"Tsk tsk tsk, can’t even mention it? Seems like you’ve suffered more than I imagined recently. Seen a psychologist yet? Want me to recommend one for you?" Jiayi advanced step by step, her tone laced with sarcasm.

Su Yan was on the verge of breaking down, but from somewhere she found the strength to yank her arm free and fiercely slapped Jiayi’s face: "I told you to shut up, did you hear me!"

Jiayi’s reflexes were incredibly fast; she grabbed the hand that Su Yan had swung at her and stared at her coldly: "Two lives are waiting for you to pay for them, Su Yan, you can’t escape."

Other than Xiaolei, her miscarriage, and Su Yan also had indirect involvement.

This time, she wouldn’t make the same mistakes as Su Yan.

Su Yan’s eyes widened as she saw the chilling glare in Jiayi’s eyes shooting at her like icy arrows.

Just then, the door to the stairwell on the other side of the corridor was pushed open, and the sound of cameras clicking filled the air.

Jiayi let go of her hand, stepped back several steps, and looked over—it was a few journalists.

She remembered her assistant mentioning that journalists had been seeking interviews with Huo Tianpei these past few days.

They must have arrived just in time to witness the altercation between the two of them.

Sure enough, the journalists had seen the scene just now and came over with their cameras: "Miss Chu, are you here to visit Elder Huo today?"

"Did Mrs. Huo and Miss Chu just have an argument?"

"What happened?"

Su Yan quickly tidied her hair and stood up straight despite the pain in her knees: "What argument? We were just talking, you’ve got it wrong."

"Really? I just saw Miss Chu grabbing your collar."

"Yes, and also, Mrs. Huo, what’s the story with the handprint on your face?"

"Truly nothing. Don’t write nonsense!" Su Yan frowned, she had just soothed Huo Tianpei, and if her fight with Jiayi made the papers, Huo Tianpei would definitely get angry again, and the good impression she had established in his eyes would plummet.

She glanced at Jiayi again, signaling her to also explain a few words.

Jiayi raised her arm and idly picked at her fingernails, appearing completely unconcerned and uninterested in responding.

The journalists saw this and could tell there was a story to cover.

"Miss Chu, what exactly happened just now?"

"Did you have a conflict with Mrs. Huo?"

Jiayi shrugged her shoulders: "Right now, I’m not someone from the Huo Family, so go ask Mrs. Huo. Her words will have more value for an interview anyway."

The journalists immediately began to press Su Yan for answers.

Su Yan, surrounded by several reporters, was both anxious and angry, and frantically called for her assistant.

At that moment, the door to the suite opened.

Huo Zhenyang finished talking with the old master and came out with George, his face subtly changing upon seeing the scene in the corridor.

The journalists, seeing Huo Zhenyang coming out, quickly shifted their focus and swarmed him: "Mr. Huo, did you come to visit Elder Huo with Miss Chu today?"

"Miss Chu just had a dispute with Mrs. Huo, and it seemed there was even a slap. Do you know why?"

"Speaking of which, Mrs. Huo was also once a senior family member of Miss Chu. Isn’t it quite improper for Miss Chu to physically attack Mrs. Huo?"

A few journalists had sneaked in today originally intending to interview Huo Tianpei about the younger brother, Huo Zhenxuan’s incident.

But they stumbled upon the former Mrs. Huo slapping the current Mrs. Huo.

The relationship between these two former and current wives of the Huo Family seemed even more explosive, breaking into a fight at the slightest disagreement.

The reporters soon forgot their original purpose of the interview.

Huo Zhenyang immediately understood what had happened.

His face darkened as he observed the states of Jiayi and Su Yan, and his expression relaxed a bit after verifying that Su Yan had come off worse.

He walked over slowly, gripping Jiayi’s hand in a dominant hold, and with the bearing of a monarch looking down at a defiant subject, he coldly surveyed the last journalist who dared to speak up:

"Improper? It’s wrong to hit an elder, but to strike a mere family dog, what’s the problem with that?"

A family dog...? Su Yan’s face flushed a deep purple.

A few journalists also gasped in shock.

Everyone knew that Mrs. Huo was previously an employee of Huo Group.

Speaking unpleasantly, she indeed could be considered a dog raised by the Huo Family.

But now after all, she is the stepmother of Young Master Huo...

To insult her using the term "family dog", is that not too...

The journalist who had spoken shivered, feeling intimidated by the man’s height advantage which inherently exuded a sense of oppression. The chilling words spewed by him now triggered an unwarranted cold sweat down his back. He hurriedly gave his own ears a light slap, apologizing with a forced smile:

"I misspoke, please don’t take it to heart, Young Master Huo, I’m sorry, really sorry! It is proper, very proper..."

Su Yan’s nose was practically crooked with anger.

She had not expected him to apologize to Jiayi for her, as his stepmother, in front of the journalists, let alone to humiliate her in front of them!

A glint of harshness flickered in Huo Zhenyang’s eyes as he parted his thin lips, his voice devoid of warmth floating out: "Since it’s proper, does that mean it would be no problem even if physical advances were made? Will you write irresponsibly once you’re back?"

Su Yan felt as if she was choking on blood; he was completely ignoring her existence!

It seems for his ex-wife, Young Master Huo didn’t care about the stepmother at all.

In unison, the few of them nodded:

"No problem."

"We absolutely will not write anything that could damage Miss Chu’s reputation."

"Then why aren’t you leaving? Shall I have someone escort you back to the newspaper office?"

The journalists took a deep breath and hurriedly turned to leave.

At this moment, the assistants heard the commotion and rushed out from the next room: "Young Master Huo, Mrs. Huo, what happened, did journalists come by again..."

Huo Zhenyang cast a sidelong glance at Su Yan: "Nothing much. The hotel’s security seems inadequate. George, from tomorrow on, come to the hotel personally every day to keep watch, so as to prevent the journalists from sneaking in and harassing the old man."

"Yes, Boss."

Su Yan’s face stiffened, his order for George to come over daily was clearly to watch over her, not the old man!

By this time, Huo Zhenyang was already striding towards the elevator with Jiayi in tow.

"Madam, is your face alright?" an assistant inquired cautiously.

Su Yan waved her hand in annoyance: "Go away! Everyone back inside! I’m fine, don’t tell the old man."

The assistants bowed their heads, each returning to the room next door.

She stood alone in the empty corridor, shivering all over, her heart still trembling incessantly.

The threat from Jiayi still echoed in her ears.

Each word had hit her soft spot.

Right after Xiaolei’s death, she indeed had many sleepless nights, relying solely on sleeping pills to fall asleep.

Once asleep, she would be plagued by endless nightmares.

Later on, it slightly improved, but she still had to keep the light on all night, and every little rustle would make her jump out of her skin.

The face of Xiaolei, smashed beyond recognition by her, would still occasionally reappear before her.

Just now, being mentioned by Jiayi had sent chills over her body again, making her tremble as she clutched her fiercely pounding heart.

It’s alright, it’s alright...

That’s in the past—

There are no ghosts in this world, why scare myself?

As long as I retrieve the surveillance evidence from Huo Zhenxuan’s hands, I’ll be completely free of future worries!

She forced a victorious smile on her lips, calming herself down.