Chapter 16 — The Light That Calls Me

I received the cup of coffee.

"Today..."

"Not late again?"

"Have you seen the contract?"

"All the terms are very clear."

I glanced at him.

"This time..."

"I won't let anyone else read the contract for me anymore."

Ha Lam nodded.

"That's a good thing."

"Later..."

"Don't call me Mistress To."

"So what do you call me?"

"Call my name."

He laughed.

"To Duong."

Those two words... When they came out of his mouth. Do not bring possessiveness. There is also no intention to investigate. Simply... Calling my name. Suddenly... I feel... This is good enough. Co Tram Chu moved out of that house. Finally... The house is handled according to the actual capital contribution ratio... And the court's decision. I don't take it all back. Just take back... The part that originally belonged to me. It's not because I'm soft-hearted. I don't want to continue wasting time... On that house anymore. I bought a new small apartment... In the south of the city. The apartment is not big. But the balcony... Catches the afternoon sunlight. I put the old manuscript... On the top shelf of the bookshelf. Next to it... is the fountain pen my father left behind. The portable hard drive... I locked it in a drawer. Not because... It represents suffering. It records the road... I've been through. There are overtime nights. I often pass by the display area on the first floor of the company. The first Lunar Eclipse lamp... Placed in a glass cabinet. Below the lamp... There is a new introduction sign. 【Name of work: Lunar Eclipse Lamp】 【Designer: To Duong】 【Date of creation: Five years ago】 【Design idea: For those who cannot sleep peacefully... a gentle light that is not dazzling.】 That board... Has been empty for many years. Finally... My name was written. Three months after the new product launch date. Duong Quang organized... The first design exhibition. The entrance to the exhibition area hangs a very large wall. There is no company promotional slogan on the wall, nor is there a photo of the leader. There are only rows of names. The names of everyone who participated in the product design are written on it. Some people only ever draw one sketch. Some people have only ever edited one screw hole. Some people have tested the light hundreds of times in the dead of night. Their names are no longer hidden behind the words "team". I stood in front of the wall and saw Ly Mac leading a few new employees passing by. He pointed to the name at the top and said:

"This is Ms. To."

A girl who had just joined the job asked softly:

"Is she the founder of Duong Quang?"

Ly Mac smiled and replied:

"Also the founder of Te Quang Furniture."

I didn't interrupt their conversation. Just quietly looking at the names on the wall, I suddenly remembered Co Tram Chu's old saying. He once said:

"It doesn't matter whose name comes first."

But name has never been unimportant. It represents what a person has contributed, and also represents whether that person is truly seen or not. On the opening night of the exhibition, the entire exhibition area lit up simultaneously. Moon Thuc lights, Quy lights and the new Duong Quang product line turn on brightly. Soft light penetrates through the semi-transparent lampshade, falling on each person's face. Someone smiled. Someone raised their phone to take a photo image. There are also people standing in front of their own work, hearing someone call their name correctly for the first time. I was standing in the middle of the exhibition hall when my phone suddenly received a text message from an unfamiliar number. There's only one sentence. 【To Duong, congratulations on the third anniversary.】 I know who sent it. Three years ago, during that livestream, Co Tram Chu stood in front of the camera and publicly announced the end of our marriage. Three years later, he used the same method to remind me that that marriage had existed. I don't answer. Just look at the screen for a moment and then press delete. Then, I entered the deepest part of the exhibition area and turned on the first Lunar Eclipse lamp. Little by little light crept out from the small, narrow gap. That lamp was once obscured, had its name stolen, was used by others to prove that I had no value. But it still shines. Like me. That night, the lights of the whole city shone through the glass window. I stood under the lamp I designed myself, for the first time without having to hide behind anyone. I finally understand. True liberation is not waiting for the person who betrayed you to bow their head and admit their mistake. But one day, you no longer need their apology, nor do you expect their regret. You just quietly turn around, carry the light that belongs to you, and step towards a brighter place.