meetings with close friends.

Gia Khue noticed that change, and although she was somewhat touched by his devotion, she could not help but worry when she saw Bach Dang sleeping less and less, dark circles began to appear under his eyes because he had to always be in a state of high alert.

"You don't have to be this stressed." She said one evening, when she saw Bach Dang still standing guard in the hallway even though it was past midnight. "You also need to rest. You can't keep staying up all night."

"I can't be negligent, what if..." Bach Dang left his sentence unfinished, his eyes full of worry.

Gia Khue walked over, gently pulled his hand into the living room, and made him a cup of warm tea. "I understand you're worried about me, but if you keep being exhausted like this, when the time comes when you really need to fight, you won't have enough strength left. You have to believe in your own abilities, and believe that we can face difficulties together, instead of you shouldering it all alone."

Bach Dang looked at her, his hand holding the cup of tea suddenly clenched a little tighter, as if afraid of revealing the warmth spreading in his chest. "Thank you for understanding me. But you have to understand, this is not just a bodyguard job anymore, this is a feud that could involve your life. I can't help but worry."

"Then, let me learn how to protect myself a little, at least you will be less burdened." Gia Khue said, her eyes determined. "Teach me some basic self-defense moves. I don't need to be as good as you, just enough to escape in an emergency situation."

Bach Dang looked at her, initially a little hesitant, but seeing the determination in Gia Khue's eyes, he finally nodded in agreement. "Okay, but you have to practice seriously, don't take it as a joke."

From that day on, every early morning before going to the company, the two spent half an hour in the garden behind the villa to practice basic self-defense techniques. At first, Gia Khue appeared quite clumsy, her movements were stiff and unnatural, but with Bach Dang's patient teaching, she gradually improved, learning how to dodge and how to simply counterattack when suddenly attacked.

"You have talent." Bach Dang praised after a practice session, watching Gia Khue skillfully perform an attack move that he had just taught.

"Thanks to a good teacher." Gia Khue replied, panting from fatigue but still smiling brightly at the corner of her mouth.

Those training sessions gradually became a precious time that both of them looked forward to every day, not only for self-defense purposes, but also because it was when they could be close to each other and talk freely without being influenced by work or outside worries.

One morning, while practicing, Bach Dang accidentally supported Gia Khue when she lost her balance during a rotation. The distance between the two suddenly narrowed to just a few inches, and both of their breaths mingled in the fresh morning air.

Both stood silently, their hearts beating faster than usual, neither of them took the initiative to step back. Bach Dang's eyes looked deeply into Gia Khue's eyes, which contained so many emotions that he had never dared to express in words.

"Gia Khue..." He softly called her name, his voice was warm and deep, different from usual.

"What's up?" She asked again, her voice also quiet, her heart pounding in her chest.

"From the day I came down from the mountain until now, I have been through many things, being deceived, feeling helpless, and then discovering an engagement that I never knew about." Bach Dang said, his voice slow but sincere. "But what I cherish most in all that has happened is meeting you. I don't know if this feeling stems from an adult's promise or not, but I know one thing for sure, I truly cherish you, not because of any promise, but because of who you are."

Gia Khue stood silently, her heart seemed to burst at that sincere confession. She was used to hearing flattering words from men in the business world, beautiful but empty words, hidden with profit calculations behind them. But Bach Dang's words were simple, rustic, not a bit flowery, but touched deeper into her heart than anything she had ever heard.

"Me too." She replied, her voice shaking slightly with emotion. "At first I just thought you were a strange, naive person, but the closer I got to you, the more I realized you were the most sincere person I've ever met. I don't care about the old engagement anymore, I just know that I want to be with you, because of who you are."

At that moment, under the gentle morning sunlight filtering through the foliage in the garden, two hearts that were strangers to each other just a few weeks ago, now found true harmony, no longer entangled by the adults' engagement promise or the ironic circumstances that brought them together.

Bach Dang gently raised his hand to caress her cheek, feeling the warmth under his fingertips that made his whole arm tremble slightly, a strange feeling that no martial art his master taught could prepare him in advance. He lowered his head, a gentle but sincere kiss was given in the quiet garden, with only the startled sound of sparrows flying over the fence to witness the moment the "real fake love movie" officially changed its name to a real thing.

"No matter what difficulties and dangers I face in the near future," Bach Dang said, his forehead resting lightly on hers, "I will protect you to the end, with my life."

"I trust you." Gia Khue replied, holding his hand tightly. "And I will always be by your side, no matter what happens."

That morning, the two arrived at the company later than usual - so late that Bao Tran had to call three times in a row to pick up - but no one bothered to pay attention to the pending meetings or sales reports, because something much more important had just been established between the two right in the back garden.

Arriving at the office, Tang Bao Tran immediately noticed a strange change in the atmosphere between the two of them with just a glance. The eyes they exchanged were now no longer shyly hidden as before, but filled with an unmistakable warmth.

"Oh my god, you two finally admit it?" Bao Tran exclaimed as she pulled Gia Khue into a private room, her face full of excitement. "I saw it a long time ago, I'm just waiting for the day you open up."

Gia Khue blushed, but did not deny it anymore. "I didn't expect things to happen so quickly. But you know, this is the first time in my life I feel certain about something related to love, without any doubts or calculations."

"Then congratulations." Bao Tran hugged Gia Khue, her voice sincere. "Although Mr. Bach Dang is a bit strange compared to normal people, he is clearly a good man, worthy of you."

That afternoon, Mr. Duong Khac Nguyen called them both into his private office. His eyes looked at his daughter, immediately noticing the change in her demeanor. "Is there anything good you want to tell Dad?"

Gia Khue looked at Bach Dang, then smiled and held his hand in front of his father. "Dad, we decided to officially get to know each other seriously, not because of the promise of you and Uncle Huyen Van, but because we ourselves wanted to."

After hearing this, Mr. Khac Nguyen, his eyes filled with tears of emotion, stood up and hugged both of them. "This is what I've been looking forward to the most for so many years. I believe that your mother in heaven will also be happy to see you find your true happiness."

That warm family moment made Bach Dang even more determined to protect what he had, even though he knew that ahead there were still many dangers waiting from both sides, from the sect's old feud and the sinister business plots of their opponents that he and Gia Khue had yet to know had begun colluding with each other.

That evening, when returning to the guesthouse after a long and emotional day, Bach Dang stood silently looking at the moonlight hanging in the city sky, his heart both happy and filled with a vague anxiety. Before going to bed, he didn't forget to go around and check the back garden fence one more time, his fingers running over each gate lock like a habit he couldn't break, because no matter how sweet the morning kiss was, it wasn't enough to erase the premonition that the man calling himself Ta Vo Tam wouldn't wait silently forever.