Chapter 18 — Reborn: This Hell Is Mine

The Man Behind Turns His Face

Vệ Đắc Thịnh, after learning that the mechanic had been privately questioned by the police, understood that the situation had gone beyond the safe control he had calculated. As someone who had experienced many fierce businesses, he knew that when a link in the plan began to shake, the wisest reaction was not to panic, but to quickly assess the damage and find a way to turn the situation to his advantage, even if it means sacrificing the pieces he had used.

He convened a closed meeting with several of his most trusted advisors to discuss options. "The mechanic was interrogated, possibly revealing Tuệ Nghi," a consultant reported. "If the incident spreads, there is a risk that the corporation will be implicated."

"Then we need to take the initiative first," Đắc Thịnh replied, his voice absolutely cold. "If Chung Bách Nguyên and his wife intend to expose everything, we need a counterattack strong enough to make them reconsider, or at least slow down their advance long enough for us to wipe out any remaining traces."

He decided to make a bold move: proactively contact Bách Nguyên directly, requesting a private meeting under the pretense of discussing a new business cooperation opportunity, but in reality it was to probe the other party's level of understanding, and at the same time make an implicit threat.

The meeting took place at a luxury restaurant, with only Bách Nguyên and Đắc Thịnh, no Ý Vy attending at the request of Hưng Thịnh. After a few introductory polite sentences, Đắc Thịnh went straight to the point, his voice still calm but containing a clear threat.

"I heard your company has been having some sensitive internal issues recently," he said, taking a sip of wine. "I also heard that your family members may be involved. As someone who has spent many years in the business world, I understand that sometimes staying silent and dealing discreetly is the wisest choice, avoiding any noise that affects the reputation of the corporation, as well as the honor of your wife and her family."

Bách Nguyên looked straight into Đắc Thịnh's eyes, keeping a calm expression even though his heart was seething. "What are you trying to tell me, Mr. Thinh?"

"I'm just suggesting a mutually beneficial solution," Đắc Thịnh replied, his voice still gentle as if discussing normal business. "If you choose to stay silent and not pursue further, I guarantee everything will stop here, no one will be harmed further. But if you choose to expose everything to light, I'm afraid that there are other truths about your wife's family, about her past at the orphanage, that may also be brought out at the same time — not to mention, accidents can happen at any time, to anyone, including the people you love the most."

That last sentence, although spoken in a gentle, polite tone, carried a chilling, naked threat. Bách Nguyên clenched his hands under the table, trying to suppress his rising anger, understanding that if he reacted impulsively at this time, he would only give the other person more reasons to act more recklessly.

"Mr. Thinh," he said, his voice still remaining remarkably calm, "I think you should consider carefully before making any threats, even indirect ones. My wife and I are not people who are easily overcome by fear."

Đắc Thịnh smiled faintly, stood up and prepared to leave. "You are still young and have a lot of enthusiasm. But I advise you to think carefully. I give you a week to consider." He left the restaurant, leaving Bách Nguyên sitting alone, his hands still shaking slightly from suppressed anger.

Returning home, Bách Nguyên recounted the entire meeting to Ý Vy, without hiding any details, including the implicit threat about her safety. Ý Vy listened, her expression gradually became serious, but did not show panic.

"He's scared," she said, calmly analyzing. "A confident person who is sure of victory would not need to make such a direct threat. The fact that he actively sought you out and made such a blatant threat shows that he is feeling cornered and needs to act quickly before we can complete the plan."

"But the threat to your safety is not something to take lightly," Bách Nguyên said, his voice still heavy with worry.

"I know," Ý Vy replied, holding his hand. "So we need to speed up the process. We can't wait until the anniversary party as originally planned, because every day that passes now is an unnecessary risk. We need to shorten the preparation time, but still have to ensure all the necessary evidence and witnesses."

That night, they convened an emergency meeting with Mr. Son, Phó Nhật Khang, and their own team of lawyers, deciding to speed up the entire plan. Mr. Son reported that the mechanic, under witness protection, agreed to provide formal testimony in court if necessary, in exchange for a reduced sentence for cooperation in the investigation. At the same time, financial evidence about the connection between the account paying the mechanic and a slush fund under Đắc Thịnh's direct control has also been fully confirmed, closing the last missing link in the entire chain of evidence.

"We have everything we need," Mr. Son concluded. "The only problem is choosing the right time and way to announce it so that it has the greatest weight, while ensuring absolute safety for both people in the near future."

Bách Nguyên looked at Ý Vy, his eyes filled with determination. "The group's anniversary party is still going on as scheduled, with only five days left. We won't change the location, we won't change the time, so as not to alert them. But we will prepare more thoroughly than ever for that evening." Ý Vy nodded, looked out the window at the dark night, a feeling of both tension and determination rose in her heart. After nearly three years of preparation, after countless sleepless nights calculating every step, finally, the decisive moment of the entire rebirth journey is near.

At the same time, in another place in the city, Tuệ Nghi also received a call from Đắc Thịnh. This time his voice was no longer as polite and calm as before. "I just met Chung Bách Nguyên. It seems they know more than I thought. You need to prepare yourself, if everything breaks out, I won't be able to protect you."

"What do you mean by that?" Tuệ Nghi asked, her voice shaking with fear. "You promised to take care of me."

"I promise to help you gain a new position, not to sacrifice myself for you," Đắc Thịnh replied, his voice cold and cruel. "If necessary, I will put all the responsibility on you and you alone. Those are the rules of the game, you should understand that from the beginning."

The call ended abruptly, leaving Tuệ Nghi standing dumbfounded in the middle of the living room, the phone falling from her hand and onto the floor. She realized that she had been mercilessly thrown away by the person she trusted to bet her whole future on as soon as the situation became unfavorable. The fear, the feeling of betrayal, combined with the burden of guilt that had accumulated over the past several months, made her sit down on the floor, holding her head, not knowing what to do next.

Returning to Ý Vy and her husband, after the emergency meeting, Bách Nguyên spent some time sitting with his wife, carefully discussing the specific scenario for the upcoming party. They agreed that the most appropriate time to announce the entire truth was right after Bách Nguyên's official speech to shareholders and the press, when the attention of the entire auditorium was at its highest concentration. Ý Vy will be the one to directly present evidence, with the support of her own lawyer to ensure legality, while Phó Nhật Khang and Mr. Son are on duty behind the scenes to handle any arising situations, including the possibility of Đắc Thịnh or Tuệ Nghi having unexpected, even violent reactions.

"I want you to know," Bách Nguyên said, squeezing his wife's hand before they went to bed, "no matter what happens tomorrow, I will always stand by your side, without a moment of hesitation."

Ý Vy smiled, leaned her head on his shoulder, feeling a stability radiating from that steadfast presence - something that in her previous life, during the lonely days of facing danger alone, she had never had.

That night, before falling asleep, Ý Vy lay looking at the ceiling for a long time, thinking about the nearly three years that had passed since her rebirth. She thought about the sleepless nights recording every little detail in a notebook, about the times she had to suppress her true emotions so as not to ruin the plan, and about the weak moments when she wondered if she was being too cruel to her sister. Now, when all the final pieces were in place, she only hopes that the upcoming party will close not only a conspiracy, but also a wound that had bled for more than twenty years between the two sisters.