Chapter 8 — Reverse Chess

I asked lawyer Truong to organize a large-scale press conference on my behalf. Location — is the highest hall of Hua Thi Group headquarters. I sent invitations to all major media agencies throughout Bac Thanh. And... I also sent Luc Can Ngon a copy. I know… He will definitely come. On the day of the press conference, the auditorium was packed with people. Flashes from cameras and camcorders flash continuously, as bright as daylight. I wore a neatly tailored black suit, standing calmly, without any expression, behind the podium. In the crowd below, I saw Hua Chan Van. He looked like he had aged ten years in just a few days. His eyes looked at me, full of complexity — Regret, fear, and even a bit of despair. I also saw Luc Can Ngon. He sat alone, in the first row, in the middle — still maintaining his elegant, neat appearance, an exemplary businessman image. But deep in those dark eyes, the cruelty and malice could not be hidden. I didn't say a single unnecessary sentence, going straight to the point: "Reporters and journalists, today I invited everyone here to clarify the truth about the death of my mother, Ms. Lam Uyen and the recent changes of Hua Thi Group." The first thing I announced was: all the evidence that Hua Chan Van colluded with senior leaders for many years, embezzling a huge amount of assets from the company. Detailed statements, each line of transactions clearly displayed on the big screen, one number, one evidence, without a half-point deviation. Hua Chan Van's face immediately turned pale as ashes. He wanted to stand up to object, but the security guards arranged by lawyer Truong held his shoulders tightly, forcing him to sit still in the chair. Then, I turned my eyes and looked straight at Luc Can Ngon. “Next… I want to talk about Mr. Luc Can Ngon — who… was my ex-husband.” I intentionally emphasized the words "ex-husband". “I believe that everyone sitting here, even the entire Beicheng, wants to know the truth about the technology patent, which everyone speculates is worth trillions, what my mother left behind — what is it all about.” I pressed the projector control button. On the large screen behind, the cover page of a file appeared. “This patent… does exist.” “But…” My voice changed suddenly, my eyes locked on Luc Can Ngon. “From the beginning, it was a trap.” The entire auditorium was as quiet as paper. Luc Can Ngon's pupils suddenly shrank sharply. “My mother, indeed, has successfully researched a completely new type of targeted drug.” “But in early-stage clinical trials, she discovered that — this drug had a fatal flaw.” “While it kills cancer cells, it will also cause permanent, irreversible damage to the body's immune system.” “In other words, this is a ‘slow poison’ — very sophisticatedly packaged.” “So my mother immediately stopped the project and destroyed most of the important documents.” “You absolutely will not allow this to appear on the market, causing harm to innocent patients.” “So… then the document she left behind is…?” Under the stands, a reporter couldn't hold back and asked loudly. “She left…” I looked straight at Luc Can Ngon, word by word voice, clear voice, cold as a knife: "It's a set of fake documents." "A set of documents meticulously designed by my mother, intentionally filled with errors, containing serious logical flaws." “She knew Luc Can Ngon always wanted this technology, so she specially arranged a trap.” “She wanted to wait for him to jump in voluntarily.” “Any professional research team, just needs to get this set of documents, then pour a huge amount of capital into it, and initially everything will go very smoothly.” “But… when you get to the most important step, you will find that all the data is contradictory, and all technical paths are dead ends.” “The more money you spend, the longer you invest, the more disastrous the loss will be in the end.” “And the starting capital for this project— is calculated at a minimum of tens of billions.” As soon as my words ended, the entire press conference hall fell into dead silence. Everyone looked at me with eyes like they were looking at a crazy person, then turned to look at Luc Can Ngon with eyes like they were looking at a stupid person. Luc Can Ngon's body began to tremble slightly, uncontrollably. His lips moved but he couldn't utter a word. “Luc Can Ngon,” I laughed coldly, my voice as sharp as a blade: “You used your heart and did not hesitate to kill my mother, not... just to get this 'treasure', right?” “Did… did you sell it at a high price, to your biggest rival?” “Or…I stopped for a moment, the corner of my lips curled up in a contemptuous smile: “You poured an astronomical amount of capital into it, to build your own commercial empire?” I laughed. A burst of exhilarating laughter. That laughter not only contained liberation, but also contained a fatal blow, enough to completely destroy Luc Can Ngon's mask of nobility and superiority. “My mother once told me that, in her whole life, the person she felt most sorry for... was me.” "She couldn't give me a completely happy family, couldn't protect me from hurt." “So… she chose to use her own method, to clear away all obstacles on my path ahead.” "The big gift she gave you," I looked straight at Luc Can Ngon, the corner of my lips slightly raised, my tone was both cold and cruel: "Do you... like it?" Luc Can Ngon suddenly stood up, his eyes were bloodshot, his gaze seemed to want to swallow me alive. “You talk nonsense! No way! It's all fake! You are lying!” He almost roared like a madman. “Am I lying or not…” I calmly looked at him, each word resounding: “In your heart, it is clearest.” Having said that, I held up the phone, my voice was calm and cruel: “Now, you can call your technical team immediately. Ask them if your project... has completely reached a dead end." At this moment, his phone suddenly rang, shrill and urgent. Luc Can Ngon looked at the caller's name on the screen - his face instantly turned extremely pale. He lost. Lost miserably. Losing is crushing. Not a single piece of armor remained. He lost to a woman he had never laid eyes on from beginning to end, a dead woman. At that moment, the press conference room door was suddenly pushed open. Captain Ly led a few policemen and walked quickly into the bright light. “Mr. Luc Can Ngon.” Captain Ly's voice, in the empty air The atmosphere was suffocatingly quiet, echoing extremely clearly: "We have used professional techniques to obtain the entire recording of the call between you and Ms. Hua Du Du." “Mr. Luc Can Ngon,” Captain Ly announced in a cold voice, “You are suspected of many serious crimes, including: inciting others to poison, attempted murder, falsifying commercial documents, and financial fraud.” “Please follow us to the investigation agency.” Luc Can Ngon stared at the cold pair of No. 8 handcuffs in the policeman's hands, then raised his head to look at me. Suddenly — he laughed. It was a smile of extreme despair, crazy and twisted. “Hua Niem… I… really underestimate you.” “Also look down on your mother.” He fixed his gaze like a sharp knife on me, his gaze filled with such hatred that it seemed like he wanted to tear me into pieces. “Even if I have to go to jail, don't expect peace.” “I will wait for you in there…” I know, this is not a threat. With his tricks and network of connections, even if he is detained, he can still stir up trouble outside. But at this moment… I don't care anymore. I watched him being handcuffed, being escorted away by the police amid the flashing lights of cameras. I looked at my nominal father, Hua Chan Van, his face as gray as ash, his whole body sitting on the chair, like an empty shell, losing all courage and strength. I stepped down from the podium and walked past them, not even giving them a single glance. When I walked out the door, the person waiting there... was none other than the police I personally contacted. “Du Du…” I curled my lips, whispering softly in my heart: “My dear sister…” “The second engagement gift you gave me…has arrived.”