Chapter 2 — The Second Proposal

I stood alone in the cold, dim corridor. Looking at the boisterous scene unfolding inside the room, my heart felt hollow. My phone lay abandoned on the bedroom floor, its screen shattered into a web of cracks. This absurd wedding night would surely become a massive turning point in my life. Whether it would be a liberation or the beginning of another deep abyss, I could not tell.

A team of doctors had spent two hours conducting a comprehensive examination on Luc Trach. Their conclusion consisted of only two words: a miracle. Aside from his body being slightly weakened from prolonged bed rest, all his bodily functions were recovering at an astonishing speed. In the living room, the joy following the averted disaster was so thick it felt almost suffocating. Vuong Le Binh, my mother-in-law in name only, clutched Luc Trach’s hands tightly. Her tears had not ceased, and she kept whispering over and over, "My son... my dear son..." She paid no mind to her meticulously groomed face, now ruined by smeared makeup. At this moment, she was nothing more than a mother who had just reclaimed a lost child. Luc Trach leaned back against the sofa, his complexion still pale, but the sharp, keen light had returned to his eyes. He allowed Vuong Le Binh to hold his hands, yet his gaze swept across the room periodically, much like a monarch surveying his domain. I was summoned by Luc Kien Quoc to stand by his side.

"Little Tuyet, you have worked hard."

There was genuine gratitude on the face of my mentor.

"I knew you were a person of good fortune. A Trach woke up the moment you arrived. You are truly the lucky star of our Luc family."

He spoke with great sincerity, his voice echoing clearly. Vuong Le Binh, who had been immersed in the joy of maternal reunion, suddenly froze at his words. Her gaze, like a high-beam headlight, zeroed in on me, scanning my frame repeatedly. The fleeting gentleness of a mother vanished instantly. Her eyes turned cold and scrutinizing, as if she were appraising a piece of merchandise that did not meet her standards.

"Kien Quoc, why bring up such things now?"

She immediately changed the subject, turning to dote on Luc Trach while treating me as if I were thin air. I lowered my eyes and quietly stood to the side. I had grown accustomed to being ignored like this. After a brief period of chaos, an impromptu family meeting was convened in the study. The main figures were Luc Trach, Luc Kien Quoc, and Vuong Le Binh. As for me, I sat in the final chair like a prisoner awaiting a sentence. Vuong Le Binh initiated the discussion. She elegantly lifted her teacup, gently blowing at the foam on the surface, but the words that left her lips were as sharp and cold as shards of ice.

"Chu Tuyet."

She used my full name, her tone condescending and haughty.

"A Trach has awakened, so your duty of care is considered fulfilled. The Luc family will not treat you unfairly. In this card, there are five million; consider it payment for your two months of hard work. Additionally, there is an apartment in the city center; that will be transferred to your name as well."

Finished, she slid a bank card and a set of keys across the table toward me. Her movements were clean and decisive. It was as if she were paying off a domestic helper who had been temporarily convenient. I looked at the card and the keys, finding them incredibly garish. My self-respect, my promise to my mentor, and the ridiculous marriage certificate between us—in her eyes, they were worth nothing more than five million and a house. I trembled with rage, my fingernails digging deeply into my palms. Before I could speak, I instinctively looked toward Luc Trach. He lay reclined on the sofa, his expression cold and detached as he watched the proceedings, as if the discussion had nothing to do with him. He did not even deign to glance at me. That cold, bystander-like indifference wounded me more than Vuong Le Binh’s blunt humiliation. My heart sank. It seemed that this mother and son had reached a consensus long ago: use them and toss them away. That was the rule of conduct in the world of the wealthy.

"Le Binh! What kind of nonsense are you spouting!"

Luc Kien Quoc slammed his hand against the table, his face flushing deep red.

"Little Tuyet is now A Trach's wife, a properly wedded daughter-in-law of our Luc family! How can you use money to chase her away? Does the dignity of the Luc family mean nothing to you?"

Vuong Le Binh curled her lip in disdain.

"Why are you getting so agitated, Father?"

Luc Trach finally spoke. His voice was not loud, but it was filled with authority.

"Mother is only doing this for my own good."

With that single sentence, he defined the entire situation. Luc Kien Quoc was left speechless, his finger pointing at him, trembling. Vuong Le Binh, meanwhile, wore a triumphant smile. I took a deep breath. Just when everyone expected me to accept the situation in silence or dissolve into tears, I spoke calmly.

"Uncle Luc, Ma'am, Luc Trach. Initially, I married into this family only to repay the kindness of Uncle Luc and to fulfill my promise to look after Luc Trach."

My voice was soft but clear. The study fell into an instant, heavy silence.

"Now that he has awakened, my promise is complete. As for the money and the house, I will not accept them."

I stood up and looked straight at Vuong Le Binh.

"I did not come here to run a charity, nor did I come looking for someone to provide for me. My repayment of kindness is based on loyalty, not on a transaction."

Having said that, I turned to Luc Kien Quoc and bowed deeply.

"Uncle Luc, thank you for what you did for me all those years ago. Now that my duty is finished, I am leaving."

I turned on my heel to walk away, without a hint of reluctance.

"Stop."

Luc Trach’s voice rang out again, laced with annoyance. I paused but did not turn back. The room fell into a deathly silence. I could feel every eye fixed upon my back.

"Father is right."

Luc Trach’s voice sounded weary, but the content of his words caused Vuong Le Binh’s expression to darken instantly.

"She is now my wife. The marriage was arranged by all of you. Now that I have awakened, you want to cast her aside—what would happen to the reputation of the Luc family if that got out?"