Chapter 10 — When the Ex Returns

I must have been blind to let you pull the wool over my eyes, blind to believe the lies you spun about saving me!

Fu Tu-Tham shoved Gu Tieu, forcing her hands down onto a scattered patch of broken glass. Her tear-streaked face contorted with malice.

Pulled the wool over your eyes? Lies? Fu Tu-Tham, the truth is that you were simply too cowardly to admit your own love for Lam Thoi-Ha. You kept telling me you loved me, yet every time you took me out to buy clothes or dine, your mind was always drifting toward her.

As if struck by a sudden realization, Gu Tieu let out a low, mocking laugh.

My schemes were so transparent, yet you chose to believe them. Fu Tu-Tham, even if you know the truth now, what does it matter? Lam Thoi-Ha will never forgive you as long as she lives. What you have done is enough to make her resent you for an eternity!

Before she could finish her sentence, a crisp, forceful slap struck her face, sending her head snapping to the side. Fu Tu-Tham stared at her as if she were a corpse. With a violent motion, he dislocated her jaw to silence her. He then signaled for the guards to enter, his voice ice-cold and biting.

Expose every single filthy thing Gu Tieu has done. As for those hoodlums, if they insist they were acting under her orders, send them all to the police station. I believe there will be someone there who will be very pleased to host them.

Gu Tieu collapsed onto the floor, struggling in a frenzy.

No, Fu Tu-Tham, you cannot do this...

No matter how she thrashed, her strength was no match for the guards. As the heavy door slammed shut, her screams and curses faded into the distance. Within half a day, the news of the broken engagement and the full account of how Gu Tieu had framed Lam Thoi-Ha swept through the military housing complex. Many of the women who had previously gossiped about Lam Thoi-Ha now flushed with shame, turning their animosity toward Gu Tieu with even greater fervor. Upon learning the full truth, Mother Fu wept.

That poor girl, Thoi-Ha, has endured so much. In the end, it was us who broke her heart. If only we had known sooner...

Fu Tu-Tham sat beside her, his expression grim. Ever since he learned that Lam Thoi-Ha had clarified everything to his mother after returning from the hospital, his heart felt increasingly suffocated. Even the memories from his past life, where he had treated her with such indifference, now burned with a stinging heat. Having been granted a second chance at life, he could have altered their fate, yet he only recognized the truth of his own heart when it was far too late. It was he who, time and again, had wounded Lam Thoi-Ha for the sake of Gu Tieu. It was he who had ultimately driven her away completely.

Countless nights, Fu Tu-Tham would be jolted awake by nightmares. In them, it was always Lam Thoi-Ha—her gaze of utter disappointment, her self-deprecating smiles, and her silhouette of quiet despair. Each scene burned into his heart like a red-hot iron. He tried to force himself not to think of her, but the harder he retreated, the more vivid her suffering became. This heart-wrenching agony left him feeling as if he were walking among the living dead. He could not bear the thought of her vanishing from his world forever. He had to find a way to see her again.

Two months later, leveraging his past connections, he successfully secured a protection assignment for the embassy stationed in Moscow. When he received the news, his heart raced with anticipation. He began to prepare frantically, even compiling a long, meticulous list. On it, he recorded the snacks Lam Thoi-Ha used to mention, the trinkets and souvenirs she had always wanted but deemed too expensive to buy. Regardless of how rare or costly they were, he moved heaven and earth to acquire them, filling two entire suitcases.

His mind was fixated on a single thought: the moment he found her, he would beg for her forgiveness. He would tell her how deeply he regretted his actions, blaming his past blindness on a foolish obsession. He would promise to make amends, to treat her with tenfold the devotion. He only prayed for one chance at redemption, just one opportunity to start over.

Morning in Moscow. After a quick wash, Lam Thoi-Ha arrived early at the classroom to review her notes. Because her uncle was frequently away on unpredictable business trips, she had decided to live in the dormitory from Monday through Friday, returning to the apartment only on weekends. She dove into the new material with fervent passion. In her past life, she had been fascinated by the architectural designs in these books, but she had abandoned her studies to remain by Fu Tu-Tham’s side. After their marriage, between family duties and the children, she had never had a moment to spare for her books. Thinking back to the despair of dying with such bitter regret in her previous life, she felt momentarily lost in thought.

A figure appeared before her, followed by a gentle, polite voice.

Classmate Lam, is the seat beside you taken?

The voice pulled her back from her memories. Seeing the bright smile of Shen Yen-Thu, she shook her head quickly.

It is free. Senior Shen, what a coincidence.

Shen Yen-Thu curled his lips into a smile, his gaze drifting down to the book in her hands.