Chapter 23 — The Heiress's Selection of a Husband

Three weeks after the tumultuous death anniversary, Chu Nguyen Group held a solemn party in the main hall of the mansion, gathering a large number of relatives, shareholders and business partners, with the purpose of officially announcing the decision to restore honor and rights to Ton Dac Nghia's family before the entire business community of Xuyen Giang city.

Chu Vinh Toan stood on the podium and spoke, his voice echoing throughout the hall. "Ladies and gentlemen, today I would like to announce an important decision. In order to partially compensate for the losses that Mr. Ton Dac Nghia's family has suffered over the past twenty-five years, Chu Nguyen Group officially restored the shares that should have belonged to him, transferring full ownership to his only daughter, Ms. Ton Anh Thu."

Chu Vinh Toan continued his speech, his solemn voice echoing throughout the hall lavishly decorated with fresh flowers and crystal chandeliers. "Not only that, Chu Nguyen Group also decided to establish the Ton Dac Nghia Scholarship Fund, for talented finance students in difficult circumstances, as a way to commemorate the great contributions he made to the group in the first years of building his business. At the same time, we will also have his name engraved on the founders' golden plaque, exactly the rightful position that he was unfairly deprived of."

The applause rang out endlessly, mixed with the emotional whispers of the guests. Many older shareholders, who knew Ton Dac Nghia's story through the words of previous generations, could not hide their tears at this late but complete recognition. A few reporters present at the event hurriedly took pictures, preparing for articles that would appear all over the economic newspapers the next morning.

The sound of applause echoed throughout the hall. Anh Thu stood speechless, not expecting to receive such a generous compensation, far beyond what she had expected when she started her journey to find the truth simply for honor, not for property.

"I don't have to accept this share." Anh Thu spoke softly to Chu Vinh Toan after the ceremony, her voice hesitant, her hands still shaking with emotion at the generous decision he had just announced in front of so many people. "I came here only to find the truth, not to claim the family's property."

"This is not a favor I give you, but a legitimate right your father should have enjoyed twenty-five years ago." Chu Vinh Toan replied, his voice resolute. "Think of this as part of the legacy your father left you. Even though it's late, it's still on time."

Vinh Bach walked over and stood next to Anh Thu with an unusually serious expression. "I want to officially apologize to you, in front of the whole family." He said, his voice solemn. "From the first day you set foot in this mansion, I treated you with suspicion and undue harshness. I let prejudice about your background cloud your ability to see your true self."

"You don't have to apologize so much, Big Brother." Anh Thu replied, smiling gently. "In your situation, it is completely reasonable to be wary of strangers entering the family. I understand and don't blame you." She still clearly remembered the first days of kneeling in the middle of the large living room, trembling with fear before this man's stern eyes, but now, looking back, she felt grateful that it was that cautious skepticism that forced her to persevere in searching for more solid evidence instead of acting hastily.

"But I was wrong, and I want to fix that." Vinh Bach said, reaching out to shake her hand solemnly. "From now on, I hope we can see each other as family members, without the distance of suspicion like before."

He turned to look at Vinh Khang, his eyes contained a silent recognition. "I also have to thank you, for being steadfast enough to protect her even when I was the one who stood in the way. If it weren't for your wisdom, I probably would have made an irreversible mistake, pushing an innocent person off this roof just because of my own prejudice."

"Eldest Brother finally admitted his mistake, it's very rare." Vinh Khang replied, his voice had a rare hint of teasing, causing all three brothers to laugh, a comfortable laugh that they had not had with each other for a long time since they had to shoulder the heavy responsibilities of inheriting a large corporation.

That evening, after the guests had left, only family members remained gathered around the cozy dining table. This was the first time Anh Thu was able to sit and eat with the entire Chu family as a truly distinguished guest, no longer having to stand behind and serve food like before.

"Miss Thu is now officially a family member." Vinh Phong said, his voice happily pouring more wine into everyone's glasses. "From now on, there's no need to hide anything from me anymore. If you have anything, just say it directly and I'll do my best to help."

"You've always been like that. You've never asked to know everything before helping others." Anh Thu replied, looking at Vinh Phong with the affectionate eyes of an older sister for her younger brother. She silently thanked fate for allowing her to meet such a carefree and sincere friend in this dark place full of calculations.

Lam Ngoc Dung looked at the warm scene in front of her, could not hold back her satisfied smile, her eyes sparkled with the simple happiness of a mother seeing her children gathered together in harmony. "Looking at you guys having fun together like this, I feel like my family has just found a long-lost piece of the puzzle."

Chu Vinh Toan raised his glass, his eyes turned towards Anh Thu affectionately. "I would like to raise a glass to your return, and to the friendship between our two families finally being completely healed after many years of separation."

Everyone raised their glasses together, bustling laughter echoed throughout the dining room, completely dispelling the atmosphere of tension and suspicion that had enveloped this mansion for many months. Anh Thu sat among the people she once had to be wary of, but now became true loved ones, feeling more clearly than ever the meaning of the two words "family" that she had longed to find all her life.

As for Tan Phuc Company, after all legal problems with the Lam Phat family were completely resolved, the company quickly stabilized under the direct management of Anh Thu, with enthusiastic consulting support from the team of financial experts of Chu Nguyen Group. The business community of Xuyen Giang city then referred to her no longer with curiosity about her mysterious disappearance, but with respect for a young, brave businesswoman who dared to risk everything to find justice for her family.

Ms. Mai and Ms. Xuan, at Anh Thu's invitation, occasionally visited her at the new headquarters of Tan Phuc Company, bringing with them gossip about life in the mansion, making Anh Thu always feel like she had never left those simple but meaningful days, even though now her status and living situation had completely changed.

After dinner, Vinh Khang took Anh Thu to the garden behind the mansion, where the moonlight gently shone down on the blooming flower beds. "Are you satisfied with how things turned out?" He asked, his voice gentle.

"I never dared to dream of a perfect ending like this." Anh Thu replied, resting her head on her shoulder. "I found the truth, regained my parents' honor, gained a new family, a lifelong friend, and..." she hesitated, her eyes sparkling in the moonlight, "...a love that I never dared to dream of."

Vinh Khang squeezed her hand, the smile on his lips was gentler than ever. "Our journey is not over yet. This is just the beginning of a new chapter."

Anh Thu looked up at the starry night sky, her heart was filled with a peace that she had never felt during the years she lived in the guise of a lonely heiress, having to be wary of all self-serving calculations around her. Now, standing in the middle of a fragrant flower garden, next to the man she loved and trusted absolutely, she felt like all the pain and loss of the past had finally been rewarded.

"The road ahead is still long, but I'm not afraid anymore." Anh Thu spoke softly, leaning her head on Vinh Khang's shoulder. "Because I know I no longer have to walk alone."