This was Xander’s uncle, and he was not very old. So, his uncle’s mother’s age was just a little over fifty this year.“Really? Xander, you have a solution?!”Xander sighed slightly. “The series of tests done so far have been successful. But I’m not sure if it’s really possible.”“It’s okay! It’s okay! You have to try if it works or not. Who knows, there might be hope for us! After all, your grandaunt’s situation…” When they spoke of this, his uncle could not help but sigh. Xander hurriedly said, “We’ll make a trip over there now.” “I’m sorry you have to go through such trouble for it, but thank you so much for the help, Xander!” Xander instantly looked a little conflicted. “You mustn’t say that. We’re really just using Grandaunt as a test subject. We’re also very thankful that you’re willing to give us this opportunity.”“What’re you talking about?! Not everyone even has this chance! What if we’re successful? If it works out, your Grandaunt will live. If it doesn’t… Well, sh
Xander did not respond. Ivanka turned to him and said, “It might not be a perfect solution, but it can alleviate the patient’s pain and prolong their lifespan. Who knows if we can make further improvements or closely monitor the patient’s condition? It might even work.”Her voice trailed off toward the end as her confidence faded.After all, something like that was something she could not guarantee, but she wanted to give Michael some hope so that she could stop him from worrying so much.Xander glanced at Michael. “Don’t worry, it’ll work this time. We’ve done numerous experiments with no issues. Each trial has been successful. The next one will be too.” Evan, who was driving, instinctively glanced at the rearview mirror.He saw Michael and Ivanka sitting in the back. They both looked very serious.Their discussion baffled Evan.What did this have to do with Ivanka?Why was she involved in this?And Michael’s questions were related to the medical field. How did Ivanka end up
The old lady’s eyelashes fluttered again. She wanted to tell them to stop wasting their energy and that they should just let her go. Given her current state, she was neither fully alive nor dead. She had had enough of it. She did not want to burden others any longer.Just let her go.Xander’s uncle seemed to read her mind. He did not try to advise her further, knowing that words would not make much difference. He sighed and said, “You can start.”He then looked at Xander. However, when he saw Ivanka stepping forward to administer the injection, his eyes flickered with surprise. Why was this young woman the one performing the injection?He glanced at Xander, only to find that he was only handling the disinfection process. For a moment, he was confused. It looked as if Xander was merely assisting her.He was confused at the moment, but his good manners prevented him from asking questions.After all, Xander would not assist just anyone. If he was willing to take a back seat, it mean
Xander nodded. “Okay.”Xander’s uncle quickly arranged for a few chairs to be brought over.Everyone sat down.The room filled with a tense silence as they focused on the old lady, watching for any sign of reaction.Another hour passed. Xander finally could not wait any longer.Xander looked at Ivanka. He asked, “We should be able to test it now, right?”Ivanka glanced at the time on her phone. She gave a somber nod. “Yes, it’s time.”Not wanting to wait any longer, Xander stood up and began preparing to draw blood.Ivanka stood beside him in silence. Michael remained seated. His gaze fixed intently on Xander and the old lady.Soon, the blood was drawn from the old lady.Xander immediately began the testing process.They had brought some equipment with them, though it was not fully comprehensive. Only part of the necessary testing could be done on-site. The larger machines required for complete analysis were back at their facility. Besides, Xander and Ivanka intended to ha
As soon as Xander spoke, everyone turned their attention to Ivanka.Although only a few people were in the room, many more outside were anxiously waiting for news.Xander’s uncle’s family was standing outside. They had been afraid to walk in for fear of disturbing them.At that moment, everyone held their breath. None dared to make a sound for fear of missing Ivanka’s response.Even though they could only see her back, they did not want to miss anything.Ivanka gazed at the situation before her. She took a deep breath and looked at Xander. She nodded gravely and said, “We can proceed to the next step.”Xander’s eyes lit up. He quickly stepped forward. Seeing the positive results in front of Ivanka, he turned excitedly to his uncle. “Uncle, Grandaunt’s condition is suitable for the next round of tests. So far, it appears effective, and we can proceed to the next step. However...”He paused. He seemed hesitant to continue.Xander’s uncle, Tiernan Quinn, immediately responded. “Xa
Michael had been waiting on the sidelines the entire time. The wait felt almost torturous.Ivanka was completely focused. She paid no attention to Michael.When all the tests were finally completed, Xander’s eyes widened in shock.“This...”Tiernan looked at him with concern. “What is it?”Why did Xander pause after saying one word?Xander’s sudden exclamation and complex expression left everyone on edge.Tiernan held his breath. He did not want his mother to know the situation, so he had her taken to the resting area outside.Xander did not respond immediately. He glanced at the others, then fixed his gaze on Ivanka. “Does this mean...”Tiernan shifted his gaze to Ivanka.Michael gazed at Ivanka as well. Even though his emotions were calm, he could barely conceal the anxiety in his eyes.Ivanka’s expression was serious as she said, “From what we can see now, there is progress. To understand the full situation, we’ll need to continue monitoring.”Tiernan’s eyes lit up. He i
If it were not for the fact that Xander was his nephew, Tiernan would have gotten on his knees to thank him and everyone else! After all, his mother could live for two more months because of them!“You don’t have to thank us. It’s what we do.”Besides, Xander knew that he should not take the credit. But Ivanka had not revealed that she was Violet Cress until earlier on. It showed that she intended to keep a low profile and hide her identity. Therefore, Xander could not say anything else.“No… If it weren’t for you, my mother wouldn’t have survived today. I’ll remember what you’ve done for us. If you ever need my help in the future, let me know!” Tiernan almost put his hand on his heart when he made that promise. After a pause, Tiernan looked over at Xander again and asked tentatively, “So, what do we do next?”Xander said nothing and looked at Ivanka instead. Ivanka pondered momentarily and said softly, “You still need to observe your mother for the next few days. If possibl
Evan averted his gaze in silence with a conflicted look on his face.Although he did not get the full picture, he could guess what happened. Ms. Lane, who used to be Mrs. Barkworth, was truly impressive!She was so impressive that it shocked Evan greatly. He did not even dare imagine what really happened back there.After all, Xander had to listen to Ivanka’s instructions. What did it say about her medical expertise? In other words, did she have yet another secret identity?Evan was incredibly curious.Soon, they took off. But they were not going to someone’s home this time. Instead, they all gathered all the patients in one place.They performed medical checkups on ten people consecutively.Apart from one patient, the other nine people showed the same result as Xander’s grandaunt!Seeing the reports, Xander leaped with joy!He acted like a young reckless fool and was no longer as composed as he usually was.Holding the report in his hand, he walked over to Michael. At that p
“I deserve everything that’s happening to me now. But please don’t involve my family in my mistakes…” Ethan clasped his hands together and sincerely begged everyone to spare his family. Ivanka spared him a brief glance before turning off her cell phone. Although she was helping herself to some meat, Michael could see how she felt at the moment. “Why don’t we…” Michael asked for her opinion. But before he finished speaking, Ivanka interrupted him. “Now that he’s released a video like that, if I continue to hold him accountable, I’d be the one in the wrong.” Michael immediately replied, “I can step in—” “You? It’s better if you don’t. Everyone knows your relationship with me now.” Before Michael could finish his sentence, Ivanka immediately interrupted him. Although they were not officially remarried, Michael often went out with her. If anyone else were to see this, what difference did it make? Michael understood, but he really could not bear to see Ivanka getting bulli
After they finished taking pictures, Ivanka greeted everyone politely. “After finishing your meal, go home early. It’s snowing, so drive safely. Bye…” Ivanka subconsciously reminded them. She belatedly realized she had been acting as though she was really an idol. Nonetheless, she treated them with sincerity. She had not done this for Michael’s sake. She did this mostly for the sake of the innocent, inexperienced young ladies who had yet entered the society. These young ladies raised their phones warily and asked, “Could we take a picture together?” They were so worried that their invitation would be turned down, so much so that when they talked, they almost bit the skin off their lips. Ivanka could not bear to reject them. It had not been easy for her to finally reach the private room. Michael teased her, “Our celebrity finally arrived. It looks like you’d best wear shades wherever you go in the future.” Ivanka glared at him and said gruffly, “Stop teasing me.” She paused
After that, Ivanka politely bowed to the people who had been watching the drama in the main hall. She smiled at them. “Sorry for making a fool of ourselves. We encountered two tricksters who wanted to eat the meals for free by calling themselves the friends of the restaurant owners. It happened that I know the restaurant owner, so we easily uncovered their tricks.” By saying that, Ivanka was able to save the hot pot restaurant’s and the Barkworth family’s reputation. Her statement could result in a win-win situation, and the reason was acceptable. Ivanka continued, “Sorry for causing a stir and affecting your dining mood. I’ll foot the bill for everyone who dined on the first floor. How does that sound?” She was not trying to curry favor with the people or to show off her wealth. She simply did not want the people to hate the wealthy. One could not deny that this method worked. Right after Ivanka made her statement, the crowd thanked her. The commotion was no more than ju
The young lady did not know what to do, so she turned to the restaurant manager. The restaurant manager nodded in approval. It was only then that the young lady left the restaurant. Before she left, she glared at Coco. Coco glared back at the young lady and pointed at her viciously. Coco shouted, “Come back! I’m not done with you yet! Who permitted you to leave now?!” The young lady’s body shivered a little. Still, she gnashed her teeth and left. Ivanka watched the young lady’s back as she drifted away. Ivanka stood in Coco’s way because she did not want Coco to chase after the young lady. Ivanka did not want to make a big deal out of the situation. Otherwise, the Barkworth family would be the one who suffered disgrace. After all, Coco stayed in the Barkworth family’s mansion, and everyone knew that Rosie doted on her. If it continued, Ivanka was worried about Rosie’s later years… Ivanka rubbed her temples in resignation. It looked like she needed to resolve the issue as
The restaurant manager thought for a moment before saying, “Ms. Fishbourne, the restaurant has its own rules. Only three types of VIPs could reserve our private rooms while the rest could only enjoy normal seats. I have reasons to believe that our front desk told you the same when you called. We may not have empty seats now, but we’ll have one shortly after.” Coco recalled the situation and remembered that it was exactly like what the restaurant manager had mentioned. So what? Things have changed these days. Coco was no longer an ordinary woman. Her words could even move the earth. With that thought in her mind, Coco chuckled. She kept her tyranny and mockery to herself before locking her little finger with the young lady’s at the front desk. The young lady at the front desk looked down at her finger before glancing at the restaurant manager helplessly. The restaurant manager himself, too, was caught in trouble, so he could not do anything else to defend the young lady. C
Little did Coco know that her behavior was no more like a clown in the crowd’s eyes. Ivanka felt disgusted. Although she could not put herself in Coco’s shoes, she could understand the thoughts of a sensitive person. Ivanka could sympathize with a sensitive and cowardly person. But she could not find herself sympathizing with Coco. Coco’s low self-esteem should not be the reason for her to behave like a crook. Michael, on the other hand, already finished discussing with the restaurant manager and entering the private room. Ivanka lagged behind him. She had no intention of entertaining Coco, much less inviting her to eat together. No doubt that the private room was able to accommodate four people. But based on their relationship, Ivanka thought she had been kind enough to not find fault in Coco, much less eating together. Meanwhile, Coco continued to argue with the restaurant manager. She argued until her face reddened. Although the restaurant manager already made hims
The temperature was above freezing point, so the snowflakes melted before they even reached the ground. The trees were covered in snow. At a glance, they looked like a blanket of pristine snow. The big trees looked as if they had been covered in snow-white new clothes. Ivanka was a little surprised at such a scenery. Even though she often went for business trips in the north and had experienced snow, skied, and various other experiences, it was a rare sight to experience snow in their city. Instead of snow, they looked more like an ice sheet. The snow there was different from the cities in the north. They easily fell on their hair. In just a while, their hair turned snowy white. Ivanka took out her phone and took a photo. Then she shared it with her friends in her WhatsApp group. Meanwhile, Michael took photos of Ivanka. Michael hardly posted anything on Twitter. After a moment, he uploaded a photo of Ivanka taking photos of the scenery.The caption was: Experiencing
Michael glanced at Ivanka.Ivanka kept her eyes lowered and focused on nothing in particular. Both of them tacitly agreed not to bring it up.“Let’s go out to eat,” Michael said. Ivanka agreed without hesitation.If they got ready and left at this time, they would be just in time for lunch.She went upstairs to freshen up. Michael did not rush her. He just smiled, as if he was telling her to take her time.Ivanka felt a little embarrassed and touched the tip of her nose. Truthfully, she was the one in a hurry because she was the one starving.Five minutes later, she came back down.She had changed into a long black down coat that reached her ankles. It was practical and warm.But the weather was still unbearably cold. This winter was harsher than usual.“Let’s go.” She rubbed her hands together and looked at Michael.Michael was on his phone. He was smiling and looked relaxed. With just a glance, Ivanka could tell he was probably making a reservation.Their long-standing
Ivanka slept in the next day. By the time she woke up, the sun was already streaming through the window, casting light across her bed and face.In a way, the sunlight had forced her awake.She frowned slightly before slowly opening her eyes. The brightness left spots in her vision, so she instinctively raised a hand to shield herself before getting out of bed.It was already past 10 a.m.She had no idea how she managed to sleep so much, especially after napping all afternoon the day before.Then again, maybe she was just that exhausted. So much had been going on lately.Fortunately, it was Saturday, so she did not have to go to the office.That was probably why her internal clock had not woken her at seven as usual.Come to think of it, her body’s internal clock was quite accommodating.On workdays, no matter how tired she was, she always woke up at seven sharp. But on weekends, that never happened. She could sleep in as much as she wanted, which was pretty great.She lay in