In the past, when he was trapped in her body, his control was limited—most of the time, he could only coax and persuade her. But now, he was like a beast finally freed from its seal, his desire burning fiercely. Yet, she had already chosen to stay by this beast’s side. No, not a beast, not an angel—just Trần Ngọc Linh, a man with many shades of himself.
After everything was over, Trần Ngọc Linh gently cradled Hoàng Hải Vân’s exhausted body in his arms. His voice was filled with tenderness as he whispered sweetly into her ear:
"I love you so much. Thank you for coming back to me."
Her eyes, still hazy with fatigue, gazed up at him. She took his hand and placed it on her stomach, her voice as soft and melodious as a wind chime.
"I'm pregnant. I won’t leave again."
Trần Ngọc Linh froze. He couldn't believe what he had just heard. That one reckless night in the abandoned graveyard—when he had intentionally set her up—had actually worked. He had been terrified that she would leave, so he had resorted to desperate measures. But now, not only had she willingly returned, she had brought with her a tiny life.
Overwhelmed with emotion, he pulled her even closer, pressing a kiss onto her hair. The warmth of happiness filled his heart in a way he had never imagined possible. Holding each other like that, they drifted off into a peaceful sleep.
When she woke up, Hoàng Hải Vân suddenly remembered the USB drive. She took it out and handed it to Trần Ngọc Linh.
He knew this drive had been left for him by his father, but he had no idea what secrets it held. He quickly plugged it into his laptop. Hoàng Hải Vân hesitated, thinking it might contain confidential information she shouldn’t see, and was about to leave the room. But he grabbed her hand, stopping her.
"I don’t want to hide anything from you."
As the video played, Trần Ngọc Linh felt a tightness in his chest, his eyes stinging. It was a message from his father, recorded before his death.
"Ngọc Linh, my son… If you’re watching this, then I may no longer be alive. My time is running out, so there are some things I need to tell you."
"You are my legitimate son, and of course, I love you dearly. But your older brother… he has suffered so much. He is also my flesh and blood, yet he has lived his whole life only as an adopted son."
"Years ago, I loved Thế Anh’s mother. We were childhood sweethearts, but she refused to marry me because I was the head of a mafia organization. She feared the bloodshed and violence. I never expected that after she left, she had already been carrying my child."
Hearing this, Hoàng Hải Vân was stunned. The situation felt eerily familiar. If she had chosen not to return today, would history have repeated itself?
Like father, like son. Both of them had set up the woman they loved before marriage.
 
"When I found out, Thế Anh was already a few years old. I went to persuade her to leave her husband and bring our child back to me, but she refused. Instead, she and her husband ran away. I lost control and ended up killing both of them. Then, I took Thế Anh home to raise him. He suffered more than you did—I owe him. So no matter what happens, you must forgive him. You must treat him as your brother and love and respect him for the rest of your life. Only then can I rest in peace.”
At that moment, Hoàng Hải Vân finally recalled the memory she had seen by the river—Thế Anh’s past. She had witnessed the massacre. His parents had both died that day. It turned out that the reason he had been wearing a mask of pretense all along was to seek revenge on the one who had killed his parents. Yet, he never knew that the person he killed was actually his own father.
“And lastly, I want to apologize to your mother. Because I loved two women, she was the one who suffered. Ngọc Linh, if you ever love someone, make sure you marry her. Don’t let her leave and spend the rest of your life in regret. And never love two women at the same time—it will only hurt them.”
The video ended. Hoàng Hải Vân blinked and looked at Trần Ngọc Linh.
"Did you hear what your father said? Don’t fall in love with two women at the same time."
Trần Ngọc Linh pulled Hoàng Hải Vân into his arms and whispered, "My standards are high. If it’s not you, then it’s no one."
After that, Trần Ngọc Linh freed Nguyễn Thế Anh from the spirits haunting him and handed him the USB drive. When Thế Anh finished watching the video, he sat motionless in the room, looking like a lost soul.
At that moment, Hoàng Hải Vân could vividly feel the child in the memory—the one sitting on the bloodstained floor, crying in agony.
Suddenly, she felt immense pity for him. As a child, he lost his family. As an adult, he unknowingly killed his own father. Truly, a heartbreaking fate.
She sat down on the floor, looked up at him sitting lifelessly on the chair, his eyes empty, filled with sorrow and despair. She took his hand gently and said,
"We all make mistakes. I hope you can find the strength to move forward."
She wanted to hold him, to give him even the smallest warmth to soothe his wounded soul. But no matter what, he had to face the consequences of his actions on his own.
Seeing this, Trần Ngọc Linh pulled her up and led her out of the room.