Chapter 7 — I Have A Boss Who Works Overtime

The entire conference room was silent, all eyes were focused on me, full of anticipation for the drama. I was so embarrassed that my face turned red and I stood still, speechless. What else can I say? Tell the whole company that people are speculating about our relationship, that I'm avoiding you because I want to avoid suspicion? Isn't that tacitly admitting that there really is something between us? Seeing that I didn't say anything, Co Canh Tham's face turned even darker. He glanced around at the people in the meeting room who were wearing all kinds of expressions, and their voices were so cold that it seemed like pieces of ice might fall off. "Trinh Tu is my legal sister. At the same time, she is also an excellent employee that I admire very much at work. I don't want any unfounded rumors in the company related to her personal life." His eyes became cold, scanning each face. "Whoever dares to secretly talk behind his back will end up like Bach Vi." The entire meeting room was silent. The colleagues who normally like to gossip the most now all bow their heads, not daring to breathe loudly. I looked at him in surprise. I thought he would quietly ask me privately, or not even pay attention to those rumors. I didn't expect that he would choose to be so direct and strong, standing up to defend me in front of the entire company. He put all the responsibility on his shoulders, using his toughest attitude to protect my face and honor. The meeting ended, everyone hurriedly left the meeting room as if avoiding evil. “Miss, stay.” Co Canh Tham's voice rang out behind me. I turned around, he was walking closer to me. He closed the door to the conference room and stepped closer, until my back was pressed against the cold wall, with no way back. His hands rested on the wall, completely surrounding me in his aura.

“You think,” he lowered his head, almost whispering in my ear, his voice dangerously low, “that avoiding me would solve all my problems?”

I returned home with an extremely chaotic heart. Co Canh Tham's strong defense in the meeting room, along with his final, pressure-filled question, kept echoing in my head. I sat dumbfounded throughout dinner, only ate a few bites and then put down my chopsticks.

"Tieu Tu, what's wrong? Is work not going well?" My mother - To Uyen - noticed the difference in me, her face full of worry.

I shook my head and forced a smile: "It's okay mom, I'm just a little tired." That night, I lay awake unable to sleep. The rumors in the company, Co Canh Tham's confession, the uneven relationship between us... it's all like a tangle tightly wrapped around my heart. I'm afraid that a relationship that isn't accepted by common sense will make my mother and Uncle Co uncomfortable. I was even more afraid that it was all just a dream. The room door was knocked lightly. "Tieu Tu, are you sleeping yet? Can I come in?" It's my mother's voice - To Uyen. I sat up and turned on the bedside lamp. Mom came in with a glass of hot milk and sat on the edge of my bed. "Seeing that you didn't have much dinner, drink some milk and go to sleep." Mom put a glass of warm milk in my hand and looked at me tenderly. “Confidence, right?” Before my mother's concerned eyes, all my tough shell completely collapsed. I couldn't hold back anymore, I took it all out in the company, the protection of Co Canh Tham, the conflicts and worries in my heart for him, I told my mother all about it. As I spoke, tears kept falling.

"Mom... am I a very bad person? He... is technically my younger brother." "I'm afraid people will say Mom and Uncle Co, I'm afraid they'll lose face."

Mom didn't say anything, just quietly listened. When I finished speaking, my mother reached out and hugged me, gently like when she was a child.

“Idiot.” My mother's hand patted my back, her voice extremely gentle. “I'm not wrong.” "You and Canh Tham do not have any blood relationship. You two only have such a legal bond because your mother and Uncle Co got married." “Canh Tham is a good child, I can see it very clearly.”

My mother lifted my face and helped me wipe away my tears, her eyes full of sincerity. "All my life, I have suffered enough from a loveless marriage. Therefore, I only hope my daughter can live true to her heart, pursuing her own happiness." I looked at my mother bewildered. “Mom and Uncle Co… do not object?”

“How can you object?”

My mother smiled, the corner of her eyes sparkled with gentleness.

"Actually, your mother and great-uncle already saw that the way Canh Tham looked at you was not normal."

"We all support you. As long as it is your choice, as long as that person can bring you happiness, then we are all happy for you."

My mother's words were like a beam of warm light, in that moment illuminating all the chaos and darkness in my heart. The biggest burden on my heart was gently removed by her. As it turns out, the obstacles I thought existed didn't exist to begin with. My family, with the most selfless love, has given me the strongest source of strength. I finally understood that what I had been afraid of for so long was never the eyes of outsiders, but the lack of certainty within myself. But now, I am very certain. I like Co Canh Tham. Not because you are my boss, nor because you are my younger brother in name. Simply because... he is Co Canh Tham. I drank a glass of hot milk filled with my mother's love, then slept deeply. The next morning, I applied light and delicate makeup, chose the dress I liked best, and walked into the company in high heels, more confident than ever. When I passed by the surprised eyes of all my colleagues, I no longer avoided them. I walked straight to the door of the general manager's office and knocked.

“Come in.”

I pushed the door open and walked in. Co Canh Tham was sitting behind the desk. When he saw me, a trace of surprise appeared in his eyes. I closed the door and walked step by step in front of him. I looked straight into his deep eyes, each word clear:

“I won't hide anymore.”

He was stunned for a moment, then the corners of his lips slowly raised, revealing a brilliant smile, coming from the bottom of his heart.