Wrapping her arms tightly around his frail body, she tried to protect him as he crouched and covered his injured face.
Tears streamed uncontrollably down her cheeks.
When she noticed fresh blood seeping from an old wound, her throat tightened so painfully that she could barely speak.
This was the man who had endured a lifetime of suffering without complaint.
The man who had traveled across the city simply because he wanted to celebrate her family’s success.
And now he had been humiliated in front of hundreds of strangers.
Lam Nha looked toward the stage.
Her husband was standing there.
Truong Ham had witnessed his mother’s actions, but he made no attempt to defend his father-in-law.
He remained motionless, his expression cold and indifferent.
Worse still, beneath that silence lay a growing resentment.
Instead of feeling ashamed of his mother’s cruelty, he was furious that his poor, scarred father-in-law had appeared at such an important event and damaged his carefully cultivated reputation among Hangzhou’s wealthy elite.
The sight of his wife holding her injured father did nothing to change his attitude.
Que Hoa planted her hands on her hips.
“What are you crying about now?” she demanded. “Get this beggar out of here! Truong Ham, are you just going to stand there? Teach your wife how to behave!”
Her voice was loud enough for everyone to hear.
There was no regret in her expression.
No recognition of the pain she had caused.
To her, the only problem was that the elderly man had dared to appear at the celebration.
The confrontation had reached its most unbearable point.
Then something happened that no one expected.
In the very first row of VIP seats, a middle-aged man dressed in a meticulously tailored charcoal-gray suit suddenly rose to his feet.
His expression was stern.
His eyes were sharp, and an unmistakable authority surrounded him.
Without hesitation, he walked directly toward the stage.
The emcee stood there in confusion as the man reached forward and took the wireless microphone from his hand.
A powerful voice thundered through the entire venue.
“STOP! Everyone, be quiet!”
The command carried such force that the hall fell into absolute silence.
Even Que Hoa hesitated.
She frowned, ready to reprimand the stranger for interfering in what she considered a private family matter.
But the moment she recognized his face, the words died in her throat.
He was Tran Thien Phong.
The president of the internationally influential Thien Phong Financial Group.
A billionaire whose business empire extended far beyond the city and whose presence was considered the greatest honor of the entire grand opening.
No guest at the ceremony possessed greater influence.
And now that powerful man was staring directly toward the corner where Lam Van Son stood.
The elderly firefighter had lowered his head and was quietly wiping blood from his forehead.
Tran Thien Phong’s expression changed.
His stern face trembled.
His eyes filled with emotion, and when he finally spoke again, his voice was no longer steady.
“The man you just humiliated…”
He paused, struggling to control himself.
Then he said the words that would change the meaning of everything that had just happened.
“He is the man who saved my life ten years ago!”
The story isn’t over yet. Select “Next Part” below to see what happens next.
Chapter 2: THE TRUTH BEHIND THE SCARS AND THE NIGHT OF THE FIRE
The entire hall seemed to stop breathing.
Hundreds of faces turned toward Tran Thien Phong.
He stood beneath the brilliant lights of the presentation stage, dressed in an expensive suit that reflected his extraordinary success.
Yet there was no trace of the confident businessman who had arrived as the ceremony’s most honored guest.
His eyes were filled with tears.
His voice had trembled when he spoke of the elderly firefighter, and the emotion on his face was impossible to mistake.
Truong Ham’s complexion turned deathly pale.
He hurried toward the billionaire, forcing an ingratiating smile onto his face.
“Chairman Tran… surely… surely there must be some misunderstanding,” he said nervously. “That man is only a retired construction worker. He’s not mentally stable. You must have mistaken him for someone else…”
“Shut your mouth!”
Tran Thien Phong’s furious command struck like thunder.
When Truong Ham attempted to grab his sleeve, the billionaire immediately brushed his hand away.
The movement was swift and decisive.
Truong Ham staggered backward two steps.
Cold sweat broke across his forehead.
He understood exactly how much influence this man possessed. Tran Thien Phong was not merely a wealthy guest; he controlled financial relationships powerful enough to determine the future of entire businesses.
And now that man was openly furious with him.
Without offering another word to Truong Ham, Tran Thien Phong slowly descended the steps from the stage.
His attention remained fixed on Lam Van Son.
