Kim replied, feigning a tone of boredom, as if the question hardly merited an answer:

"Deliberately setting a fire and leaving behind evidence to frame someone else is a childish ploy. You know that perfectly well, Lieutenant. I think this arson investigation unit would be better off spending its time finding the real culprit rather than wasting resources on misguided inquiries like this one."

Wesley remained silent, deep in thought. Kim’s arguments were solid, and she was sharp—formidable, even. He had heard of the young Vietnamese lawyer from the firm of Holmes, Vickens & Berry; experience had taught him not to tangle with the heavy hitters from that outfit. In truth, he had only wanted to give Lữ a hard time because he detested the man’s yellow face—Asians coming here to get rich while he scraped by on a meager forty-thousand-dollar salary. He wanted to bully them, to make them afraid, to show them who really owned this country. Finally, Wesley spoke:

"Mr. Lữ is not a suspect. We’ll pursue other leads in the investigation. However, I require you to be available over the next month should we need to question you further."

Kim signaled for Lữ to stand up. She extended her hand to Wesley:

"Very well. Mr. Lữ will be in Los Angeles throughout the coming month, ready to answer any further questions. I hope your team works quickly to find the actual perpetrator."

Wesley walked the pair to the door. He stood there, pensive, after Lữ and Kim had stepped into the elevator. He had never backed down so quickly before—and to a person of color, no less! Wesley shook his head. Maybe he was past his prime.

But that yellow man’s lawyer was stunning. He breathed in the lingering trace of her perfume in the room. How could there be women in this world so fragrant and alluring!

° ° °

Lữ sat opposite Kim in a restaurant jutting out over the sea at Redondo Beach. He gazed at her through the golden wine glass he held. Seeing Kim’s eyes shimmering mystically in the candlelight, he felt a shiver run through him. It was as if an invisible thread—emanating from her eyes—had tightened around his heart, leaving him breathless. Lữ broke the silence that enveloped them:

"You were amazing. Wesley looked completely tongue-tied; he couldn't even react. I’m so lucky to have met you!"

Kim smiled.

"He’s not done yet, though. If he can't find any leads, he won't be able to track anyone down—and he’ll likely come back to harass you again."

Lữ shook his head.

"There’s nothing more he can do. With you by my side, I don't need to worry about the police anymore."

But his enemy was still lurking in the shadows! Vấn. He had to resolve this matter immediately; he couldn't let it drag on. A thorn in one's side only digs deeper with each passing day.

Yet, this was not the moment to let dark thoughts consume him. There is a time and place for everything. Now belonged to him and Kim—a time to celebrate their first success, to gaze at one another and let their emotions settle deep within. Lữ wished he possessed the sensitivity and artistic flair of his friend, Sơn. He wanted to articulate his feelings—the emotions stirring within him as he sat there looking out at the vast, deep-blue sea, enveloped by her presence and the sparkle in her eyes, and captivated by the scent of her skin.

No! He lacked Sơn’s eloquence; he could only gaze intently at her, conveying the surging, intense emotions within him so she might sense them. He could not put them into words. And perhaps, there was no need to.

° ° °

Kim felt the impact of Lữ’s gaze like an electric shock. She knew she had consumed some alcohol, yet not enough to lower her defenses to this extent. She had remained indifferent to the passionate desire of so many other men. What was it about Lữ that had changed her? She could not say. Was it his thick brows? His resolute, proud face? His fiery, intense eyes? Or simply the potent scent radiating from his body?

Kim possessed a keen sense of smell. She could not tolerate overpowering odors, yet she delighted in unique fragrances—blends that captivated and seduced her. She had noticed Lữ’s scent the moment they met; that potent aroma had begun to stir her, the sensation intensifying by the moment. She felt a flush of embarrassment at how often she thought of him—or rather, of that scent clinging to his body. It was as if an instinct had awakened within her, demanding she pursue the allure that had reached her through her senses, enveloping her and compelling her to claim him more completely.

Kim’s cheeks flushed crimson. Her breathing grew rapid. What was happening to her? She wondered, yet sought no answer. She found herself rising, moving toward Lữ, setting aside the glass he held, and wrapping her arms around his neck. She inhaled deeply. Lữ’s scent—already becoming familiar—rushed through every cell of her body, making her skin tingle and come alive. And she heard the sound of her own voice trembling, speaking as if choked with emotion close to Lữ's ear:
 
" Take me to your place tonight, Lữ."

 
Chapter 37
 
Lữ leaned back in his armchair, watching as Sơn and Uyên walked into the office. He had instructed his secretary to summon them both that morning for a meeting regarding company business. Uyên tossed her handbag onto the desk and, looking at him with irritation, spoke sarcastically:

"It’s been over two weeks, and only now do I get to see the Director's face. Where on earth did you disappear to, Lữ?"

Lữ spoke evasively to cover his tracks:

"It was that apartment complex fire, of course! I had to go sort out the legal side of things to get it settled."

Uyên gave him a searching look:

"That lawyer working for Holmes & Vickens—she’s Vietnamese, isn't she? I heard she’s very beautiful. Did they assign her to your case?"

Lữ glossed over the question:

"I didn't really pay attention. That firm has so many people. I only met her once or twice. The matter is settled now, anyway. The police aren't bothering us anymore. Sơn, do you know when the insurance company will process our claim?"

He turned to Sơn, cutting off any further questioning from Uyên about Kim:

"Make sure you find another professional appraisal team—one with no ties to the insurance company—to give us an estimate for rebuilding the units that burned down. The insurance company will inevitably try to keep the payout as low as possible. If we aren't careful, they’ll squeeze us, and we’ll take a huge loss."

Sơn replied:

"Don't worry! I’ve got experience dealing with these insurance companies. I’ve already obtained two separate appraisals. They won't be able to pull a fast one on us."

Sơn handed Lữ a stack of documents:

"Here are the two appraisals. One is from a firm in Fountain Valley—over $850,000—and the other is from a group in Los Angeles—$920,000. There isn't much of a discrepancy between them." "I’m pretty sure State Farm will pay out around $880,000 in compensation. That should be enough."

Lữ nodded:

"You should go ahead and find a construction contractor, too. As soon as State Farm signs off on the payment, we can start building immediately. I want everything finished within two months. The economic situation here in California is about to undergo a major shift. I’m planning for us to sell the place as soon as the renovations are done!"

Uyên exclaimed:

"What are you saying, Lữ? You want to sell that apartment complex? But market prices are skyrocketing!"

Lữ smiled:

"I told you before! Housing prices here have peaked; they can't possibly go any higher. Just look around you! Isn't everyone you know jumping into real estate? Everyone talks about buying a house just to flip it a few months later for a hundred-thousand-dollar profit! People earning thirty or forty thousand a year are buying homes worth five or six hundred thousand. Couples are working four jobs just to cover the mortgage! The housing market in California right now reminds me of the quail craze back in Vietnam. How could it possibly go any higher? I want to discuss a plan with you and Sơn to exit our partnership's real estate holdings within the next few months. If we don't get out early, we’re going to run into trouble, Uyên."

Uyên shook her head in disagreement:

"That doesn't make sense! I see California housing prices only going up—they can't possibly go down. So many people are flocking here. Then you have the Chinese coming over to invest and pouring money into real estate. The entire Asia-Pacific region trades with this state. With California's economy booming like this, how could it possibly collapse? Why worry about selling?"

Sơn answered on Lữ's behalf:

"I agree with Lữ! Uyên, being in the real estate business, you sometimes get swept up in the clients' enthusiasm, which makes you optimistic. But I see it the same way Lữ does—California's real estate market has reached its absolute peak." The excessive signs Lữ mentioned earlier are warning bells. Housing prices might rise another 5% at most, but I could easily see a crash of 50% or 60%—maybe even worse!

Uyên stubbornly held her ground:

"You two are worrying too much! I think prices could still go up another thirty or forty percent! If we sell everything now, people will laugh at us for being fools! You’ll regret it later, just watch!"

Sơn replied:

"Uyên, I once read a fascinating passage in a book about the 1927 U.S. stock market crash. A capitalist of that era had invested his entire fortune in the market. One day, he took a taxi and heard the driver talking about trading stocks, even advising him on which ones to buy. At the hotel, he heard the bellhops discussing stock investments with an air of expertise, recommending certain companies while warning against others. When he went to settle his bill, he saw another guest who didn't have enough cash pull a stock certificate out of his
pocket to pay for the room instead.
 
Seeing this, the capitalist hurriedly abandoned his plans and went home to sell off all his stock investments. He sold just in time; a month later, Wall Street crashed, triggering the Great Depression. When he sold his shares, prices were skyrocketing, and everyone laughed at him for being foolish. But a month later, the last laugh was his! I think the real estate situation here in California is exactly the same."
 
Uyên fell into thought, remaining silent. She looked up and saw Lữ gazing at her with a look that seemed like a smile. Suddenly, everything Lữ and Sơn had told her came to mind, and she recognized the wisdom in Lữ’s eyes. For a brief moment, she realized that she was the one who had been foolish. Lữ was the one who had brought her today’s wealth. He had driven the partnership’s extraordinary success through his foresight and his knack for knowing exactly when to buy and when to sell. Yet, she had actually doubted his abilities!

Uyên smiled:

"You’re probably right! Sometimes the whole housing situation here feels like a bit of a joke. But seeing everyone else caught up in the buying frenzy, I got swept up in it too! Still, if we sell off all the real estate, what else is there to invest in?"

Lữ turned to Sơn:

"How is that trip to San José coming along—the one where you were looking into venture capital for software companies?"

Sơn replied:

"It looks very promising! Uyên, you might not be fully aware of this yet. I’ve been discussing with Lữ the idea of ​​investing in computer companies up in San José. Small, promising firms often need capital to expand but can't get bank loans, so they turn to venture capital firms. We invest money in a company that looks likely to succeed in developing a product, in exchange for an equity stake—say, thirty or forty percent. Or, if they’re desperate for cash and on the verge of folding, we could drive a hard bargain and secure fifty or sixty percent of the company. If they fail and go bankrupt, we lose everything, of course. But if they succeed and go public on Wall Street, our investment could easily multiply a hundredfold or even a thousandfold!"

Uyên listened intently, her eyes lighting up. She asked:

"If the potential returns are that huge, how would we ever get a piece of the action?" "But wouldn't the major U.S. venture capital firms snap up all the opportunities?"

Sơn smiled:

"Of course, it’s not that simple or easy! Out of a hundred companies vying to produce something, maybe only one or two actually succeed. The real challenge in venture capital is picking that one or two winners from the eighty or ninety that are bound to fail. If you pick wrong, naturally, you go down with them. I went to San Jose to research computer software companies because that’s my area of ​​expertise. Plus, I know a group of Asian students who just graduated from Stanford and are planning to launch a company specializing in Internet software. Internet software companies are gold mines—or rather, diamond and platinum mines; invest a dollar now, and the return won't just be a thousand dollars, but tens of thousands."

Uyên listened, her eyes wide with interest. She asked:

"After doing that research, which companies do you think we could invest in?"

Sơn replied:

"I found three companies. One is already established, called Comnet; another is just starting up, called Delphi Software; and the third—the one I mentioned earlier that isn't fully formed yet—is being planned by a group of Vietnamese and Chinese Stanford graduates under the name Netsoft. I spoke with these guys, and I think they show great promise, largely due to a unique Internet software invention by a Vietnamese member of the group named Thanh. If Lữ and Uyên want to invest, you could choose one of these three, or—to play it safer—split your investment capital three ways and put a portion into each company."

Lữ asked:

"Roughly how much capital would go into these companies?"

Sơn answered:

"For the first two companies, you could put in about a million dollars each to fund their expansion; in return, you could demand around a twenty percent equity stake." As for that Netsoft outfit run by the Vietnamese and Chinese guys I mentioned earlier—if you put up just five hundred thousand, you could secure a full 50% stake in the company.

Uyên asked:

"Which option do you think is best?"

Sơn replied:

"I like Netsoft the best, though it’s obviously the riskiest. If those young guys don't make it—and there’s only about a thirty percent chance of success—the partnership would lose that entire five hundred thousand. But if they do succeed, that five hundred thousand could turn into a hundred million down the line. Comnet is already established and shows great promise, but the returns would be lower since the risk is lower. Delphi Software falls somewhere in the middle. I suggest going with two of the three: Comnet and Netsoft. We’d go with Comnet as a safe bet, and with the Netsoft guys to maximize profits if they hit it big."

Lữ asked Uyên:

"What do you think?"

Uyên replied:

"The partnership has two million in cash right now. I think investing one and a half million is fine. It’s just like gambling, really!"

Lữ laughed:

"Are you joking? Investing isn't like going to Las Vegas to gamble. I think Sơn makes a valid point. We need to get into venture capital if we want a chance to really strike it rich. That way, Sơn and I can focus on selling off the apartment complex once the redevelopment is finished. We’ll also sell the Santa Monica hotel and the Anaheim shopping center. Finally, there’s the shopping center right here on Bolsa Avenue. Vietnamese people do all their shopping when they travel back to Vietnam; hardly anyone comes to the Bolsa area to shop anymore! It’s time to cash out, Uyên."

 
Chapter 38
 
Vấn glanced at his rearview mirror, a sense of unease washing over him. A black Lincoln had been tailing him for over half an hour; it had followed him from the Santa Monica Freeway and onto the 405 just as he did. Vấn made this trip to the Bank of America branch in Santa Monica every week to oversee the accounting. Usually, the only nuisance on this Tuesday route was rush-hour traffic; otherwise, it was a routine drive that never gave him cause for concern. But his instincts told him something was wrong with that massive black vehicle—its windshield tinted so darkly that no one could see inside—as it doggedly followed him on the drive back.

He hadn't paid much attention to the car until, lost in thought, he nearly missed the exit to the 405 and had to swerve across two lanes at once to catch it. A chilling screech of tires behind him made Vấn check his rearview mirror. The Lincoln behind him had also cut across sharply, keeping pace as it merged onto the 405. The blaring horns of cars in the adjacent lanes—forced aside by the Lincoln—startled Vấn, drawing his full attention to the sleek, menacing vehicle that seemed to lunge forward, closing the gap until it was right on the tail of his Camry.

He stepped on the gas, accelerating to nearly 75 miles per hour, and checked the mirror again. The Lincoln surged forward too, maintaining the same distance. Vấn shifted two lanes to the left. The Lincoln changed lanes right along with him. Vấn swore under his breath. There was no longer any doubt: that Lincoln was following him for a reason.

Vấn immediately thought of Lữ, his enemy. It had to be him! His bank work involved only paperwork; he never handled the kind of cash transported by armored trucks—the usual targets of robberies. Vấn knew of no other enemy who would trail him in a sinister-looking black car to issue threats. He was convinced the vehicle was linked to Lữ—specifically to the arson job he had hired Battaglio to carry out on the Garden Grove apartment complex. Vấn had paid the thug Battaglio in full immediately after the successful burning.

Battaglio had taken the money and left without a word after counting it. Vấn did not believe the car belonged to Battaglio or his associates; for one thing, Battaglio could not possibly afford such a brand-new, gleaming vehicle. Furthermore, Vấn had double-checked with Frank Rutter—the detective who had introduced him to Battaglio—and learned that Battaglio had left Los Angeles and was currently in Florida. Unless Battaglio had returned to Los Angeles to threaten or extort him, the Lincoln tailing Vấn could only belong to Lữ or one of Lữ’s henchmen.

The thought of Lữ made Vấn’s blood boil; his past attempts at revenge seemed trivial and feeble—hardly enough to settle the score. The scheme to torch the apartment complex and frame Lữ had gone nowhere. Vấn had made inquiries at the police department and learned that Lữ was not a suspect; the police were pursuing other leads to identify the actual perpetrator. Vấn realized that his effort to hire Battaglio for the arson had not yielded the desired success; it had merely caused Lữ minor inconvenience without inflicting any significant damage.

Vấn learned that the insurance company had agreed to pay compensation to Lữ’s firm, and when passing by the apartment complex, he saw workers already beginning reconstruction. The only thing that gave Vấn a measure of satisfaction was the news that Miriam was seeking a divorce from Lữ; he had made inquiries and discovered that the Leibovitz law firm was already processing the divorce paperwork. Vấn was certain that the anonymous photos he had sent to Miriam—showing Uyên and Lữ embracing outside the Holiday Inn—had achieved exactly the result he desired.

Vấn shook his head a few times. The image of Uyên and Lữ appeared vividly before his eyes. They had been embracing after a night of passionate lovemaking in the hotel, while he sat across the street, his insides torn apart, listening to the click of Frank Rutter’s camera! Vấn felt like a madman. What could he do to exact revenge for this grievance? What meaning did his life hold other than vengeance? He could not let his enemy live freely, brazenly cuckolding him and making love to the woman he cherished most in the world. His previous acts of revenge had been mere trifles; they hadn't inflicted enough damage on his sworn enemy.

Vấn glanced in his rearview mirror. The Lincoln was still tailing him closely. His enemy had caught wind of his actions. Vấn didn't know if Lữ was inside that black car or if it was just a team of hired hitmen. Regardless, the enemy knew, and things were about to get much more difficult. His immediate problem was the black car right on his tail. Vấn wondered what move they would make. He drove past the exit for Beach Boulevard without turning off to head home; unsure of their intentions, he couldn't lead them to his residence.

Vấn was driving straight down the highway toward San Diego, hugging the far-left lane to prevent the Lincoln from overtaking him on that side. He slowed down slightly to gauge the reaction of the car behind. The Lincoln’s driver began to accelerate, pulling up until he was nearly parallel with Vấn’s vehicle. Vấn glanced sharply to his side. He caught a glimpse of a dark-tinted window slowly rolling down. A sinister face appeared in the back seat, and in a split second, Vấn saw the barrel of a silenced gun emerge in the man's hand.
 
Vấn reacted instantly. He ducked down low, keeping his eyes just high enough to see the road, and slammed his foot hard onto the accelerator. His car shot forward like an arrow, leaving the Lincoln far behind. He heard a faint *phut* sound followed by the shattering of glass behind him. He knew he had just narrowly escaped death; the bullet from the hitman’s silenced weapon had missed its mark, grazing his neck and shattering the car window.
Vấn kept the pedal floored, driving like a madman.
 
He realized he was up against professional hitmen sent to kill him—and the person who hired them was undoubtedly Lữ. Lữ had anticipated his revenge plot and moved to eliminate him! A surge of rage at the thought of Lữ helped him steady himself after the near-death shock and focus on handling the critical situation at hand. Vấn knew his Camry was significantly less powerful than the V8 Lincoln chasing him; within moments, the Lincoln would catch up, and this time, they would aim with greater precision.

Vấn began shifting back into the left lane. He noticed traffic in the inner lanes starting to slow down. In the distance, he spotted a tow truck on the shoulder, hoisting up a wrecked vehicle. Ahead of his car was another vehicle with flashing red and blue lights on its roof—a police car! Elated, Vấn pulled close into the innermost lane. He could make out the silhouette of an officer standing by a car door, writing up a report for a vehicle involved in an accident.

Vấn slowed down and pulled over to the curb right next to the police car. He sat still and watched. The Lincoln continued to follow him but dared not stop. Its windows were fully rolled down, and Vấn could see two thugs with menacing, vicious expressions glaring out from inside. They never expected Vấn to find a police car—his salvation—at such a critical moment.

 
Lữ was nowhere to be seen in the car. Vấn knew Lữ would never be foolish enough to show his face during a shooting like this. Yet, luck had been on Vấn's side. Lữ had failed to take him out, forcing Vấn to rethink his plan for revenge. Lữ had tried to strike a lethal blow but failed. Vấn knew he was lucky this time, but what about the future? He had no choice but to strike back—a life-or-death struggle against his enemy. He would need to use all his wits to succeed in this deadly confrontation.

A police officer approached Vấn’s car and asked:

"Is your car broken down or having trouble? Do you need a tow truck?"

Vấn shook his head:

"No! The engine just overheated a bit. I’m just waiting for it to cool down before I drive on."

The officer finished his report and signaled for a tow truck to haul away the wrecked vehicle. The police cruiser then drove off. Vấn followed the cruiser for a short distance before turning around at the first exit. Still uneasy, he drove a considerable distance further; only after checking his rearview mirror and seeing no sign of the Lincoln did he dare head home.

It was already pitch dark, yet Uyên was not at home. "Probably off with that bastard," Vấn thought bitterly. He went upstairs to gather his clothes and a few essentials, taking them out to his car. Finally, he entered the bedroom and unlocked the safe where the couple kept their valuables.
 
He inspected the contents: aside from some of Uyên’s jewelry—which he left untouched—there was about twenty thousand dollars in cash. There were also fifty gold Maple Leaf coins and a stock certificate for 100 shares of IBM. This represented the couple's total savings accumulated over the years, from before Uyên entered the real estate business and formed a partnership with Lữ.
 
Vấn was tormented by the thought of the assets Uyên held in the partnership—over two million dollars. How insignificant his own meager savings, accumulated over years of scraping by, seemed in comparison! He had been wretchedly abandoned simply because he lacked Lữ’s knack for making money. Vấn gritted his teeth. Uyên had scorned him and trampled on his pride; she had heartlessly cast him aside like a tattered garment. And the two of them had conspired to kill him!

For the first time, Vấn felt hatred directed at someone other than Lữ. His thoughts shifted to condemn them both; previously, his animosity had been reserved solely for Lữ. Deep down, his love for Uyên had remained intact, fueled by the hope that she would one day come to her senses and return to him. She would realize that only Vấn truly loved her, and everything would go back to the way it was—as if they had never met Lữ, as if Uyên had never harbored dreams of wealth or been encouraged by Vấn to venture into investments. While his hatred for Lữ had steadily mounted, Vấn had never once resented Uyên—until today!

His life was now in immediate danger. He had narrowly escaped death at the hands of hired assassins—men hired by Lữ, or perhaps by both Uyên and Lữ, to eliminate him and settle the score. His love for Uyên was beginning to dissolve, or perhaps mutate into hatred; Vấn could no longer tell. Yet, the images of both of them—not just Lữ—loomed before him, inseparable targets of the relentless, haunting obsession that consumed his mind. And a smoldering urge drove him toward action—a ruthless, terrible response—to exact a reckoning commensurate with the suffering and resentment he had endured for so long.

Vấn gathered all the cash and IBM stock certificates. He took half of the Maple Leaf gold coins, leaving the rest—along with Uyên’s personal jewelry—untouched; he took only what was his own. He would leave this place, a home that had once sheltered their life together.

Vấn knew he could not stay a moment longer. The hired killers would return to finish him off if he did not vanish into the shadows. To carry out his revenge, he could not let Lữ—his enemy—know his whereabouts or his intentions. He would strike when Lữ least expected it, believing Vấn had given up out of cowardice, having fled in fear of the assassins.
 
Vấn sneered. He would teach the adulterous pair a lesson—to show them that the law of karma exists. And as for the vast net of divine justice, he would be the one to execute the sentence, fully and sternly. For the sake of true justice. For the love he had lost—a love that would never return, having transformed instead into a seething, relentless hatred.

 
Chapter 39
 
Lữ slammed the phone down in a fit of rage. Things had not gone according to plan. Al Montello—a local Mafia boss and associate of his younger brother, Vincent—had failed to get the job done. They had missed their shot at Vấn, allowing him to escape without a trace and creating a whole new set of headaches. Lữ had expected the matter to be resolved quickly and efficiently, just like the earlier hit on Triệu Tôn.

Lữ had turned to Al Montello for help in identifying the mastermind behind the arson at the Garden Grove apartment complex. Montello had dispatched two of his men to make inquiries among Los Angeles’s professional arsonists. Within a day, they confirmed that Joe Battaglio was the one who had torched the rental complex in Garden Grove. Battaglio’s temporary address in Miami was easily located. Two Mafia enforcers were sent to Miami; after a brutal beating that left him half-dead, Battaglio confessed in detail how Vấn had hired him to burn down the apartments in order to frame Lữ.
 
Lữ was not surprised by the report; he had been all but certain of the truth. Vấn had been the source of so much trouble for him for quite some time. It was Kim—an outsider with a keen eye—who had sensed something amiss in the dynamic between Lữ, Uyên, and her husband, prompting Lữ to suspect Vấn.

Thoughts of Kim instantly soothed Lữ’s anger regarding Vấn. The situation would resolve itself; having lost face over this failure, Montello would mobilize all his men to track Vấn down at any cost. Sooner or later, the Mafia would finish Vấn off—partly because of the substantial sum Lữ had agreed to pay Montello, and partly to preserve the reputation of the Cosa Nostra, which Montello could not allow to be tarnished by this botched contract hit.
 
Lữ had already handed over an eighty-thousand-dollar deposit to Montella; the remaining two hundred thousand would be paid once the job on Vấn was done. He had agreed to a higher price than what he’d paid for the hit on Triệu Tôn, as Montella knew he had become vastly wealthier. Lữ didn't mind; he simply wanted the task executed quickly and for Vấn to vanish, resolving the troublesome issues that had plagued him for months.

Lữ brushed aside the unpleasant memory of Montella’s henchmen failing to take Vấn out earlier. His thoughts turned to his dinner date with Kim. He was surprised to find himself feeling as eager as a young man on a first date. Yet, the lingering glow of the night of passion they had shared after dinner in Redondo Beach was extraordinary. He had wanted that night to stretch on forever—never ending—so that the physical sensations and the intensity of Kim’s love could envelop him completely, without pause.

Lữ had known many beautiful, passionate women. There was Miriam from his early days abroad—alluring, exciting, and a boost to the ego of a young Vietnamese man adored and surrendered to by a beautiful white woman. Then there was Uyên—like a piece of ripe fruit—representing the thrill of a forbidden, illicit affair. And there were other beauties from the jet-set scene, spanning from San Francisco, Los Angeles, and New York down to the sultry, erotic heat of Caracas and Rio de Janeiro.
 
He had lavished money on women as a form of payback for the days of longing and deprivation spent in the jungles during the war in the South, and the harrowing flight to escape Communist pursuit after April 1975. Lữ had believed he was beyond being surprised or stirred by any woman’s beauty or allure, no matter how stunning or captivating she might be.

But Lữ realized he had been profoundly mistaken. Throughout the night spent passionately making love to Kim, she was unlike any of the women who had previously lain in his arms—and Lữ was certain she would be unlike anyone else who might come into his life in the future. The sensations she evoked were so powerful; Lữ had never known, nor could he have imagined, the intensity of such extraordinary emotions. He had plumbed the depths of desperate pleading and soared to the dizzying heights of ecstatic possession. The magic of their intimacy left Lữ longing—every hour, every minute—to see her again, to be with her, and to make love to her once more.

He had all but forgotten his work and the various troubles caused by Miriam or Uyên—save for the matter of settling the score with Vấn, a task requiring Al Montello’s assistance. Lữ shook his head. He would have to wait for another day to finally banish the lingering image of Vấn from his mind. For now, he would savor the present—a realm free from sorrow and hatred, a place filled only with the image of Kim and the sweet tenderness of her love.
 
The phone rang. Lữ picked it up, his heart pounding like that of an adolescent boy. Kim’s voice was clear, melodious, and as joyful as a young woman’s on the eve of a grand festival:

"Darling! I’m coming to pick you up. Let’s drive up to Malibu for dinner, shall we?"

° ° °

Lữ gazed at Kim, mesmerized. She wore a form-fitting blue top that accentuated her exquisite curves. Her hair cascaded over bare, rounded shoulders, framing skin that glowed with a healthy, rosy radiance. Kim was as fresh as a summer downpour and as magnificent as a rose in full bloom, swaying in the breeze. She shot him a playful, sidelong glance:

"What are you staring at so intently, Lữ? You look as if you’re seeing me for the very first time!"
 
Lữ smiled:

"Why is it that every time I see you, you look ten times more beautiful than before?"
 
Kim shook her head:

"Don't flatter me too much! You know plenty of other beautiful women. Get in the car—I'm driving today."

Lữ got into the convertible Corvette. He nodded:

"You picked a car that really suits you! Do you want to drive all the way up to Malibu for a meal?"

Kim smiled, her face radiant:

"My treat today—to celebrate winning a lawsuit!"

Lữ asked:

"You must have won big for it to be this special?"

Kim nodded:

"My legal team just won a case against the manufacturer of Norplant, the contraceptive implant. I was the lead attorney. They’ve been ordered to pay five million dollars. There’ll be appeals, of course, but I’m confident they’ll agree to settle for around two million."

Lữ did the mental math. A two-million-dollar settlement. The victim gets half, and the legal team gets the other half—one million dollars. Kim was the lead attorney; how much would the firm give her? Kim smiled:

"You're wondering how much I'll get, aren't you? Usually, cases this big involve five or six lawyers working together. Since I'm the lead attorney, I'll get 30 percent. It’s nothing compared to the profits your company makes!"

Lữ shook his head:

"You're brilliant! That’s a huge amount! Where are we going to eat?"

"I'm taking you to *La Biche Dorée*. I hear it's the best restaurant in Malibu."

"Have you ever eaten there?"

Lữ made a noncommittal sound. He had been to that restaurant twice before, but there was no need to tell Kim. She was riding high on her courtroom victory. She was also intoxicated by her new lover, who had given her wonderful moments of intimacy and intense sensations she had never known before.
 
Lữ watched as Kim sped along the empty highway. She was radiant, like the sun breaking through after a stormy night. It was as if the entire world lay within her embrace, as if every one of her desires had suddenly been fulfilled—complete and absolute. All that remained was for her to savor the sweetness of success and the rewards of a destiny that favored her—a destiny she truly deserved.

Lữ was suddenly seized by a fierce desire for her—a wild, consuming urge to possess her then and there. And he understood why: she was just like him, driven by the same formidable impulse for success and the same passion for ceaseless victory. Love had sprung up between them—an inevitable attraction between an invincible general and the goddess of war. In that union, desire, passion, the spirit of combat, love, and sexuality all melded and fused into a single, inseparable whole.

It was like the two of them locked in an endless embrace, spanning the days past and the days yet to come. A sharp pang pierced Lữ’s chest; desire and love enveloped him, leaving him breathless. What was happening to him? He knew he had never felt anything like this before. Was Kim the woman destiny had ordained for him? And yet, Lữ had never once believed in destiny.