Chapter 38: Growing Suspicion

Old Mrs. Xia had been confident that with Lin Yichen taking charge, the incident involving Xia Yu would be contained.

However, the following day, the front pages of all major newspapers and websites erupted with an explosive story that completely overshadowed the news of Lin Yichen’s engagement: "Director Lin’s Fiancée Nearly Loses Her Life on Engagement Day; Prime Suspect is Her Own Younger Sister, the Daughter of a Mistress!"

Within half an hour of its release, the story climbed to the top of the trending topics list.

Back at the Xia residence, Old Mrs. Xia had already fainted from rage. Xia Rui immediately called Lin Yichen to demand answers. Lin Yichen invited all the journalists who had attended the engagement to the Xia estate to clarify the situation. Ultimately, it was confirmed that the leaked photos had not originated from them.

"If it wasn't leaked by you, could it have been the guests?" Xia Rui was drenched in sweat. Had it been just one website or magazine, he could have easily silenced it with money. But now that the story was flooding the internet, it was far beyond the reach of his wealth and influence.

Lin Yichen shook his head, unimpressed. The article featured nine images: three unflattering photos of Xia Yu at the engagement party, three surveillance shots from outside the hospital restroom, and three screenshots of pages from Xia Xia’s mother’s diary.

This matter clearly involved deep-seated secrets of the Xia family. The person with the strongest motive to leak this would be someone targeting the family.

Could it be—Xia Xia?

Lin Yichen had considered this, and Xia Rui had as well. However, Xia Xia had lost her memory, and all of Shen Yi’s belongings had been burned when Tan Li moved in. Therefore, it was impossible for Xia Xia to possess the diary shown in the photos. The only person who could arouse suspicion was Chen Ma, who had served both Shen Yi and Xia Xia for years.

"Uncle Xia, I’ll go investigate the source of the photos. You should find a way to prevent the situation from worsening," Lin Yichen said. In truth, he was better suited to handle the public relations, but he feared his suspicion might be correct. If it was indeed Xia Xia, he could protect her if he were the one conducting the investigation. If it wasn't, that would be for the best.

Xia Rui nodded, his expression dark. But the moment Lin Yichen left, his first priority wasn't to stop the rumors, but to find that diary. If it still existed, Chen Ma must have hidden it. He could not let Xia Xia see those pages.

Absolutely not.

"Search the rooms, one by one!" Xia Rui barked, summoning the driver, bodyguards, and the rest of the household staff. He stormed toward Chen Ma’s room. To be closer to Xia Xia, Chen Ma had long since moved from the first-floor guest room to the attic. Consequently, Xia Rusheng knew what was happening the moment the group charged upstairs.

When Chen Ma saw Xia Rui storming in with such malice, she dropped what she was holding in shock. Xia Rui shoved her aside without a second thought, sending her stumbling into a cabinet.

"Search every inch!"

The maids, who were close to Chen Ma, hesitated to ransack the place, but the driver and bodyguards were ruthless. Within fifteen minutes, the entire attic was in shambles.

"What do you think you’re doing!" Xia Rusheng, who had been restraining herself downstairs, finally rushed up. Chen Ma was the only person in this house who truly cared for her; she could not stand by and watch her be bullied.

"Xia Xia, your father is just looking for something. It doesn't concern you. Go downstairs and rest."

Xia Rui tried to usher her away, but when Xia Rusheng saw the blood on the back of Chen Ma’s head, she stood her ground. Biting her lip, she asked coldly, "Chairman Xia, have you found what you were looking for?"

Xia Rui’s heart tightened. He looked into his daughter’s eyes, unable to answer. He knew how much she defended Chen Ma, but he had his own concerns—the secrets of the past must never be revealed, especially not to Xia Xia.

"Not yet, but I’m not targeting Chen Ma. I pushed her by accident. Xia Xia, don't misunderstand—"

"If you haven't found it in Chen Ma’s room, then please search the other rooms, Chairman Xia. Otherwise, I’ll assume Chen Ma has committed some grave offense to be treated this way. If you aren't targeting her, then open every door in this house and search to your heart’s content!" Xia Rusheng ignored his excuses. The blood on the cabinet was proof enough; she would never believe his lies.

Moreover, she had overheard his conversation with Lin Yichen and had long since guessed his suspicions.

In this house, only Chen Ma had been loyal to Xia Xia’s mother, and only she, as an outsider, had witnessed those shameful events. In Xia Rui’s mind, she was the only one capable of hiding Shen Yi’s belongings to use against Xia Yu.

"Go. Search every room thoroughly, except for mine and the Old Madam’s." Xia Rui’s face darkened. Since Xia Xia insisted he was targeting Chen Ma, he would go along with her to avoid further friction, and it provided a perfect excuse to search for the diary.

After giving the order, Xia Rui tried again to send Xia Rusheng downstairs, but she ignored him, busying herself with a first-aid kit to bandage Chen Ma’s head. Although the wound wasn't deep, the bleeding worried her deeply.

"Chen Ma, if you feel dizzy or nauseous, you must tell me. I’m taking you to my room to rest." Xia Rusheng supported Chen Ma as they walked downstairs, her concern and gentle care making Xia Rui feel deeply unsettled.

In his own daughter’s heart, he was worth less than a servant.

"Chairman, we didn't find the diary you wanted, but—" Before Xia Rui’s sense of frustration could subside, the driver returned from the lower floors holding a book.

"What is it?" Xia Rui snatched the book. Before he could open it, several pages fell out. He picked them up, and his face turned deathly pale.

These were Shen Yi’s notes! Fragments of her diary! However, they were not the pages that had been published in the news.

"Where did you find this? Is there anything else?" Xia Rui asked, his voice trembling with agitation.

"We found it in the second young lady’s drawer partition. Aside from this, there was only a new diary, which appears to be the second young lady’s," the driver replied.

Xia Rui gripped the papers, his knuckles turning white, his face a mask of fury.

Xia Yu?

Why were these diary fragments in Xia Yu’s possession? Had she stolen them, or had Tan Li? What on earth were they planning?