“Click and watch it.” Lyla looked at her phone, and Chiara obediently clicked on it.At that moment, a reporter could not hold back and immediately spoke up.“Ms. Lane, I heard you got together with Mr. Sadler after you divorced Mr. Barkworth. Are you going to marry Mr. Sadler?”Chiara sneered. “Ivanka reaps what she sows. She’ll eventually ruin her reputation.”Lyla also sneered. “She is nothing without her father’s help. She is Iris, but so what? Mr. Barkworth didn’t even bat an eye at her.”Chiara’s smile froze, and she frowned. She thought. “He did the same to me.”Lyla noticed Chiara was sad, so she quickly diverted her attention. “Let’s watch the live broadcast first.”In the live broadcast, another reporter asked, “Ms. Lane, you dated Mr. Sadler secretly before the divorce. Is Mr. Sadler the reason for your divorce? Did you cheat on Mr. Barkworth?”Chiara’s mood immediately improved. She sneered and awaited the performance.Benjamin, who stood behind Ivanka, perspired e
Ivanka calmly said, “We don’t love each other anymore.”The reporter who asked the question was overjoyed and hurriedly asked, “Is it because of your cousin?”Chiara quickly gripped the phone tightly and stared at the person on the screen.Lyla also frowned slightly. “Will Ivanka seize this opportunity and talk bad about you?”Chiara’s expression darkened. “I’m not afraid of her badmouthing me. On the contrary, I’m afraid if she doesn’t do so.”Lyla’s eyes shot up to look at Chiara. “Why?”Chiara tightened her grip on the phone in annoyance. “If she slanders me, I can hire ghostwriters and have everyone scold Ivanka because I have an angelic image.”Lyla understood what she was saying and nodded in agreement. “You’re absolutely correct. But if she praises you, won’t it put you in a difficult position?”“Ivanka is much smarter than before!” Chiara gritted her teeth. “Let’s watch for now. I hope she can say I was mean to her.”Sandy stood behind Ivanka, perplexed. She thought. “
They heard that Chiara was well-educated and kind, but apparently…However, some people did not trust Ivanka. Was Ivanka possibly jealous of Michael’s kindness to his savior, so she was deliberately badmouthing her?While everyone had different speculations, Ivanka said in a low voice, “After we divorced, Chiara was sad because she thought we divorced because of her. She was sad and said several times that she should not have woken up and even contemplated suicide.”Everyone was a little surprised. “Ms. Lane is actually blaming herself for it!”“Yeah, I heard that Ms. Lane is a kind-hearted person.”Sandy was about to gag. However, she knew what Ivanka was doing and stepped forward. The reporters noticed she wanted to speak and immediately turned their cameras to her.Chiara was about to go crazy at this moment. When she saw Sandy, she angrily said, “What is Sandy trying to do?!”Sandy nodded in agreement. “That’s right. Chiara is a kind beauty. Since I’m Iv’s friend, I met Chia
Everyone could not forget what Ivanka said next.Ivanka sighed and said, “But Chiara had made up her mind. She stated unequivocally that she will not be the source of contention. She would rather not marry and die alone than marry Mr. Barkworth. She stated that she will not play the villain and have people believe she is a mistress who becomes the legal wife.”Chiara was shocked.“Oh lord, Chiara is indeed a smart woman! She knows that if she marries Mr. Barkworth, it’ll hurt Ivanka, and everyone will think that she has done something wrong.”“That’s right. I admire Chiara for having such generosity. If I were Chiara, I might not have been able to be as open-minded as her. In fact, it’s best not to get married. People would only belittle her if she marries Mr. Barkworth. After all, Mr. Barkworth had been taking care of her when she was in a coma, and he would spend time with her before the divorce. If she marries Mr. Barkworth, she’ll be the mistress who becomes the legal wife.”“
Chiara was furious.“She has ruined my chances! How am I going to marry Michael?”Lyla seemed agitated. She had not expected Ivanka to act in this manner. At that moment, she understood how terrible it was to shoot oneself in the foot.Chiara had created a selfless image in order to make others like her, but she had never expected this to happen.Ivanka told reporters right afterward that if Chiara married Michael, she would be the mistress who became the legal wife.“What’s done is done. Chiara, calm down. We still have alternative options.”Chiara clenched her hands in frustration. She was nervous for the first time in a long while.“She must have done it on purpose! She purposefully drew the attention of the reporters!” said Lyla.Chiara turned to face Lyla. “Did you say we still have other options, Mom?”Lyla let out a sigh. “The only way forward is for the Barkworth family to find a way to clarify that you will marry Michael for a good reason. You must uphold the image th
Ivan smiled as he glanced at the guy next to him. He was not paying attention, so he did not notice it until Xander gave him a warning signal.He thought today would be an excellent day to provoke someone.He saw Michael glancing silently at the video.“Before the divorce, Ms. Lane, you secretly dated Mr. Sadler. Is Mr. Sadler to blame for your divorce? Did you cheat on Mr. Barkworth?”Michael’s eyes sharpened suddenly.Ivanka used to be a good girl, and he assumed she would never cause a problem. When Jonah discovered she was Iris, she jumped to his aid without hesitation. She accompanied him to the dinner and publicly requested a divorce.He got the impression that Ivanka had decided to divorce him.He focused his attention on the beautiful woman in the video. She had a frosty expression on her face.“If you want to interview me, you can ask me questions, but keep in mind that I am also Iris. I have the legal right to sue you and make you pay for what you said.”Ivan gave a
The video had finished playing. The more Ivanka shone, the darker Michael’s expression grew.Ivan found it amusing. “Michael, be honest with me. Did you fall in love with Ivanka?”Michael was startled. He thought. “Do I like Ivanka?”He sneered the next moment. “How could I possibly like her?”He thought. “She acted recklessly, disregarded the reputation of the Barkworth family, and opposed me. How could I fall in love with that woman?“No, it’s impossible.”Ivan was speechless.He stared blankly at Michael. Although he said nothing, his expression indicated that he did not believe it. He thought. “Okay, I know you’re a proud person. If you don’t want to admit it, that’s fine, but I know you like her.”Michael was at a loss for words.Ivan raised his eyebrows. “And how about Chiara? Will you marry her? Ivanka must have regarded Chiara as her enemy. Are you planning on marrying her? If you marry her, the situation may worsen. Everyone will probably say that Chiara is a mistress
They entered the room together.At that point, many guests had arrived, and many were looking at the door. That way, they could immediately fawn over any important people who walked through the door.Everyone looked at the door and saw two women walking in together.On the left was a woman in a light blue strapless dress. The dress was simple, with a few stripes and little decoration. She was wearing a necklace with blue gemstones. The gemstone was not particularly dazzling, but it still held everyone’s attention. It went perfectly with her dress.Ivanka already had a lovely body, and the dress brought out her best features. She shone like a star.Her curly hair cascaded down her front and back. She wore a simple hairstyle with a butterfly hair clip, which made her look ladylike and elegant. No one could ever imitate the innate nobleness she exuded.Many people found it impossible to look away.Sandy had dressed up for the occasion, too. She wore a pink gown adorned with numerou
Egbert stormed off in fury, but Sandy’s rage had not cooled in the slightest. She even lashed out at Ivan. “You shouldn’t have stopped me just now! If I’d given him a good scolding, or even a beating, maybe it would’ve finally knocked some sense into him. Otherwise, he’ll keep coming back. He’s always trying to use me for his own purposes!”She was so angry she was practically grinding her teeth. Ivan pressed his lips together and let out a long sigh. “With the way you looked like you were ready to kill someone, what did you expect me to do? Just stand there and watch you commit murder?”He was really worried when he saw how Sandy was losing control. “What’s the point of that old b*stard still being alive anyway?” Sandy said coldly. If she could really get rid of that old man, she would do it so she could avenge her mother and let go of that grudge she had been holding on.Ivan shook his head and said in a low voice, “Then think about it, how hard did you work to get to where yo
Sandy exploded. “Eighty million? Why don’t you go rob a bank? Or better yet, see if that wrinkled old face of yours is worth anything as collateral!”Sandy was fuming.Egbert had not expected Sandy to be so vulgar. He turned back, enraged.His black eyes shot daggers like he could rip her apart on the spot. Sandy did not flinch. Instead, she lifted her chin and gave him a cold, mocking smile. “What? Are you so mad that you’re thinking about hitting me? Do you want me to remind you of the law? We have no legal ties anymore. If you so much as touch me, that’s assault. And let’s not forget, you barged into my workplace to cause a scene.”“Sandy, I don’t know what kind of twisted morals your birth mother and adoptive mother taught you, but just look at yourself now! Do you even resemble a proper human being?”Egbert was extremely disappointed in Sandy. The one thing Sandy hated most was when people brought up her birth mother and adoptive mother. Those two women were the most import
Egbert snapped at Sandy coldly. His gaze was pressing.However, that had no effect on Sandy. Her lips even curled into a mocking smile as she said, “I’m not one of your McNeil pets. That look, your words, they cannot intimidate me at all.”At the mention of “pets,” Egbert was so furious that he slammed his cane against the floor with a loud crack. “Listen to yourself! Is that any way for a lawyer to speak? Do you even understand the meaning of respect, decency, and manners? Is that how your mother raised you?”Sandy had been mean and harsh on purpose to kill whatever sliver of hope he held onto.Just as she wished, he was angered.Watching him lose his composure, Sandy even felt a flicker of satisfaction rise within her. Her mother and herself were thrown out and lived a tough life while her father stood by uselessly. Who else was to blame, if not this old man standing before her?“My mother raised me to be a decent person. She taught me never to push away what’s rightfully mine,
Thomas stated his purpose.Sandy’s reaction, however, was full of repulsion. She frowned. Even her tone was curt. “Uncle, I made it very clear about seeing him the last time we spoke. He never once considered me part of the McNeil family. If it weren’t for my mother taking me in, I wouldn’t be where I am today. Now that I’ve grown up and suddenly seem useful, he wants to claim me back? I was abandoned by the McNeil family the moment I was born. I’m not stupid enough to become a pawn for your family!”Sandy was furious.She had always treated Thomas with a certain courtesy, but at the moment, that line had clearly been crossed.Thomas, though only the messenger, could feel the weight of her resentment. “It may not be as bad as you think. If you won’t go, Dad will come find you himself.”That was the truth. Yet Sandy did not spare the old man a shred of respect. She scoffed. “He might be your dad, your head of the family, but he’s nothing to me. From the moment I was abandoned, th
Sandy was really surprised to see Ivanka. “When did you get back?”“Today,” Ivanka answered honestly.“You have quite a packed schedule for just one day.” Sandy teased her.When they had planned to take down Coco last time, Ivanka was not around. Then Michael returned. From what Sandy could tell, they were always either together or closely following each other.Ivanka did not respond to her teasing. “I’ll only be here for a day or two, then I would have to leave again.”Sandy was speechless. She rolled her eyes at Ivanka. “Are you going to become a full-time jet setter?”“She can’t help it,” Anna answered for Ivanka. Just as she finished saying that, Anna’s phone rang. It was another case to follow up on. She had to step away to take the call.Only Ivanka and Sandy remained in the office. “You look exhausted. If you keep going like this, I’m worried you’ll wear yourself out!” Sandy shook her head and expressed her concern for Ivanka. Ivanka chuckled. “I wouldn’t go that fa
When she heard what Anna said, Ivanka immediately teased. “Why, can’t I even come to the firm?”“Well, of course, you can come. You are an important partner; why can’t you come?” Anna laughed and looked at Ivanka, annoyed. Immediately after, she made a cup of tea for Ivanka.The tea was also of fine quality. She had bought it.Ivanka also remembered how she, Anna, and Sandy, the three of them, used to work hard together in the firm after she divorced Michael. Originally, she wanted to live on her own. However, one thing happened after another, and her plans got delayed. “I don’t see Sandy. Has she gone to handle cases?” Ivanka sipped a mouthful of tea, and immediately after, she asked Anna about Sandy’s whereabouts.Anna told Ivanka truthfully. “Sandy recently took over a very tricky case. She wants to make a not-guilty defense for that person. But the father of the deceased is the Groethe family, a rather prestigious family in Bostone. How could a commoner fight with a rich ki
But as time went on, things happened one after another. While they were in contact with each other, she also slowly understood Jonah’s personality.The most important thing was that Jonah was also honest with her later on.When Jonah mentioned this again, Ivanka could not help but scrutinize Jonah again.He was starting to become unhinged!“Jonah, you need to stabilize your emotions. Sometimes, when you feel impatient, you should just close your eyes and take a good rest. You should not have such emotions.”Ivanka spoke solemnly toward Jonah and advised him. When he saw Ivanka’s serious expression, Jonah instantly also realized that he had lost himself.Ivanka was not like Chiara, who could accept him losing control. If he lost control in front of Ivanka, it would affect Ivanka’s mood. That would make him courting death too! This would put a halt to all his opportunities!Jonah also realized this problem. He was very distressed. He could not even explain why his emotions had
When Ivanka said this, she pressed her hand on Jonah’s shoulder. There was no other meaning, she wanted Jonah to calm down.But this instead gave Jonah an opportunity. He grabbed Ivanka’s wrist. Then he tugged forward forcefully… Ivanka was caught off guard, and her whole body fell on top of him.He then took advantage of the situation and held Ivanka in his arms.The faint scent entered his nose, Jonah was intoxicated for a moment.But at that moment, he felt like he was waking up from a dream.Ivanka could not be so intimate with him. The sensations of touch and warmth in front of him were so real again. It was not an illusion, it was his compulsion!After realizing this, Jonah hurriedly pushed Ivanka away. He even more quickly apologized to Ivanka. “Iv, I’m sorry. I lost control. I didn’t mean to…”“I know.”Ivanka uttered softly, but her tone was cold.She knew. Neither did she blame him. But why was she using that tone, with that look on her face?“No, Iv. you’re blami
“Jonah, I don’t like you. I told you, I only see you as a friend. When I’m unwilling to do something, no amount of moral coercion would work on me.”Ivanka spoke up bluntly. She did not want Jonah to cling to something impossible.Jonah was silent.This was where Jonah and Michael were different.“Look, you still have so many things to do. By the time you remember me, we have already missed the best time. This time when you leave, did Michael go with you?” Jonah raised his eyes to meet Ivanka’s. He wanted to hear Ivanka’s answer from her mouth.Ivanka did not reply. But the look in her eyes already said it all.Her silence confirmed it all.Jonah felt that his heart grow incredibly heavy at the moment. He had a crazy thought: Was it true that if Michael died, Ivanka would be able to focus all her attention on him?However, he was an invalid and did not even have a chance to get close!“The way you treat Michael and the way you treat me has always been so different. I know. A