Chapter 14 — Reborn to Love the Perfect One

After a bitter defeat before the board of directors, the relationship between Bách Nam and Kiều Ý Nhi began to have silent cracks. He became increasingly irritable, often blaming her for his failed plans, while his position in the company gradually began to shake as many board members began to keep a closer eye on his every move.

Kiều Ý Nhi, with the sharp nature of someone who always seeks the highest benefit for herself, quickly realized that Bách Nam was no longer a valuable chess piece like before. He has just lost his reputation in the company, is saddled with ever-increasing debt, and is no longer able to bring her the financial benefits or social relationships she once expected.

One evening, at a young businessmen's exchange party organized by a famous investment fund in the city, Kiều Ý Nhi was present as a guest thanks to a previous acquaintance. While walking around the banquet room, looking for potential new relationships, she overheard a conversation between two elderly guests standing nearby.

"Do you see that guy standing in the corner? I thought he looked like Bạchấn Vũ's son from Bạch Dương Group, even though I heard he was hiding his identity and working somewhere to become independent." A middle-aged man spoke softly to his companion, his eyes directed towards Dịch Phong who was standing and chatting with a few partners in the corner of the room.

"Oh, I also heard rumors about that. I heard that he wanted to prove his ability himself before officially inheriting the family business." The other person replied, his tone full of admiration. "A young person with such character is rare in today's upper class."

Kiều Ý Nhi stood still for a moment, her eyes narrowed, a calculating light flashed quickly. She immediately left her position, pretending to pass by to observe Dịch Phong's face more closely, comparing it with the vague images of the Aries family that she had read about on business news sites.

That night, returning to her apartment, Kiều Ý Nhi spent hours searching for all possible information about Bạch Dịch Phong and Bạch Dương Group. Although public information about this heiress was very limited, with hardly any clear photos published over the years, the fragmentary clues she collected were enough for her to firmly believe in her hunch.

"If it's him, this will be a much bigger opportunity than just clinging to a Chu Bách Nam that has no use value." She thought to herself, a cold smile on her lips. Immediately, she began planning to approach Dịch Phong as naturally as possible, avoiding causing any suspicion.

A few days later, Kiều Ý Nhi proactively arranged to appear at a coffee shop near the headquarters of Vệ Thịnh Group during lunch break, a time when she knew Dịch Phong often stopped by for a light meal. She pretended to meet her by chance, smiled and greeted him in a friendly manner.

"Mr. Dịch Phong, right? I'm Ý Nhi, Mr. Bách Nam's friend. We met once at an art project launch party, I wonder if you still remember?" She opened her mouth, her tone was sweet, her sparkling eyes filled with carefully calculated charm.

Dịch Phong nodded slightly, maintaining a polite but somewhat reserved attitude. "I remember. Hello Miss Ý Nhi."

"I think you seem very busy. Working in the Strategy department must be very stressful, right?" Kiều Ý Nhi continued to start a conversation, deliberately sitting at the opposite table even though she was not invited. "I heard that you recently handled the company's financial crisis very well. It's really impressive."

"You're too complimentary, I'm just doing my job," Dịch Phong replied, his tone still maintaining a certain distance, his eyes somewhat wary of this woman's unusual enthusiasm.

Kiều Ý Nhi was not discouraged by that cautious attitude. She continued to initiate conversation, skillfully incorporating probing questions about Dịch Phong's background, family, and future plans, all done under the guise of sincere concern of a new friend.

"If in the future you need support in terms of communication or networking, don't hesitate to come to me. I know quite a few people in the business world," she said before leaving, her eyes conveying a meaningful smile.

Looking at Kiều Ý Nhi's back leaving the cafe, Dịch Phong frowned slightly, a vague feeling of insecurity arose in his heart. He did not know exactly this woman's true motives, but the sharp instinct of someone familiar with the calculations of the upper class told him that this was not simply a harmless chance meeting.

What Dịch Phong did not know was that Ánh Vy happened to witness that entire conversation from afar, when she was on her way to the same coffee shop to meet a partner. She stood still outside the glass door, observing the way Kiều Ý Nhi deliberately sat down at the table opposite Dịch Phong, the way she leaned forward in an intimate way, and an uncomfortable feeling arose in her heart that she didn't want to admit right away was jealousy.

She decided not to go in and left quietly, but in her mind she began to speculate about Kiều Ý Nhi's motives. She clearly remembered that in her previous life, at this stage, after realizing that Bách Nam had no use value, Kiều Ý Nhi changed her target to Dịch Phong when she discovered his true identity. It seemed like history was repeating itself, only this time she was alert enough to realize it from the beginning, instead of only knowing the truth at the last moment of her life like before.

That evening, Ánh Vy called Gia Hạnh and told her what she had just witnessed. "Gia Hạnh, I think Kiều Ý Nhi is switching her target from Bách Nam to Dịch Phong. I just saw her intentionally talking to him at a coffee shop near the company."

"What? Why did she do that?" Gia Hạnh was surprised. "Isn't she dating Bách Nam?"

"Perhaps she realized that Bách Nam was no longer useful, and somehow discovered Dịch Phong's true identity," Ánh Vy replied, her tone thoughtful. "I need to be more careful in the future, both to protect the company and to protect him from her dangerous plans."

"Are you jealous?" Gia Hạnh teased, although her tone still contained serious concern.

"I'm just worried about him," Ánh Vy replied that even in her heart, she could not completely deny the feeling of insecurity mixed with jealousy that Gia Hạnh had just mentioned.

That same night, at the Bạch Dương family's private villa located in a quiet area on the outskirts of the city, Dịch Phong sat opposite his father, recounting the strange encounter with Kiều Ý Nhi at noon.

"I think she has begun to suspect my true identity," Dịch Phong said, his tone was thoughtful. "If she really finds out, it could cause quite a bit of trouble, especially during this sensitive period when you are trying to protect Ánh Vy from Bách Nam's plot."

"You need to be more careful," Bạchấn Vũ replied, his eyes serious. "If the situation becomes too complicated, you can consider revealing your identity earlier than planned. Sometimes, transparency is the best protection, instead of forever hiding it."

"I understand, father," Dịch Phong replied, his eyes looking far away out the dark window. "But I still want to choose the right time to go public, when everything is clear enough to not cause any more hurt to the people I care about."

Bạchấn Vũ looked at his son for a long time, his eyes showing a bit of gentleness that was rare in a powerful and strict man like him. "You mentioned people you care about, not just Vệ Thịnh company. Is there someone special who makes you want to stay there longer than expected?"

Dịch Phong was silent, neither denying nor confirming, just smiling lightly, making his father even more certain of his hunch. "Please leave me to take care of this myself. I promise I won't let anything get out of control."

"Okay, I believe you," Bạchấn Vũ replied, patting his son's shoulder. "But remember, if you need the support of the Aries family at any time, don't hesitate to speak up. Your honor and safety are always the most important things to me."