Chapter 1 — Reclaim My Company

The night of the party to celebrate the company's successful listing, the fiance brought a pregnant woman and walked in front of A Hanh. He said:

"A Hanh, she is my wife."

All the senior managers in the lobby bowed their heads and pretended to be deaf and mute. Someone laughed conciliatoryly:

"Don't make a fuss anymore, today is the day the company rings the listing bell, everyone is happy."

I looked at them and suddenly understood. It turned out that during three years of starting a business, nine rounds of capital raising, and more than three hundred sleepless nights, the only person who was blindsided from start to finish was me. I didn't break the wine glass, nor did I cry. I walked into the bathroom and called my arch-nemesis.

"Trinh Nghien, I signed the acquisition agreement."

"Tomorrow morning, I want this company to change all owners."

The champagne tower reflects the image of the bell-ringing ceremony posted on the large screen, the golden wine flowing down the sides of the glass. Throughout the banquet hall, there was laughter, the clinking of glasses, and the sound of congratulations. The air was mixed with the smell of alcohol, perfume, and the sweet taste of a freshly cut cake. I stood next to the main banquet table, a small medical bandage still attached to my wrist. That was the trace left after last night's infusion, when I stayed up until three in the morning, had low blood sugar and collapsed in front of the meeting room door. The nurse gave me an infusion. Today, Khai Minh Khoa Tech officially listed. From a dilapidated office to today, when the company's market value has exceeded 100 billion yuan, I spent six whole years. Luc Hanh Chu held a glass of wine and walked to my side. The suit is neatly tailored, and on the chest is the brooch I gave him on his birthday last year. He lowered his voice:

"Ah Hanh, later the board members and the media will all be present, please say less."

I looked at him. He smiled, his fingers gently pressing on my shoulder.

"I'm so tired lately, I easily lose my temper when talking."

I pushed his hand away. On stage, people from the Marketing department were shouting to play Truth or Dare, saying that the celebration party couldn't just be about speeches, there had to be something more exciting. Originally I didn't want to participate. The crowd pushed me onto the stage, Luc Hanh Chu also followed. The host pulled out a card and deliberately prolonged his voice reading:

"Invite a married person present here to tell you the story you kept hidden from your other half the longest."

Everyone below immediately burst into laughter. Someone shouted loudly:

"General Manager Luc! General Manager Luc go!"

Luc Hanh Chu's face stiffened. I tilted my head to look at him. The host had drunk quite a bit, not realizing the unusual atmosphere, and directly shoved the microphone into Luc Hanh Chu's hand.

"General Manager Luc is the happiest person today. You should model first."

The crowd became even more boisterous. Luc Hanh Chu held the microphone, his throat moving slightly. I heard someone whispering behind me:

"It's over, don't joke too much."

Another person lowered his voice:

"Who told him to insist on dragging Tham A Hanh on stage?"

I turned my head. The other two immediately shut their mouths. Luc Hanh Chu held the microphone tightly, his smile somewhat forced.

"This question is not appropriate, change it to another one."

At that moment, a woman suddenly spoke up below the stage:

"What's inappropriate?"

The banquet hall gradually quieted down. I saw Hua Man walked out of the crowd. She wore a silver evening dress, one hand supporting her stomach, walking very slowly. She is Luc Hanh Chu's assistant. Also the person I personally recruited to the company. She walked to the front of the stage and looked up at me.

"General Manager Tham, today is such a happy day, shouldn't you give me a title?"

My fingertips touched the base of the cold champagne glass. Luc Hanh Chu shouted softly:

"Hua Man, don't cause trouble."

Hua Man smiled, took out a red notebook from her bag, and placed it on the host podium with a "pop" sound.

"I'm not causing trouble. It's just that I'm four months pregnant and don't want my child to have to call someone else mom in the future."

The entire hall was silent. The red book is opened. The photo on the marriage certificate stabbed me right in the eye. Luc Hanh Chu. The date of marriage registration was eleven months ago. Eleven months ago, I was in Hai Thanh with him meeting investors. For three days in a row I could only sleep five hours, and he said he had to go back to his hometown to visit his aunt who was seriously ill. Turns out he went to register his marriage. I stared at that photo, my stomach churning with nausea. Luc Hanh Chu closed the marriage certificate and lowered his voice:

"A Hanh, let's talk privately."

"Does the whole company know?"

No one spoke up. I looked towards the main banquet table. The finance director avoided my eyes, the legal director bowed his head to drink water, and co-founder Chu Thua turned his phone face down on the table. Hua Man put her hand on her belly.

"Don't blame people, they are just afraid of affecting you in bringing the company to the stock exchange."

Just one sentence from her turned the silence of the entire hall into one of friendly concern. I burst out laughing, my throat feeling like it was cut by countless pieces of broken glass.

"So, the only one who doesn't know is me."

The Marketing Department manager had to speak up:

"General Manager Tham and General Manager Luc are also for the company. At a critical time like this, nothing can happen."

I looked at him.

"When I stayed up all night editing the release prospectus, did you know?"

His lips moved slightly, but he did not speak. I looked at Chu Thua again.

"You know too?"

Chu Thua stood up, his face full of awkwardness.

"Ah Hanh, Hanh Chu is indeed sorry for you, but today is the celebration party for the company's listing, don't let outsiders see you as a joke."

I looked at that face, remembering six years ago when he was unemployed and staying in a cubicle in my office. I paid him a salary, gave him stock options, and pulled him back from the abyss. Now, he advised me not to let outsiders see the joke.

"Who is the outsider?"

Chu Thua choked. Luc Hanh Chu finally grabbed my wrist.

"A Hanh, don't worry anymore. Whatever you want to compensate, I will agree. It's not been easy for us to come to this day together. Please be more generous."

Be a little generous. As soon as those four words fell, the eyes of everyone in the hall softened. They are waiting for me to swallow this anger. Like countless times before, for the company to shoulder all the consequences, for Luc Hanh Chu to clean up the mess, for everyone to save the last bit of dignity. I pulled my wrist from his palm.