Chapter 1 — The Final Nod

At the Capital Call, My Boyfriend Denied Me as a Co-Founder. But more than twenty investors are just waiting for me to nod before daring to put down money. During the capital call, Chu Khai Minh blatantly declared in front of more than twenty investors that I was not the co-founder of the company. The microphone hasn't turned off yet, the sentence says: "She only helped a little that year." His voice rang out clearly, echoing throughout the meeting room. Before I could take a sip of the warm water in my hand, Tham Nghien, who was sitting in the chair position, pushed the confirmation in front of me.

"Miss Lam, if you haven't nodded... then we don't dare invest in this investment."

It wasn't until the presentation screen lit up that I realized my name had disappeared. The team introduction page is beautifully designed, with a blue background and white text. Chu Khai Minh's photo is right in the middle. Below are Hua Man, Technical Director, Marketing Director, and Finance Director respectively. As for the Co-Founder section, it is left blank, as if intentionally leaving it out for everyone to see. I sat at the end of the long conference table. No nameplate. Even the bottle of mineral water was secretly brought by the receptionist to refill for me afterwards. She bent down and put down the cup, calling softly: As soon as Chu Khai Minh heard it, he immediately frowned.

"Today is an official event, don't call me nonsense."

The receptionist was startled and almost dropped the bottle cap on the floor. I didn't speak up. At that time, I thought he just wanted the company to look more professional in front of investors. Anyway, it's raising capital. PowerPoint can be edited, people can also "edit". Push me back a bit... this is not something I've ever endured. Until Tham Nghien spoke:

"An Hoa project, isn't Ms. Lam participating in the confirmation today?"

Chu Khai Minh smiled. That smile is so familiar to me. It's the same every time someone asks a question that according to him "shouldn't be asked". He calmly replied:

"She only helps a little at the beginning. Don't let personal matters affect your business judgment."

Just a little help. I stared at the confirmation on the table. Suddenly I remember the winter of my first year. That night, in the cramped motel room, he sat and calculated accounts until three in the morning. Calculate to the point of desperation, if you don't get paid this month, the company will disband. I quietly put the small house my mother left behind and put it up for sale. The day the transaction was successful, he hugged me tightly and choked up and said:

"From now on, Khai Minh will have everything and half will be yours."

But that statement... Not written in the contract. Does not appear in the company charter. And even less so on today's PowerPoint. Hua Man sat to his right, wearing a white suit, with a nameplate in charge of Capital Calling on his chest. She put down her pen and continued very naturally:

"General Manager Tham, Ms. Lam and General Manager Chu have some personal relationships. To avoid influencing commercial decisions, this capital call we did not include her in the core team."

When mentioning the four words "personal relationship", her voice was very light. So light that it seemed like he was trying to save face for me. Tham Nghien did not laugh along. He flipped to the last page of the confirmation and pushed it straight towards me.

"There is no mistake."

He looked at Zhou Kaiming.

"Last year, sixty percent of revenue by Khai Minh from An Hoa project. The person directly in charge of contract renewal is Ms. Lam. The first three debts of the startup stage also need to be confirmed by her."

"General Manager Chu..."

"If Ms. Lam does not agree, who will rely on the money we invest today to make a profit tomorrow?"

In the conference room, there was the sound of chairs moving slightly. The tip of Hua Man's pen scratched the paper with a short line, so sharp it was jarring. Chu Khai Minh immediately turned to look at me. I understand that look. Don't cause trouble at this time.

"Tri Ha, please explain to General Manager Tham."

I picked up the glass of water. The water has long since cooled.

"Explain what?"

He tried to suppress his anger.

"Explain that you only support connection with An Hoa, and absolutely do not participate in the company's decision making."

I nodded. As soon as I saw his shoulders relax slightly, I turned to ask Tham Nghien:

"General Manager Tham, you just came to help a little... do you need to sign the investment confirmation?"

Tham Nghien immediately replied:

"No need."

I asked again:

"So if a normal friend doesn't sign, can the investment still continue?"

"Impossible."

I put the glass of water back on the table, my voice strangely calm.

"Then..."

"General Manager Chu, do you still want someone like me who only helps a little... to continue helping?"

The meeting adjourned for ten minutes. Chu Khai Minh pulled me into the next room. As soon as the door closed, his face immediately darkened.

"Lam Tri Ha, do you have to make me lose face today?"

My wrist was squeezed by him until it was red. I rubbed it gently and asked back:

"Who embarrassed you first just now?"

He took a deep breath, trying to restrain himself from banging on the door. There are still investors waiting outside, at least he still remembers to save face.

"That's just a way of speaking to the outside." He replied. "Investors don't like stories that are too complicated. If you want the company to continue to develop, you can't bring up everything in the past."

I looked at him.

"So my eight years... are just a thing of the past?"

"Don't retort every sentence and every word."

At that moment, Hua Man walked in. In her hand she held a blue file. She looked at Chu Khai Minh first, then looked at me, calmly as if she were handling a normal complaint.

"Miss Lam, today's capital raising round is extremely important for Khai Minh Company. General Manager Chu does not deny what she has spent, it's just that the capital market has the expression of the capital market."

"How to express it?"

She placed the file on the table.

"The company has prepared a compensation agreement for you. The amount is not low. Once she signs, everything in the past between her and General Manager Chu will be considered resolved. Later, when the company went public, everyone looked beautiful."

I looked at the first line of the agreement. Read it again and again three times. Lam Tri Ha is just a personal friend of Chu Khai Minh, and has never participated in founding, operating, managing, making decisions or dividing shares of Khai Minh Company. All support in the early stages is voluntary and temporary. Personal friends. My fingertips placed on those four words. The surface of the paper is cold. Chu Khai Minh lowered his voice:

"Tri Ha, don't cause trouble today. As long as the investment is disbursed, I won't treat you badly."

Me smiled faintly.

"How is it that you don't treat me badly? Give me a thank you certificate?"