Ivanka narrowed her eyes and retorted, “If it wasn’t you two, then who the hell is trying to kill me, huh?”Was it George?No way!He was too obsessed and twisted. He would not just kill someone without making sure they suffered first. Besides, no matter how mad he got, he would still respect Vincent and avoid causing too much trouble at the casino.Ivanka had a feeling that the person who fired two shots and then committed suicide was not as simple as it seemed. Alexander was a possible culprit.Alexander pursed his lips and interrupted Ivanka’s train of thought as he said, “You can suspect us all you want, but we deserve a chance to explain. If I really wanted you dead, you’d be six feet under already when Eleanor’s people tried to get rid of you earlier.”Before Ivanka could respond, Alexander continued, “Me and Eleanor are powerless right now. If you don’t believe me, ask Vincenzo. Didn’t he send someone to tail us the whole time?”Ivanka fell silent.If it was not them, an
That could only mean that this Alexander guy was on par with Michael!They must have run into some trouble and delayed their return home.Jonah spoke frankly, “Ivanka, just send me your location. I’m on my way to you right now.”Jonah had always been a man of his word.Ivanka calmly replied, “I have almost everything sorted out here. Once Michael and I finish up the last few things, I’ll head back. You don’t need to come help.”Michael had already taken two bullets for her. How could she manage both of them if Jonah came over and something happened to him too?!“Iv, you can’t—”Before he could finish his sentence, Ivanka cut in. “I’m fine here. I’ll get in touch when I’m back. I’ve got stuff to take care of, so I’m hanging up now.”On the other end of the line, Jonah’s expression turned serious as he fell silent.When Ivanka hung up the phone and was about to put it away, she caught Michael’s sharp gaze.She was surprised and asked, “When did you wake up? How are you feeling?
“Hmm.” Michael nodded. Although he had a high tolerance for medication, his body was still reacting realistically.He was swollen all over, and his voice was weak and hoarse.“Just don’t talk. Get some rest. I’ll be here,” Ivanka said. She decided not to argue with him any longer. After she finished speaking, she leaned back in her chair.At this hour, she was also feeling tired.Michael said nothing. For some reason, after Ivanka spoke, he felt an overwhelming sense of calm inside.He even felt... somehow reassured.Since he could not move, he could not pull Ivanka closer.After hesitating for a while, Michael finally said to Ivanka, “Come and lie next to me.”Ivanka was taken aback. She sat up and stared at him in disbelief.In three years of marriage, they had met only a handful of times. Everyone knew of his contempt for her.They had not even had a proper conversation during those three years. Whenever they did talk, he spoke to her with disdain.She thought hell must h
That stubborn jerk rarely agreed with her on anything. He was so set in his ways!Ivanka initially wanted to scold Michael, but when she saw him lying weakly in bed, she managed to hold back her anger.She pursed her lips and said, “If you were in good health, I would’ve—”“Am I disabled or something?” Michael interrupted sharply before she could finish.The deep frown on his face made it clear that he was upset. He did not agree with Ivanka’s statement.Ivanka was taken aback. She then became extremely furious.Though she managed to suppress her anger, she could not hold back her words. She snapped at him, “I never said you were disabled! Michael, you know what I mean. Stop arguing with me!“You’ve been shot. It takes around three months to heal from serious injuries. Even if you have a high pain tolerance, you’re going to need at least ten days to two weeks of bed rest. Let me ask you: if someone had a gun to your head right now, could you just jump up and disarm them in an in
She looked at his composed face and then said, “Honestly, thinking back on that scene still freaks me out. Didn’t you ever consider it? What if things had gone wrong? No, what if the other guy was just slightly more accurate? Do you think you could still be lying here in front of me, saying all this?”“We’re divorced. What I do and who I see is my business. You don’t have the right to interfere in my life like that. And I want you to know that no matter what happens between us, you’re still a living person. I could never just stand by and let anyone die.”Upon hearing her firm stance, Michael frowned and said casually, almost mockingly, “Is that so?”He smiled, but it did not reach his eyes.Just as Ivanka was about to respond, Michael questioned her, “If it’s really just about one life, then why were you trembling when you spoke after I got shot?”He had noticed back then that her fingers were trembling too.But as she had said, it was natural for people to have emotions.Micha
Besides, he could not get over the anger from the confiscation in the basement and the defeat in the confrontation!Njord tilted his head back while feeling resentment swell inside him.“Vincenzo, Michael is no good. If he’s dead, then Ms. Ivanka won’t have to deal with him anymore. Plus, he’s already divorced from her. Why should he still get to enjoy her kindness and act tough in the casino?”“Only because he’s Ivanka’s ex-husband. Njord, you’re my most trusted man. I don’t want to have to repeat myself. I said you can’t touch Michael, and that means you can’t touch him.”Vincent’s words were harsh.Njord fell silent. He felt a strong sense of resentment, but the pain of his current situation outweighed that resentment. He was caught between his feelings and the reality he faced.He had worked at Kingzillion Casino for many years and viewed it as his home. He saw Vincent as family and found it hard to accept that Vincent prioritized Ivanka’s needs over Michael’s position. Vin
However, Ivanka no longer wanted to argue with Michael about this.“This is the medicine and tea I’ve prepared for you. You should take the medicine and drink the tea while it’s still hot.”As she spoke, Ivanka handed him the medicine and tea that she had just set aside.Michael slowly raised his left hand, which was receiving an IV drip. Then, he pretended to cough repeatedly.“Feed me.”Even if he had not said it, Ivanka was planning to do it anyway.She then informed him of her intention to let Blake go.“I’m going to let Blake and Tanya go soon. Right now, you don’t have time to deal with them. When the Cullen family comes asking for them, you’ll have to accommodate them.”Ivanka was right. But ever since Michael had Evan hold those two, he hadn’t considered letting them go.Although Michael was not worried and could ignore the consequences of keeping them locked up, Ivanka could not afford to be so reckless. In the end, he acknowledged her point and agreed with her.Ivan
Ivanka deserved it. This was her own doing!Blake, who was right across from her, looked at her and said, “I just love seeing you like this.”He was smiling, but his smile did not reach his eyes.Tanya was momentarily taken aback. She quickly regained her composure and glared at him in discontent.He narrowed his eyes and said without reservation, “You look so cute when you’re plotting against others.”She shot him a cold glance and finally spoke softly, “I really think you should stay out of it.”He raised an eyebrow and said with a grin, “No, thanks. You know I’ll always have your back, right?”His voice sounded carefree and casual.Tanya gave him a faint glare and chose not to say anything more.Time was up!Just as she had planned, Ivanka’s video was posted all over the internet!Meanwhile, Ivanka’s phone was charging in the room.She had no clue that people were buzzing about her online and throwing all kinds of accusations her way.Sandy had called her multiple times
Ivanka understood everything just by looking at Stella’s expression.The drinks and pastries had to be the problem. The weakness and fatigue people were experiencing must have come from consuming them. She tested them with a test strip right away.As expected, they had been poisoned.She had not eaten anything, so she was fine. But she was unsure about Vincenzo, so she checked on him immediately. Thankfully, he was unharmed.Stella let out a deep breath.Before she could say anything, Vincenzo scolded her. “You ran back here and left Njord alone? Hurry up and get back there!”“Yes, Boss!”Stella responded quickly and ran off.Ivanka was about to speak when Michael and Evan rushed in.Michael looked anxious and was breathing heavily.Just like Stella, he was panicking.“Come here. Let me check.” Ivanka nodded at him. She knew how stubborn he was.Michael pursed his lips together and hesitated.But Ivanka had already stepped forward and checked on him. His pulse was weakenin
Vincenzo immediately noticed Michael putting some distance between them.It was not out of fear but respect for Vincenzo’s status. After all, he was Ivanka’s only family.Ivanka walked straight to Vincenzo without sparing Michael a glance.Michael could only stand there and watch her leave.Back at their spot, Vincenzo remained silent. Ivanka, however, felt uneasy.She had only gone to the restroom and had not expected to run into Michael.After some thought, she decided to explain.“Uncle, I didn’t go looking for him.”“You don’t need to explain. Even if you did, that’s your choice. I’ve said what I needed to. The decision is yours.”His tone was calm, but to Ivanka, it sounded like he was upset.She wanted to say more, but Vincenzo spoke first. “Don’t blame yourself. I’m not angry. Once the banquet is over, take a few days to rest. Then we’ll head out.”“Alright.”Since he had already said that, there was nothing more to say.Caeser had hosted the banquet to trigger inte
Ivanka saw the grin on Michael’s face and immediately let go of his arm. Her expression darkened with displeasure.Michael looked like he was enjoying her frustration.“I’m not,” he denied at once, quickly adding, “I’m happy because you pulled me away. It shows you care.”Ivanka was speechless.She looked at his smiling face and shook her head. “I just didn’t want you getting into a fight with Mr. George right now. If something happened to you while I was there, I couldn’t just leave. And if I didn’t, that would make me responsible for you.”Michael frowned. “Do you really think I’m that useless?”He had fought Mr. George before and never even saw him as a threat. There was no way someone like that could take him down.“That’s not the point. Mr. George isn’t alone, but you are. This isn’t your territory, Michael. And don’t forget, the drug in your system hasn’t fully cleared, and your gunshot wound—”He cut her off before she could finish.“That injury was a long time ago. I’m
Ivanka had never revealed her identity as Violet Cress. How did Mr. George figure it out just from her treating Caeser?“Mr. Ali, I only gave Mr. Hicks a few herbal prescriptions. It was nothing special.”“Caeser has plenty of skilled doctors, yet none of them could fix his condition. You did so effortlessly. That says a lot. Anyone who can earn his trust must be exceptionally capable. Ms. Ivanka, the Ganoderma Nebula is not something just anyone can use properly, nor does everyone have your level of confidence.”At first, Mr. George had not suspected anything. But after learning about the legendary medical expert, Violet Cress, he started making connections. She was well known by reputation, yet no one had ever seen her face. He had looked into her background and found that she was probably not elderly.There was also the Ganoderma Nebula.So, he made an educated guess.Looking at Ivanka’s calm reaction, he was even more convinced. When he first mentioned it, there had been a fl
A teasing voice broke the moment, interrupting Ivanka and Michael.They turned to look.Standing before them was none other than Mr. George. It had been a while since they last saw him.Michael narrowed his eyes. He had not expected him to show up at Caeser’s banquet.“What? Didn’t learn your lesson last time?” His tone was cold and sharp.As he spoke, he stepped forward. He simultaneously shielded Ivanka behind him.They knew they were in Mirvania, and Vincenzo was nearby. No matter what Mr. George was planning, he would not dare make a move under Vincenzo’s watch.Still, Michael’s reaction was instinctive.“No hard feelings, right? Isn’t this how friendships start?” Mr. George replied indifferently. He stepped to the side and looked at Ivanka.“Friends?” Ivanka let out a sharp laugh. “Be honest, Mr. George. Do you really think we could ever be friends?”She had taken the Ganoderma Nebula. He had tried to steal it by sending his men. She had turned five of them against him a
Ivanka tried to step aside, but Michael blocked her path.The acrid smell of smoke hit her.She instinctively covered her nose and mouth.Michael saw her reaction and put out his cigarette.“If I talk through a third party and they can’t get my point across to my subordinates, wouldn’t it be better to handle it myself?”Ivanka frowned. “Is this really the time to talk about this?”She thought about pushing him away, but she decided against it.“I know it’s not. I also know you did all that to make me give up. But I won’t. It will just hurt.”His voice was hoarse and tinged with sorrow.He looked heartbroken.If this had been before, she might have felt bad for him. But at that moment, she felt nothing. She said calmly, “That’s your problem, not mine. If you want to keep getting knocked out and run around like this, be my guest.”She stepped forward and pulled out her phone.Michael knew exactly what she meant. If he kept blocking her way, she would call Njord, Stella, and t
“Alright, go back to the casino and wait for my order.”The fight between Tanya and Blake had revealed how fragile their relationship was. If Tanya thought the stranger she met at the party was reliable, she would try to leave Blake.She would have thought that she had gotten her freedom. But in fact, it was just another circle of hell awaiting her.By then, Tanya would suffer a worse fate than death.That was what Ivanka wanted to see.After all, Tanya had disguised herself as Ivanka and put a stain on her reputation for a time. Moreover, Tanya was still planning to come after her and Michael.Ivanka would not intervene in the feud between Tanya and Michael, but since she had run into Tanya at the party, she would like to settle the score between her and Tanya.“That’s your plan?”As Ivanka hung up, Vincent could not help frowning.He knew what she was up to when she had asked Njord to assign the job to a man.But the progress was too slow!Ivanka nodded with a smile. “Yeah
Tanya was not a fool.Seeing Tanya’s reaction, the man smiled calmly and said, “Seriously? He’s just your boyfriend. He can’t possibly stop you from making friends, right?”Tanya ignored him and kept walking.She reached a junction and took out her phone to book a ride. But the Hicks family’s mansion was on the hillside. Moreover, Caeser had contacted the Ministry of Transport to impose traffic control in the area. Apart from those who attended the party, no one else’s vehicle was allowed to enter.Seeing that there was not a single car around, Tanya had no choice but to walk down the hill.Blake had told her to get lost, so she would not go back to the mansion to ask for his help.She walked for about five minutes. High heels were not made for long-distance walks, and she was in a long evening gown. She held a little purse that contained her phone, lipstick, a small packet of tissues, and nothing else. Worse still, she could not tear off the long hem of her gown.Tanya had no c
What Blake said struck a chord with Tanya.Her expression was cold, and the look in her eyes was vicious.She did not even love Blake, so everything he did had nothing to do with her. She did not care if he was involved with other women.“Do you have anything else to say? I don’t think I need to be at this party for long.” Tanya averted her gaze so that she did not have to look Blake in the eye.She had made her point clear. If he did not need her around, she would take her leave for the night.Naturally, Blake knew what she meant to say.“Get lost then!”He yelled at Tanya right away. She did not even spare him a look before lifting the hem of her dress, turning around, and walking away.Blake’s voice was filled with disgust, hatred, and rage. But Tanya could not care less about how he felt.She had come to the party with Blake, who arranged their ride. The Hicks, who organized this party, had prepared a parking lot for the guests. There were cars arranged neatly across the p