Chapter 2 — Reverse Chess

Love... really can't be forced. You blame me, I accept it all.” Her voice trembled, each word seemed to be stuck in her throat, full of resentment. Around her, a few sympathetic whispers began to ring out, some praising her for her honesty, others blaming me for being too harsh. “But, mom just passed away…” Her voice was choked up, soft like crying: “I just… I just hope our family can still be harmonious and reunited…” It's mom again. She always knows how, at the most important moments, to use her mother as the perfect shield. As if she was the most filial daughter, the one who put the big picture above all else. I looked straight into her face that was trying to show weakness, each word cutting as cold as a knife: "One family?" I looked straight at her, each word as heavy as a hammer: "Hua Du Du, put your hand on your heart and ask yourself... Do you still consider me family?" “And do you still consider that woman lying cold in that grave… as your mother?” “I… of course… You… how can you talk to me like that…” Hua Du Du's tears finally rolled down, each drop as clear as crystal, sliding down on the delicate makeup. A beautiful, tragic scene, enough to make people feel sad. She immediately turned to Luc Can Ngon, her eyes filled with injustice and helplessness, like a bullied child. Luc Can Ngon's eyebrows frowned slightly, just briefly, almost imperceptibly. He took a step forward, his tall figure completely obscured me, standing in front of Hua Du Du. A strong pressure, familiar but unfamiliar, poured out from him, causing the atmosphere to freeze. “That's enough, Hua Niem.” His voice was low and steady, but each word felt like a cold blade. “Your pain…should not become a weapon to hurt others.” I was stunned, then burst out laughing. He said… I am hurting others. Truly… the biggest joke of my life. I raised my head and looked at him — the man I had loved for five years. From the day I met him on the university campus, just one look made my heart skip a beat. Despite all the objections, I was still determined to marry him. I used to think… I married love. But now I understand... What I married was nothing more than a perfectly calculated act. “Luc Can Ngon… are you feeling sad?” The corners of my lips curled up, my smile was so bright it was blinding, but colder than ice. “Don't rush.” “Today, I came here… not to quarrel.” I paused slightly, my voice was like a knife cutting through silk, sweet yet sharp: "I came... to give a gift." From the small, delicate handbag at my side, I took out a meticulously packaged black box, slowly, calmly, and placed it right in front of them. “Wishing you two… a happy engagement.” In that moment, all eyes in the hall turned toward the black box. Hua Du Du trembled slightly, instinctively taking half a step back, not daring to reach out to receive it. In Luc Can Ngon's eyes, for the first time, a vague vigilance flashed. "What... what are you doing..." Hua Du Du's voice shook, she tried to suppress it but couldn't hide her fear. I tilted my head slightly, looking at her, her smile was still elegant, her tone was as light as a spring breeze: "Open it and see." I smiled, my voice so soft it was difficult news, like a breeze: "This is a special gift... I prepared it specifically for the two of you. A part of the grand ceremony." Hua Du Du instinctively looked toward Luc Can Ngon for help. Luc Can Ngon was silent for a few seconds, his eyes as deep as a winter lake, as if trying to find something on my face. Finally, he reached out to take the box. His fingers were long, slender and strong, but the movement of opening the box was unusually slow. The lid of the box had just opened, and the moment I saw what was inside, I saw it clearly - a crack appeared on his frozen face that had not changed for thousands of years. Hua Du Du curiously leaned forward and tilted her head to look. Just a second later, a short scream burst from her throat, trembling, choking, sounding like the sound of tearing fabric. The blood on the delicate face immediately evaporated, leaving only a white color like paper. Throughout the hall, whispers echoed like ocean waves. Everyone craned their necks, leaned in, and leaned up half their bodies to see what was inside the box, what could make this "match made in heaven" appear unprecedentedly unfaithful. I help them publish their answers. My voice was not high, but clear, each word transmitted to every corner of the room: "Du Du, don't be afraid." “It's just… a medical examination report.” I stopped for a moment, leisurely turned my eyes around, and confirmed that everyone was listening. Then, I spoke each word clearly, cold as a knife's edge: "A... very detailed medical report. My mother's report. Full toxicology test results included." In that moment, Hua Chan Van seemed to have his tail stepped on, his face distorted in horror. He went crazy, rushed straight towards me, trying to grab the report from Luc Can Ngon's hand. But — Two black-shirted bodyguards standing next to me stepped up, blocked right in front of him, and pressed his shoulders down neatly and coldly. That's right, I brought a bodyguard with me today. Because... I'm no longer the Hua Niem I used to be. No longer the naive, weak person who always believes that just loving and forgiving can change everything. "Hua Niem! What... what are you planning to do!" Hua Chan Van's voice was almost broken, high-pitched, trembling, out of control. I tilted my head to look at him, the corner of my lips slightly raised, the bottom of my eyes cold as ice: "What am I going to do?" I stopped for a moment, my voice was slow, each word so cold that it made people tremble: "I intend to... take back my mother's life." “Dad, don't you think it's strange?” I looked straight at Hua Chan Van, every word and every sentence, cold as ice: "Mom's heart disease has always been very well controlled for many years. Why... suddenly passed away because of 'acute heart failure'?" “Luc Can Ngon's private hospital made the final conclusion - mother died due to overwork, combined with agitated grief.” I slightly curled my lips, my smile cold as the winter wind: "Listen... how reasonable it sounds." I didn't bother looking at him anymore, turned around, and walked up the platform step by step. The host was still gasping in surprise, I calmly took the microphone from his hand. The sound of the electric current rang out, softly but clearly, causing the entire hall to instantly fall silent. I stood under the bright light, smiling slightly, the voice through the loudspeaker echoed in every corner: "Dear ladies and gentlemen." Distinguished guest... I'm embarrassed to disturb everyone's happiness." I stopped for a moment, calmly glanced at each face in the stands, my eyes were as cold as a blade: "My name is Hua Niem. Luc Can Ngon's legal wife. Also Hua Du Du's biological sister." “Today, right at the engagement ceremony that should have belonged to ‘my husband’ and ‘my sister’… I want to share with everyone… a story.” At that moment, Luc Can Ngon's face completely changed. He stepped forward, wanting to snatch the microphone from my hand, but — Two tall men in exquisitely tailored suits coldly stopped him. Sharp eyes, stern demeanor, just at a glance you can tell that he is not an ordinary bodyguard. I turned my head, my voice was calm, but each word seemed to tap on the cold floor: "This story... is about my mother. Mrs. Lam Uyen. The previous female mistress of the Hua family." I took a deep breath, suppressed the chaotic heartbeat, then continued: "Everyone knows... my mother has a hereditary heart disease." “But what people don't know is… her death… was not an accident.” In that moment, space seemed to be stretched to the limit. I slowly raised a file in my hand — a copy of the medical examination report. I signaled, the person behind turned on the projector, immediately, the most important results were magnified on the giant LED screen. All eyes were focused there. “After my mother passed away, I always felt like there was something unusual. Long sleepless nights, constant nightmares. I decided to… investigate it myself.” “Thanks to a friend who works in an international forensic organization, I took a blood sample from my mother at the end of her life and sent it to a leading foreign toxicology agency.” I stopped for a moment, my eyes looked down at the front row, where Hua Du Du was trembling, and Luc Can Ngon clenched his fists. “And… it was only yesterday.” “I got… the final result.” My eyes slowly glanced over Hua Du Du - her face was now as white as a sheet of paper, then stopped at Luc Can Ngon, his gaze was deep, dark and scary. I tightened my grip on the microphone, my voice was clear, each word was like a blade cutting through the air: "The examination results showed that... in my mother's blood, a special drug ingredient existed for a long time." I deliberately paused, so that everyone could hear clearly: "This medicine itself is harmless, but - once combined with the heart medicine that my mother has been taking for many years... A very strong toxin will be produced in the body." “That poison will slowly, little by little, destroy your heart function. Until a false 'appearance of acute heart failure' appears... leading to death." “Um—”