Chapter 1 — Women Don't Need To Be Chosen

When my mother-in-law threw the divorce agreement down in front of me, the bowl of fish soup on the table splashed, the soup splashed all over the edge of the table, and the atmosphere in the dining room immediately froze. More than a dozen relatives of the Luc family sat around the table, everyone was silent, no one spoke, as if everyone had been waiting for this drama. Tien Ngoc Hoa clapped her hands, moving decisively as if brushing away something dirty, her cold voice rang out in the quiet room.

"To Niem, it's been three years since you married into the Luc family but you haven't given birth to any children, the company hasn't been able to help you, and the housework is even worse. Since there are enough people today, sign and break up peacefully."

I turned to look at the man sitting next to me, my eyes stopped on the familiar yet unfamiliar face, my heart felt like someone was squeezing it. Luc Canh Tham bowed his head, picked up a piece of braised meat and put it in a bowl. From beginning to end, he didn't say a word, nor did he look up at me even once. Tien Ngoc Hoa pulled out a pen from her bag, "click" and threw down the divorce agreement, the dry sound was deafening.

“The terms were written very clearly, you left empty-handed, but the Luc family did not mistreat you, giving you 200,000 yuan as a moving fee, which is considered meaningful.”

200,000 yuan, that number floated in my head, so cold that it made people laugh, three years of marriage turned out to be worth only that much.

“To Niem, don't be unreasonable.” Sister-in-law Ly Phuong raised her glass of wine, smiling as if not smiling, her voice carrying clear sarcasm. "My mother gave me 200,000 yuan to show that I have respected her for serving me for three years. In exchange for another house, I don't have a penny."

"That's right." The second aunt immediately chimed in, her eyes full of contempt, as if looking at a parasite. "When you married here, you didn't bring anything with you. Didn't you rely on the Luc family from beginning to end?"

I slowly put down my chopsticks, the movement was gentle but decisive, as if I had just let go of something I had held on to for too long. I reached out to pick up the pen on the table, my fingertips touched the cold pen body, that feeling made me unusually alert. Tien Ngoc Hoa slightly raised her eyebrows, with an undisguised look of satisfaction on her face, as if everything was in the palm of her hand. I turned to the last page of the divorce agreement, my eyes scanned the cold lines, then stopped at the signature box, then wrote down two words —— To Niem. Two words, written neatly and clearly, each stroke is as if cut into the page. Tien Ngoc Hoa smiled, raised his hand to take the agreement, his eyes clearly showing victory. I held her hand tightly, not strong force but enough to make her stop.

“Mom, I signed.”

I raised my head and looked straight at Luc Canh Tham, my eyes no longer avoiding them like before. He finally looked at me, his eyes were complicated, his lips moved as if he wanted to say something, but he couldn't utter a word.

“But there is one thing, I will tell everyone in advance.”

I stood up, pushed my chair neatly under the table, my movements were decisive, without any hesitation.

"The three projects that Luc Thi Group is cooperating with Tinh Than Capital, starting tomorrow, will all be paused."

The laughter at the dining table immediately died down, the air froze as if it were choked. Tien Ngoc Hoa's hand stopped in midair, her face changed clearly. Luc Canh Tham jumped up, spilling the entire glass of wine In front of me, red wine spread across the table like a streak of blood.

“To Niem, what did you say?”

“Miss S of Tinh Than Capital, last month just approved investment capital for three of your projects, a total of 200,000,000 yuan.”

I picked up a tissue on the table and slowly wiped the ink off my fingertips. My voice was as light as the wind but made people dare not look down on me.

“When I say pause, it means pause.”

"You..." Tien Ngoc Hoa's face immediately distorted, her smile completely disappeared, "you are just a housewife, what right do you have to say these words?"

I don't answer. Just put your bag on the back of the chair, turn around and walk straight out the door, each step without hesitation. Luc Canh Tham quickly followed two steps, his voice a bit panicked.

“Your mother forced me to sign the divorce petition.”

I didn't turn my head, my voice was so cold that there was no emotion left.

"The consequences, please let your mother bear it herself."

The sound of high heels hitting the marble floor, each step echoed clearly and decisively, as if completely cutting off the past three years. From behind came the high-pitched voice of Tien Ngoc Hoa, trying to save the situation.

"She's scaring people! She's just a woman without a job, what does she know about Spirit Capital!"

The large door closed behind me, completely separating me from the other group of people. The March night wind blew through, bringing with it a slight coldness, but it made my mind unusually alert. I stood under the porch of the Luc family's villa, took out my phone, and dialed a familiar number.

“Chu Can, notify the finance department, before 9:00 a.m. tomorrow, to freeze all capital of the projects that Luc Thi is investing in.”

“Yes, Mr. To.” The other end of the line paused for a moment, then smiled softly, "After three years of waiting, I finally decided to take action."

I hung up the phone and walked into the night, my back blending into the distant city lights. Three years ago, when I married into the Luc family, I let go of all my identities. Today, one by one, I will pick it up myself. The taxi stopped in front of an office building right in the city center, the lights were bright like a completely different world. I swiped my card at the door, went straight to the elevator, pressed up to the thirty-second floor, the flashing red number gradually climbed up. The receptionist saw me and immediately stood up, her face mixed with surprise and respect.

“Mr. To, you haven't been here for a long time.”

“Yes, I will come often from now on.”

Chu Can was already waiting in the office, on the table were piles of documents, each item neatly arranged.

"The three projects that Luc Thi is investing in, the largest is the commercial complex in the East of the city, we hold 51% of the shares. The second project is the biotechnology park, we hold 45%. And the third project..."

“Stop it all.”

Chu Can did not say more, just closed the file with decisive movements.

“Tomorrow Luc Canh Tham will definitely find you.”

“Just let him come.”

"What about Tien Ngoc Hoa? She still thinks I'm just a housewife."

I sat down on the swivel chair, slightly turned half a circle, the ground-level glass window reflected the entire brilliant night scene of the city.

“She will soon know the truth.”

The phone vibrates. Call from Luc Canh Tham. I didn't pick up the phone. The bell rang again. I switched to silent mode and put the phone on the table like I'd never seen it before.

“President Su, there is one more thing.” Zhou Jin pushed a newspaper reported, "Bach Nhuoc Tinh's company sent a cooperation request last week, wanting to take over our cosmetic channel."

Bach Nhuoc Tinh. The name that Tien Ngoc Hoa always mentions as a perfect choice.

“What does she do?”

"Cosmetic agency, not large scale, annual revenue of about 30,000,000 yuan. But her father is Bach Khai Minh, a construction materials business, and has done business with the Luc family."

“Tien Ngoc Hoa always wanted Luc Canh Tham to marry her, right?”

Chu Can nodded.

"Before I got married, I had this idea, and it hasn't stopped for three years. Every time we had a family gathering, Bach Nhuoc Tinh showed up, but today she's not there."

“She didn't come today, because the script didn't need her.”

I flipped through the cooperation proposal, skimmed a few lines, then closed it, my eyes cold.

“Also, help me book an apartment, move in tomorrow, choose a place near the company.”

“Kim Mau Phu has a ready-made house, 160 square meters, fully furnished.”