Chapter 16 — Ten Years of Loving You, A Lifetime of Learning to Love Yourself

“I thought I could control everything, but I forgot, you were never anyone's pawn.”

“If you still want to know the final truth, tomorrow at ten o'clock in the morning, go to Nam Son cemetery.”

“I will be there waiting for you.”

The video ends. The room fell silent. I looked at the dark screen, and after a long time, I slowly said:

“Chu Tinh, come with me tomorrow morning.”

Chu Tinh immediately nodded.

"Go. You go see him, I'll go get the bricks."

The next morning, it rained a little. Nam Son Cemetery is located halfway up the mountain, rows of tombstones are quietly submerged in a thin, cold blanket of rain like a world forgotten by time. Chu Tinh and I arrived at exactly ten o'clock. Tran Thuy stood in front of a grave for a long time. He was wearing a black coat, holding a bouquet of white flowers. His figure was still straight, but looking back, I suddenly saw that he was much thinner. Lawyer Vuong stood not far away. Seeing me coming, he just nodded slightly. I didn't look at him, just walked next to Tran Thuy. On the tombstone is a photo of a middle-aged man. That is Tran Thuy's father. Tran Thuy placed the bouquet of flowers in front of the tombstone, speaking very softly.

"He passed away. Three days ago."

I was silent. The rain fell on the shoulders of my shirt, cold to the bone. Tran Thuy turned to look at me.

“Nien Nhien, I'm sorry.”

I looked straight into his eyes.

“What I want to hear is not an apology.”

He nodded slightly, as if he had guessed this answer.

“Okay, so I told the truth.”

He handed me a file. Inside were his genetic test results, his father's treatment records, and a three-year company restructuring plan. Every line, every word, shows that everything is not spontaneous. It was a game he had been preparing for a long time. Tran Thuy says:

"Three years ago, I discovered that Truong Hanh colluded with outsiders to transfer the company's assets. At that time, I wanted to deal with him, but as soon as I started investigating, I discovered that there were people from a foreign investment fund behind him."

"If you take action without enough evidence, Khai Hang will immediately fall into crisis, stocks will collapse, and all my enthusiasm will be buried with you."

“So you need someone who is qualified, capable and legitimate to come back and take over the company.”

“That person can only be you.”

I tightened the file in my hand.

“So you chose to betray me?”

He admitted very quickly, so quickly that it made my heart ache.

"Because if you tell the truth, I won't go. I'll stay and save you. I'll stay and bear everything with you."

He looked at me, his eyes were exactly the same as in that old photo, both gentle and desperate.

“But Nhien Nhien, I don't want you to save me.”

“You are not my antidote, nor am I a life preserver for someone who is about to sink.”

I laughed, but tears fell before I even realized it.

“Tran Thuy, you are truly selfish to the core.”

“I thought pushing you away was protecting me, but have I ever asked if you need that kind of protection?”

"You used ten years of our love as a knife to stab me, and then you still expected me to thank you because that knife was sharpened so sharp?"

Tran Thuy's face turned white. He moved his lips, but couldn't say anything. Lawyer Vuong took a step forward and said in a low voice:

"Miss To, I'm wrong about this. I promised you Tran won't tell you until you take full control of the company."

I turned to look at him.

“You are my lawyer.”

Lawyer Vuong bowed his head.

“Yes, so from today, I will officially resign. All documents and evidence I have collected have been transferred to Khai Hang's legal department, I will not receive any further compensation."

I didn't reply. There are betrayals that are not out of malice, but are still betrayals. I can understand, but that doesn't mean I have to forgive. Tran Thuy took out a small box from his pocket. Inside is our wedding ring. He placed it on the stone steps in front of the tombstone, his voice so hoarse that it almost broke.

“Nien Nhien, I don't ask for your forgiveness.”

“I just want you to know, the company is yours, the future is also yours. As for me, from now on I will no longer appear in front of you."

I looked at that ring. A long time later, I bent down to pick it up. Tran Thuy paused. But in the next second, I turned around and walked to the small lake next to the cemetery, using all my strength to throw the ring down. The water surface made a very soft sound. The wavy circle quickly dissolved in the rain. I turned back to look at him.

“Tran Thuy, this is the ending I chose.”

“It wasn't arranged by me, it wasn't protected by me, it wasn't because I sacrificed it.”

“I ended it myself.”

His eyes turned red. I don't look anymore. I turned around and left.