Chapter 2 — When the Ex Returns

Every word felt like a poisoned needle piercing her heart, the agony so profound that she slipped into unconsciousness. When she finally opened her eyes again, Lam Thoi Ha realized she was in the hospital. The voice of Pho Tu Tham reached her ears:

"What is this letter of recommendation?"

Lam Thoi Ha clenched her palms tight, struggling for composure as she explained, "It is a recommendation letter from a classmate. She is traveling to the South and was worried about missing her mail, so she used my address for convenience."

Pho Tu Tham stared intently at her, as if searching for the slightest flicker of deceit on her face. Just as he moved to tear it open to inspect the contents, an orderly came rushing toward them.

"Regimental Commander, Comrade Co is struggling to breathe again. The hospital staff suggests using the specialized medication, but it requires your personal authorization to release it."

Pho Tu Tham nodded without a moment of hesitation. Before turning to leave, he did not forget to issue a cold warning to Lam Thoi Ha: "Consider this incident a lesson. Lam Thoi Ha, there will not be a next time."

The resounding slam of the door pulled Lam Thoi Ha back to the harsh reality. She offered a bitter, hollow smile and tucked the letter away. Pho Tu Tham, in exactly eight days, I will be gone from this place forever. After resting in the hospital for half a day, Lam Thoi Ha recovered enough strength to make her way back to the Pho family home. A group of orderlies was busy hauling furniture out of the house. Lam Thoi Ha recognized the items immediately; they were all from her own bedroom. Not far away, Co Tieu was leaning against Pho Tu Tham, acting coy and frail.

"Tu Tham, even though you told me to move here for a while to recover my health, I am still taking up Thoi Ha's room. I am worried she might be unhappy about it."

Pho Tu Tham shook his head, his gaze icy and distant. "If we must make a distinction, she is the one who is the outsider here."

Lam Thoi Ha felt a sharp, suffocating ache in her chest. Before her eyes flashed a memory from the days after her parents passed away, when Pho Tu Tham had taken her hand and led her into the courtyard.

"Thoi Ha, from this day forward, this place is your home. You are a member of the Pho family."

But in the face of this reality, the promises of the past had long ago shattered into a pathetic farce. Lam Thoi Ha turned and walked away, entirely unaware of the complex, lingering look Pho Tu Tham cast toward her retreating figure. The next morning, Lam Thoi Ha kept her schedule to participate in the athletic training competition for family members organized by the residential district. As she arrived at the training grounds, she saw Co Tieu and Pho Tu Tham standing close by. Several people around them began to tease, "Comrade Co has entered the competition under the status of Tu Tham’s family; it seems like happy news is on the horizon!"

Lam Thoi Ha silently averted her eyes, relying on her physical endurance to clinch the championship. Just as she stepped onto the podium to receive her award, a group of officials in uniform entered.

"Comrade, you have been accused of cheating in this competition. We have discovered a banned substance in your thermal flask. Your competition results are hereby annulled."

The accusation stirred the crowd like a stone thrown into a still lake. Everyone’s expressions turned to ones of judgment.

"No, I did not do it. This is a fabrication!" Lam Thoi Ha cried out, refusing to accept the injustice.

Co Tieu feigned deep regret. "Sister Thoi Ha, I know you wanted to win against me, but you should not have resorted to such underhanded tactics."

Amidst the chorus of whispers and pointing fingers, Lam Thoi Ha’s neck flushed with indignation. "Whether you believe me or not, I did not do this."

"Enough!" Pho Tu Tham finally spoke, his face dark and somber. "I can testify; Lam Thoi Ha indeed used the prohibited substance."

Lam Thoi Ha looked at him in disbelief, wanting to argue her case, but the crowd pushed her off the podium. No matter how she tried to explain, everyone echoed the same sentiment: "Even a man of integrity like Regimental Commander Pho has set aside personal feelings to report you; do you still have the audacity to make excuses?"

At the mouth of the alley, Lam Thoi Ha waited for a long time. The moment she saw Pho Tu Tham's jeep, she rushed toward it. "Pho Tu Tham, I did not use any banned substances. I am innocent."

Pho Tu Tham frowned and nodded. "I know. But because of your erratic behavior in the past, Tieu Tieu has always felt insecure. To prove the love I have for her, I had no choice but to do this."

Lam Thoi Ha was so furious she laughed. "So you used my innocence and my reputation just to make her happy? Pho Tu Tham, by what right do you do this!"

Pho Tu Tham’s gaze deepened as he looked at her. "This is what you owe Tieu Tieu."

The coldness in his voice made Lam Thoi Ha feel as if she had been plunged back into the same despair she felt when she begged him in her previous life. Having lived through a rebirth, Pho Tu Tham was still as ruthless toward her as ever. She turned to leave, but Pho Tu Tham held out two pairs of jeans. His tone was unreadable. "I remember you always wanted jeans from the Southern markets. These two pairs should fit you."

The thought that Co Tieu had previously complained to her colleagues about these exact pairs of jeans made Lam Thoi Ha’s heart shatter. It turned out that in Pho Tu Tham’s eyes, she was only worthy of collecting the discarded clothes that Co Tieu found distasteful. The anger she had been suppressing erupted in that moment. Lam Thoi Ha shoved his hand away forcefully.

"Pho Tu Tham, I do not need them! I will say this one more time: in this life, I will no longer have any connection with you or Co Tieu!"

In the deep hours of the night, Lam Thoi Ha drifted into a restless slumber, sinking into the shadows of her past. At that very moment, a soft rustling sound echoed in her room, and a dark figure lunged toward her.