Chapter 16 — My Husband Fake His Death To Hurt Me, It Ended Up...

Five years later. On the top floor of the Luc Thi Group headquarters building, in the general director's office, I stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling glass door, looking down at the sprawling city below. The sunlight shines on the glass surface, reflecting into sparkling streaks of light, like a world that is both familiar and far away.

“General Luc, the afternoon meeting schedule has been arranged.” Tieu Truong walked in, his voice monotonous as usual.

I nodded slightly.

“Yes, I know.”

She hesitated for a moment, as if considering something.

“General Luc… there is one more thing.”

“What?”

“Co Mac Han… he was released today.”

I turned around and looked at her for a second. Just one word. Not much emotion. Tieu Truong seemed to want to say more, but in the end, he still left silently. The room returned to silence. I turned back to look at the city outside. In my heart... it's not a storm. Just a very deep, very thin layer of emotions. Five years ago, in the visiting room, I gave him a letter. There's only one sentence.

“If you really change, five years from now, I will think again.”

Five years have passed. He stepped out of the darkness. Stand back in the light. It's time to give an answer. Afternoon. I'm in a meeting. The room door was suddenly knocked. Tieu Truong walked in.

“General Luc, someone wants to see you.”

“He said… I'm Co Mac Han.”

The entire meeting room immediately stirred. All eyes turned to me. I squinted my eyes. The door opened. A man entered. Simple shirt, neatly cut hair, face stained with traces of time. No longer the cold, calculating look of the past. Only left... a strange calmness. Co Mac Han. He walked to the front of the conference table. Bow deeply.

“Thank you… for meeting me.”

I looked at him. Say nothing. He stood up straight, his eyes not avoiding. There is no more arrogance in it. Only sincerity.

“Luc Van, five years ago, you left me a letter.”

“You said… if I really change, five years from now, you will think again about forgiving.”

“For the past five years, in prison, I have lived every day as if I were paying off my debt.”

“I write books, do charity work, help people around me…”

“Not to prove it to anyone.”

“It's so I... can face myself.”

He stopped for a moment. The voice trembled slightly.

“After being released, the first thing I did…”

“is to come see you.”

“I just wanted to ask…”

“Can you… forgive me?”

The entire meeting room was silent. No one dared to breathe loudly. I looked at him. So long that it seemed like it lasted a lifetime. Then finally… I spoke up.

“Co Mac Han.”

“Five years ago, that letter…”

“Not to give you hope.”

“But to give you… a chance to redeem yourself.”

“I saw it.”

“I see you have changed.”

A light flashed in his eyes.

“I will not forgive you.”

I speak very clearly. No hesitation. But it's not as cold as before.

“But I don't hate you anymore.”

“Let's stop here.”

He stopped. Eyes trembled. I walked closer to him. The distance is only one step.

“Co Mac Han, five years ago, you destroyed my life.”

“But five years later…”

“I stood up for myself.”

“Not just stand up…”

“but much stronger than before.”

“I am no longer the woman you manipulated.”

I looked straight at him.

“During these five years, I lived very Good."

“also trying to make amends.”

“We… have all changed.”

I stopped. The voice softened a bit.

“Co Mac Han, I can't forgive you.”

“Because forgiveness… takes time.”

I looked at him. His eyes are no longer cold.

“I can give you a chance.”

“A chance… to start over.”

“Not as husband and wife.”

“two strangers.”

He was stunned. Eyes full of surprise. Then gradually... turned into gratitude.

“Thank you… Luc Van…”

“Really… thank you…”

I don't say anything more. Just turn around. Step out of the meeting room. The sunlight is still bright. An old chapter has closed. And the new chapter… finally begins. I turned around and looked around at everyone: "Everyone, today's meeting ends here, I have some business to take care of." In the meeting room, there were quickly only me and Co Mac Han left. The atmosphere became so quiet that every breath could be clearly heard.

“Co Mac Han,” I said, my voice not high but clear, “five years ago you took advantage of me, destroyed my life, and five years later I relied on myself to stand up and start again.”

“I have a new life, a new beginning, and you… also have a chance to start again.”

His eyes flashed with barely hidden hope: “So… can we start again?” I didn't answer right away, the long silence between the two of us was like a string stretched to the limit, with just the slightest touch it could break. A long time later, I said softly: "Let me tell you a story."

“There was once a girl, she had a very precious piece of porcelain, something her mother left behind, she cherished it more than anything. But one day, she accidentally broke it, breaking it into small pieces.”

“She was very heartbroken. It took years to gather the pieces and carefully glue them back together. In the end, looking at it, it was still intact, exactly like the original.”

“However… I know very well, it is no longer the same as before, just pour hot water in, the water will seep through the cracks, burning your hands.”

Co Mac Han's face changed slightly, he understood.

“The love and trust between us… is that porcelain.” I looked straight at him, each word falling like fate, "I may not hate you, I may even wish you a good life, but tell me to trust you again..."

“Sorry, I can't do it.”

He bowed his head, his shoulders shaking slightly, his voice hoarse: "I understand..."

“But I can wait,” he continued, “one year, two years, ten years… I can wait.”

I turned around, my hand on the doorknob, then stopped and looked at him one last time.

“Don't wait any longer.”

"Co Mac Han, true redemption is not waiting for someone to come back, but whether that person comes back or not, you still have to live a decent life."

“From today, live for yourself, not for me, not for redemption, but because you have finally learned how to be a true human being.”

“That was the real beginning.”

I opened the door and stepped out, sunlight poured into the hallway, spreading sparkling light on the floor like a new chapter had just opened. Tieu Truong stepped forward: "Mr. Luc, afternoon meeting..."

“Proceed as usual,” I smiled, my voice light, “oh yeah, book me a ticket to Switzerland, I want to go see the snow.”

“Alone?”

"Alone."

The elevator door closed, everything behind was completely cut off like a lifetime had passed officially ended. Five years ago, I used to think that if I just took it all back, the void in my heart would be filled, but now I understand that true war is not about making the person who hurt you kneel in regret, but when you have the whole world back... still brave enough to go see the snow alone. The whole story ends here. Three years later, in Switzerland, Interlaken, I leaned back on a bench by the lake, looking at the snow-capped Jungfrau range sparkling in the sunlight, everything was so peaceful that it made people forget the stormy years. The phone vibrated, a news message appeared: "Former chairman of Co Thi Co Mac Han today established the 'Van Tinh Fund', specializing in supporting victims of domestic violence to overcome difficulties. It is known that the fund's name was inspired by..." I turned off the screen, raised my head to look at the lake, the swans leisurely swam by, creating waves that spread and then disappeared.

“Love comes late, as light as trash,” I said softly, my voice like a breeze, “but kindness comes late… at least it can still warm a few people.”

“That… is enough.”

I stood up, gently brushed the leaves off my shirt, walked towards the far away cafe, behind me was the sunset dyeing the lake surface yellow, and somewhere in this world, there was someone who finally understood that... living is not to atone for mistakes, but to become a better version of yourself.