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
Those who did not know any better thought Ivanka had gone too far and criticized her actions. However, people who were part of the circle knew what was going on.“It’s not all about how you look. They didn’t get married because of Ivanka’s beauty. Besides, do you even know who Ivanka is as a person? We can never fully understand a person. We don’t know her well because we don’t see her often.”They always wore masks when they met new people, so they knew nothing about each other.“Alas, if I were a man, I would pursue her. She’s so beautiful!”“Pfft, a beautiful woman like her is trouble. She’ll cause problems for everyone around her. Throughout history, beauties never ended up well.”While the guests were discussing animatedly among themselves, someone excitedly said, “The show has started!”The others were perplexed, but they kept looking at the door. Their eyes lit up when they saw the three people walk in.Theodore, Lyla, and Chiara were the three.Chiara’s gown was not as
At that moment, Ivanka was standing opposite Sandy. Many people were watching Ivanka, but few came to greet her.The main reason was Ivanka’s special identity. She was the ex-wife of Mr. Barkworth. Despite the fact that she was divorced, no man dared to flirt with Mr. Barkworth’s ex-wife.Besides, she also had a close relationship with Jonah. Men were afraid to approach her for fear of being targeted by the two bigwigs before they could speak with Ivanka. They would have a miserable life if that happened.Sandy smiled as she noticed the two people behind Ivanka slowly approaching. “Here they come.”She then greeted Lyla and Chiara. “Aunt Lyla, Chiara, hi!”She told reporters yesterday that Chiara treated her well on Ivanka’s account, so she had to take the initiative to greet them.Sandy was overjoyed when she noticed Chiara’s smile freeze.Ivanka also turned. She felt nauseous when she saw Lyla and Chiara.She thought. “In the past, when they had nowhere to go, they would seek
Ivanka sneered once more. Lyla’s words carried a deeper meaning.When she said that a family should always stay together, she was implying that she rarely stayed at home and did not consider it her home. She had kept her distance from them.Lyla’s actions were meant to sow discord and expose Ivanka as a hypocrite. This way, she could turn the situation to her side regarding yesterday’s interview.Since Ivanka set them up yesterday, how could she let them do as they wish?She smiled and nodded. “You’re right, Aunt Lyla. We haven’t eaten together in a very long time. I talked to Chiara about it last time, but at that time, she seemed busy. We were going to discuss it further, but she had to leave for work. Do you think Chiara has any plans for tomorrow?Lyla looked stiff.Chiara was so angry that she almost lost it. She thought. “That’s nonsense! There’s no such thing! I never knew Ivanka could tell such bald-faced lies.”Ivanka had salvaged the situation. They had attempted to de
Just as he was about to say something else, a clear voice suddenly spoke.“I told them to play it. Is there a problem?”The crowd looked for the voice and saw Candice in a white dress. She looked serene and cool. It was a different kind of beauty.But this was not a wedding. It was obviously a funeral.Everyone looked at the heroine who was supposed to appear today. Shock crossed their eyes. It looked like the bride found out about their despicable deed. Immediately after, the bride said in a mocking voice once again, “Leonardo, how does it feel to lose your reputation? You experienced it before me. Do you like the wedding gift I gave you?”Candice looked at him. Her brow was calm and void of emotion.Leonardo was already extremely cranky. In a way, he was at the end of his rope. He looked at her incredulously. “What do you mean by that?!” Candice sneered. “I didn’t mean anything by that. Just letting everyone present witness and see clearly for themselves what mangy dogs d
At that moment, there was a crazy video rolling on the big screen. The video was unsightly. The man and woman on the bed were “wrestling” frantically with the woman’s coquettish voice calling out at the same time. Also, the facilities here were top notch and equipped with 3D surround sound. The guests had no idea what to do when they heard.Some of the sharp-eyed guests spotted the man and woman in the video in a single glance. “My goodness! Aren’t these two the groom, Leonardo, and the bride’s best friend Jennifer?!”The moment these words came out, it instantly set off an uproar!Jennifer was instantly dumbfounded when she saw the video! But the next moment she screamed in panic. “Turn it off! Turn it off! It’s not me at all!” It was just that, not only were her shouts futile, but she felt the contemptuous disdainful glances thrown at her from all sides!She could even feel like some of the men were undressing her with their eyes! She was screaming! “Turn it off! Turn
When she put on makeup, her features looked even more exquisite. She looked sharper. Michael’s gaze paused for a moment. Why had he not realized it in the past? Ivanka glanced at him and spoke directly. “I’m good to go. Let’s go there now?” “Yes.” Michael quickly collected his thoughts and rushed to the wedding venue with her. There were a lot of guests. Those who came were all the city’s upper-class people and everyone was open and relaxed. They were able to navigate their way in a situation like this and take the opportunity to meet more work partners.The groom also weaved in and out of the crowd. He was beaming and full of life.Jennifer was with him. The two of them were welcoming the guests together. Those who did not know any better might even think that the two of them were the new couple. Everyone arrived one after another. It was just that… Only the bride and Jarek were missing.The crowd could not help but be a little confused. Right among the murmuring
Of course, he was referring to Jarek, who was screaming on the ground. Ivanka and Michael’s eyes met across the distance. They exchanged a look with each other. In the end, they chose to stay out of it. What should have been done was done. No matter the outcome, it was Candice’s own choice. Michael took a step back and came to Ivanka’s side. “Thanks.” Candice stared at Ivanka and sincerely thanked her once again. She was not stupid, so naturally, she could see that her cousin greatly respected his wife’s opinion. On the other hand, Ivanka was highly self-sufficient.Not long after, the security guards came and took Jarek away. After Candice said goodbye to the two, she left in the opposite direction.Ivanka and Michael went back to their rooms together.On the way back, Ivanka’s brows remained furrowed, and Michael turned to look at her. “Still worried about her?”Ivanka’s eyes flashed, then she looked at Michael and said softly, “Do you think that she will be soft-h
Leonardo had always been a perfect boyfriend. He was so perfect and seemed to have been specially made for Candice. Candice used to find it suspicious. But she dared not probe further into her own suspicions. Since things had turned out like so, she had no choice but to confront it. Candice’s heart was filled with a slew of anxiousness and complications. Despite this, she held back her emotions. Without further hesitation, she lifted the blanket and got down from the bed. She walked to the room next door. Ivanka gave Michael a look so that he would bring Jarek along. Michael was amused. He believed Ivanka must have treated him as her bodyguard. She was the first woman who had dared to give him an order. Despite this, Michael did as he was told. After all, Ivanka was not supposed to get involved in all this in the first place. It was all about the Barkworth family’s business. When Michael confronted Jarek, Michael’s temper instantly turned foul. He glared at Jarek.
Bam! The room door was kicked open all of a sudden. Michael was the one who kicked the door open. The man in the formal suit had just taken off half of his pants when Michael entered the room. Michael exuded an air of standoffishness. The man looked dumbfounded. He did not know if he should put back on his pants or remove them. Ivanka was behind Michael. He did not let her enter the room. “On the count of three, put your pants on, or else—” Michael did not finish his sentence, but the man in the formal suit was so scared that his entire body trembled. The man knew that if he did not act as he was told, he would lose his d*ck. So the man quickly put his pants on comically. While Michael was entering the room, Ivanka followed him. She ignored the man in the formal suit and went to the bed where Candice was laying. They had made quite a commotion when they entered the room. Despite this, Candice laid motionlessly on the bed. Apparently, she had been drugged. It l
Jennifer took the man to Candice in the middle of the night. Things did not seem good. Ivanka knew something bad was going to befall Candice. She was about to follow them when someone behind her abruptly stopped her. Ivanka’s eyes flew wide open. Her scream got stuck in her throat. The man’s large hand had covered her mouth. At the same time, a familiar smell entered her nostrils, and she gave up trying to let go of herself from the man’s grasp. “Why are you giving up so easily?” As expected, Ivanka heard a familiar voice. She turned around and saw Michael’s playful smile. “I know it’s you, so there’s no need to keep trying to free myself,” answered Ivanka truthfully. “How did you know it’s me?” Her answer piqued his interest. Ivanka was about to explain when a thought struck her mind. After that, she kept quiet. “It’s a secret.” Before Michael could continue the topic, Ivanka decided to skip and end it by asking, “You saw everything. What do you think about it?”
The only problem was, the bridegroom never showed up even once. During the first rehearsal, Candice was the only one who finished the whole course. Ivanka was curious, but she did not give it a second thought. She assumed the bridegroom was absent because he was tied up with something else. That night, Ivanka finally saw the so-called bridegroom. But their encounter was not a happy one. At midnight Ivanka could not fall asleep, so she planned to go out to take a walk. The moment she stepped out of the door, she ran into a drunkard. The man was in a formal suit, but his tie was hung crookedly around his neck. He occasionally hiccoughed and looked sloppy. A woman helped him by the side. They were very close, and the way they interacted with each other was flirty. They talked to each other very intimately. Ivanka saw the duo enter the room next to her. She wondered why they would drink so much during somebody else’s wedding eve. Ivanka thought they were just the wedding gues
Fondli was a third-world country. Although it was less developed, it was clean and not heavily polluted. The moment Ivanka got off the plane, she keenly sensed this. “The air is very fresh. The environment is conducive for Grandma to recuperate over here. Unfortunately, her condition wouldn’t allow her body to be exposed to wind.” Michael did not expect Ivanka to care so much about Rosie. He gave her a profound look. It was rare to see him not snort at her. He wondered if he would have stood a better chance if he had used Rosie to make Ivanka spend the night in the Barkworth family’s mansion last night.But Michael was worried that Ivanka would be mad at this suggestion. Hence, he did not bring it up. Nonetheless, Rosie had specially given an account of what he needed to do during the Fondli trip, and Michael was full of confidence. Outside the airport, Michael’s cousin arranged for them a car. The wedding ceremony was located inside the bride’s mansion on the outskirts.