Chapter 13 — Having occupied a Business Seat, I went straight to First Class

I walked in. Manh Phi also followed. Wary eyes. In the room... there was only the sound of the heart monitor "whirr... beep..." I stood next to the bed. Look at the man… who destroyed my family. Also ruined my own life.

“What do you want to say?”

His lips moved slightly. Weak voice.

“Tell… it to come out.”

His eyes... looked towards Manh Phi. She burst into tears.

“Is there something you can't hear?!”

"Go out!"

His voice suddenly became harsh. Followed by a series of violent coughs. Manh Phi panicked. Don't dare argue anymore. She gave me a vicious look. Then slowly left. The door closes. The hospital room... only two people left.

“Your father… Khuong Van Bo…”

Manh Quoc Dong gasped. Difficulty speaking.

“Not… death from illness.”

My heart… shrank.

“He… was killed.”

“At that time… it wasn't just me targeting 'Khai Minh'.”

“There is one more person…”

“Someone… we don't dare touch.”

“His power… is too great.”

“Tricks… cruel.”

“He wants the entire source code… to use for things that cannot be made public.”

“Your father… is a man of principles.”

“He would rather die… and not agree.”

“To protect the code… also to protect you…”

“He… came to me.”

“We… put on a play.”

“A play of brotherly betrayal… usurpation of power.”

“I play the robber.”

“Attract all attention.”

“And he… pretended to be a loser.”

“Quietly withdraw.”

“He brought the real code…”

“hidden in Switzerland…”

“He thought… that way he could fool that person.”

“But he… still underestimated his opponent's ruthlessness.”

“The year she entered college… that person still found him.”

“They forced him to hand over the password.”

“Her father… had three broken ribs… still refused to give up.”

“Finally… they injected him with a drug.”

“A medicine… colorless, odorless…”

“but can slowly destroy heart function.”

“So his death… at first glance… looked exactly like normal heart failure.”

My mind is blank. The whole body felt like it was drained of all strength. I staggered back a step. Put your hands against the wall... to be able to stand. not die of disease. All I know. Everything I hate. In this moment… completely overthrown.

“Who… is that person?”

So hoarse that it feels like it's not mine. Manh Quoc Dong looked at me. The eyes were cloudy... a drop of water flowed out.

“His name… is Trac Vien Hang.”

“The family behind him…”

“is… the Trac family in Hoa Kinh.”

Trac Vien Hang. Two names… exploded in my head like thunder. Hoa Kinh Trac family. A family... almost no one in the world knows. Their power... creeps everywhere. Real estate. Energy. Dark areas that no one dares to touch. I used to think... my enemy was the Manh family. I did my best…to knock them down. Then I realized... what I pushed down... was just a shadow. The shadow of a larger mountain. Scarier. My voice was dry.

“Only now… did you say that?”

“Because… I'm scared.”

Manh Quoc Dong's eyes trembled. It's fear... coming from the depths of the soul.

“I'm afraid... they'll take revenge on Manh Phi.”

“I failed your father.”

“But I can't… disappoint my daughter again.”

“I can only watch your father die…”

“and was known as a traitor… and lived for twenty years.”

“I am great Khai Minh…”

“Just to one day… be strong enough to fight them.”

“But I was wrong.”

“In their eyes… I will always be just a dog.”

“A dog… look after the stolen goods.”

“This time… Manh Phi took action against you…”

"Behind... there is also the silhouette of the Trac family."

“They saw your ‘Heavenly Frame’…”

“It was like seeing ‘Khai Minh’ twenty years ago.”

“They want… repeat.”

“Meng Phi… is just a chess piece.”

I understand. Everything… strung together. The commotion on the plane. Manh Phi's unreasonable provocation. That reckless acquisition. It's not a coincidence. It's not just her. Behind her… there is always a “ghost”. A ghost…killed my father twenty years ago. And now…it wants to devour me again.

“Khuong Nhien…”

Manh Quoc Dong looked at me. His eyes were full of guilt… and pleading.

“That year… I was a coward.”

“I don't have the courage… to stand still like your father.”

“I choose… to live on my knees.”

“This crime… I take it to my grave.”

“But Manh Phi…”

“it knows nothing.”

“It always thinks… I'm a hero.”

“Your father is the traitor.”

“What it does…”

“just wanted to… keep the inheritance for his 'hero' father.”

“It… is also pitiful.”

“Please… forgive him.”

After he finished speaking... he seemed to have exhausted all his strength. The heart monitor… emitted a shrill warning sound. The door... was pushed open. Doctors and nurses immediately rushed in. Manh Phi also followed. She saw the readings on the machine, saw her father's painful appearance... immediately collapsed and burst into tears.

“Dad! Dad! Dad, what's wrong?

Doctors began emergency treatment. I was invited out by the nurse. Standing in the hallway. Look at the chaotic room inside. My whole body... seemed to be pulled out of reality. A huge feeling of emptiness. Along with even greater pain. I thought I was taking revenge. But it turns out… from the beginning, I was targeting the wrong person. The real enemy… for the past twenty years… has always stood in the dark. Coldly looking at everything. like a puppet. Together with the Manh family, they fought to the end. Manh Phi rushed out from the room. She rushed in front of me, raising her hand. The hand stopped in mid-air. She looked at me. The look... so complicated that it's impossible to name. she knew it all.

“Is what my father said… true?”

Her voice trembled. I don't answer.

“I asked you! Is it true?!”

She grabbed my hand and shook it hard.

“My dad… isn't a hero?”

“Your father… is the one who was wronged?”

“Twenty years of my family's glory… were all built on your father's betrayal and death?”

Each question... is like cutting yourself. I looked at that face distorted by despair. And realized...I couldn't hate anymore. We...are all just chess pieces. Protected by father's love. And also bound by itself. The ICU door opened again. A doctor came out. Remove the mask. Tired face.