Chapter 1 — Our Three Year Marriage Is Over

Monday morning, I went to the company as usual and submitted the report to Da Than. He glanced at the report and joked: "After a divorce, the quality of the report has increased." That's right, Da Than is not only my boss but also my ex-husband. To be more precise, he was the "ex" husband. After two tense months, our three-year marriage was over. He said I didn't love him, and I also felt he didn't love me, so we decided to divorce. But work must continue, at least until I find a better position, because the salary at Da Than's company is quite good compared to other companies. In the evening after work, Da Than invited the whole group to dinner at the restaurant downstairs. Everyone excitedly ordered drinks, and when Da Than looked over the menu, he casually said: “Another glass of orange juice.” “Yes, sir,” the waiter replied. Right after that, a new colleague asked: "Who did you order this orange juice for?" Da Than did not bother to explain. I quietly raised my hand: "I can't drink alcohol." Seeing that everyone was about to tease me, I quickly added: "I just told my boss, maybe because everyone didn't pay attention." So everyone laughed and ignored it. No one in the company knows that Da Than and I are husband and wife. To avoid affecting my work, I do not agree to make it public. He just silently nodded in agreement. Food and drinks were gradually brought up. A colleague sitting next to me saw that I hadn't eaten anything for lunch, so he peeled a shrimp and put it in my bowl. I just picked up the shrimp and before I could eat it, my stomach suddenly cramped. I quickly stood up, frowned and ran to the bathroom. Going out, the nausea still hadn't completely passed, I held my chest, walked slowly to the door and saw Da Than standing there, holding a bottle of medicine. Seeing me coming, he walked closer and gave me the medicine: "Drink the medicine. You haven't had breakfast yet, right?" I glanced at him and replied coldly: "No need to worry." Da Than smiled slightly, his eyes as if looking at a stranger: "You've thought too much. I'm just afraid your condition will affect tomorrow's work." Oh, right, I forgot, he always separates his work and personal life. Remember the time I had a high fever and was so dizzy that I had to call him. After all, you are my husband, I think you will not leave me alone. But the call only received one sentence: "Busy, talk to you later." After a week of intense work, just closing my eyes, the image of Da Than appears in my head, making it difficult for me to sleep well. Finally, I fell ill. At the end of the week, when I went for a check-up at the hospital, I found out I was two months pregnant. I guess I know which time led to this. Remembering that night, I feel confused. We obviously had a heated argument, but our bodies were more honest than our minds. We teased and kissed at the same time – it was almost our habit. But in the end, everything came to an end. Taking the test results out of the hospital, I sat down on the bench to rest. Suddenly, from afar, I saw a familiar figure walking towards me. Da Than is walking with a girl wearing a long dress, her face expressionless. Just a few steps later, he saw me. Right after that, the girl accompanying him also noticed me. I intended to pretend not to see, but the two of them quickly turned around and walked straight towards me. "You're sick and you're going to the hospital alone, what? After a divorce, no one will take care of you anymore?" I rubbed my belly, my movements were gentle, just glaring at him: "Who said I'm going alone?" I won't lie, I still have a baby in my belly. But Da Than is really quick, he just got divorced two months ago and already has a new girlfriend. Luckily I got divorced, otherwise it would have been bad. We agreed not to interfere

intervene in each other's lives after the divorce, so I don't need to tell him about having children. I only need to work two more months to have enough money to buy milk for my child, then I will quit my job. Da Than curled his lips: "If you beg me, maybe I will think about staying with you." "It's best for you to go away." He seemed to be used to my way of talking, just raised his eyebrows, then turned and left. I rested at home for two days, then felt better. In the afternoon, because I had no appetite, I sat down to work. Suddenly the opposite office door opened, Da Than walked out and walked towards me: "Aren't you having lunch again?" "Almost eating," I answered quickly, afraid he would tease me so I quickly added: "Don't worry, it won't affect work." Da Than glanced at me: "I'm just afraid you'll starve to death in the company, it will affect the company's image." I shrugged: "Mr. Da sleeps until four or five in the morning every day. If anyone dies first, it will be you." He immediately responded: "Don't you know why I sleep so late? If your mouth is less bitter, when you die, I can burn you some more paper money." Da Than was about to say something more, but suddenly there were footsteps outside the door, we both immediately fell silent and started discussing work. "Send me the documents before 5 o'clock," Da Than said. "Yes, Mr. Da." A colleague just walked in to greet Da Than and quickly ran towards me: "Tong Can, have you not had lunch yet?" I pointed at the computer: "I'm finishing work, I'll leave right away." My colleague immediately took out a sandwich from his bag and gave it to me: "Let's eat." Da Than looked at us, said nothing more, turned around and prepared to return to the office. But as soon as I opened the sandwich package and smelled the fishy egg smell, I couldn't help but vomit. The colleague worriedly asked: "Tong Can, you don't seem to have a good appetite these days. Are you pregnant?" At that moment, Da Than stood right next to the door, stunned, his eyes met mine. I quickly denied: "No, I just sat at the computer for too long and got dizzy." My colleagues felt relieved when they heard that, but my heart was still beating wildly and I didn't dare to raise my head. It wasn't until I heard Da Than's door close that I breathed a sigh of relief. My colleague patted my shoulder: "Don't work too hard. Every day you just work and go home, don't you want to find a boyfriend?" To end this topic, I blurted out: "I've been married before." Colleagues were surprised: "Why haven't I heard you say anything about my husband before?" I glanced at Da Than's office, where he was frowning. Anger flared up in my heart, so I answered my colleague with two words: "Dead." Anyway, to me, divorce is no different than losing my husband. Saying that will make people not ask any more about this matter. The company just won a big project, and Da Than rewarded all colleagues on the project, including me. Today, he invited the whole group out to eat again. I remember the time before we divorced... Da Than was not the type of person to invite company colleagues out to eat. I sat on the chair, slowly eating dinner. People around were chatting loudly. A colleague spoke up: "In this group, besides me, Tong Can and Mr. Da, everyone is married, right?" "That's right, Mr. Tran's child is 3 years old!" My eating movements slowed down. Why are they talking about this again? The tea hasn't cooled yet and we're already discussing this? I didn't intend to speak up, I just continued to eat with my head down. But then, a colleague sitting next to Da Than, after taking a sip of wine, laughed and said: "That's not true, Tong Can is already married!"