Chapter 5 — General, It's No Time Anymore... My Wife Has Remarried

I cried and begged Hoac Dien.

"I'll follow you back! Isn't it enough that I followed you back?"

"You let him go! Let him go!"

Finally, Hoc Dien reacted. He raised his hand, signaling the soldiers who were executing him to stop. Then, he stepped in front of me, used a handkerchief to gently wipe the tears from my face, his movements were so gentle that it made people shiver.

“Isn't it good to be so obedient from early on?”

He spoke softly, his tone carrying some of the pride of a winner.

“A Ly, you must remember carefully.”

“She is mine.”

"Anyone who dares to intend to take her away from me has only one way to die."

I looked at his face up close, and what arose in my heart was neither love nor hatred, but a kind of fear and disgust that penetrated deep into my bones.

“I agree with you.”

I gritted my teeth, saying each word clearly.

"But you must promise me, let him go, give him a sum of money so that he won't have to worry about food and clothing for the next half of his life, and will never be allowed to hurt him again."

Hoac Dien looked at me, his eyes narrowed slightly.

“She really cares about him a lot.”

His tone carried a hint of bitterness that was hard to detect.

“He is my husband.”

I did not avoid it, but directly met his gaze. Hoac Dien's face darkened again. He was silent for a long time, then finally nodded.

“Okay, I promise you.”

He ordered Deputy General Truong to bring paper and pen. I tremblingly raised my hand, and on the prepared document - the document declaring the marriage between me and Tham Khoat invalid - printed my fingerprints. After that, I watched helplessly as they carried the almost unconscious Tham Khoat onto the carriage, along with the bag of gold. The carriage gradually disappeared into the night. Our world is also completely plunged into darkness. I was taken back to the capital by Hoac Dien. Not the General's palace where I lived for the past six years. It's a completely new palace, more luxurious and more elegant. On the sign in front of the door, two large words "Dinh Bac Marquis Palace" are written in dragon, phoenix, and feather strokes. This place is even bigger than the previous General's Palace. Also colder. Like a lavish tomb piled high with gold, silver and jewels. I was imprisoned in that tomb, becoming a true canary of Hoac Dien. He gave me ultimate glory and wealth. The brocade of the most prosperous period, the most precious jewels, are like continuously flowing water brought to my institute. Mountain seafood dishes, bird's nest with fish fin, covered the entire dining table in front of me. All the servants in the Marquis Palace, every time they see me, must respectfully call me "ma'am". But I know clearly, I am not a lady. I'm just a trophy that he forcibly took back. Every day he comes to see me. Sometimes he's next to me and has a meal with me. Sometimes he just sits quietly across from me, looking at me without saying anything. His eyes always carry a possessive desire that makes people suffocate.

“A Ly, look at how nice this place is.”

He often told me that.

“This is the life she should have.”

“She was born to be a phoenix on a high branch, not a little sparrow in the countryside.”

I didn't say a word from beginning to end. He thought he had put the whole world before him my face. But he doesn't know, I would rather fly freely in the countryside than be locked in this red cage and have my wings broken little by little. He began to become more and more impatient. He will get angry when I'm absentmindedly eating, and will also get angry because I refuse to smile at him and grab my chin, forcing me to look at him.

“Luc Van Ly, do you hate me that much?”

He asked me with red eyes. I looked at him and calmly opened my mouth:

“Hoo Dien, hating also requires strength.”

“But you… are no longer worth wasting any more of my energy on.”

His body suddenly stiffened. The anger in his eyes was instantly replaced by pain. Maybe he wants to receive love from me. Or hate it. Even if it's a complaint, it's good. The only thing he didn't want to receive was that radical coldness... That look so calm that it no longer put him in his eyes anymore.