Chapter 3 — The Path I Chose

I knelt on one knee beside the sofa, carefully helping Chu Diem Diem slip her feet into her shoes. She beamed with delight and turned to show off to Pho Thanh Tay. "Thanh Tay, do they look good?" she asked, her voice brimming with excitement. Pho Thanh Tay gave a perfunctory nod, his expression indifferent as he dismissed her with a wave of his hand. "Go stand in front of the mirror and take a proper look yourself," he said, his tone detached. As she skipped away toward the vanity, I remained crouched on the floor, gathering the scattered items left behind.

Suddenly, Pho Thanh Tay’s voice cut through the air, sharp and deliberate. "Luong Tri Da, if you hadn't left all those years ago, everything she has right now would be yours. You wouldn't be here, struggling to make ends meet as a common employee. Someone as greedy for money as you—don't you feel any regret at all?"

I stood up, locking eyes with him, meeting his cold gaze with an unwavering stare. I spoke slowly, my voice steady. "Yes, I am fond of money, but the wealth I value is that which is earned through my own intellect and labor, not the scraps thrown to me by someone else’s charity. If you are doing all of this today in hopes of making me regret my past decisions, you are sorely mistaken, Pho Thanh Tay. I have never felt a single ounce of regret."

He stared at me for a long moment, then let out a low, humorless laugh. He stepped closer, his voice dripping with irony. "Is that so? I hope you’re telling the truth, Luong Tri Da. And I hope you truly possess the backbone you claim to have."

Just as they finished their payment and turned to leave, a group of young men with distinct Middle Eastern features walked in. Their presence was imposing, immediately drawing the attention of everyone in the room. The young man in the center caught sight of me, and his eyes lit up with recognition. "Iris, you really are here!" he exclaimed, breaking into a grin as he walked toward me. He was an old college friend who had been pursuing me for some time. His bodyguard produced an invitation from a pocket, which he handed to me with a flourish. "There is a gala next week; I was hoping I could invite you to be my date."

As soon as he spoke, I noticed Pho Thanh Tay’s expression darken instantly. He turned to the colleague who was escorting them to the door and asked coldly, "Who is that?"

The colleague replied honestly, "That is one of the men pursuing Tri Da. He’s been after her for months now. Rumor has it he’s a prince from an oil-rich nation in the Middle East. He’s gifted her many extravagant items, but she has returned every single one of them."

Pho Thanh Tay’s brows knit together in a tight, troubled frown. Beside him, Chu Diem Diem pouted with obvious resentment. "A Middle Eastern prince is chasing her? Who does she think she is, playing hard to get? I don't believe a word of it!" Without another word, Pho Thanh Tay stormed toward the car, his face unreadable. I simply looked away, indifferent to the entire spectacle.

Three days later, just outside the university gates, I was intercepted by Pho Thanh Tay. He loomed over me, looking down with a sharp, piercing gaze. "Let’s have a meal together," he commanded.

I shook my head, refusing immediately. "I am sorry, but I do not have the time."

I tried to step around him, but he reached out and gripped the strap of my backpack firmly. "I have family business to attend to; I am returning to our home country tomorrow," he said, his voice cold yet insistent. "Luong Tri Da, even if we are only to be considered as casual acquaintances, you shouldn't be so heartless. It is only one meal—surely that isn't too much to ask of your schedule?"

Passersby began to pause, their gazes shifting between us as the tension mounted. Disliking the unwanted attention, I decided to give in just to end the confrontation. At a restaurant near the campus, he sat opposite me in silence. The atmosphere was thick with awkwardness until I finally broke the stillness. "What is it that you actually want to say?"

He scrutinized me for a long moment, his eyes heavy with hidden emotions, before he spoke in a low, somber tone. "Luong Tri Da, you are truly cruel."

I frowned in confusion. He leaned forward, his voice tight. "Back then, it was because of you that I applied to the university, but all I got in return was your sudden departure without a single word of goodbye. You silently blocked every possible way for me to contact you. If it hadn't been for someone spotting you in Los Angeles and reporting back to me, I still wouldn't know where you were even now."