Chapter 3
Edward Quan ·
I looked up into a pair of astonished eyes.
“Oh… Hi. It’s been a while,” I stammered.
He laughed.
“Didn’t you just join my company?”
“I was abroad until recently.”
“I’ve barely returned and here you are. What a coincidence.”
I scratched my cheek.
“Yes.”
He studied me.
“Why did you suddenly decide to work?”
“Your husband…”
He chose his words carefully.
Our spectacular wedding had been famous throughout Hải Thành.
Naturally, Trình Lan knew about it.
I pulled at the corners of my mouth.
“I won’t have one much longer.”
He froze.
I calmly repeated:
“I mean I won’t have a husband soon.”
Yes.
I wasn’t wishing Hành Tuấn dead.
Just calmly stating that we were about to divorce.
Trình Lan remained silent for a long time.
Following his gaze, I turned.
Hành Tuấn stood behind me, still holding a wineglass.
His suit remained immaculate.
Only his collar was slightly open.
His dark eyes swept over me and settled briefly on Trình Lan.
Utterly cold.
How did this man walk like a ghost?
Appearing out of nowhere without a sound!
Instinctively, I stepped back half a pace and bumped into Trình Lan’s arm.
He steadied me quickly, then politely let go.
“Mr. Lương,” he said first.
“I’ve heard a great deal about you.”
Hành Tuấn did not look at him.
Instead, he lowered his eyes to me with that painfully familiar scrutiny.
Whenever he had caught me daydreaming or with unfinished homework as a child, he had looked at me like that.
Silence.
The noise around us seemed trapped beyond an invisible barrier.
My heart hammered.
My palms grew damp.
“You two talk.”
I forced a smile.
“I’m meeting a friend. I’ll go ahead.”
I tried to leave.
A hand closed around my wrist.
His fingertips were lightly callused against my skin.
Startled, I looked up.
“We’re finished,” he said evenly.
“I’ll come with you.”
I went rigid.
Trình Lan looked from me to him and smiled in understanding.
“Then I’ll leave you to it.”
He nodded to me.
“Kinh Phù, see you at work.”
Perhaps I imagined it, but the grip on my wrist tightened.
Once Trình Lan had disappeared, I tried to pull free.
Without success.
“What did you mean?”
Hành Tuấn’s voice was low and rough.
I pressed my lips together.
Under his steady gaze, I slowly said:
“You heard me. Hành Tuấn, let’s get div—”
“Mr. Lương!”
An unexpected voice cut me off.
A middle-aged man hurried toward us.
He nodded to me.
“Madam.”
Then he spoke urgently.
“Mr. Lương, Miss Giản seems to be having some trouble over there.”
“A lot of guests are watching…”
The comments, quiet for so long, exploded.
[Here it comes! The classic hero-rescues-the-beauty scene!]
[Go, male lead! Someone’s about to throw wine on our strong heroine!]
[I have a feeling tonight will be a major turning point for their romance.]
[Supporting girl, be sensible and move. Don’t block this iconic scene!]
I looked at Hành Tuấn without thinking.
His gaze left my face and turned where the man had pointed.
His fingers slowly loosened around my wrist.
He took a step that way.
I smiled mockingly.
“Didn’t you want to come with me?”
“Still coming?”
He frowned slightly.
“I’ll find you after the reception.”
I stayed where I was and watched his tall figure walk toward the young woman in the crowd.
Then I heard his low voice.
Across half the hall, it wasn’t clear.
I caught only:
“Miss Giản.”
The crowd parted at once.
I saw Giản Trúc lift her head.
Their eyes met.
Just the right amount of surprise and gratitude appeared in her bright gaze.
What a perfect match.
Whispers rose beside me.
“Who’s that girl?”
“Apparently, an intern at Trình Lan’s company.”
“Huh? What’s her relationship with Mr. Lương?”
“It doesn’t look simple.”
“Don’t talk nonsense!”
“Hành Tuấn and Kinh Phù have a very good marriage.”
“She’s probably just a business partner he’s helping.”
“That makes sense.”
The last two comments were a hurried attempt to recover after they noticed me.
I listened in silence.
Looking across the room, I saw that his mere presence beside Giản Trúc seemed to dissolve every trace of hostility directed at her.
Even the people who had been making trouble changed their expressions at once.
They kept insisting it was only a misunderstanding.
The comments continued scrolling.
[The leads look like a painting together.]
[Among all those people, he shields her from every bit of malice. I’m so moved…]
[The supporting girl looks so pitiful watching from the side.]
[That’s the price of being afraid of your husband. All she can do is hurt alone.]
[She won’t cling to him, will she? I’m a little worried. She loves him so much…]
Beside Giản Trúc, Hành Tuấn remained distinguished and composed.
Yet every gesture seemed touched with gentleness.
I lowered my head and gave a small laugh.
Cling to him?
Hardly.
I understood completely now.
We really were unsuitable.
I had never entered his heart.
Before the reception ended, I got into the car and left.
As for his promise to find me afterward…
Who would believe that?
Only an idiot would wait.
06
The lawyer I had contacted was waiting deferentially at the villa.
“I’ve listed the important terms individually, based on the contracts and documents you provided. Please check whether anything needs changing.”
I read through them carefully and nodded in satisfaction.
“I’ll transfer the rest of your fee later.”
“Of course. Contact me anytime if anything else comes up.”
After he left, I placed the divorce agreement firmly on the desk in the study.
Then a photograph frame on Hành Tuấn’s desk caught my eye.
A few months earlier, we had eaten a candlelit dinner at a restaurant.
A photographer had captured the moment.
He asked for my contact details and sent me the picture.
I had thought it looked atmospheric and casually forwarded it to Hành Tuấn.
I hadn’t expected him to print and frame it.
Calmly, I picked up the frame.
And threw it in the bin.
Then I returned to the bedroom to pack.
I was moving out tonight.
07
There was too much to pack.
I worked until midnight.
Just as I wheeled my suitcase toward the door, Hành Tuấn came home.
His gaze stopped on it.
We faced each other in silence for a while.
Finally, he spoke, his voice a little rough.
“Why didn’t you wait for me?”
Wait until midnight?
I couldn’t be bothered arguing and tried to go around him.
He stepped closer.
Fatigue and coldness lay between his brows.
“You’re going to him, aren’t you?”
“You were willing to lie about having no husband just to be with him?”
“What does that make me?”
I stared in disbelief.
“Who?”
“Trình Lan?”
“Is that what you think of me?”
He stared at me.
“Then why are you leaving?”
I opened my mouth.
Before I could speak, he said coolly:
“Or are you making a scene to get my attention?”
I stood stunned.
When he had been too busy and neglected me, I had done that before.
Only because I wanted more of his time.
Afterward, I had always shaken his arm and apologized.
I raised my hand.
And slapped him hard.
Smack!
His head turned to one side.
I enunciated every word.
“The divorce agreement is on your desk.”
“Go and sign it.”
“We’ll finalize the divorce tomorrow morning.”
He stood like a statue.
Motionless.
As though he hadn’t heard me at all.
I frowned.
“You…”
Slowly, he said:
“What did you just say?”
“Wasn’t I clear enough?” I muttered angrily.
His voice was dry.
He reached for me.
I moved away.
“Why?”