The girl’s eyes were bright, and the tear tracks on her face had dried up, but Xander could still see her red, swollen eyes.“You’re finally here…” she said pitifully.Xander’s eyes narrowed slightly as he glanced at her. Then, he looked at Drake and the thug.With an indifferent yet intimidating gaze, he made the two people kneel from fear at the same time. Even the aggrieved girl was a little surprised at this moment. How did these two people change their attitudes so fast?She remained silent. Although Xander was looking in the thugs’ direction, his words were directed at the girl.“Did they touch you?”Drake and the thug immediately shook their heads in panic. The thug’s reaction was pretty quick. He immediately said, “We didn’t! It was just a joke. She called just in time. So, we didn’t do anything!”“They grabbed my hair and pulled my sleeve.”Xander glanced at her and realized that her hair was indeed disheveled. There were also some black stains on her white sleeves.
The girl looked at him as if he were an angel descending from heaven. Her eyes were filled with adoration. With him there, she felt truly at ease.Xander did not look at her. Instead, he coldly stared at the two men in front of him. “You know Salsa’s rules. Start turning yourselves in today. Don’t make me use force.”The faces of the two men instantly turned pale. Although Xander had forgiven them for their previous mistakes, they had exhausted his grace. What were they going to do?“Mr. Quinn, we...”Xander glanced at the girl. “Let’s go.”Color had returned to the girl’s pale face. She did not say a word and immediately followed Xander. The two men, who were still kneeling on the ground, continued to plead. However, it was futile.In their minds, Xander and their boss were as close as brothers. They even thought their boss took orders from Xander. Xander’s command had left them completely out of options.They had no power to resist and no other options! They could only choose
Ivanka looked at him, puzzled. “What does that mean?”Michael did not stop the car but kept driving. He did not respond to Ivanka’s question the entire drive. Ivanka frowned and asked, “What are you trying to do?”Just as she finished speaking, Michael parked in front of a movie theater.Ivanka turned her head and saw a large vertical sign that read “Cinema City” in big letters.Ivanka’s frown deepened. “You’re really taking me to the movies?”Had he lost his mind?Just telling Rosie they went would have sufficed. There was no need to actually follow through.However, Michael looked at her and said, “If we don’t make it convincing, do you think Grandma will believe us? She’s so happy today. If she finds out we didn’t actually go to the movies and there’s no buzz about it online, don’t you think she’ll be disappointed?”Ivanka was momentarily speechless.Michael had thought it all through.“Get out,” Michael said as he opened the driver’s door. Someone was already waiting to t
Ivanka: I’m not.Sandy: You’re not? Then what’s going on? Why are you two hanging out again? You even reserved the entire cinema for yourselves! I saw everything on Twitter! It’s just the two of you in that big cinema! Spill it, what are you guys up to?Ivanka: There’s a reason. I’ll explain everything when we meet in person.Being a hacker, Ivanka was well aware of the risks of discussing sensitive topics over text. While her phone was secure, she could not vouch for Sandy’s.Sandy was suspicious but understood the importance of discretion. Ivanka must have her reason for doing this. She replied to her message.Sandy: Okay, I’ll wait until you can explain. I won’t interrupt your date!Ivanka: …Sandy sent a playful emoji. Ivanka did not respond further.Ivanka refocused on the big screen just in time to see the male lead grabbing the hand of the angry female lead who was trying to leave.“Don’t go.”The female lead could not break free. At the next second, she snorted, “Don’
Time went on as the movie continued. The male and female leads were now attending a party together. At the party, they seemed particularly intimate. Michael and Ivanka could not help but think back to their own past.Ivanka found herself deeply resonating with the movie. She found it all too real.This was the reality of high society. For the sake of profit, people had to put on a show. Two people who detested each other had to act like they were deeply in love for the sake of “supreme” interests. At this moment, Ivanka’s eyes were filled with a sense of irony.The female lead’s smile had become rigid from overuse. She could no longer keep up the facade. She smiled at the man beside her and his business partners. “I need to use the restroom.”The male lead immediately released his grip on her waist and said gently, “Go ahead.”The female lead smiled and nodded. She turned around and walked toward the restroom.Once she closed the door behind her, the smile vanished from her face.
Ivanka’s eyes narrowed with a hint of cold mockery in her gaze. No matter what...What good would finding her do now?She suddenly lost interest in the movie.However, they were only halfway through. Rosie had probably caught wind that they had entered the cinema.Leaving now would only make Rosie suspicious.Ivanka frowned. She tried to control the irritation building inside her.The movie continued. The male lead finally found the female lead after much effort. However, she was now with another man. She appeared at the same event on the arm of this new suitor. That broke the male lead’s composure.He pulled her into a secluded room and forcefully pinned her against the wall. She struggled but could not break free. Her words grew harsher. Yet the male lead held her tightly and refused to let her go.He said, “I was too lenient with you before, which is why you thought you could just leave. From now on, you can only stay by my side.”Ivanka was taken aback. He had been despera
Evan’s expression gradually became more composed. He cleared his throat again and said softly, “About the movie you recently released, Mr. Barkworth booked a private screening. I assume you’ve heard about that, right?”Chad was taken aback. “I wasn’t aware. I’ve been out all day. I had a dinner meeting. So, you’re saying Mr. Barkworth watched the film?”“Yes.” Evan continued to ease into the conversation. He did not want to drop the bombshell too quickly as he feared Chad might have a heart attack from the shock.Chad was not a small-time figure. In fact, he was globally renowned, known for his sharp eye and every film he directed was a classic.His dedication was evident.However, Michael’s sudden order to change the ending of the movie could lead to widespread backlash and even affect the movie’s reception. Yet, Michael’s command could not be ignored.After all, no one dared to cross Michael.Of course, Michael’s demand to change the ending would not come without compensation.
At that point, Chad did not want to say another word. Everything had been perfectly set up, and now he had to gather all the actors and crew to reshoot the ending, then re-promote the movie. The current buzz was at its peak, but Michael wanted the ending to change.Who could accept such a demand?The director felt his blood pressure soaring.Taking a deep breath, he finally said, “Mr. Evan...”Knowing Chad might plead his case, Evan interrupted. “Mr. Kirby, I think I’ve made my point clear. What you should think about is if you readily agree to Mr. Barkworth’s request, don’t you think he’ll look out for you in the future?”Chad fell silent.He knew that cooperating with Michael this time would likely earn him Michael’s favor and ensure that his career would be well-supported in the future.However, he had poured his heart and soul into that movie. He had invested an enormous amount of effort into the preparation. Even the ending was carefully deliberated.When he discussed it w
Ivanka did not pay him any mind and got into the car. If Michael dared to chase after her again, she would most definitely kick him out of the car! She would do what she said she would!Michael did not catch up, but he blocked her with his arms wide open. His stance was clear: You can leave. But over my dead body! Ivanka could not possibly drive over Michael. But it was not a problem for Michael to keep blocking her way. Plus, she had just politely rejected his parents. So, it was even more impossible for her to turn back. Ivanka ran out of patience. She held her forehead and frowned. Michael had already drained her last bit of patience. She never imagined that Michael would actually cling to her to such an extent! How would she put it? All her positivity had been drained clean! “Michael, your parents are still at home. Aren’t you afraid they’ll see and laugh at you? I know Grandpa and Grandma are standing by our side now. It’s not like you and I haven’t been in
Ivanka would neither accept the carrot nor the stick approach. Michael had no choice but to persuade her with reason and win her over with affection. Ivanka snorted. “Have you ever given me a chance to have a meal with you before this? As the saying goes, Rome wasn’t built in a day. It takes time for things to come to this state. Things might have passed for you but not for me!” Ivanka’s gaze was razor-sharp. Michael felt his heart clench up. At that moment, his throat was in so much pain that he did not know what else to say to her. Ivanka did not wait for his response. She pushed away his hand and headed out without hesitation. Michael did not stop her. Nonetheless, he went after her and followed behind her. Meanwhile, they heard the sound from the kitchen. Mindy prepared dinner in the kitchen, and Jay helped her out. They had heard their conversation. Out of courtesy, Ivanka went to the kitchen and greeted them. She said with a smile, “Uncle Jay, Aunt Mindy, I’m
Ivanka clenched her fists. Her gaze was filled with ferocity. She looked like she was really going to punch Michael. Michael noticed the anger in her eyes. But since the person was none other than Ivanka, he was willing to take the beating. He even took a step forward and held his head high. “Strike me if you want.” “You!” Ivanka glared at Michael. He truly annoyed her. She reminded herself to keep her composure. She sucked in a deep breath before saying, “Michael, I’ve treated you with respect. You’d better behave yourself.” Right after she finished the sentence, Ivanka left. Before she even took a step forward, Michael grabbed her. “My mom is preparing the dishes inside the kitchen. If you leave now, you’re not showing me any respect. Please stay around to have dinner. Even though we’re already divorced, and it’s impossible for us to get back together again, we’re still friends,” said Michael. Haha! He had been adamant. He was using the same approach to draw close
Mindy’s expression instantly darkened. “What’s with us being prejudiced against her? Had I ever targeted her when she married Michael from the beginning? “She knew how well Rosie had treated her. It’s her own fault for failing to bond with Mic. How could you blame us?” Mindy had always disliked Ivanka. She believed Samuel’s intervention had been the reason for their marriage. It was an arranged marriage. There was no need for the Barkworth’s family to have an arranged marriage. At the end of the day, it was all up to Samuel to choose the bride for Michael. Ever since Ivanka married Michael, aside from the deliberate arrangements, they had hardly shown up together as a couple in public. Mindy did not have any particularly hard feelings for Ivanka. She believed the two would live happily together after getting married. After they divorced, Mindy thought Michael could start all over again. But she did not expect to see their current relationship was no different from when they
It was Jay and Mindy. When Ivanka saw them, a thought came across her mind. She took out a syringe and inserted it into Michael’s arm to unmute him. Michael felt like he had been stung by a bee. It was as though he had been put in jail, only to be freed all of a sudden. Ivanka took away the syringe and gave him a glance with displeasure. “Get out of the car now. Your parents are here—” “Aren’t you entering the house?” Before Ivanka finished her sentence, Michael interrupted her. When he looked at her, his eyes were filled with sincerity and seriousness. But Ivanka rejected him coldly. “Quick! Get out of the car! I’m not joking with you. Get out now!” “Let’s go in together. After all, you’re already here. Are you worried about seeing them?” Michael was undaunted by her emotions and tone. Instead, he stretched out his hand to try to grab Ivanka. Nonetheless, she avoided him with ease. Meanwhile, Jay and Mindy saw them. They walked over to them. Mindy glanced at th
It was no wonder Jonah asked for so many details. All these were facts.Ivanka did not avoid answering his questions. She gave a light smile. “The longest will be half a year.”If the treatment was ineffective after half a year, she would go to Silvania with Vincent.After all, it was not just about her.Upon learning of Ivanka’s decision, Jonah smiled wryly. “Iv, I don’t think it’s an easy feat to treat my legs. How about you go and deal with your stuff first? You can always treat my legs afterward.”Ivanka initially planned to do it that way. But George, Florence, and Margaret had interrupted her plan.Since she had returned to Bostone, why was there a need to travel back and forth again?She might as well treat Jonah’s legs.Besides, Vincent had informed her that it would be highly uncertain whether they could still return to their home country after arriving at Silvania.Ivanka said, “No. I don’t want to make so many trips. I’ll treat your legs for half a year and see if i
It was not an overstatement to say Michael was crossing the line. Nonetheless, Ivanka could not just sit there and watch the two men get into a conflict. Hence, Ivanka pulled Michael to the side and glanced at him. “If you don’t want to be kicked out, you’d better wait here.” But Michael was undaunted by Jonah. Although Jonah had the power to rebuke him in his own territory, Michael refused to allow Jonah to get the upper hand. Ivanka saw the determination in Michael’s eyes. She was very worried that the two might get into a fight. She quickly pulled him back. “Stop making me worry about you. Just wait here! If you dare to come after me, I’ll…” Although she did not finish her sentence, her intention was clear enough. If Michael disobeyed her, she would make him a statue! Understanding this, Michael did not follow Ivanka. But when Jonah turned around and left, the provocation in his eyes was evident. Still, Michael listened to Ivanka. He did not want to offend her. He
Jonah narrowed his eyes while questioning Michael. Still, Michael did not respond to him. Ivanka pursed her lips. She looked displeased when she answered Jonah, “Jonah, there’s no need to speak so harshly. Do you still want me to treat your legs?” She had temporarily made Michael mute. She did that to stop Michael from talking endlessly about those things. Nonetheless, he had still insisted on coming along with her, only to end up being targeted by Jonah. Ivanka had no intention of making Michael mute in front of Jonah. Upon hearing Ivanka’s words, Jonah looked at where she currently stood. She stood in front of Michael. It looked like she was trying to protect him more. As the saying went, true love was portrayed in hard times. This saying was true indeed. It was true that Ivanka cared about Michael. Jonah said gently to Ivanka, “I want you to treat my legs, and I only speak harshly to specific people. I already showed him much respect when he barged into my terri
Michael remained resolute.Ivanka rolled her eyes. “Then stay stubborn. I’ll only fix it when you stop pushing me away.”After she was done speaking, she turned to leave.Michael followed.He even opened the passenger door and got in her car. He was determined to follow her.But Ivanka would not go easy on him.Once inside, she warned him coldly, “Not being able to speak is harder than you think. Follow if you want. Michael, are you sure about this?”Even after her warning, he kept staring straight ahead.She said nothing more and started the engine.Within half an hour, she arrived at Jonah’s mansion.Jonah came out to greet her personally. The moment Ivanka parked the car, Jonah immediately spotted Michael in the passenger seat.The sight of him stirred up bitterness in Jonah. Yet there was nothing he could do.Before Ivanka exited the car, she said to Michael, “Wait here.”Without glancing at him, she walked straight toward Jonah.Her attitude made Michael decide t