Chapter 7 — Reverse Chess

I closed my eyes, the fear only passed for a moment, then was consumed by the fire of hatred in my heart. When I opened my eyes, my eyes were as bright as a knife unsheathed: "I'm sure." “Please help me… start now.” My voice was steady, without any hesitation, as cold as a blade that had just left its sheath. "Uncle Truong, my mother... did not die from illness." Every word I said was heavy, as if it was pressing down on all the air around me. “She was killed by someone.” The phone on the other side suddenly went silent. I took a deep breath, trying to keep my voice calm, but hatred was already burning in my eyes: "The mastermind is Luc Can Ngon." Afterwards, I recounted everything that happened at the party — every word, every detail — including the words Luc Can Ngon whispered in my ear in the hallway. The phone on the other side was silent. I could clearly hear Uncle Truong's breathing becoming heavier and heavier, as if there was a rock pressing down on his chest, each breath brought with it anger and sadness. After a long while, a hoarse and choked voice finally came: "This beast..." Another few seconds of silence, then he gritted his teeth, each word seemed to bleed from between his teeth: "Lam Uyen... she is truly blind." “We… all of us… are blind.” “Uncle Truong.” I interrupted him, my voice cold, each word seemed to hit the surface of a frozen lake, shattering into sharp pieces: "Now saying these words has no effect anymore." “I need your help.” At that moment, I felt like all my weakness, hurt, and sadness had been burned away by the fire of hatred. Only a cold spear remained, pointed straight at the enemy's heart. “I need you immediately, as the second largest shareholder of Hua Thi Group, to contact the board members and convene an emergency meeting.” I clenched my teeth, each word, each word, as if carved in stone: "Before Luc Can Ngon can react, you must regain control of the company!" The phone on the other side was silent for only a few seconds, then came a voice that was calm but solid as steel: "Okay!" This one word resonated in my ears like a thunderclap tearing through the sky. “I will do it right away!” “Niem Niem, don't worry, that year when your grandfather handed over the company to your mother, he left a way out.” “On the board, there are still a few people who are on our side.” "Luc Can Ngon wants to single-handedly cover the sky in Hua Thi, it's not that easy!" I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, my voice was still steady, but cold to the bone: "There's one more thing." My hand tightened the necklace around my neck, feeling the coldness of the small key: "I need you to contact Switzerland immediately." “I want to get what's in the safe.” On the other side of the phone, Uncle Truong's voice was low, carrying unprecedented seriousness: "I understand." Pausing for a moment, his voice was hoarse, containing heavy worry: "Nim Niem, you must protect yourself. Luc Can Ngon is definitely crazy right now, he can do anything." I lowered my eyes, my hands clenched into fists, my voice was chillingly cold: "I know." “You also have to be careful.” His voice sounded extremely calm, but I still realized, underneath that calmness was a mountain The fire is being compressed, about to erupt at any moment. “Let's talk.” “I think, between us… there's nothing more to say.” I replied coldly. “Do you really think that just relying on you and that old lawyer of your mother's, you can overthrow me?” He laughed, a laugh full of contempt, carrying naked mockery. “Hua Niem, you look down on me too much.” “In this North City, I want anyone to disappear… just one sentence.” “Is that so?” I calmly responded. “If you can do it, then why haven't you done it yet?” I looked straight into space, my tone as sharp as a blade: "It's because you're afraid of the key in my hand - the thing that can open the 'Swiss treasure'." “Or… is it because you, too, are now selfless?” On the other end of the phone, there was a long silence. I know, I was right. The emergency board meeting of Hua Thi Group must have made him confused, almost losing control. He needs time, so he wants to keep me temporarily, not daring to make a move. “Name the price.” His voice rang out, cold, mixed with a bit of the arrogance of a man. “How much money will it take for you to give me the documents?” “I don't need money.” I replied, each word clear and decisive. “I just need you, and everyone beside you who harmed my mother, to pay the appropriate price.” “You can't fight against me.” “Then try it.” I definitely hung up the phone. I know, this battle... has entered its most fierce phase. If it weren't for you to die, it would be for me to die. The following days, I hardly slept a minute. With the support of lawyer Truong, I had to fight intensely with the forces of Hua Chan Van and Luc Can Ngon on the board of directors, while also having to urgently retrieve all the documents my mother left behind. And it was at this moment… that I fully realized: Mom had prepared me for more than I could have ever imagined. Not just the core set of documents related to that important patent. She also left behind all the evidence that Hua Chan Van and other senior leaders in the company had quietly transferred assets and embezzled for many years. Each transaction. Each transfer. Everything... is recorded clearly and coherently, without missing a penny. There are even some top secret documents in there, exposing a series of illegal tricks that Luc Can Ngon used to destroy opponents in the marketplace. My mother... on the outside, she is peaceful and gentle, seemingly not interested in arguing with life. But deep in her heart, she is more resilient than anyone, and more alert than anyone. She soon saw through the true faces of those around her. Just… for me. Because she wanted to protect the so-called integrity of this family, she chose to be patient and endure quietly. Looking at the piles of documents and evidence, my heart felt like it was being cut by a knife. I'm so stupid. How could I naively believe that... My love, my marriage, was real? How could I see and hear, yet still stand looking at her... Being pushed step by step by those demons wearing human skin... Pushed to the edge, to the dead end? A week later, news finally arrived from Switzerland... The insurance box was successfully retrieved, all documents inside were being transferred back to the country using maximum, fast encryption. as possible. At the same time, the police investigation also made important progress. At the detention center, Hua Du Du probably couldn't bear the shock of falling straight from heaven to hell. Combined with the long days of torment, her spirit began to be disturbed. She kept talking nonsense, repeating over and over: "It was all... Luc Can Ngon directed me to do it." Although her mental state is currently unstable, the statements cannot yet become direct evidence. But that was enough for the police to shift the focus of the investigation back to Luc Can Ngon. His situation… begins to get more and more difficult. There is a fierce struggle within Hua Thi Group, making Luc Can Ngon no longer able to arbitrarily use company resources like before to fill his financial gaps. Meanwhile, the police continuously pressured him, forcing him to disperse his strength to cope. Even his once close trading partners, when they smelled danger, turned away one by one, cutting off cooperation, afraid of being dragged into the quagmire with him. Luc Can Ngon is now like a ferocious animal trapped in a cage - His claws are still sharp, but he has completely lost the initiative. As for me, I quietly waited. Wait for an opportunity. A single chance… A fatal blow can be delivered. Finally, the encrypted file from Switzerland was returned to me. When I opened the thick cowhide file bag, saw every detailed document, every completed report right before my eyes... I knew: The moment of decisive battle had come.