It's Su Hua

"President Su." An assistant knocked and entered the office.

Su Hua's gaze landed on the assistant, her tone icy. "What is it?"

"Young Master Lin is here," the assistant replied respectfully.

Su Hua froze.

The gloomy, frigid aura around her dissipated entirely.

Lin Xuan walked into the office.

"Hua Bao, I made lunch for you," he said.

These past few days, Hua Bao had seemed unusually unsettled, and Lin Xuan wanted to comfort her.

"Hmm."

A faint smile curled at the corners of Su Hua's lips.

Once the food was laid out, Su Hua promptly settled herself onto Lin Xuan’s lap.

"Ah Xuan, feed me," she cooed, her voice laced with coquetry.

"Alright."

Lin Xuan nodded, picking up an oyster and bringing it to Su Hua’s lips. She parted them slightly, taking the morsel into her mouth.

Her eyes sparkled with delight.

Once she had eaten her fill, she returned the favor—feeding Lin Xuan herself, using her lips.

As Lin Xuan began clearing the dishes, Su Hua suddenly pushed him down onto the sofa.

"Hua Bao, let me clean up first—"

"Jiang Qing can handle it later," Su Hua interjected, her tone leaving no room for argument. She leaned down, capturing his lips in a deep kiss, her eyes shut as she greedily drank in his presence.

She clung to him as though trying to merge their very beings.

Lin Xuan had no choice but to wrap his arms around her slender waist, soothing the restless woman in his embrace.

Hua Bao’s mood was far from normal.

In the past, this method had always worked to calm her. Surely, it would this time too.

Lin Xuan couldn’t help but wonder.

Ten minutes later, Su Hua finally pulled away, her eyes glazed with desire.

Her cheeks were flushed, lending her an irresistibly alluring charm.

"Ah Xuan."

Her crimson lips brushed against the corner of his mouth as she whispered temptingly, "Take me, won’t you?"

"Whatever Hua Bao wants."

Lin Xuan flipped their positions, pinning her beneath him.

Those seven days—and the ones when Hua Bao had her episodes—she had been the one in control. This time, he would be on top.

The lounge was still thick with the scent of their passion when the woman lying beside Lin Xuan slowly opened her eyes, listening to his steady breathing.

Her gaze lingered on him, filled with longing.

"Ah Xuan," she murmured, pressing her lips together. "We’ll be together forever, won’t we?"

Her delicate fingers traced the contours of his face—his brows, his nose, his lips—before she finally pressed a kiss to his mouth.

Then, she slipped out of bed.

After dressing, she cast one last, reluctant glance at Lin Xuan before leaving.

"President Su." Jiang Qing stood waiting outside the office, bowing respectfully.

"Are preparations complete?" Su Hua asked, her voice firm.

"Everything is ready," Jiang Qing confirmed.

"Then let’s go. Have an assistant inform Ah Xuan that I’m away on business and not to worry."

She had already drafted her will.

If anything happened to her, Su Corporation would go to Ah Xuan, and the Shadow Roses would protect him.

As long as she destroyed the Shadow Organization—or died trying—Ah Xuan would be safe.

A cold glint flashed in Su Hua’s eyes as she strode out of the office without hesitation.

Meanwhile, Jiang Shuqin had been reduced to a pitiable wreck in the basement.

Su Hua’s personal guards had carried out every one of her orders, with doctors standing by to ensure Jiang Shuqin didn’t meet an untimely end.

In just two or three days, Jiang Shuqin had been broken beyond recognition.

Under the cover of darkness, Su Hua’s men dumped her at the gates of the Lin family villa.

A maid, curious about the commotion, cautiously opened the door—only to shriek in horror.

"A ghost! A ghost!"

She stumbled backward, scrambling into the villa in panic.

Lin Li happened to return home just then.

His eyes immediately locked onto the woman’s mutilated fingers—no, her toes were just as mangled.

He and Lin Chang had suffered the same fate.

The difference was, this woman’s injuries were far worse.

Who was she?

Then it struck him—Jiang Shuqin had been missing for days.

Could this be her?

He rushed forward to check.

"Li’er..." Jiang Shuqin’s voice was weak.

"Mom!"

Lin Li’s cry was laced with feigned distress.

"What happened to you?" Tears streamed down his face. "I’ve been searching everywhere for you these past few days."

A lie, of course.

He’d been out enjoying himself with friends.

"Mom," he sobbed, "I thought you’d just turned off your phone and gone away to clear your head after Dad’s affair. I never imagined you’d end up like this."

Jiang Shuqin’s bloodied hand reached up to touch his face.

Lin Li suppressed a grimace but allowed her to caress his cheek.

"Li’er," Jiang Shuqin forced a smile. "Don’t worry. Mom’s fine."

"Don’t be upset."

Her eyes brimmed with maternal concern.

She had endured torment—but her son had suffered the same during his kidnapping. How much pain had he borne?

"Mom, I’ll get you to a hospital right now." Lin Li made to lift her but hesitated at the sight of her wounds.

Instead, he called for an ambulance.

When the medics arrived, they recognized Lin Li instantly.

Wasn’t this the same Lin Li who’d been hospitalized not long ago—the one with missing fingernails and toenails?

"Sir, who is this woman to you?" the doctor couldn’t help but ask.

Lin Li replied, "She’s my mother. Doctor, please save her."

"We’ll do our best."

The doctor exchanged a glance with the nurses.

Father, mother, and son—all victims of the same brutal retribution.

What kind of vendetta warranted this?

No life-threatening injuries, but the sheer agony of their wounds would haunt them for a long time.

"Load her up," the doctor instructed.

The nurses swiftly lifted Jiang Shuqin into the ambulance.

Later, in the hospital room, her agonized screams echoed through the halls.

After treating her wounds, the doctor stepped out. "She’ll recover with time. No danger to her life."

"Thank you, Doctor."

Lin Li hurried inside.

Jiang Shuqin weakly grasped his hand. "Li’er... do you know who did this to me?"

Lin Li frowned. "Last time, it was my brother who captured me and Dad. Could he have—"

"No." Jiang Shuqin shook her head. "It was Su Hua... the CEO of Su Corporation. It was Su Hua!"