Xander said with a flat expression, “For the past few days, you have been thinking of explaining your side of the story to her and calling her. In the beginning, it was still okay. If you finish explaining your side to her this time and no longer want to pay attention to her after this, then you should know that she will only become more and more disappointed in you. Before this, the both of you were just simply bickering. But after something like this, things are no longer the same. You should understand that. ” Ivan’s eyelashes fluttered, and he did not say anything. It was obvious that Ivan listened to what he said. Xander then said calmly, “Now that things have come to this point, you do need to think about it.” Ivan still did not say anything. It was like he was considering something himself. After a pause, he picked up his phone again. Still, he did not see a reply. Ivan ran his palm across his forehead in annoyance. Then, he stood up. Watching him pick up the car keys
Sandy responded with a simple “okay” and said nothing else.Ivanka turned and headed toward the bedroom.Sandy took a deep breath and opened the door for Ivan.The moment Sandy saw Ivan’s face, her heart pounded.Ivan, too, suddenly felt a rush of emotions. He silently pursed his lips.Watching Sandy step aside, he walked straight in and changed his shoes.Neither of them spoke, but after closing the door, Sandy finally said, “Iv’s at my place. Come with me to the study.”Ivan remained silent and followed her.Soon, they were both in the study.For a moment, Ivan did not know what to say. On his way to Sandy’s place, Ivan had been thinking about how to resolve this situation and how to talk to Sandy about it.He did not know why, but upon seeing Sandy, his heartbeat seemed to quicken, especially seeing her calm expression. An inexplicable sense of panic arose within him.The door to the study was closed as well.Ivan found himself at a loss for words.Sandy glanced at hi
Sandy’s attitude was particularly harsh. It was mainly because she did not want to hear Ivan tell her not to have unrealistic hopes. She did not think she would be able to handle it. Rather than be humiliated by him, she would rather say it herself and preserve some dignity.Ivan’s brow furrowed even more as his irritation grew. However, remembering what Xander had said, he suppressed his anger.After a moment, he looked at Sandy and said in a serious tone, “That’s not what I meant. Since this happened, I don’t intend to run away from it. Sandy, I’ll take responsibility for you.”Sandy, who had been ready to lash out at Ivan for saying something hurtful, suddenly stunned.What did he say?Take responsibility for her?Did she really hear that right?For a moment, Sandy did not know what to say. She felt like she must have misheard him. If she gave a harsh response and he turned around and said she was being presumptuous, that he never said such a thing, what would she do then?A
Ivan’s brow furrowed tightly as he looked at Sandy in exasperation. “Is that really what you think of me?”Sandy laughed out of frustration. “What did you expect?”She really could not think of anything good about Ivan at the moment.“D*mn it!” Ivan felt like he was talking to a brick wall. This infuriating woman always managed to infuriate with just a few words!He had just spoken with such sincerity. What more did she want from him?Besides, what happened that day was not his choice. It was all just a coincidence! Was she taking it all out on him?Before Ivan could think further, Sandy said, “Forget it, I don’t want to argue with you anymore. It was just a membrane. I don’t care about it. You don’t need to say you’ll take responsibility for me. It’s one thing for me to be skeptical. Even if you were sincere this time, it’s just ridiculous to me. You’re such a womanizer, always surrounded by different women. Do I look like an idiot to go for a man like that? Can’t I find a good
However, as she tried to calm herself, tears began to flow uncontrollably. Sandy did not seem to notice that a tear had slipped to the corner of her mouth. She quickly sat up and wiped it away with a tissue.She sniffed. Her eyes filled with disbelief. Why was she crying?Why was she crying over a scumbag like Ivan?Oh, she must be feeling sorry for herself!She had kept her virginity for over twenty years, and now this happened. How could she not feel heartbroken?She told others she did not care, but how could she possibly not care?As she lowered her head and took a deep breath, she suddenly heard Ivanka’s steady voice. “In the end, it still hurts, doesn’t it?”Sandy’s body trembled violently. When she looked up and saw Ivanka standing beside her, her heart skipped a beat. When did she come in? How had she not heard a sound?“I...” Sandy started, but then suddenly did not know how to continue.Ivanka pulled up a chair and sat beside her. She took her hand. “We’re best frien
Ivanka gazed at her. She did not answer her immediately. It was as if she was giving Sandy some time to think.Previously, Ivanka might have been unsure, though she could sense that something was off with Sandy’s emotions. However, today, Ivanka could say she fully understood, though Sandy herself might not have realized it yet.In the past, Ivanka might have debated whether or not to bring this up, but now she found it necessary. Sandy needed to understand her complex emotions before she could make a clear decision.Sandy was still looking at Ivanka. Her voice did not sound entirely calm as she asked, “Iv, what did you mean by what you just said?”Ivanka sighed softly. “Let me ask you this, if what happened that day involved a stranger instead of Ivan, if it was a stranger you had no feelings for, how would you feel now?”Sandy was a little stunned. A stranger?“A stranger? I’d still feel awful. It was my first time, after all. I say it doesn’t matter, but I still need to proces
She had lost her heart to him?Sandy was completely stunned!In the past, she might have instinctively refuted such a statement as it was simply impossible.However, at the moment, she never expected that this could be the case!She had lost her heart to Ivan?She liked Ivan?She shook her head in disbelief. “How is that possible? Ivan and I have been rivals for so many years. We’ve both gone to great lengths to compete for that thing, and I’ve always been on guard around him. How could I possibly have lost my heart to him?”She shook her head incredulously. Her eyes were filled with a frustration that she had never felt before.However, she could not convince herself anymore. Something felt off.Ivanka remained silent. It was as if she was giving Sandy some time to think.Many things need to be understood gradually. Ivanka wanted Sandy to process her emotions step by step. If she said too much at once, it might be too overwhelming for Sandy to accept.Moreover, much of what
Ivanka looked at her for a moment. “No matter what you decide, I’ll support you. Just make sure you’ve thought it through.”Sandy nodded. “I’ve definitely thought it through!”Her voice was firm and was devoid of doubt. She only felt uncertain when she questioned whether she had feelings for Ivan.Now everything had become clear to her.Ivanka placed a hand on her shoulder and gave it a gentle pat. “I’m here for you.”Sandy felt a warm sensation in her heart and held Ivanka’s hand. “Iv, I’m so glad you’re here with me. I’m so grateful you’ve been by my side.”Ivanka sighed softly and said nothing.In such a situation, her presence could only do so much.The distress and suffering were Sandy’s alone to bear. No one else could go through it for her.Ivanka could only offer her some companionship. As for the rest…Thinking about this, Ivanka sighed inwardly, but ultimately said nothing.That night, Sandy did not sleep well. In fact, she had not slept well for several nights. Iv
Ivanka frowned deeply. Michael was in a horrible state. He had been poisoned and suffered gunshots. He had a strong tolerance to medicine and pain. But it was his mental condition that caused him to fall into this state. Not being fully recovered also added to the burden. Ivanka gave him a white pill which she had formulated by herself. After that, she had the security guard carry Michael into her car. Then, she sent him to the hospital. They arrived at the emergency department. Xavier had finished attending to his patients. When he walked out of his office, he saw Michael being carried into the hospital. He then saw Ivanka beside Michael. Xavier frowned. His expression became tense, and he asked solemnly, “What’s happened to him?” “He’s weak and had previously been poisoned. Since you’re around, you can look after him.” Ivanka summarized Michael’s condition. After hearing Ivanka’s brief explanation, Xavier gave Michael a checklist and put him on a drip. After that,
Since Jonah had come to this and Ivanka was not an ungrateful person, she nodded and gave her word. “Jonah, I’ll give this my all. Don’t worry. As long as it’s within my ability, I’ll help you.” Jonah had to be bound to the wheelchair at the moment. Since Ivanka had shared a similar experience when she took over Lane’s Group back then, she naturally figured out how wolfish and greedy his adversaries would be. Jonah was injured because of her. She swore to give her all to save him from whatever crisis he was facing. Jonah took advantage of this and asked, “What time are you coming tomorrow? I’ll have my assistant get ready.” Ivanka thought for a moment. “Tomorrow afternoon.” She needed to manage her company affairs during the first half of the day. Jonah was content upon hearing her answer. “Good. I’ll wait for you tomorrow.” “Okay.” Ivanka nodded before hanging up. When she returned to her office, she did not expect to see Michael sitting on the couch. She nearly jum
There was only one possibility. Ivanka was calling somebody else. Michael wondered who could strike up such a long conversation with her. Sandy and Ivan had returned to the country. Ivanka’s besties were around her. Even if Ivanka deliberately approached Chiara, she could not possibly have so much to chat with Chiara. If Ivanka’s phone call was business related, there was no need to chat this long. Michael eliminated the possible reasons one by one. In the end, he thought of Jonah. Michael’s expression instantly turned as dark as thunderclouds. His gaze was dull and cold. Evan noticed it. He also saw the call record on Michael’s phone. Evan quickly persuaded Michael, “Mr. Barkworth, Ms. Lane could be tied up with her work, so she couldn’t answer your call. We could go to her workplace now.” Michael said nothing. He gave a cold glance at Evan. Evan got a shock. The next second, Michael turned around and left his office. Looking at Michael’s fading silhouette, Evan wi
It was why Ivanka still came for Jonah in spite of her unpleasant experience with Margaret in the hospital last time. Jonah had been injured because of Ivanka. She came for him only. The other people did not matter to her. Jonah’s heart sank upon hearing her words. His expression tensed up. He could imagine the indifferent look on Ivanka’s face right at that moment. She had that expression on her face simply because he was never really important to her. Jonah was upset precisely because of her indifference to him. He wanted to say something to her but did not know how to begin. He was also not in the position to say that. It did not take long before Ivanka’s gentle but rather indifferent voice rang in his ears, “Jonah, don’t worry. I’ll treat your legs until they recover. Don’t run into any conflicts with your mom because of me.” Her words pulled Jonah’s wandering mind back into the present moment. He felt a heavy weight on his heart. “Iv, I trust you. You don’t need to
Margaret became frustrated and grabbed Ivanka. She could not understand why Ivanka was fine while Jonah ended up in such a bad situation after the accident.Then, Jonah defended Ivanka. There was also all the talk about Ivanka’s treatment. Margaret was curious to see what kind of miracle medicine Ivanka could develop.In the end, Ivanka’s treatment did not work. Moreover, her relationship with Jonah, which had finally started to improve, was once again ruined because of Ivanka.Jonah scoffed. “Mom, I’m not an eight-year-old anymore. You’re saying all this because you want me to go along with your plans for an arranged date, right?”Margaret had not expected Jonah to guess her thoughts. She was about to insist on her point when Jonah spoke first. With a mocking smile, he said sarcastically, “Do you think anyone would date someone like me?”He had a point. But Laura might be one such person.However, Margaret did not like her. She would do anything to keep Laura from becoming her d
“That’s because you want him to fall in love with you!” Margaret snapped.Ivanka chuckled softly. Her tone was edged with sarcasm. “Love? Does it really matter that much?”Margaret felt humiliated and furious. She pointed a finger at Ivanka’s face with a hostile expression. “If it doesn’t matter, why are you doing all this? Stop pretending, Ivanka!”Ivanka let out a bitter laugh. “Pretending? What am I pretending for? Is being divorced a crime? Margaret, you’re a woman too. How would you feel if someone accused you like this?”She hoped Margaret would take a moment to reflect. After all, she was Jonah’s mother, and Ivanka did not want their conflict to escalate.But Margaret was unmoved. Her glare turned colder, sharper, and filled with hatred.“You think I’ll just let this go?” Margaret said sharply. “If it weren’t for you, Jonah wouldn’t be in this mess! I meant every word I said, and nothing will change that.”To her, Ivanka was nothing more than someone scheming to use Jonah
“Ivanka,” Margaret took a deep breath while trying to compose herself. When she looked at Ivanka again, her expression was calm. She said, “I don’t know how deep Jonah’s feelings for you run. What I fear most is that once he becomes fixated on you, that’s it. When he falls for someone, his heart won’t make room for anyone else. In that way, he’s just like his father.”Ivanka’s gaze wavered. She bit her lip and was unsure of what to say.“I beg you, don’t hurt Jonah anymore!” Margaret’s voice carried a note of desperation.Ivanka’s expression turned extremely complicated.There was a time when Jonah came to her only to use her. Back then, they were both using each other. It made things simple.But later, Jonah unexpectedly started talking about marriage. Perhaps it was to provoke Michael, or perhaps he simply wanted to keep her close because she was useful to him.At some point, though, it seemed Jonah had become serious about her. She could not pinpoint when it happened. Perhaps
Jonah frowned in clear disagreement, but he stayed silent. Ivanka’s confident smile reassured him and made him trust her.Eventually, he let go of her wrist.Ivanka noticed Margaret putting on her shoes. She quickly followed, stepping outside just as Margaret was about to get into her car“Margaret,” she called out.Margaret frowned slightly and stood still.Since Jonah had not come out with Ivanka, she decided she could spare a moment to speak with her.She turned and looked at Ivanka coldly.Ivanka softened her tone. “Let’s take a walk.”Margaret did not respond, but her silence was enough of an agreement.They walked slowly around the edge of the mansion. The surrounding area was all part of the Sadler family estate.Margaret suppressed her anger and glanced at Ivanka before speaking in a composed tone, “Alright. What do you want to say?”Ivanka met her gaze briefly before looking ahead and said, “Do you know what will happen if Jonah’s coughing continues?”Margaret’s he
Margaret glared at Ivanka and scoffed, “If there’s an issue, I’ll get another doctor to handle it. It’ll be anyone but you, Ivanka. Haven’t I made myself clear enough? I’ve told you this before.”She hated how Ivanka ignored her warnings and kept coming back to visit Jonah time and again. What if Jonah got too close to her and ended up ruining his reputation? If Jonah had not been here, Margaret would have been even harsher.Ivanka frowned as she met Margaret’s sharp gaze. “I’ve never tried to get close to Jonah like that. We’re just friends. I know I’m not good enough for him, so I’ve never even thought about it.”“You might not have, but he has!” Margaret snapped, raising her voice.“Mom!” Jonah’s expression darkened.Jonah was usually calm and polite. This was the first time Ivanka saw him looking so upset and was about to lose his temper.Ivanka’s eyes flickered with hesitation. She was unsure of what to say.Explaining Jonah’s coughing would do no good. Margaret would not