Chapter 18 — My Husband's Secretary Announced Pregnancy

For the first time, I saw her shed real tears of regret. Not because he lost his home, not because he lost his support, his son. It's a mother's belated repentance for her failure in raising her children. I was silent. I don't know what to say. Forgiveness? I can't do it. But looking at her appearance now, the remaining resentment in my heart gradually disappeared.

“I cannot accept this bracelet.” In the end, I still pushed the bracelet back, "This is something for you to remember about your family, and it's also the last guarantee for you two. Please keep it and use it."

“As for the past... let it go.”

“You two, please live well.”

After I finished speaking, I stood up to leave.

“To Thanh!” She called after me.

I stopped walking, but didn't turn back. I heard her behind me, using all her strength to say those three words. I didn't answer, just raised my head and looked at the deep blue sky over Lhasa. The clouds are very white, the sky is very blue. I think, I really... have let go. Coming back from Tibet, I felt like I had become a different person. I put away all my previous dark clothes and replaced them with bright, neat office outfits. I cut my hair short and started learning makeup, not to please anyone, but just to make myself look more alive and aura. I officially joined my father's company, starting as a project assistant. At first, everyone in the company thought I was a "lady girl" favored by relationships. They show respect on the surface, but don't respect them behind their backs. I don't mind. Every day I am the first to arrive and the last to leave. I followed the project manager around the project, went to the factory, and did market surveys. I brought everything I learned in management at university, along with the patience and meticulousness accumulated during five years of being a housewife, to apply it to my work. Half a year later, the first project I chaired - a pilot program on community nursing services - was successfully implemented, receiving feedback and market effects far beyond expectations. At the celebration party, my father raised his glass in front of the entire company and said to me:

“To Thanh, dad is very proud of you.”

At that moment, looking at the once disdainful eyes now filled with admiration under the stage, I knew... I was no longer anyone's shadow. I'm To Thanh. An independent, confident woman with her own career. My life is busy but brilliant. I have my own circle of friends and know many talented and interesting people. We go to the gym together, travel, discuss work and life. Occasionally, there are also a few good men who show affection for me. But I gently refused. It's not because I'm afraid or don't believe in love. It's just, I feel... currently, I'm very satisfied with living alone. I don't want to consign my feelings to someone else. Feeling safe — I give it to myself. Another year has passed. My father gradually began to hand over power, letting me be in charge of the company's core business areas. I have enough strength to shoulder and handle everything in the marketplace decisively and competently. No one in the company calls me "general manager To's daughter" anymore. Now everyone respectfully calls me: "General Manager To." One day, when I was Processing documents in the office, the secretary knocked on the door and walked in.

"General Manager To, there's a girl in the lobby who came to see you without an appointment. She said her name is Lam Uyen."

This name, I almost forgot. Calculating the time, she must have just finished serving her sentence.

"I'll see you. Send her up." I said.

A few minutes later, Lam Uyen appeared in front of my office door. She changed a lot. She is no longer the haughty and beautiful woman of the past, nor does she no longer have the pathetic and haggard look of the future. She wore a simple white shirt and jeans, bare face, hair tied in a ponytail, looking like a fresh graduate. Her eyes were no longer ambitious, no longer resentful, but only calm — even empty.

“General Manager To.” She stood at the door, calling me awkwardly.

“Come in and sit down.” I pointed towards the sofa opposite.

She walked in, only daring to sit on the edge of the chair.

“Drink anything?”

“No need, thank you.” She shook her head.

Between us, there immediately fell into a short silence.

“Are you… are you living well these days?” In the end, it was still her who spoke first.

“Pretty good.” I nodded. “What about you?”

“For now.” She smiled, somewhat forcedly. "After being released from prison, I went to a small city and worked as an office worker for a small company. The salary was not high, but enough to live on."

“So that's good.” I said.

We fell into silence again. The atmosphere was a bit awkward.

“I came today because I wanted to…” She took out an envelope from her pocket, placed it on the tea table, and pushed it towards me. “I want to return this to you.”

I picked up the envelope and opened it. Inside is a bank card and a small piece of paper with the password.

“What is this?” I asked.

“There are 100,000 yuan in there.” she said. "It's the money you promised to give me. I know I'm not qualified to receive it, but... I still want to return it."

"After being released from prison, I went to work, tightened my belt and saved for a year. I know it's still far from 100,000, but I will deposit it every month until it's paid in full."

I looked at the card in my hand and was a bit surprised. Before, I actually promised to give her some money after the job was done. But then things got messy, I soon forgot. I didn't expect she still remembered. And even want a refund.

“You don't need to do that.” I said. “That money is what you deserve.”

"Are not." She shook her head, her attitude extremely determined. "I help you, not for money. I just... want to regain justice for myself."

"Sister To, if it weren't for you, I would probably still be in prison right now. Or maybe... Tran Mac would have killed me a long time ago. It's you who gave me the chance to rebuild my life."

"I can't repay all that favor. But at least, the money... I must pay it back."

I looked at her, in her eyes, I saw something I hadn't seen in a long time - called "bone energy". It seems that three years of imprisonment really changed her.