Chapter 23 — My Driver is No. 1 Young Master in the Capital

Three months since the fateful rainy night when Bach Duong proposed marriage to a strange driver passed faster than she thought. The calendar hanging on the kitchen wall marked the last day of the marriage contract they had signed, a milestone that they both now realized had a completely different meaning than what they had originally envisioned.

That morning, Bach Duong woke up early as usual, went to the terrace to practice boxing under the sunrise, but her mind could not fully focus on each familiar movement. Today is the last day of three months, and she knows it's time for both of them to talk clearly about the future of this relationship.

Looking at each of her graceful yet powerful movements under the morning sunlight, she remembered her master's advice before going down the mountain - love life is not a disease that needs to be cured, but a truth that needs to be faced. Now, standing on the threshold of the most important decision of her life, she wonders whether she has truly fully faced the truth in her heart.

Bach Tan, standing against the doorframe watching her practice like it had become a habit every morning for the past several weeks, also had similar thoughts in his heart. He recalled the entire journey of the past three months - from the initial pragmatic agreement, through the stormy family meals, through the night saving Bach Nhan's life, through the tense meeting with the seven senior brothers, through the night in the life-or-death confrontation at the abandoned warehouse - each moment deepened the feelings that he could no longer deny.

"Are you done practicing yet?" He asked when Bach Duong finished the kata, sweat beading on his forehead.

"Done." She replied, wiping away her sweat, her eyes looking at him with gentle scrutiny. "Do you know what day today is?"

"I know." Bach Tan replied, walking closer to her. "Three months are over."

The atmosphere between the two became strangely tense, not the tension of conflict, but the suspense of two people facing an important decision that could completely change their lives.

"According to the contract we signed," Bach Duong said, her voice trying to remain calm even though her heart was beating faster than usual, "today we can officially divorce peacefully, without dispute, just as we originally agreed."

Bach Tan was silent for a moment, his eyes looking straight at her, containing a sincerity that she had never seen so clearly. "Do you want a divorce?"

The opposite question made Bach Duong pause. She looked at him, feeling all the emotions she had tried to suppress for weeks now surging violently. "I... I don't know how to answer. Three months ago, I got into your car just because of an impulsive moment, wanting to get revenge on a traitor. But now, everything is completely different."

"How different?" Bach Tan asked, stepping closer, the distance between the two was now only a few steps.

"I learned to trust someone who I thought was just a stranger playing the role of husband." Bach Duong said, her voice trembling slightly with emotion. "I've seen you face danger to protect me, I've seen you shoulder the responsibility of your family without complaining, I've seen you treat me kindly even when no one forced you to. I... I think I've fallen in love with you, Cung Bach Tan."

As soon as that confession ended, Bach Tan did not hesitate another second, walked over and hugged her, holding her tightly in his arms as if afraid she would disappear if he relaxed for even a moment. "Me too. I've loved you for a long time, maybe since the night you sat in my car with those determined and angry eyes. I just didn't dare admit it because I was afraid that this was just a temporary feeling between two people who were facing danger together."

"So what now?" Bach Duong asked, looking up at him, her eyes shining with happiness and hope, her heart pounding, waiting for the next answer from the man she had truly trusted.

"Now," Bach Tan said, kneeling down on one knee, pulling out from his pocket a small box that he had prepared many days ago, waiting for this exact moment to give to her, "I want to ask you a question again, not in anger or impulsivity like three months ago, but with all the sincerity in my heart. Tham Bach Duong, do you want to continue being my wife, not because of a contract, not for any pragmatic reason, but because of true love. between us, forever?"

Bach Duong looked at the sparkling diamond ring in the box, tears of happiness rolled down her cheeks. "Yes. I want it, Cung Bach Tan. From the bottom of my heart, I want it." She replied, her voice shaking with emotion, tears of happiness continuously rolling down her cheeks.

Bach Tan stood up, put the ring on her hand, then hugged her, their lips met in a gentle but sincere kiss, marking the true beginning of a love that had silently grown over the past three months, from a contract that seemed to be just a practical game between two strangers, has now become a lifelong promise between two hearts that truly belong to each other.

When the two let go of each other, Bach Duong leaned her head on his chest, clearly hearing his heartbeat beating as fast as hers. "So what do we do next? Tear up the old contract and sign a new one?"

Bach Tan laughed, squeezing her tighter in his arms. "I think, this time we don't need any more contracts. Just a promise from the heart, more durable than any legal document."

That afternoon, when the news that the two decided to continue their marriage, this time with true love, spread to Bach Duong's brothers and the entire family of Cung Vinh Thanh, everyone was happy and blessed. Trinh Nam Khuong, although still maintaining the familiar stern look of a brother protecting his sister, could not hide his warm smile when he heard the news. "In the end, he deserves you, Bach Duong. I'm happy for you, truly happy for you."

Cung Vinh Thanh, when he heard his son announce the news, his eyes shone with indescribable joy. "I'm so happy that you've found your true happiness, Bach Tan. Sometimes, the best things in life come from the decisions we least expect."

He held his son's hand tightly, his voice low and filled with emotion. "Since the day your mother passed away, I have always been afraid that you will close your heart, only focusing on work and family responsibilities and forgetting to find your own happiness. Seeing you happy like today, I can feel somewhat reassured."

Cung Bach Nhan, having fully recovered from the poisoning, also called to congratulate his brother with a familiar joking tone. "Are you finally willing to admit it publicly? I've seen clearly for a long time how much you like your sister-in-law, it's just that you keep denying it."

Bach Tan laughed at his younger brother's teasing, feeling a complete happiness spread throughout his body — not only because of his newly acknowledged love for Bach Duong, but also because all the loved ones around him were now safe and happy after all the recent turmoil.

That night, Bach Duong and Bach Tan sat together on the apartment balcony, watching the sparkling city lights stretching to the horizon, planning together for a future that they both now looked forward to with all their hearts.

"I think, we should have a real wedding." Bach Tan said, his hand gently caressing her hair. "This time, it's not a marriage that started from an impulsive decision in the middle of a rainy night, but a proper wedding ceremony, witnessed by both families, so that the whole capital knows that our love is real."

Bach Duong looked up at him, her eyes sparkling with joy. "I like that idea. But I also want our wedding to have a part of the Botanical Garden ceremony, to honor the roots I grew up in as well."

"Of course." Bach Tan replied, smiling. "It's an integral part of who she is, and I want to respect that fully."

The two sat together for a long time, discussing small details for the upcoming wedding, from the guest list to the harmonious combination of traditional and modern rituals. Each story was filled with laughter and the excitement of two people who are truly in love, without any entanglements or calculations from the past.