Chen Yuze's body hit the marble floor with a dull sound, his head turning slightly to the side as consciousness slipped away from him. Blood stained his collar. One eye was already swelling shut.
His chest rose faintly, proof that he was still alive.
Huo Shenzhi stood over him, breathing steady, controlled. The storm that had just torn through the office was no longer visible on his face. His expression had returned to that same cold, disciplined calm that frightened people more than anger ever could.
He adjusted his cufflinks first.
Then he reached for a clean handkerchief from the drawer and wiped his knuckles slowly, watching the red smear against white
fabric.
Pathetic.
He pressed the intercom button.
"Come in".
The door opened cautiously. Two senior assistants stepped inside. They had heard nothing. The office was soundproof. That was one of the many reasons Shenzhi had chosen it.
Their eyes widened slightly when they saw Chen Yuze unconscious on the floor, but they quickly lowered their heads.
"Take him to the hospital". Shenzhi said calmly. "Make sure he wakes up. I am not done with him yet. If anyone asks, he fainted. If he speaks nonsense, remind him who allowed him to walk out alive".
"Yes, President Huo."
They moved immediately, lifting Chen Yuze carefully and carrying him out. The door shut behind them.
Silence returned.
Shenzhi walked to the floor to ceiling window. The city stretched beneath him, powerful and obedient, just like everything else he controlled.
Everything except her.
He replayed the words in his mind.
Jiaxuan belongs to me.
His jaw tightened slightly.
No one owned her. Not Chen Yuze. Not even him. But if any man dared to claim her so boldly again, the outcome would not be as merciful.
He looked down at his reddened knuckles. For a brief moment, something flickered in his eyes. Not regret. Not guilt.
Possessiveness.
He picked up his phone and dialed another number.
"Keep security tight around the mansion today. "He said, " I do not want uninvited guests stepping inside and tell the driver to get the car ready I'm going home".
He ended the call and straightened his jacket. A faint bruise was forming along his jaw where Chen Yuze had managed to land a desperate swing before losing completely.
Shenzhi did not care.
He left the office as though nothing had happened.
Meanwhile, at the Huo mansion, the air still carried tension from Xu Rouluan's earlier humiliation. The servants moved carefully, quietly, afraid of triggering another explosion.
Jiaxuan stood near the staircase, one hand pressed lightly against her temple. The spot where she had hit the wall earlier throbbed faintly.
She had not bothered to treat it.
Yichen sat on the floor nearby, his toys spread around him, but he was not playing. He kept looking up at her every few seconds, making sure she was still there.
" MaMa"
His small voice softened her expression instantly.
"Baby I'm here, I hope you aren't hurt? "She replied gently, crouching down to brush his hair away from his eyes.
He walked into her arms without asking and she held him, though her mind was elsewhere.
Something felt unsettled.
She did not know that at that very moment Chen Yuze was unconscious in her husband's office, broken and bloodied. She did not know that Shenzhi's fury had erupted because of her name.
All she knew was that the day felt heavy.
The front door opened.
The sound of firm, measured footsteps echoed through the mansion.
Yichen stiffened slightly and clung tighter to her.
Shenzhi entered the living room as if nothing in the world could shake him. His suit was immaculate, his posture straight, his face unreadable.
Their eyes met.
For a brief second, Jiaxuan felt something strange in his gaze. A darkness. A possessive intensity that had not been there before.
"Oh, you're back?" She said with a nervous smile, she didn't know how to react if her husband were to find out about her beating Xu Rouluan in this very house he stepped in.
" Work finished early so I had to come home. Is that a problem?".
His eyes flickered to the faint swelling near her temple.
" What happened to your head."
" It's nothing. She answered quickly.
"I bumped into the wall, guess my hair was all over my face" Jiaxuan replied with a warm smile.
He stepped closer, lifting his hand to tilt her chin slightly so he could examine it better. His fingers were warm, firm.
" Be careful". His voice was low.
The intimacy of the gesture made her heart beat unevenly.
Yichen suddenly stretched his hands to his father to carry him, with a big grin on his face.
Shenzhi's gaze dropped to his son.
" Look at you, so big and strong huh?"
Yichen did not answer. He buried his face in Shenzhi's neck shyly.
" Why don't you freshen up while I serve you dinner. The food is almost ready." Jiaxuan said cutely, Shenzhi stared at her briefly then nodding his head and heading upstairs with Yichen.
Seeing his approval, Jiaxuan rushed to the pot checking if the food is now ready . She dished his food out in a plate and took it to their room to serve him. Reaching the room, Shenzhi had just put Yichen to sleep Wich came as a shock to her because he was very much awake and now he was sleeping in some seconds.
" You haven't hit the showers yet?" She asked him who seemed to be undressing, the she gasped and looked at him sadly.
" You didn't get me the pad. I knew you wouldn't but it's not your fault , I thought you would".
Shenzhi who wasn't interested suddenly pause and looked at her, she was indeed smiling on the surface but he could tell she was disappointed that he did not get the pad . He didn't know where to start from or how to explain why he didn't get it and to be honest he did forget the pad.
" Why don't you eat while the food is hot the bath afterwards, what do you think?". Immediately he took the food and be gain eating the air was shocking to Jiaxuan she only said it not to make them awkward after the pad incident and not expect him to actually eat the food.
" Well, why you're eating I have something to say to you and I hoped you don't lash out?"
Shenzhi drops the spoon and stares coldly into her soul. " Jiaxuan I've had enough of your tricks and I hope it's not one of them?".
Jiaxuan looks at the floor with a faint smile" I beat up Xu Rouluan while you were away."
Shenzhi couldn't imagine it that his calm wife who did nothing but cry actually best someone up, he had a smile on his face and immediately straightened it when she raised her face to look at him. "What do you mean you beat her up?"
"Well she came to my house saying she was going to be the new madam of the house and she wants my things out so I taught her a lesson ". Jiaxuan answered like she was the one who was actually beaten up, this act made Shenzhi who had to pretend he wasn't enjoying it burst into laughter. This act made Shenzhi freeze. Her Shenzhi was warming up to her and her was laughing in a breathtaking way. " Why are you laughing so hard like it's funny"
" How can you be so cute like ....." Shenzhi stoped halfway when he realized what he had just said , he straightened his back returning to his food with a cold face. Jiaxuan rushed to him " You think I'm cute?, how cute Shenzhi, I want to know, say it please"
" Stop being noisy, Yichen is sleeping " then with a straight face he looked at her trying to detect something she she was hiding. He looked at her but she was staring back with out any hint of uneasiness, Shenzhi thought to himself , she was supposed to have heared that Chen Yuze was beaten up and was admitted to the hospital by him, or was she pretending. His thought was interrupted when her phone rang . She smiled at him the picking the call, then she tells the caller the fool deserves it before hanging up.
" It was Chen Yuze's assistant saying he's in the hospital" jiaxuan said slowly studying her husband's face , hoping he wouldn't be angry over the call. But seeing his face made her realize something.
" You're the one who sent him there right?
" So what if I did , are you going to divorce me cause your sweetheart is in the hospital?"
She suddenly give a smug smile then " Oh sweetie, next time you have to call me so you don't have to dirty your hands when dealing with scumbags okay?" She stood up saying shes going to get him water and would be back leaving him too stunned to speak.