Chapter 5 — Reclaim My Company

At exactly 12 noon, Khai Minh Khoa Ky issued an official announcement. General Director Luc Hanh Chu temporarily stopped performing his position due to personal issues and the internal management review process. The notice is written very moderately. But the market is booming. Stock forums, financial channels and short video platforms all simultaneously dug up what happened at last night's celebration party. Someone posted a video longer than ten seconds. In the frame, Hua Man hugged her stomach and held up the marriage certificate, Luc Hanh Chu stood in front of her, and I stood on the stage, my face as white as if it had just been picked up from the snow. The comments section scrolls dizzyingly fast.

"Isn't this the female co-founder of Khai Minh?"

"On the day the company went public, my fiance and assistant betrayed me?"

"The whole company knows, is it just her who's hiding it?"

"Luc Hanh Chu eats too much and is unsightly."

I sat in my office watching for a few minutes and then turned the page off. Public opinion is just the wind. Can blow over an umbrella. Can also fan a fire. Secretary Lam Dao knocked on the door and entered. Her eye sockets were red, she quietly placed a cup of hot water next to my hand.

"General Manager Tham, everyone from research team number one is outside. They want to see you."

"Tell them to come in."

Coming in were all first-generation employees. Some people still wear hoodies with the company's old logo printed on them. Some people even clutched their employee cards in their hands. The leader is Tran Du. He bowed his head.

"General Manager Tham, what happened last night... we really don't know. General Manager Luc's side only said that the two of you broke up a long time ago. They were afraid that you would lose face, so they didn't let anyone mention it."

I looked at them. Tran Du was so impatient that his face turned red.

"We really didn't know he had registered his marriage, nor did we know Hua Man was pregnant. This morning we found out after watching the video."

"Employee stock ownership platform vote, what do you think?"

Several people looked at each other. Tran Du says:

"We follow you."

Just one sentence. Lam Dao's tears immediately fell. She quickly turned away to wipe away. My fingertips touched the rim of the cup. Warmth spreads slowly along the skin. I don't say thank you. Right now, those two words are too light. I'm just saying:

"Go back to writing code. Don't let problems happen to the system."

Tran Du nodded. Not long after they left, Chu Thua walked in. He didn't knock on the door. I raised my head to look at him. He closed the door. The struggling look of the morning had disappeared, replaced by the calm look of someone coming to negotiate.

"A Hanh, we've known each other for six years, there's no need to go to this extent."

I leaned back in the chair.

"You gave me the same advice last night."

Chu Thua sat down opposite me.

"The matter of Luc Hanh Chu, he is indeed a bastard. But if you bring Trinh Nghien in, it won't do you any good. I understand the style of Nghien Thach Investment Fund better than you. They will tear Khai Minh into pieces and then strip all core assets out."

"Then it's still better for you guys to chew it up."

His expression immediately darkened.

"What are you doing here?"

Chu Thua placed a file on the table.

"Withdraw the investigation against me. I will support you to continue as Chairman of the Board of Directors. Luc Hanh Chu can be eliminated, Hua Man can also go away, but the board of directors cannot be chaotic."

I opened the file. That is petition to maintain stable operations of the company, signed by many senior managers. Say it bluntly. This is forced confession. They wanted to hold on to their chair, then push Luc Hanh Chu out as a sacrifice to stop the bleeding. I closed the file.

"Based on what do you think I will sign?"

Chu Thua looked straight at me.

"Because the core customers are all in my hands. The contract renewal of the three big customers in the next quarter is all in my charge. As long as they delay signing, the market will doubt the stability of Khai Minh's business operations. At that time, your acquisition deal will also be stuck."

I looked at him. Suddenly I remembered the first time I met him six years ago. At that time, he sat under my dormitory, holding a box of documents returned by his old company, constantly saying that he didn't want to live anymore. I poured him a cup of hot soy milk myself. Then tell him to come to work the next day. But today... He used customers to threaten me.

"Is there anything else?"

He frowned.

"What do you mean?"