Chapter 6 — Wedding's Off, Take the Dowry Back!

My father stared at me for a long time, his expression shifting from sheer shock to utter astonishment, before finally softening into a slow, burning pride. He reached out and patted my shoulder, his voice dropping into a deep, gravelly tone.

"Good, very good. You truly are the daughter of Zhenghong Ngu. I will back you to the end on this. The Ngu Group will sever all ties and terminate every contract with the Pho Group immediately. Anyone who dares to do business with the Pho family will find themselves an enemy of the Ngus. My daughter's dignity and honor will not be trampled upon for nothing."

With my father’s absolute backing, I no longer had any lingering worries about the future. Over the following week, the Pho Group's situation deteriorated with terrifying speed. Their stock price hit the daily downward limit for five consecutive sessions. Banks clamored for immediate debt repayment, suppliers blockaded their corporate offices, and joint-venture projects were frozen or canceled one after another. The entire upper echelon of Hu City watched the collapse of the Pho family as if it were a spectator sport. Those who had once flocked around Tac Du Pho now avoided him like the plague. Tac Du Pho worked day and night, running from meeting to meeting, desperately searching for capital, but every path was completely blocked. Any financial institution with a shred of influence politely declined the moment they heard the Pho Group's name. It was only later that he discovered the truth: the Nghien Hop Corporation had quietly put out the word that anyone who dared to salvage the Pho Group would become their sworn enemy. No one dared to cross the mighty Nghien Hop Corporation. Meanwhile, Vu Bach Lam visited his company every single day, lingering by his side, bringing him homemade soups and offering soft, gentle words of comfort. Initially, Tac Du Pho felt deeply touched by her loyalty, until one afternoon, he accidentally overheard her talking on her phone in the hallway. Her voice was dripping with smug satisfaction.

"...Of course I did it on purpose. I went to the hotel early that morning and egged Tac Du on to leave her waiting. What self-respecting woman would tolerate that kind of public humiliation? The moment she threw a tantrum, the wedding was guaranteed to fall through. Now that the Pho Group is in trouble, I stay by his side every day, and he only appreciates me more... Once the Pho family gets through this crisis, won't the position of Mrs. Pho be mine anyway?"

Standing just around the corner, Tac Du Pho felt a freezing chill seep into his bones. He had always believed that the wedding fiasco was his own idea, a calculated move to assert his dominance and establish the rules. It turned out that from the very beginning, he had been played like a fool by Vu Bach Lam. She was the one who had fanned the flames; she was the one who had precisely calculated my pride and temperament; she was the one who had orchestrated the entire drama, dragging him down into this bottomless abyss. As he stepped out from the shadows, Vu Bach Lam hurriedly hung up her phone, her face turning deathly pale.

"Tac Du... what are you doing here..."

"Get out," Tac Du Pho’s voice was laced with pure ice.

"Tac Du, please let me explain—"

"I said, get out!" He swept a nearby porcelain vase off its stand with a violent swing of his arm. It shattered against the floor with a deafening crash. "Vu Bach Lam, how did I never realize how scheming and manipulative you are? You instigated the whole wedding disaster, didn't you?"

Tears welled in Vu Bach Lam's eyes as she shrieked, "You know deep down that I am the one you love! If my family hadn't fallen from grace, the title of Mrs. Pho would have been mine all along! What does that Thanh Nghien Ngu have anyway? Nothing but her family's dirty money—"

With a sharp crack, Tac Du Pho delivered a stinging slap across her face.

"Who are you to speak of her like that?" His eyes were filled with nothing but raw disgust. "At least she is honorable and upfront, unlike you, who only knows how to play dirty tricks behind my back. Get out of my sight immediately. If I ever see your face in Hu City again, I will make sure you have nowhere left to run."

Clutching her burning cheek, Vu Bach Lam stared at him in utter disbelief before fleeing the office in tears. Silence finally reclaimed the room. Tac Du Pho slumped heavily into his chair, closing his eyes as a wave of intense regret washed over him. He had been wrong—colossally, foolishly wrong. He had failed to distinguish sincere devotion from poisonous deceit, treating a venomous snake as his pure moonlight while discarding a priceless treasure like worthless dirt. He had personally pushed away the only woman who could have saved him and held close the one who was plotting his ruin. It was too late for regrets now, yet he refused to accept this fate. He wanted to see me, to apologize, to beg for my forgiveness. Even if there was only a one-in-a-million chance, he wanted to try.

After being banished from the Pho Group, Vu Bach Lam tried to latch onto other wealthy heirs, desperately begging matchmakers to find her a new target. But word had already spread, and no one dared to take her in. Everyone in their social circle knew she had deeply offended the formidable President Ngu of the Nghien Hop Corporation. Within less than two weeks, she found it utterly impossible to survive in Hu City and was forced to return to her rural hometown in disgrace. Before leaving, she tried to extort some money from Tac Du Pho, but she couldn't even make it past the lobby doors of his company. The wicked eventually reap what they sow, and I didn't waste a single thought on her. My entire focus was poured into my work. The Nghien Hop Corporation was currently bidding on a major overseas tech project, which was our most critical venture for the second half of the year.

A week later, the Hu City Financial Summit commenced at the grand exhibition center. This was the most prestigious annual industry event, drawing every major financial tycoon and industry leader. Tac Du Pho had pulled every string imaginable just to secure a single admission ticket. He knew beyond a doubt that I would be there. On the day of the summit, he arrived incredibly early, standing vigilantly by the entrance of the main hall. Promptly at nine o'clock, I entered the venue dressed in a tailored black velvet suit and sleek stilettos, walking side-by-side with several prominent industry giants. Du followed closely behind me, carrying a leather portfolio. My appearance was a stark contrast to the disheveled, humiliated bride from the wedding day. My gaze was cool and sharp, my presence commanding. As I conversed with the multi-billionaire tycoons beside me, my demeanor was entirely poised, relaxed, and natural. Heads turned in succession as onlookers whispered in hushed, reverent tones about the mysterious female executive behind the Nghien Hop Corporation. Not a single soul in that room connected me to the wealthy heiress who had once been left waiting for five hours outside a wedding venue.