Ivanka was speechless.It was a good thing that she and Jonah were merely acting.If they were really dating, Michael’s words would have infuriated her and Jonah.“A temporary stay should be fine. After all, we humans have feelings. Iv is close to Mdm. Barkworth, and she is a medical expert. If she can heal her by staying over temporarily, why not? What do you say, Iv?”“Medical expert? What medical expert?” Rosie was confused. She did not understand what they were saying at all.Her eyes were filled with bewilderment.It was only then did Ivanka realize that Rosie had not known that she was Violet Cress.Ivanka had also been too busy lately to bring that up.But it would not change anything.Before she replied, Michael quickly explained, “Ivanka is a medical expert. Haven’t you found out about that since she returned, Grandma?”Rosie was astonished.She had been preoccupied with how to set Michael and Ivanka up. Of course she had not figured this out!Ivanka was actually a
Michael and Ivanka never shared this intimacy when they married for three years.Jonah realized that Ivanka was asking for his help. It was all an act.Since he was already here, he should help her until the very last moment.Therefore, he said, “If Mdm. Barkworth needs you, I can drive you over every day. But you’ve been busy with work lately. Are you sure you can handle it, Iv?”He said this on purpose.Before Ivanka said anything, Rosie quickly said, “It can be exhausting to travel back and forth every day. You should just stay over, Iv. I believe that you’ll heal me completely within days. Please stay. I really have something important to discuss with you.”When Rosie said the last sentence, she leaned closer to Ivanka and kept her voice down.Seeing that Rosie was so insistent, Ivanka said, “Even if I stay, I still need to travel daily. I have work to do.”Rosie did not seem to see that as a problem. “You can work from home. Alright, tell you what? I’ll ask Evan to assist
Rosie gave a long sigh. “Then what about the promise you made me? I told Sloane that you and Michael would be there. If you don’t attend… Never mind. I’ve already embarrassed myself enough. It’s all Michael’s fault. That brat! I was at fault too. If only I stopped you and Michael from getting divorced, you’d have… Forget it. We’ve wronged you, Iv. I can’t emotionally blackmail you into staying.”As she spoke, she sounded melancholic and close to tears.Hearing her, an elderly lady, speak in such a sorrowful tone, Ivanka felt awful too.But no matter how awful she felt, she was no saint. She would not sacrifice her own interest to please others.Ivanka changed the topic. “What do you want to tell me about, Grandma?”Deep down, she knew it was a lie to make her stay so Rosie could set her up with Michael.But Ivanka did not expose her lie.Rosie was in a bind. At that point, if she could not keep up the lie, she would only embarrass herself in front of Ivanka again.She could onl
After a pause, Ivanka spoke with a conflicted look on her face. “The medicines I gave you will make you feel better. Sometimes the discomfort you feel is due to stress. Don’t underestimate other doctors. I’m not so skilled myself.”If her team had heard what she said, they would be shocked.Ivanka was the Violet Cress, recognized for her medical skills worldwide, yet she said she was not that good!How humble she was!But Rosie was determined. “No, when you were treating me, I know that you’re a professional. Compared to Michael, I trust you more. You said you aren’t that good, but you’re the best in my eyes. I understand that I can’t change your mind about certain things, but I still hope that you’ll visit often. Can you do that for me, Iv?With that, Rosie lowered her voice as it cracked a little.Nobody could miss that.Therefore, Ivanka answered with certainty, “I’ll certainly visit you from time to time. But if you really need my help with the person you told me about, plea
Michael glared at Jonah with a sharp, dark gaze.Jonah, on the other hand, just smiled. “Michael, what makes you think you have a say in this? You’re her ex-husband now. This means you’re not tied to her anymore. Whether she’s doing fine or not isn’t your business—”Before Jonah could finish, Michael took a big step forward.He closed the distance between them and swiftly grabbed Jonah by the collar.But the next second, Jonah pushed him off.Michael sneered coldly. “If you mistreat her, you’ll see what happens!”His dark gaze was even colder and fiercer than before.Jonah’s smirk turned just as cold when he saw Michael acting like this. He clearly did not take Michael’s threat seriously.“Oh, Michael, now you care about her? A little late for that, don’t you think?”Michael just smiled menacingly as he continued to grip Jonah’s collar. Not only did he not let go, but he tightened his grip and wanted to strangle him right then and there.Jonah knew his suspicion was correct w
Michael froze in place.Ivanka had never been this worried about him before.He felt that he had lost—completely and utterly.Ivanka instinctively pulled away when Jonah reached out to her. But knowing Michael was there and realizing Jonah was just playing along, she restrained herself from pushing Jonah away.Even so, she maintained a cold expression and said, “Quit acting like a kid and getting into fights, alright?”Jonah just nodded like a child and agreed. “Okay, I won’t do it again.”Meanwhile, Michael, who was standing behind them, was completely ignored.Seeing their interaction and how affectionately Ivanka scolded Jonah, Michael felt a deep emotional weight. His chest tightened with discomfort.He realized he had become an outsider. Ivanka had nothing to do with him anymore. There would be no more contact between them.Ivanka had her back to Michael. She could not see the turmoil he was experiencing. But Jonah did.Jonah smiled smugly. His teasing expression seemed
Michael murmured, “How could it not be real?”With Ivanka, she was either all in or completely out. She would not mess around. The way they acted together felt so natural. There was no way it was fake.Moreover, Jonah had always been by her side. Despite his repeated expressions of genuine feelings for her, she did not believe him and found him annoying.She finally accepted Jonah. However, she probably accepted him because of his sincerity instead of genuinely loving him. At the same time, she wanted to distance herself entirely from Michael.“Seriously?! You’re driving me crazy! Look, I only want Iv as my granddaughter-in-law! You have to find a way to win her back, even if it means swallowing your pride!” Rosie yelled at Michael after seeing his reaction.She pushed him out of the living room and slammed the door.Michael silently stared at the closed door.Meanwhile, Ivanka and Jonah had walked out of the place. They still acted like a close-knit couple. But once they got in
Ivanka felt her stomach churning. It was as if she had been flipped upside down. Still, she felt a warm embrace around her.It was Jonah. He held her in his arms.After about ten minutes, she only realized they had been in a car accident.The large truck had been speeding when it hit them. Jonah’s car was severely damaged. It flipped completely and rolled as it slid.She felt nauseous. It was as if a heavy object had struck her. She could feel Jonah’s weight on her. With a slight push, she easily moved him aside.She gasped when she saw he was drenched in blood. Worse still, he was unconscious with his leg trapped.She struggled and crawled out of the car.Many vehicles and people gathered outside.Thanks to the airbags and seatbelts, the truck driver was not badly hurt. The windshield did not shatter; it only cracked slightly.It looked like he was hurt about as severely as Ivanka.Ivanka endured the pain in her body and quickly asked a bystander to call 911.She rushed to
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