Chapter 1: A Chance Encounter in the Library

The heavy scent of old books lingered in the library, mixing with the soft rustle of turning pages. Linh Dương reached up to pull out a thick design reference book from the top shelf, her fingers barely grazing the spine.

Just as she was about to tiptoe, another hand reached over hers—firm, steady, and warm. Their fingers brushed briefly.

“Sorry,” came a deep voice.

She turned and looked up, startled to see a tall, sharp-featured man in a crisp black shirt. His dark eyes held a quiet confidence, and his lips curled into a polite smile.

“I’m Minh Hạo,” he said, handing her the book.

“Linh Dương,” she replied softly, heart oddly fluttering.

And just like that, a moment that was supposed to pass became the beginning of everything.

They saw each other more often after that—sometimes in the library, sometimes at campus events. She was calm, thoughtful, and passionate about design. He was composed, driven, and already inheriting the weight of his family’s business.

They fell in love, slowly but surely. After graduation, Linh Dương became a rising fashion designer, while Minh Hạo took over as CEO of the family’s luxury conglomerate—spanning fashion, tech, and innovation.

Their relationship, though quiet and private, was steady. They didn't tell their families, choosing instead to focus on their careers.

But love is fragile, especially when left unattended.

When Minh Hạo turned 26, he went on a business trip abroad. It was supposed to be routine. But fate had other plans.

It rained that day. Hard.

He was standing outside the company building, car broken down, phone dead. As the rain soaked through his coat, a small, sweet voice spoke from behind.

“Sir, would you like to share my umbrella?”

She was beautiful—brunette, kind eyes, soft smile. She was also his employee, though they had never met before.

That moment felt like a scene from a movie. He smiled back.

“Thank you.”

He didn’t expect to see her again. But when he returned from his trip, he found her name on the company’s transfer list—she had been moved to the main office.

Due to her “exceptional” skills.

They met again at a café. Talked. Laughed. And slowly, he began to forget the warmth he once had with Linh Dương.

He became colder with Linh Dương. Distant. Unavailable.

Until one day, he called her into his office.

“Why did you call me here, Hạo?” she asked gently.

Without even looking up from his paperwork, he said flatly, “Let’s break up.”

She stood frozen, her breath caught.

A beat of silence.

Then, in a whisper—barely audible—she replied, “Okay...”

And just like that, seven years of love faded into silence.

-End of Chapter 1-

• Like, Hit that Subscribe button and give me a gift (if ur not poor like me ಥ_ಥ).

• Thanks for wasting your time reading my novel 😊.

Chapter 1: A Chance Encounter in the Library

The clinking of porcelain against silverware echoed in the grand dining hall of the Nguyễn household. The morning sun filtered through sheer curtains, casting a warm glow over the long table adorned with fresh flowers and plated breakfast dishes.

Linh Duong stirred her tea absentmindedly. The silence at the table was comfortable, broken only by her father’s occasional rustling of the newspaper and the butler’s soft footsteps.

“Miss, there’s something new,” the butler said, respectfully placing the morning paper in front of her. “It’s about the Lâm family.”

Her hand paused mid-stir. She slowly looked down.

There it was.

**“CEO Lam Minh Hao Goes Public with New Girlfriend – A Talented Employee of the Corporation.”**

A large photo showed Minh Hao in a sharp gray suit, standing beside a young woman with soft brown hair and a gentle smile.

Linh Duong’s chest tightened. The rest of the room disappeared into a blur of muffled sounds.

He never introduced her to anyone.

Not even once.

Not in public. Not in private. Not even to their families.

She gently folded the newspaper and set it aside, her face calm. Too calm.

“Are you okay?” her mother asked quietly.

She smiled faintly. “It’s just news.”

But her hands, hidden beneath the table, were trembling.

Weeks passed. Then months.

Linh Duong drowned herself in work, sketches, fabric samples, fashion shows. She told herself she was fine. That love fades. That pain passes.

Until one evening changed everything.

The living room was filled with the chatter of two powerful families. Her parents. His parents. Old friends and business partners. Everyone sat with expectation written on their faces.

“Minh Hao, you and Linh Duong have known each other since childhood,” his mother said kindly. “We’ve discussed this for years. The marriage should be decided.”

Minh Hao sat stiffly beside his father, face stone cold.

“I already have a girlfriend,” he said bluntly.

A sharp silence fell.

Across the room, Linh Duong sat quietly, eyes lowered, heart pounding. She could feel all eyes on her.

“You still must marry,” his father said firmly. “This is bigger than your feelings.”

And so, they were married. Not out of love. But out of duty.

The wedding was lavish. The media called it a match made in heaven. But behind closed doors, it was a silent battlefield.

Minh Hao barely spoke to her. And when he did, it was with coldness. Some nights he didn’t even return home. And when he did, he was drunk. Angry.

He shouted. Slammed doors. Sometimes he’d throw things. Once, he grabbed her wrist too hard. Left a mark.

But she said nothing. She endured. Because somewhere, foolishly, she still believed he might look at her again the way he did in that library years ago.

Until that night.

The night he came home drunk, staggered into their room, and collapsed beside her. Reeking of alcohol and perfume that wasn’t hers.

When she turned away, he grabbed her.

[Sensitive scene skipped – only implied, not graphically shown]

She didn’t fight. She didn’t scream. She just cried quietly afterward.

One month later, the divorce papers were signed.

He didn’t even look at her when he walked out of the courthouse.

It was over.

Or at least, it was for him.

Chapter 3: Two Red Lines

The soft drizzle tapped gently against the window, mirroring Linh Duong’s heavy heart. She stood alone in the bathroom, holding a pregnancy test in trembling hands.

Two red lines.

Clear. Unmistakable.

Her world, once again, was turned upside down.

She had tried to move on. To heal from a marriage that had broken her. But now, everything was pulling her back to that single night — the night she wished she could forget. And now, there was a child. A life growing inside her, from the man she once loved... and now wanted nothing to do with.

She sank to the bathroom floor, tears spilling silently down her cheeks. The test lay beside her, stark against the white tiles.

“What do I do now…?” she whispered to herself.

Could she raise a child on her own?

Her fingers curled into fists. She had to. She was no longer the naive girl who waited for love from a cold man. She was stronger now. She had to be — for the baby.

Her phone rang. It was Quynh — her closest friend, the one who had stayed by her side when the world turned cold.

“Duong? Dinner tonight, okay? No excuses! We miss you,” Quynh’s voice chirped through the phone.

Duong composed herself, wiping her tears. “Sure… I’ll come.”

That evening, at a cozy Japanese restaurant in the city, Quynh eyed her closely.

“You don’t look okay,” she said, concerned. “You’ve been pale for days.”

Duong forced a smile and sipped her green tea. “Just work stress. Fashion week is close.”

Quynh didn’t push. “You know I’m always here, right?”

Duong nodded, eyes drifting to the city lights outside the window.

Later that night, back home, she opened a drawer and pulled out her medical file. Her fingers brushed over the words: **“Fetus: 5 weeks gestation.”** Her heart thudded.

“I’m sorry, baby,” she whispered, laying a hand over her stomach. “But I promise… I’ll do everything for you.”

But peace was fleeting.

Two weeks later, she received a call from none other than her ex-mother-in-law — Mrs. Lam.

“I need to see you,” the woman said firmly. “It’s a family matter.”

At an old-style tea house, Mrs. Lam sat upright, exuding elegance and authority. Her eyes locked on Duong’s with a piercing gaze.

“I know you’re pregnant.”

Duong froze, her heartbeat spiking.

“Don’t be surprised,” Mrs. Lam continued. “We’re not common people. Every move you make, the Lam family knows.”

“What do you want?” Duong asked, trying to stay calm.

“That child is a Lam. Blood of our family. Regardless of the divorce, it belongs to us. I want you to keep the baby. And… come back.”

Duong blinked. “Come back? To what?”

“To the Lam family. Whether or not Minh Hao loves you, I won’t let my grandchild be raised outside.”

Duong stood, clutching her purse tightly. “Your grandchild… is my child. I will keep the baby. But I will never return to that hell again.”

And she walked away — her steps steadier than ever before.