Chapter 21 — The Heiress and Her Scholarship Friend

That weekend, after many nights of worrying, Ms. Hanh finally decided to call Mr. Lam back, agreeing to arrange a discreet meeting at a quiet coffee shop on the outskirts of the city — a place far enough away to avoid prying eyes, but public enough to make her feel safer than meeting privately at home.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" she asked Minh Dang on the way to the meeting point, her voice still filled with unresolved anxiety.

"I think, we can't continue to live in fear and hide forever," Minh Dang replied, holding his mother's hand tightly as a way of reassurance. "If Mr. Bao Quoc really just wants to reunite, we should give him — and ourselves — a chance to know the truth."

At the coffee shop, Mr. Lam was already waiting, but he was not alone, but was also accompanied by an older man with an imposing appearance but his face clearly showing fatigue and deep wrinkles from long years of waiting - Mr. Tran Bao Quoc.

When he saw Minh Dang walk in, Mr. Bao Quoc's eyes filled with tears, his trembling hands clasped the armrest of the chair to keep calm. "You..." he said, his voice choked without words, "you look exactly like your father, from your walk to your eyes."

Minh Dang stood there, feeling confused and emotional before that sincere welcome, even though his heart was still filled with the necessary vigilance after everything his mother had gone through.

"I'm sorry for my mother and I's reticence," Minh Dang said, his voice polite but no less straightforward. "But after all that happened fifteen years ago, I think you can understand why we need time to trust."

"I completely understand," Mr. Bao Quoc replied, his voice filled with deep regret. "I spent fifteen years searching for you, carrying an endless regret for not being able to protect my daughter-in-law and grandson from the beginning, and then you had to endure running away in fear for all those years."

Mrs. Hanh, sitting quietly listening, finally spoke, her voice was still reserved but less tense. "Do you know who is behind Minh Khoi's death, and the threats that made me flee?"

Mr. Bao Quoc's face flashed with a look of deep pain. "I don't have definitive evidence yet," he admitted, "but I always suspect that someone within the family is behind that accident, someone with clear motives and interests from my son's death. That's also the reason I don't dare to publicize this search too widely, for fear that I will put you in danger again before I have enough evidence to protect you."

That answer made Ms. Hanh and Minh Dang exchange worried looks. Both implicitly understood that the warning in the anonymous note she received a few days ago was probably the most vivid evidence that the mysterious enemy from the past still existed and continued to closely monitor their every move.

"Before going any further," Mr. Lam interjected, his voice realistic and cautious, "we recommend that we conduct an official DNA test to have a solid legal basis, both to protect Minh Dang's rights and to avoid any controversies that may arise later from those who do not want this truth to be recognized."

Minh Dang and Ms. Hanh exchanged glances, both clearly understanding that the "undesirable people" that Mr. Lam referred to were probably the ones who sent the threat. After some consideration, the two agreed to conduct the test at an independent, reputable medical facility, ensuring absolute objectivity of the results.

"I only have one request," Minh Dang said before the meeting ended, his voice firm. "No matter the outcome, I hope you will respect my decision on whether or not I want to reveal my identity or receive any benefits from the family. I did not come to you for wealth, but just because I wanted to know the truth about my father, and help my mother escape the fear that has haunted her for the past fifteen years."

Mr. Bao Quoc looked at him, his eyes filled with respect and deep emotion at the rare maturity of a teenager. "I promise to respect whatever decision you make," he replied. "The only thing I want is to have the opportunity to make up for the lost years, and ensure absolute safety for both you and your mother in the future."

Leaving the coffee shop, Minh Dang felt somewhat relieved after that emotional meeting, even though he knew clearly that the road ahead to confirm the truth and face the anonymous enemy still had many thorns waiting.

What all three people did not know was that from a car parked not far from the coffee shop, a man in a black suit sat quietly observing the entire meeting through binoculars, then quickly sent a short message with a few secretly taken photos to Tran Bao Long's phone number: "Confirmed. The meeting took place. There is a high possibility that they will conduct a DNA test in the near future."

Reading that message in his private office, Bao Long gritted his teeth, his eyes flashing with anger and panic. His covert threat plan clearly was not as effective as a deterrent as expected. He knew he needed a more drastic measure, before the official test results were announced and all efforts to protect his inheritance over the past fifteen years completely collapsed.

Meanwhile, at Anh Duong school, Khanh Vy's life continues to be under intense pressure from the approaching engagement in less than two weeks. Invitations have been sent everywhere, wedding service providers are constantly coming in and out of the Do Gia villa to prepare for the event called the "wedding of the century" by local media between two powerful business families.

At recess, Bao Tram pulled Khanh Vy to a corner of the school yard, her voice full of worry. "Are you really going to let things happen like this? There's less than two weeks left."

"I don't know what else to do," Khanh Vy replied, her voice filled with helplessness. "My father still doesn't have a definitive answer about the debt deferral plan that Minh Dang helped explore. If there isn't a timely alternative, I'm afraid I will have no other choice."

"What about Minh Dang? Does he know this urgent situation?" Bao Tram continued asking, her eyes full of concern.

Khanh Vy shook her head, her voice lowered. "He seems preoccupied with something personal these days. I don't want to add more pressure so I haven't told you the details about this deadline." She looked into the distance, her eyes filled with heavy thoughts. "Maybe, it's time for me to find a solution myself, instead of continuing to rely on others to rescue me."

That afternoon, Khanh Vy decided to do something she had never dared to think of before - proactively contact some of her mother's old friends, those who still kept in touch with the family even though it had been many years since her mother passed away. She searched through the old address book her mother left behind and found the phone number of Mrs. Tuyet, a close friend who used to work in investment banking.

"Are you Minh Huong's daughter?" Ms. Tuyet asked over the phone, her voice filled with emotion when she heard Khanh Vy introduce herself. "You're so big now. Your mother will definitely be very proud."

Khanh Vy briefly presented the company's difficult situation, not hiding the worries that were weighing her down. Ms. Tuyet listened attentively, then promised to introduce her to a few reputable investment funds that were looking for opportunities to invest capital in family businesses with solid foundations but experiencing temporary liquidity difficulties — exactly what Minh Dang had suggested before.

"This could be the beginning of a different direction," Ms. Tuyet said, her voice full of encouragement. "But you need to carefully prepare transparent financial records, and perhaps, you need to convince your father to trust this plan instead of depending entirely on Vu Gia."

Hanging up the phone, Khanh Vy felt a new breath of vitality creeping into her heart. For the first time after many weeks of being in despair, she felt like she was proactively taking control of a part of her own destiny, instead of just sitting still waiting for someone else to decide her fate, and she told herself that tonight she would find a way to present this new direction to her father, even though she knew clearly that the remaining time before the engagement was running out day by day, there wasn't much chance for further delay.