“I’m so mad! I’m so freaking mad! This is unbelievable!”Sandy threw her phone aside. Her eyes blazed with fury. She looked like she wanted to find Chiara and rip her apart.Anna, who was sitting next to her, had anger in her eyes as well. “Chiara is really something.”“Listen to her,” Sandy said through her gritted teeth. “She’s insinuating that Iv was horrible to her and has driven her to suicide. She’s trying to make Iv look like the villain here who pushed her to the edge!”Anna’s brows furrowed tightly. “What is she trying to do this time? Is she really going to commit suicide?”“She’d never actually kill herself! She loves herself too much. She’d rather see someone else dead than herself!” Sandy could not help but snap.Anna nodded, but there was a hint of uncertainty in her eyes as she looked at Sandy. “I know that. What I mean is, is she planning to stage a suicide attempt in front of everyone? Or is she just saying this for someone to ‘rescue’ her at the last moment and
“What?” Sandy was baffled. She stared at Anna with puzzlement. “What does that mean?”“Her actual goal is to take on a new identity. This so-called suicide is just a way to make everyone believe Chiara is gone for good. It will also cause Iv trouble by making people think Iv had driven her to this.”“What identity is she planning to take on?” Sandy was even more confused now. Her focus shifted from Chiara’s insinuations to wanting to know Chiara’s true intentions.Anna’s eyes flickered with thought as she looked at the phone in Sandy’s hand. The call timer was increasing. She asked again, “Iv, what’s your plan?”“We need to see what she does next,” Ivanka replied calmly.Anna pressed on. “Are you talking about her new identity?”“Yes.”“Look! She’s going to jump!” Sandy’s words had everyone quickly turning their attention back to Chiara’s livestream.“Goodbye, everyone. If I wait any longer, the police might come to save me. This is my final farewell. Goodbye.”As Chiara said
Comments kept rolling in, but Ivanka had lost interest. It was already over.She said, “I’ll keep an eye on things from here. You don’t need to worry about me.”“Yes, you have to be careful. Don’t let that b*tch get her way!” Sandy emphasized. She was genuinely concerned about her.Ivanka smiled. “I will.”With that, they ended the call.Ivanka gathered her things and left the office. She had planned to meet Jonah today.As she stepped out of the building and prepared to get into her car, she noticed Jonah’s vehicle nearby. The passenger window rolled down and revealed his handsome face.Her eyes flickered with recognition, but she said nothing and walked over.Jonah’s lips curved into a smile as he gazed at her beautiful face. “Long time no see,” he said softly.Ivanka raised an eyebrow. “That’s very funny, Mr. Sadler.”It had not been that long since their last meeting, but Jonah always had a way of making the moment feel special. Others found it quite remarkable.Jonah ra
“Ms. Lane has truly changed. Look at her, she’s so outstanding. She’s not only young and beautiful but also incredibly talented. I never imagined there could be such a perfect woman!”“Exactly! I used to think a perfect woman was someone with a wealthy family, who has a pretty face and a great figure like a princess, and a couple of skills probably bought with money. But Ms. Lane…”She trailed off, as she did not need to finish her sentence. The others were already nodding in agreement, because it was the truth.“Oh, I really envy Ms. Lane. She’s so young and successful to be running such an impressive company. She’s got so many talents hidden under different identities. Also, don’t you think this latest jewelry design might be connected to Ms. Lane somehow?”“Huh? Why do you say that?”“In the past, so many people tried to hire Papaver. Even Barkworth’s Group and Sadler’s Group were eager to collaborate with her, but they never succeeded no matter what they tried. But this time,
“Let’s go in.”Ivanka nodded in agreement. Together, they entered the restaurant. Jonah had reserved the entire place for themselves. The waitstaff were dedicated solely to their service.Ivanka did not comment. Jonah did not want anyone to overhear their business discussions, or he simply had the means to afford such luxury.Soon, they were seated in a private room. Once Jonah ordered a selection of dishes he knew Ivanka liked, the waiter left and closed the door for them.Ivanka turned to Jonah calmly and asked, “Do you have a particular issue with our collaboration that you want to discuss?”They had chatted during the car ride but had not touched on business matters. Now that they were in a different setting, Ivanka brought it up directly.Jonah’s lips curved into a smile. “The collaboration is fine. I just wanted to see you.”Ivanka did not respond.Ivanka studied him in silence. She knew he did not really mean that.Jonah took out his phone and sent a document to Ivanka.
Ivanka did not speak the entire time. It was uncertain whether she was actually considering it. The silence stretched on until the server knocked on the door.A few servers brought the food in. Each of them had a respectful smile on their face. Once they placed the food on the table, they asked Ivanka and Jonah if they needed anything else. Then, they all left.Jonah looked at Ivanka with a smile. “Dig in.”“Okay.”Ivanka responded and picked up her cutlery. When it came to delicacies, she would never say no.Neither of them said anything. Ivanka was eating attentively, while Jonah seemed to be used to her silence.Once she was done, Ivanka put down her cutlery for good. Jonah finally looked at her and said, “So, what’s your decision?”Ivanka wiped her mouth with a napkin and said slowly, “I’m fine with it, but I don’t have the energy to handle this sort of thing right now. Why don’t you take care of it?Jonah smiled. “Piece of cake.”Ivanka nodded and did not say anything els
The best timing was over. Those people could only sigh with resignation.After all, they were not as impressive as Ivanka.They could not fight her over the spotlight. None of them could hold a candle to her!Soon enough, Ivanka and Jonah left and got into the car. Jonah drove off right away.Whenever he was with Ivanka, he would never let someone else drive and got behind the wheel himself. It was because he did not want a third wheel in the car. Throughout their half-hour drive, Jonah did not bring up any topic about work. Instead, he picked relatively casual subjects to chat with Ivanka. Although she was not interested in them, she felt quite comfortable during their conversation. When they arrived at their destination, they finally stopped talking. It was nighttime. The sun had long set.But nightfall did not quench the people’s enthusiasm for nightlife. The chain of traffic was long and winding. Cars moved after one another in unending queues.The streetlights were alrea
Curiosity flickered in Ivanka’s eyes. Four men were in the private room. They were all in suits. Each of them sat in a different posture. Some were sitting with their backs straight while others were lounging casually. Some were swirling red wine in their glasses and tasting it.Because of their presence—or rather, Ivanka’s arrival—everyone froze still. They all stared fixedly at her and Jonah.Alfred Brooks narrowed his eyes and nudged the gold-rimmed glasses on his nose. He said with a faint smile, “Things seem a little different today.”He was saying this to Jonah.Next to him, a gentle-looking man named Matthew Khing also gave a faint smile. “A little? No, it’s drastically different.”When has Jonah ever brought a woman to this place?Technically, they should ask: When had Jonah hung out with any woman ever?Although there were lots of rumors about him, he was never a ladies’ man. All these years, he never dated any women. He never cared about those photoshopped pictures of
Margaret had always wanted a daughter-in-law. Besides, the girl had to come from a wealthy family. Jonah had done so according to her will and took Chiara home, but Margaret refused to accept her. “I want a genuine couple relationship. What are you guys doing now?” Margaret’s expression was dark and cool. She took a step toward Jonah and did not even glance at Chiara. Chiara knew it was better to fall silent at that moment. Jonah said calmly, “We’re in a genuine relationship. She needs a husband. I need a wife. Would our union cast any doubt?” Melanie had just reunited with her family. Her family did not favor her, and she had to be hidden behind the scenes all the time. As for Jonah, he was a cripple who was bound to a wheelchair. He believed no one would object to the two of them getting together. On top of that, he was just using Chiara. “Indeed, no one will doubt your relationship. But I know what you’re thinking. I don’t mind the fact that you’re using her to stop
Sandy pushed Ivan away. But she still held his flowers in her arms. It was a bouquet of pink roses. Pink was her favorite color. The bag he gave to her contained her favorite food. Ivan had put in extra effort. “Think about it carefully. I’ll come again tomorrow.” Right after Ivan finished his sentence, he turned around. Looking at his gifts, Sandy felt a surge of indescribable bitterness in her heart. She did not throw his gifts away. After all, Ivan gave them to her out of his kind gesture. Sandy carried the gifts back to the office. Anna instantly spotted her. Anna raised one of her eyebrows and chuckled. “Did Young Master Ivan give them to you?” Sandy only had Ivan as her male friend. She did not deny it. Nonetheless, Anna noticed Sandy’s dull expression. Anna hesitated first before asking, “Is there any problem between you and Ivan? You don’t look happy. Is your family objecting to your relationship with him?” Sandy and Ivan had always been a quarrelsome but lo
Sandy fell silent. She looked resigned and replied to Ivan honestly, “I can’t possibly allow you to pester me for the rest of my life. My family is urging me to get married soon. With you pestering me, I think I should marry somebody else to end all this once and for all.” “Do you think I would allow that to happen?” While saying this, Ivan took a step forward. His expression darkened. He exuded an intense sense of hostility like the most horrifying creature emerging from hell. Ivan’s murderous look seemed to state that he would go to the extent of stealing the bride at Sandy’s wedding ceremony if he was not the bridegroom that day. On top of that, he gave an impression as though Sandy would either be his bride or a ghost bride. Seeing Ivan in his current demeanor, Sandy did not know if she should laugh or cry. Prior to that, she was worried that Ivan was just using her. At that moment, she finally realized the disparity of status between them. Ivanka had always believed that m
In the past, Ivan did not understand the conflicts between his parents. He thought his mother had been so cruel that she cheated on his father and abandoned him. Later, Ivan learned his mother had not been the one at fault. So, a heartless sc*m like his father was not in the position to rebuke him. If not for his parents, Ivan would not have let himself go wild and had so many girlfriends. Reuben York sounded indifferent. He made himself clear by saying, “You should, at least, marry someone with a clean background and whose parents are still around so that they could assist you—” “Does that mean I need to accept an arranged marriage by you? I’m not your only child, you can instill your way of thinking on your other children!” Right after Ivan finished his sentence, he hung up. His expression turned dark. The next moment, he accelerated the speed of his car. He carried a bouquet of flowers and Sandy’s favorite food when he showed up in front of her. For a moment, Sandy was
Ivan had not lived with his mother for a long time. Meanwhile, Sandy was her adopted daughter and the direct heir to her estate. Legally, the necklace could be considered part of that inheritance.Following that logic, Ivan had no right to speak on the matter.But to him, Sandy was just an adopted daughter. He was the biological son. Their separation had been caused by a misunderstanding. Since the truth was out, it was only natural for him to take back his mother’s belongings.If things went to court, it would be a battle between them. Both had an equal claim.By blood, Ivan had an undeniable advantage.From the way he spoke, Sandy could hear his confidence and condescension. She knew exactly what he was implying. He was prepared to fight her for the inheritance. But things had not escalated to that point yet.Even if they did, she had no fear of going to court with him. In fact, she was ready to fight.“Ivan, Mom left it to me. She never said it was for you. Whatever happened
Sandy heard the same automated response as the one on Ivanka’s phone.Did that mean they had all left together?Realizing this, she did not press Candice further. Instead, she smiled casually. “It’s nothing. Get back to work. I’ll head out now.”As she turned to leave, she pulled out her phone and sent Ivanka a message.Sandy: Call me when you turn your phone back on. Just as she was about to get in her car, her uncle, Thomas, walked up to her.The moment he saw her, he frowned. “Still upset?”“Uncle, I don’t want to think or talk about it. If you’d been through what I have, you wouldn’t be trying to change my mind.”Addressing him as “Uncle” was Sandy’s way of maintaining politeness while creating emotional distance. She hoped Thomas would get the hint and back off.Thomas was caught off guard. He fell silent and was unsure how to respond.Before he could, Sandy got in her car.On her way out of the law firm, her phone rang. It was Ivan. “My baby, Sandy, where are you?”
Chiara’s tone was sharp. Her eyes darkened with determination.James noticed. So did Jonah.Jonah snapped out of his thoughts. Chiara was trying too hard to prove herself. It was clear she wanted to use him to elevate her own status.Fine. He would let her think she was winning only to watch her fall even harder.“They’re just regular people. They aren’t worth your energy,” Jonah said. “Let’s go home and see my mom first. Tomorrow, I’ll visit yours.” He had already made all the arrangements.Chiara had no objections.Even so, she sent Katiana a message.Katiana replied right away.Katiana: Since he’s coming, I’ll gather the whole family. You’ve finally brought some honor to us. Just do your part, and I’ll handle everything else.Chiara was not surprised that Katiana would invite the entire Levine family. As the second daughter of the Levine family, she had always been under scrutiny. Katiana had pinned all her hopes on her. Katiana wanted her to make a name for herself and sec
Eleanor narrowed her eyes coldly. Her patience was wearing thin. She never kept useless pawns. Until a job was done, no one slipped from her control.Chiara sensed the threat in her tone. Panic surged through her as she rushed to explain. “No, Boss. That’s not what I meant. I was just updating you on my progress. With Jonah, I can carry out your orders more efficiently. I would never betray you, I swear.”Her voice trembled. She was genuinely terrified.Her rewritten identity as the second daughter of the Levine family, along with her top-tier disguise skills, voice changer, and first-hand access to Ivanka’s plans, proved that the person backing her had serious influence.Crossing Eleanor meant sealing her fate.She had worked too hard to secure her new life. Even though she knew Jonah was using her, being connected to him still had value. If she died, everything she had done to secure her position would be for nothing.She refused to die.“Good. Get me results. Fast. I don’t ke
Michael’s piercing gaze stayed locked on Ivanka. He was determined to get an answer.Ivanka scoffed. “What’s on my mind? From the moment you divorced me for Chiara, I saw our relationship for what it really was. You never loved me. I had to force myself to let go. Why waste time holding on to something that was never mine? I refuse to wallow in bitterness and self-pity.”Michael looked like he wanted to speak, but Ivanka cut him off. “I told you, I don’t want to talk about this anymore. Stop asking the same thing over and over. It’s pointless.”Without waiting for his response, she turned and called out, “Evan, is the food ready?”“Yes, it’s coming!”Evan had been listening the whole time. Even if Ivanka had not called for him, he had already planned to bring the food out to break the tension.Once the dishes were set on the table, Michael fell silent.Ivanka immediately noticed the meal had been tailored exactly to her tastes. From the private jet to the food, Michael had put t