Jonah had just reached the doorway when he saw Michael carrying Ivanka toward the changing room. His smile instantly faded.In the banquet room, many eyes turned to Jonah. After all, everyone knew about the ongoing situation between him and Michael.They had always been business rivals, but since Ivanka became involved, their rivalry had intensified.Everyone knew how passionately Jonah pursued Ivanka and how attentive he was toward her.Conversely, Michaelโs pursuit and closeness to Ivanka were also apparent. They even went on romantic movie dates which clearly indicated Michaelโs desire for reconciliation.In the past, Ivanka seemed torn between Jonah and Michael. However, she recently appeared to be leaning more toward Michael. This shift signaled that Jonah might be losing ground in their competition.People wondered if Jonah would remain passive and tolerate the situation or if he would take action upon seeing Michael and Ivanka together.Many people watched with anticipati
Tanya frowned when she realized it was another spam call.After some thought, she decided to answer.She remained silent. If it was another scam call, she would just hang up. If it was Chiara, Chiara would speak first.The moment she answered, she heard the voice of a man using a voice changer. โSince itโs your grandfatherโs birthday today, send my regards to him.โTanya frowned. โWhat are you trying to say?โShe was not interested in these formalities. They were unnecessary.The person on the other end chuckled. โYou must be feeling pretty upset about what happened at the banquet earlier, right, Ms. Tanya?โTanyaโs expression immediately darkened. She subconsciously tightened her grip on her phone.Chiara did not attend the banquet today. How did she find out about it? She must have sent someone to attend on her behalf.Perhaps she had some leverage or connections with some businessmen who attended. Or maybe she bribed the waitstaff there.โWhat exactly are you trying to say
Tanya frowned. She knew Samuel had previously supported her relationship with Michael.However, Chiaraโs reminder made her realize something was off. Samuel had always been the one in charge. Although Michael often made decisions, Samuelโs authority was unquestionable. Many people still followed his lead.The Barkworth Groupโs stock could fluctuate at any time due to Michael and Ivankaโs frequent appearances and their trends on social media. Despite the potential impact on the companyโs stock, Samuel remained indifferent. It was as if he had not noticed it. He had not taken any action to address or capitalize on the situation. What exactly was Samuel thinking now?Tanya would be at a total loss if Samuel stopped supporting her relationship with Michael.This realization made her heart race and her temples throb. Chiaraโs words had truly hit her hard.Chiara smiled and said, โBack then, Samuel was fully supportive of Chiara and Michael. But when the Lane family fell, he didnโt care
Derek frowned and said, โHer anger is not strictly necessary. You have a tough task ahead of you. She might not be willing to cooperate with you. Besides, this is something you should handle yourself once you get your new identity.โโAfter I get my new identity, I doubt the new family will treat me like their own daughter. Iโll be highly tied down. Itโs better to let Tanya handle it. Sheโs capable and smart. If sheโs willing to cooperate, itโll be much more effective for us.โDerek looked at her coldly and said in a serious tone, โThen you better keep quiet about what you had those waiters do today.โChiara smiled and said confidently, โI trust you to get things done. Iโm sure everything will go smoothly.โShe put down her phone as her mood brightened. After this, a series of successes would surely follow. With Tanya taking action, she could direct and strategize from behind the scenes. Gradually, things would go according to her plan.At this thought, the malevolence in her eyes
Derek was puzzled when he saw Chiara suddenly approach him. She even spoke to him in a coquettish voice, saying, โDerekieโฆโDerekโs expression immediately darkened. He looked at Chiara coldly and asked, โWhat are you trying to do?โChiara did not respond. She had made her intentions clear. Any man would have understood what she was trying to do.However, she was puzzled to see Derekโs apparent confusion. Did he not understand her intentions, or did he find her repulsive?Was it because he was Eleanorโs trusted person? After all, Eleanor sent him to keep an eye on her because she did not fully trust her.At that moment, Chiara suddenly felt unsure and even a little panicked inside.However, she refused to let her life be controlled by others. She felt miserable enough already!She took a deep breath and forced a stiff smile at Derek. โItโs just the two of us here. Why donโt we talk about something else?โDerek sneered. โForget it if you have any filthy thoughts. If I want a woma
Tanya sucked in a deep breath. No. This time, she did not want to have any contact with Ivanka for no good reason. Tanya thought. โThis woman is like poison. Nothing good happens whenever I run into her.โ She glanced around. The next moment, she looked like a thought crossed her mind. She glanced around again in puzzlement. Still, she did not see him. She instantly waved at her assistant who was standing quite a distance away. Her assistant quickly went over to her. Tanya whispered to him, โHas Jonah arrived at the banquet?โ โYes. He has arrived. But he seemed to have gone upstairs. Iโm not sure if he went to look for Master Cullen.โ Tanya gave a nod and said nothing else. It did not take long before the banquet started. Hermes slowly walked down the staircase. Even though he was already in his seventies, he still looked strong and did not need a walking stick. He looked like a man in his fifties. The crowd instantly stopped exchanging pleasantries and stared at Hermes.
Samuel looked at Ivanka and smiled. โItโs very late now. Itโs unsafe for you to go back on your own. Let Michael send you home.โ Ivanka was stunned. She did not expect Samuel to say that before the crowd. Before she replied to Samuel, Nick said, โNo. Michael has been very busy throughout the whole day. He needs to rest. Jonah, on the other hand, has been very free today. Let him send her home.โ Ivanka fell speechless. Jonah looked at Ivanka and chuckled. โItโs my pleasure.โ Samuel instantly shook his head and smiled. โThereโs no need to trouble Jonah to send her back. Michael hasnโt been doing much today either. Let him send her home. Jonah has signed a business contract today. He also has many projects to follow up on recently. I donโt want to make him exhausted.โ While saying this, Samuel deliberately put on a long face at Michael. โGrab the chance and send her back now." Michael fell silent. Nick said to Samuel, โJonah is used to working that much. Why would he fee
Ivanka walked away in a hurry. Samuel turned to Michael. โItโs unsafe at night. Quick, send her back now. If not, Rosie will be very worried when she finds out.โ Michael pursed his lips and said nothing else. He headed outside. Nick sneered, โSamuel, youโre really good at this!โ Samuel grinned. โItโs true. After all, they were husband and wife. No matter what, the original husband and wife are still the best for each other. What do you think?โ Nick smiled, but it did not reach his eyes. โIt depends on whether they are the right ones for each other. Since theyโve divorced, this shows that they are not the right ones for each other. Even though she didnโt say it, she already hinted at it through her actions.โ Samuel parted his lips and inhaled deeply. He pretended to look angry as he stared at Nick. โNick, how dare you say that in front of me?! If you refuse to admit defeat, letโs go out and fight!โ โDo it! After all, Iโve been exercising my fists and kicks daily at home. N
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! โMichael, your parents are still at home. Arenโt you afraid theyโll see and laugh at you? I know Grandpa and Grandma are standing by our side now. Itโs not like you and I havenโt 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. โHave you ever given me a chance to have a meal with you before this? As the saying goes, Rome wasnโt built in a day. It takes time for things to come to this state. Things might have passed for you but not for me!โ Ivankaโs 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, โUncle Jay, Aunt Mindy, Iโm
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. โStrike me if you want.โ โYou!โ Ivanka glared at Michael. He truly annoyed her. She reminded herself to keep her composure. She sucked in a deep breath before saying, โMichael, Iโve treated you with respect. Youโd better behave yourself.โ Right after she finished the sentence, Ivanka left. Before she even took a step forward, Michael grabbed her. โMy mom is preparing the dishes inside the kitchen. If you leave now, youโre not showing me any respect. Please stay around to have dinner. Even though weโre already divorced, and itโs impossible for us to get back together again, weโre still friends,โ said Michael. Haha! He had been adamant. He was using the same approach to draw close
Mindyโs expression instantly darkened. โWhatโs with us being prejudiced against her? Had I ever targeted her when she married Michael from the beginning? โShe knew how well Rosie had treated her. Itโs her own fault for failing to bond with Mic. How could you blame us?โ Mindy had always disliked Ivanka. She believed Samuelโs intervention had been the reason for their marriage. It was an arranged marriage. There was no need for the Barkworthโs 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 Michaelโs 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. โGet out of the car now. Your parents are hereโโ โArenโt you entering the house?โ 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. โQuick! Get out of the car! Iโm not joking with you. Get out now!โ โLetโs go in together. After all, youโre already here. Are you worried about seeing them?โ 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. โThe longest will be half a year.โIf 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 Ivankaโs decision, Jonah smiled wryly. โIv, I donโt think itโs an easy feat to treat my legs. How about you go and deal with your stuff first? You can always treat my legs afterward.โIvanka 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 Jonahโs 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, โNo. I donโt want to make so many trips. Iโll 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. โIf you donโt want to be kicked out, youโd better wait here.โ 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 Michaelโs eyes. She was very worried that the two might get into a fight. She quickly pulled him back. โStop making me worry about you. Just wait here! If you dare to come after me, Iโllโฆโ 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, โJonah, thereโs no need to speak so harshly. Do you still want me to treat your legs?โ 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 Ivankaโs 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, โI 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. โThen stay stubborn. Iโll only fix it when you stop pushing me away.โAfter 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, โNot being able to speak is harder than you think. Follow if you want. Michael, are you sure about this?โEven after her warning, he kept staring straight ahead.She said nothing more and started the engine.Within half an hour, she arrived at Jonahโs 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, โWait here.โWithout glancing at him, she walked straight toward Jonah.Her attitude made Michael decide t