The graduation ceremony began at nine in the morning.
The entire auditorium was filled with parents, teachers and students.
Everyone was smiling.
Everyone was recording.
Except one person.
Chu Dich Than.
He stood at the entrance of the hall wearing a perfectly tailored black suit.
Ten years had passed.
But he still had that same cold and proud expression.
The difference was…
His eyes were no longer as confident as before.
Because today, he saw a name on the student representative list.
To Niem.
The moment he saw those two words, his fingers froze.
He didn’t know why.
It was just a child’s name.
But somehow…
It felt familiar.
When the principal stepped onto the stage and announced:
“Next, we welcome our outstanding student representative, To Niem, to give a speech.”
A small figure walked onto the stage.
White shirt.
Clean hairstyle.
Calm eyes.
Chu Dich Than stopped breathing.
The child looked up.
And in that instant…
He saw himself.
The same eyebrows.
The same eyes.
The same expression when thinking.
The entire world seemed to become silent.
The principal smiled.
“Student To Niem, please begin.”
The little boy stood in front of the microphone.
His voice was clear.
“Dear teachers and classmates…”
Chu Dich Than didn’t hear the rest.
His mind was filled with only one thought.
Impossible.
Impossible.
That child…
Was his son.
Ten years ago.
He had signed the divorce papers without even reading them.
Because at that time, all he wanted was Hua Vy.
The woman he believed he had loved his entire youth.
He thought To Tinh would cry.
He thought she would beg.
He thought she couldn’t live without him.
But she didn’t.
She simply signed.
And disappeared.
At that time, he felt relieved.
He thought he had finally obtained freedom.
But he never knew…
The woman he abandoned was carrying his child.
After the graduation ceremony ended, Chu Dich Than stood outside the hall.
He didn’t leave.
He waited.
He didn’t even know what he was waiting for.
Until he saw her.
To Tinh.
Ten years later.
She walked slowly through the crowd.
Wearing a simple white suit.
Her hair tied neatly behind her.
She no longer looked like the woman who sat quietly in front of him at the civil affairs office.
Back then, her eyes were full of love.
Now…
They were calm.
Almost emotionless.
She walked toward her son.
“To Niem.”
The child immediately smiled.
“Mom.”
That one word struck Chu Dich Than harder than anything.
Mom.
The child called her mom.
Naturally.
Warmly.
Something he had never heard before.
He stepped forward.
“To Tinh.”
She stopped.
But she didn’t look surprised.
As if she already knew he was there.
“Long time no see.”
Her voice was polite.
Like speaking to a stranger.
Chu Dich Than stared at her.
Then at the child.
“Who is he?”
To Tinh smiled slightly.
“Didn’t you already see?”
His throat tightened.
“Is he…”
He couldn’t finish.
She answered calmly.
“Yes.”
“Your son.”
Those three words shattered the confidence he had built for ten years.
His face turned pale.
“You knew?”
“I knew.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
To Tinh looked at him.
A strange question.
Almost ridiculous.
“Tell you?”
“Ten years ago, when you couldn’t wait to leave me, did you ever ask if I had something to tell you?”
Chu Dich Than was speechless.
She continued:
“You were afraid of wasting time.”
“You were afraid of delaying your future with Hua Vy.”
“You only wanted me to sign.”
The wind passed between them.
Cold.
Silent.
“How old is he?”
“Ten.”
His fingers trembled.
Ten years.
A child existed for ten years.
And he knew nothing.
The child he should have watched grow.
The first step.
The first word.
The first day of school.
Everything…
He missed.
At that moment, Hua Vy arrived.
She had heard about Chu Dich Than meeting To Tinh.
When she saw the child, her expression changed.
“Thanh…”
Chu Dich Than didn’t answer.
His eyes were still on To Niem.
Hua Vy forced a smile.
“Is this your friend’s child?”
Nobody answered.
The silence was enough.
Her face slowly became pale.
“No…”
Chu Dich Than finally spoke.
His voice was hoarse.
“He’s my son.”
The smile on Hua Vy’s face disappeared.
“Your son?”
She looked at To Tinh.
Then at the child.
“How is that possible?”
To Tinh didn’t explain.
She didn’t need to.
Because the truth had already arrived.
Ten years late.
But it arrived.
That night.
Chu Dich Than returned to his empty mansion.
The place was huge.
Expensive.
Perfect.
But for the first time…
It felt meaningless.
He opened an old drawer.
Inside was the divorce agreement.
He had kept it.
He didn’t know why.
Maybe because somewhere deep inside…
He knew he had lost something.
His eyes stopped at To Tinh’s signature.
The handwriting was firm.
Strong.
Different from the woman he remembered.
He suddenly realized.
The person who had left that day…
Was not the person who lost.
It was him.
His phone rang.
The assistant reported:
“Mr. Chu, we investigated Miss To Tinh’s company.”
“Her photography studio has become one of the most successful creative companies in the country.”
“She is now considered one of the top photographers.”
“Also…”
The assistant hesitated.
“She never used your name.”
Chu Dich Than closed his eyes.
Of course.
She never needed him.
A woman who once needed his love…
Had spent ten years proving she could live without it.
Then the assistant added:
“There is one more thing.”
“What?”
“Miss To’s son has inherited shares from her family.”
“His current assets…”
The assistant stopped.
Chu Dich Than didn’t care.
For the first time in ten years…
Money meant nothing.
Because the thing he wanted…
Was something money couldn’t buy.
Time.
Ten years of time.
The next morning.
Chu Dich Than stood outside To Tinh’s studio.
He held a small gift box.
Inside was a watch.
The same model he had bought ten years ago.
The one he never gave her.
When To Tinh opened the door and saw him…
Her expression didn’t change.
“What do you want?”
Chu Dich Than looked at her.
For the first time in his life…
He lowered his pride.
“I want to meet my son.”
She was silent.
Then she replied:
“You can.”
His eyes brightened.
“But don’t mistake responsibility for love.”
The smile disappeared from his face.
She looked at him calmly.
“Because ten years ago…”
“You chose another woman.”
“And ten years later…”
“I already chose myself.”
