I stood at the entrance.

For a few seconds, I thought I had entered the wrong house.

The house where I had lived with Luc Kien Tinh for three years.

The house I had decorated myself.

The house where every corner carried my effort.

But now, my pajamas were on To Lan’s body.

My sofa was covered with her son’s footprints.

And my fiancé was looking at me as if I was the stranger.

“Why did you come back?”

His voice was cold.

I looked at him.

Then at To Lan.

Then at the child sitting comfortably on my sofa.

I suddenly laughed.

“What do you mean?”

Luc Kien Tinh frowned.

“You know what I mean.”

“No.”

I put the bouquet of flowers on the table.

“I really don’t.”

His expression became impatient.

“Don’t start again, Nien So.”

“Start what?”

“You know To Lan and her child have nowhere to go right now.”

“So?”

“So they are temporarily staying here.”

Temporarily.

A word that sounded familiar.

Because for three years, every time I needed something, I was told to wait.

Wait until his company stabilized.

Wait until To Lan finished her overseas procedures.

Wait until the right time.

I waited.

I waited until my own wedding day.

And today, I finally stopped.

I looked at To Lan.

She immediately stood up.

“Nien So, I’m sorry. I didn’t want to disturb you.”

But she was wearing my pajamas.

Sitting on my sofa.

Using my home.

And somehow she was still apologizing like the victim.

I smiled.

“You don’t look like someone who doesn’t want to disturb me.”

Her face changed slightly.

Luc Kien Tinh immediately stepped forward.

“Enough.”

His tone was protective.

“She’s been through a lot. Don’t make things difficult.”

I looked at him.

“Make things difficult?”

“Yes.”

He lowered his voice.

“You know she just returned with a child. People will talk if she lives outside alone.”

I nodded slowly.

“So you brought her here.”

“Yes.”

“And you told me?”

He froze.

For a moment, he couldn’t answer.

Because he knew.

He hadn’t.

I had discovered it after returning from registering my marriage with another man.

The irony almost made me laugh.

A few hours ago, I was standing in front of the Civil Affairs Department waiting for Luc Kien Tinh.

He left me there for another woman.

Now he brought that woman into my house.

And still expected me to understand.

“Luc Kien Tinh.”

I spoke calmly.

“Do you remember what happened this morning?”

His expression changed.

“I said I would explain.”

“You registered a marriage with another woman.”

His face turned ugly.

“It was temporary.”

I looked at him.

“A marriage certificate is temporary?”

To Lan quickly said:

“Nien So, don’t misunderstand. Kien Tinh only did it because of the child.”

I turned toward her.

“Congratulations.”

She was stunned.

“What?”

“You got what you wanted.”

Her fingers tightened.

“I didn’t want to hurt you.”

“Then what did you want?”

Silence.

Luc Kien Tinh stepped between us.

“That’s enough.”

“No.”

I looked at him.

“For the first time, I think we should finish this conversation.”

His face became serious.

“You are angry because you think I chose her.”

“Didn’t you?”

“She needed me.”

I smiled.

“And what about me?”

He opened his mouth.

Nothing came out.

Because he had never considered that question.

Not once.

At that moment, my phone rang.

The name on the screen made Luc Kien Tinh’s eyes narrow.

Tham Uoc.

I answered.

“Hello?”

His warm voice came through.

“Did you arrive home safely?”

“Yes.”

“Are you tired?”

I looked around my house.

At the man I once loved.

At the woman who had replaced me before I even left.

Then I answered:

“No.”

A pause.

Then Tham Uoc asked gently:

“Are you happy?”

My fingers tightened around the phone.

For ten years, he had always asked me this.

And for ten years, I never gave him an honest answer.

But today, I finally did.

“No.”

The room became silent.

Luc Kien Tinh stared at me.

Tham Uoc was quiet for a few seconds.

Then he said:

“Give me one hour.”

I smiled.

“You just went back abroad.”

“I know.”

“You have a contract waiting.”

“I know.”

“Then why?”

His answer was simple.

“Because for ten years, you always waited for someone else.”

My heart trembled.

“This time, let me wait for you.”

I lowered my eyes.

After hanging up, Luc Kien Tinh suddenly spoke.

“Who is he?”

I looked at him.

“The person who came when I called.”

His face changed.

“You called him today?”

“Yes.”

“On our wedding day?”

I smiled.

“No.”

I corrected him.

“Today was supposed to be our wedding day.”

The difference made him silent.

I walked past him toward my bedroom.

Then I stopped.

“By the way.”

He looked at me.

“Tomorrow, move your things out.”

His eyes widened.

“What?”

“This house is mine.”

He froze.

I continued:

“And since you already have a wife and a child…”

I glanced at To Lan.

“…you should go live with your family.”

Luc Kien Tinh’s face turned pale.

“You can’t do this.”

I looked back.

“Why?”

“Because I’m still the man you love.”

For a moment, I almost felt sorry for him.

Almost.

Then I remembered the scene in front of the Civil Affairs Department.

The child calling him dad.

His hand holding To Lan’s.

His promise that I could wait.

I closed the bedroom door.

Behind me, I heard his angry voice.

But for the first time…

I didn’t care.

The next morning, before leaving, I found an unfamiliar envelope placed under my door.

There was no name.

Only one sentence written outside:

“Lam Nien So, if you want to know why Luc Kien Tinh suddenly abandoned you today, open this.”

I opened it.

Inside was a photograph.

And the person standing beside Luc Kien Tinh in the picture was not To Lan.

It was someone I knew very well.

Someone who had been pretending to support me for years.

My hand froze.

Because I finally understood.

Maybe Luc Kien Tinh’s betrayal had never started today.

It started long before I even met Tham Uoc.