Ivanka smiled. Without a word, she passed Yuliana a stack of photos. Yuliana frowned as she took them, and she soon saw how indecent they were. Her expression immediately changed. She quickly flipped through the photos but could not bear to go any further after flipping through half of them. She then threw the photos on the table. “This doesn’t prove anything!” Ivanka nodded. “You can choose not to believe what you’ve seen. Follow me somewhere tonight, and I’ll prove it to you. How does that sound?” Yuliana’s expression was extremely sour, and she subconsciously rejected Ivanka’s idea. “You’ve seen what’s been trending on Twitter, haven’t you? The Wood family and the Baldwin family are going to join in marriage. Anna knew Peter was a playboy and refused to marry him, but her father forced her into the marriage,” Ivanka said with a drawl. Yuliana frowned. “Peter told me that he doesn’t want to marry Anna, but his parents ordered him to. He’ll still try to fight back, thoug
Back home, Chiara was in a good mood. She sat on the couch and hummed a tune as she fiddled with her phone. Lyla was surprised to see her in this state. She sat down beside Chiara and asked, “Why are you in such a good mood today?” “Mom, I bought a very nice gift for Michael’s grandmother.” Lyla felt resigned. “Gosh, you’re hopeless. How are you so happy just because you’ve bought a nice gift?” “Of course it’s not entirely because of that!” “Then, what is it?” Chiara showed Lyla a photo of her gift and spoke with a smile, “Have a look at the gift. What do you think?” “Not bad!” Lyla nodded with satisfaction. “It looks luxurious and high-class. I’ve also heard that Michael’s grandmother is fond of gemstones.” Chiara chuckled. “I don’t know her preferences. I bought this thanks to Ivanka.” “What do you mean?” Lyla asked in puzzlement. Ivanka put her phone aside and replied with a grin, “When I was in the shopping mall earlier, I ran into Ivanka. I heard that she was t
Time passed as Ivanka and her group worked on their stuff. The four of them communicated via WhatsApp group chat. Sandy: I found Peter and chatted with him for a while. I told him everything. He’s very happy and even thinking about going through me to date Ann! Anna: Thanks! I told my family about it too. My father was really happy when he found out that I was willing to marry Peter. He’s been telling Peter about my strengths and weaknesses. My mother is treating me better too. I hope they’re being nice to me from the bottom of their hearts… Sandy: Don’t be so sentimental! Oftentimes, there are many things in this world that we can’t control. Your parents have their own troubles too. Stop thinking about them. We have to think for ourselves. Besides, things are working positively now, aren’t they? Anna: Yeah, I know. Ivanka: I’ve met with Yuliana. I’ll wait for her to meet me again at night. Anna: I’m worried. Are you sure she’ll meet you? After all, she plays the most imp
Yuliana was baffled when Ivanka removed the veneer board. “What is this?” “Come with me.” There was a staircase that led to an underground space before them. Yuliana was extremely surprised. She did not expect there to be a hidden place in such an empty and deserted area. Ivanka then proceeded down the staircase. Just as Yuliana started to follow her, she said, “Close the entrance with the veneer board.” Yuliana did as she was told. Their surroundings were pitch-black. Ivanka took out a torch light and switched it on. When they reached the final step, they continued to head straight down a dark and long path that could only fit two people side by side. Yuliana grew increasingly puzzled and wary. “Where exactly are you taking me?” Ivanka calmly replied, “I’m going to show you Peter’s life.” Yuliana’s expression changed slightly. But, since she was already there, she was not going to ask any further questions. After they walked another six hundred or seven hundred
Yuliana’s expression darkened. Ivanka glanced at her and calmly said, “This has happened many times. You can observe him from here. He won’t discover us for the time being.” Peter and his secretary continued to kiss each other. Yuliana’s expression turned red with rage, and she walked outside. Ivanka quickly followed her. Soon, they were outside the casino and on the empty land. Yuliana took another deep breath. Before she could get a word out, Ivanka said, “It’s inconvenient to talk here. Follow me.” They quickly left the area and got in the car. Only then did Ivanka speak again. “You’ve seen it yourself. What do you plan on doing next?” Yuliana closed her eyes and appeared to be composing herself. Then, she turned to Ivanka and sneered, “I believe you’ve snooped around and learned that I’m a jealous, vengeful person, am I right? If not, you wouldn’t have come to me.” Ivanka chuckled. “You’re very straightforward. In that case, let me get straight to the point. If you wa
Chiara was filled with joy and anticipation. This was her first time preparing breakfast for Michael, and she thought to herself, “He’ll like it.” With that in mind, her mood lifted. When the receptionist saw Chiara, she was puzzled. The issue between her and Ivanka had caused such a stir that everyone knew who Chiara was. The receptionist quickly asked, “Ms. Lane, are you here for Mr. Barkworth?” “Yes, I’ve informed him. You can leave me be.” Chiara acted as if she was the future Mrs. Barkworth, and it intimidated the receptionist so much that she was stunned. She dared not offend Chiara and immediately replied, “Okay. This way, please.” Chiara nodded politely. She looked elegant, and it made the receptionist envious of her. After all, Chiara was pretty, and she had a beautiful figure. She came from a prestigious family, and she was Mr. Barkworth’s savior. She deserved to become the future Mrs. Barkworth. “Sigh, I’m a nobody and should just accept my fate,” the reception
When Evan saw Michael, he quickly said, “Mr. Barkworth, Ms. Lane is here. She’s waiting for you. “Ms. Lane?” Michael wondered.He subconsciously looked at Evan, and Evan immediately understood what he meant. “It’s Ms. Chiara Lane,” he said. There was a tinge of displeasure in Michael’s dark and bright eyes. “Tell her I’m not around.” At that moment, he was already at the office entrance. Evan’s expression changed slightly. When Chiara heard the sounds of their conversation, she stood up in excitement, but she did not expect to hear Michael’s cold reply. Her smile froze, and she thought, “I must have misheard him. Mic is probably rejecting his business partners who are here to meet him.” Chiara comforted herself. Suddenly, she heard Evan’s voice again. “Mr. Barkworth, Ms. Lane is waiting for you inside the office.” Chiara’s heart sank as if her hopes had been dashed. She even felt a chilly air fill the room, which made her shiver. Chiara panicked and thought, “Am I t
“Get in here!” Chiara froze. It was obvious that Michael was angry based on his tone. She wondered, “Is he on the phone with someone?” She hesitated for a while and decided to observe from a corner. It did not take long before Evan showed up in front of Michael’s office and knocked on the door. “Come in.” Chiara saw Evan walk into the office nervously. She took a deep breath and somehow felt frustrated as she crept toward Michael’s office. She was clever enough not to get too close. “Mr. Barkworth, I’m sorry.” Before Michael said anything, Evan already realized his error. Michael stared at him sternly. “Evan, do this again, and I’ll fire you.” Evan drew in a deep breath. “Noted. I won’t let anyone enter your office again in the future.” Chiara was taken aback! True enough, she was the cause of his anger! Her expression turned sour. She took a deep breath and clutched her bag as her fingers turned pale. She wondered, “Why is Mic treating me this way?!” Pr
“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