Chapter 3 — Love After Ruin

Five years ago, when the On family went bankrupt, I didn't even have money to pay for my parents' funeral. Loan sharks came to my door, and I had to hide in a rented room in the slums like a rat. When they kicked in the door, I thought I was going to die there. It was Luc Tram who saved me. He stood at the door, the light behind him, in front was a row of bodyguards dressed in black. He told the debt collectors: "I pay her debt for her. Double." Then he reached out to me: "On Nhien, do you want revenge? Come with me." So I followed him abroad, to Wall Street. You threw me into the cruelest trading place. He taught me finance, taught me to operate the market, taught me to use capital as a weapon. You turned me into the sharpest blade. He said: "Go, take back everything that belongs to you." And now, I'm back. Luc Tram hugged me for a long time, until my body stopped shaking. He poured me a glass of water: "Is it all said?" I nodded. “How does it feel?” “Horribly bad.” He laughed: “So it's true. Hatred is fuel, but it can also burn yourself.” “You did very well. Better than I imagined.” “Will he agree to the acquisition?” – I asked. “Will.” – Luc Tram's voice was full of certainty – "He has no other choice. Co Thi's hole, besides us, no one can - or dare - fill it." He looked at me: "It's just... I didn't expect him to be that stupid." "Stupid?" "He thought you came back just for money." – Luc Tram said – "He never understood me. Not five years ago, not even now." That's right. He never understood me. He only saw Tham Nguyet's weakness, only my 'bitterness'. Luc Tram stayed to have dinner with me. "Next step, what do you want to do?" – he asked. “I want him to be empty-handed, with nothing left.” “Okay.” – He nodded without hesitation. "What about Tham Nguyet?" I remained silent. We used to be best friends. When her family was in decline, I was the one who begged my father to let her stay and take her home. I divided half of my room with her, including the wardrobe. I thought we were sisters. As a result, she stole my fiance and destroyed my whole family. "I want to meet her." – I said. “I will send you the address.” The next day, in the coffee shop. Tham Nguyet came, wearing a white dress, still maintaining the same weak, pitiful appearance as before. "Sister Nhien Nhien, I'm looking for you..." "Don't call me sister." She bowed her head, stirring the coffee in front of her: "I know you hate me, about that year..." "About that year, where did you go wrong?" – I asked directly. “You... you shouldn't accept Hoai Canh's help.” – she mumbled. “Just helping?” I pushed a stack of printed documents and placed them in front of her – all the emails between her and Co Hoai Canh that year. It was Luc Tram who helped me find it. "She told him that the price of our On family was too high, it was a matter of oppressing people and bullying the Tham family." "You also said that my father was a cold-blooded capitalist who would do anything for money." "She told him that I had been pampered since childhood, arrogant and stubborn, completely unworthy of him, that we were just a commercial marriage, without feelings." "Tham." Nguyet, you are really good." Her face turned pale: "It's not like that, Ms. Nhien Nhien, listen to my explanation... at that time I was just..." "I came to see you today, not to listen to your explanation." – I interrupted – "I came to tell you, the Co family is about to collapse." "You Tham family, thanks to the big tree Co family, you have lived happily for five years. Now, that tree is about to fall." She raised her head and stood up, her eyes filled with panic: "What do you mean?" "I mean, what do you owe the Wen family?"

We, I will reclaim every penny, both capital and profit." I stood up, preparing to leave. She suddenly rushed forward, grabbed my wrist, her nails digging deep into my skin. "On Nhien, on what basis do you dare to do that?!" – she shouted, her voice distorted – “The person Hoai Canh loves is me! He never loved her! It's just an arranged marriage between the two! Because of me, he was willing to give up the entire Co family! Who are you?!" I looked at her twisted face, only feeling amused. "Is that so?" "Then open your eyes and see, between you and Co, which one will the man you love choose?" I shook her hand away, turned and walked away. On the third day, Co Hoai Canh gave an answer. He agreed to the acquisition deal. The signing ceremony was scheduled for the next afternoon. Ten minutes before the ceremony started, Tham Nguyet rushed in. into Co Thi's building. She rushed into Co Hoai Canh's office, crying and screaming. "Hoai Canh, you can't sign! If you sign, we won't have anything left!” “This is my father's lifelong passion! You can't sell it like that!” “Have you forgotten? What did you promise your father? I said I would take care of you for the rest of my life!" I sat in the opposite room, coldly watching the whole scene through the surveillance screen. Luc Tram sat next to me, giving me a cup of coffee. "Very good." – he said. Co Hoai Canh was so busy that he was in a mess, he told Tham Nguyet to stop making trouble. But she didn't listen and started destroying things. "Co Hoai Canh, you still love her, right? Do you want to ruin everything for her?!” “Look at me! Answer me!” Co Hoai Canh closed his eyes: “Tham Nguyet, we ended a long time ago.” “You forced me! It was you who forced me!” – Tham Nguyet screamed like a crazy person. Finally, she was pulled out by security. The room was smashed to pieces. Co Hoai Canh sat on the ground, looking blankly at the door. On the signing day, all the media were present, the flash lights flashed continuously. I took the pen and signed my name on the document: "Nian". Co Hoai Canh looked at me with empty eyes. He also took the pen, but stopped at the last moment. "Nien Nhien, I just want to ask you one last question." "Say it." "If I don't sign today... what will you do?" "Let Co Thi go bankrupt." – I answered without hesitation. He smiled bitterly: "Do you really have no feelings left?" "I extinguished it first."