Ivanka was no longer angry, and she was not the kind of person who held a grudge. Therefore, she said coldly, “Now get out of my sight!”“What?”Mr. Howard, Mr. Gaudin, and the remaining man all gawked at each other.They thought that after they apologized, they would still have a chance to talk about their collaboration. After all, Michael had already shown up.They did not expect that Ivanka would react this way.She was practically kicking them out.As they hesitated, Michael said grimly with a dark look in his eyes, “Didn’t you hear what my wife said? Get lost!”“Alright, alright, we’ll leave now!”The three men quickly said as they left sheepishly. They dared not upset Michael further.Michael might have defended Ivanka, but she believed that she would have been fine on her own. She could refuse to work with those men and still get out of there unscathed.Besides, what Michael said earlier confirmed that they were back together.Michael had called her his wife on purpos
But Ivanka stared at him calmly and said nothing.Even though Michael still remembered Evan’s advice, he had no idea how to proceed. If he talked about his condition, would it sound too fake to Ivanka?If he did not bring it up, then how did he tell her what he was here for?Just as he hesitated, Ivanka said slowly, “Anything else, Mr. Barkworth?”“Yes!”Her question undoubtedly gave Michael an excuse to keep talking. He then said, “When I woke up, I had difficulty breathing. Now I feel as if there’s something weighing down on my chest.”“Is that right?” Ivanka did not buy it.Michael nodded and looked at Ivanka calmly. “Yeah. If you don’t believe me, you can examine me.”He had lied to her before, so he might be lying to her again. Ivanka would not let him trick her the second time.Besides, Michael was not unconscious at this moment.Ivanka sneered. “When you were condemning those men, your voice was firm and steady. You don’t seem unwell at all, Mr. Barkworth. You should s
Michael remained confident and self-assured. “I can offer you plenty when it comes to partnerships.”Ivanka did not miss a beat and shot back sarcastically, “Why not go ahead and say if I remarried you, my status would shoot up? I’d have a secure spot in Lane’s Group, and no one in Bostone would dare disrespect me.”Michael nodded in agreement. “That’s true.”Ivanka was taken aback. She had not realized Michael could be so shameless.She rolled her eyes. “That’s just your idea, not mine. I’m genuinely busy and don’t have time for pointless conversations. If you’re feeling uncomfortable or unwell, go home and ask Evan to help you or something.”With that, she turned to her computer and ignored him.Michael scoffed at the idea of Evan helping him. “What can Evan even do? Everything he knows, he learned from you. You’re here now, so why would I go to him?“Besides, Evan and I are two grown men. If we’re alone together, others might—”“What about it? You’re here in a room alone wit
Sandy shot Ivan a cold look, as if telling him to shut up.She made her stance clear and decided on Ivanka’s behalf. “Look, Iv isn’t going back to her past. She’s not about to make a dumb mistake. Mr. Barkworth, we’re adults. Can we stop acting like kids playing pretend?”Michael, as usual, was frigid and not one to take criticism well.Ivanka tried to tug at Sandy, signaling for her to stop, but it was no use.Michael’s expression turned dark and sour, but Sandy did not care.After saying her piece, Sandy seemed satisfied. She grabbed Ivanka’s hand and said, “Iv, let’s go. If they want to stay, that’s their problem.”With that, Sandy took Ivanka’s hand and walked out, leaving Michael and Ivan in the chairman’s office.Michael turned to Ivan with an icy glare.Ivan raised his hands helplessly. “Hey, I didn’t know you were here. I tried my best to make her stay, but she just wasn’t buying it. If you want to get back together with Ivanka, you’re going to have to get past Sandy fi
Advice?Ivanka was amused by Chiara’s request. “I just finished working. If you want to meet, I’ll send you my location in a bit. I’m with a friend right now.”“Sure.”Chiara quickly agreed. She did not bother to ask who Ivanka was with. She did not seem bothered by the fact that Ivanka was with someone else. Clearly, something urgent was on her mind.Ivanka felt intrigued, but she did not let it show. “I’ll hang up now. I’ll send it to you once I’ve got the location.”“Okay, bye!” Chiara responded briefly before hanging up.Sandy could not help but ask, “Who were you talking to? Who’s coming over?”Since she was nearby, Sandy had overheard parts of the conversation. It did not sound like anyone they both knew. She was curious about the new person Ivanka was with.Ivanka had originally planned to tell Sandy that Melanie was actually Chiara, but she hesitated. Sandy had a fiery temper, and if she found out, she might go after Chiara. That could make Chiara suspicious, and the si
Sandy felt a surge of anger just thinking about the harsh comments online about Ivanka.How could people say such awful things about a girl when they did not even know the whole story?Ivanka initially only knew that she and Michael were mistakenly thought to be getting back together. Later, when she saw people accusing her of dating both Michael and Jonah, her mood sank.But with Jonah injured, she could not even find the energy to be upset.Eventually, the comments died down. She figured either the Sadler family had handled it, or Michael did.Ivanka brushed it off with a smile. “People can say whatever they want. Jonah may or may not be trustworthy, but right now, we’re working together. He risked his life for me. Michael did too. From now on, they’re just business partners and friends.”As long as she did not have feelings for them, it wouldn’t lead anywhere.Sandy shook her head and sighed. “Sure, you might see them as friends, but do they feel the same? Figure that out!”
Ivanka, Sandy, and Melanie browsed the menu and ordered their food while continuing to put on a polite facade.Ivanka had not expected Chiara to refill her glass of mango juice after finishing each one.Sure, Chiara’s looks, voice, and even food preferences could change, but an allergy was something that could not be altered.Chiara was really going for it. She downed several glasses of mango juice without leaving the table once. Ivanka knew she should not keep staring at her, or she would look too suspicious.Chiara took another sip before turning to Ivanka. She sighed and asked, “Iv, when you were the Lane family’s eldest daughter, how did you handle all the banquets and events? Didn’t you ever get anxious?”She added in frustration, “And those contracts with all their legal terms? I just couldn’t wrap my head around them. How did you ever get through that?”Ivanka chuckled. “Honestly, being the eldest daughter of the Lane family sounds more glamorous than it really is. My uncl
Chiara nodded apologetically at Ivanka and Sandy before getting up to answer the phone and walking away.She did not take anything with her except for her phone. She even left the project bid proposal on the table.It seemed like Chiara had no idea Jonah was planning to give her the Westvale project. Was she purposely leaving it out and hoping Ivanka would tamper with it?If Ivanka wanted the project, she would get it the right way. She would not get it by doing anything shady.As soon as Chiara left, Sandy could not help but voice her uneasiness about Melanie. “Iv, why does Melanie give me such a weird vibe? Everything about her feels fake. Her voice changes all the time. Sometimes, she even sounds like a doll! And her face just makes me uncomfortable. I have no idea why, but even though it’s our first time meeting, something feels off! I think I’m losing it, seriously!”She just could not understand why Melanie seemed so fake!If there was nothing wrong, why would she feel like
Ivanka and Candice got into the car together.Candice instinctively took the front passenger seat while Ivanka and Michael sat in the back.The car moved smoothly toward the family mansion.Michael glanced at Ivanka and noticed her fiddling with her phone. Quickly, he leaned over, cast a shadow over her, and snatched the phone from her hand.“You’ll get carsick.”Ivanka frowned. Her gaze locked on Michael as she extended her hand. “Give it back.”Michael did not budge. Ivanka raised her voice a little. “Give it back. I’m in the middle of something important.”Michael’s striking eyes fixed on her. It was as if he could see right through her.“What’s so urgent? Isn’t it just about someone poaching employees from your company? Do you really need to spend all your time resolving it?”Ivanka’s brows furrowed even tighter.From the front seat, Candice turned around to look at Michael in surprise. “Michael, you know who is behind this?”Michael glanced at Ivanka and said, “Not on
It was perhaps because Ivanka was so outstanding that Candice never saw her as a peer but rather as a role model.Being praised by someone she admired so deeply was naturally a source of great joy.But Candice never said these feelings out loud, nor would she.Ivanka patted her on the shoulder. “Good job. Now get back to work and start getting comfortable in your new role. On Friday evening, Michael and I will help you with your move.”Candice nodded. She had no objections to the arrangement.For some reason, the previous incident had made its way to Rosie’s ears. Rosie had insisted that Candice move into the family’s mansion.Unable to find a reason to refuse or to push back further, Candice reluctantly agreed.“Then you and Michael will be staying for dinner at the family mansion on Friday, right?”Ivanka nodded, figuring they would likely need to stay the night as well.“Don’t overthink it for now. Get back to work, and just wait for me after work on Friday.” Candice no
“One more thing, these are my team members. They’ve seen firsthand how you’ve tried to suppress me all the time. A little payback from them isn’t exactly unjustified, don’t you think?”Before Mandy could say anything, Candice turned to the employee and instructed firmly, “Call security. Have them escort her out of the building. Make sure she doesn’t take anything that doesn’t belong to her. Thoroughly check her devices for any company files.”Mandy completely lost her composure and started yelling.“Who do you think you are to treat me like this? You’re just riding on Ivanka’s coattails! Everyone knows how someone so young became CEO. And you? Are you sticking by her? You’re no better than… Argh!”Before Mandy could finish her tirade, Candice delivered a resounding slap across her face.Not far away, Ivanka, who had come out after hearing the commotion to see if she needed to step in, slowed her steps. While leaning casually against a nearby column, she watched Candice handle the
“I understand what you mean now.” Candice’s cheeks flushed with excitement. The gloom that had previously clouded her was swept away.Her joy was genuine. She said, “In three months’ time, I’ll secure this position and prove to you and the board that your decision was the right one.”With that, Candice stood, gave Ivanka a respectful bow, and left the office.Ivanka watched her leave with a smile.All was good.While the two of them were in good spirits, someone else’s mood was far from pleasant.Mandy returned to her office, humiliated, to pack her belongings.If she could turn back time, she might have chosen not to come at all. The shame she endured was beyond anything she could have imagined.Somehow, word of what happened in the conference room had leaked. Perhaps Ivanka had orchestrated it.When she arrived at her office, she was not surprised to see all her belongings stuffed into a tattered, broken box.The box had been placed right outside her office door. It was a
“Mr. Clarke, if you don’t like my decision and want to change it, you’ll have to take my position first to do so. Now, if you’ll excuse me.”With those words, Ivanka coolly left the meeting room.Candice, though initially taken aback by the sudden turn of events, quickly adjusted to her new role. Turning to Mandy, she said, “Ms. Cruella, please ensure your office is cleared in three days, as I will be moving in.”With that, she too left the room.After they left, the meeting room erupted into chaos, with arguments flying back and forth. However, the outcome was already sealed. Ferris was powerless to change it.Though he still had cards to play, he was not about to waste them on Mandy.Sure enough, by the afternoon, employees spotted Mandy packing her belongings and leaving in disgrace.Candice, though initially satisfied, could not help but feel uneasy. After thinking it over, she decided to speak with Ivanka. And so, at that moment, she was standing in front of the door to t
Ferris was panicking at the moment. He shot Mandy a disappointing and furious glare.It was one thing for her to embezzle funds, it was another for her to get caught.How foolish!Feeling the weight of Ferris’s gaze, Mandy instinctively lowered her head.That only made Ferris more enraged.She had caused all this trouble, and he had to clean up the mess.Ivanka ignored them and turned to the other shareholders. She sharply said, “Tell me, how can someone like her hold the position of project director in our company, yet Candice can’t even be promoted to team leader?”Mandy had been personally hired by Ferris, so Ivanka criticizing her in front of everyone was effectively a direct slap to his face.That naturally made Ferris extremely uncomfortable.His expression turned even darker.“In my opinion, it’s true Mandy shouldn’t have done that, but she’s been in this position for so long. While she doesn’t have achievements, she’s at least put in the effort. How about this, let’s
However, her smile did not reach her eyes.Mandy stood frozen. She was too scared to drink the water or take a seat. Just like that, she was ignored. The atmosphere was awkward. She could only cast a pleading glance toward Ferris for support.Ferris, who was standing near her, cleared his throat and said, “That’s right. Ms. Ivanka, Ms. Cruella is right. This isn’t in line with proper procedures.”Ivanka maintained her enigmatic smile. Her index finger tapped lightly on the table. It was impossible to guess what was going through her mind.She glanced around the room. “What do the rest of you think?”She sounded like she was seeking opinions, but the weight of her presence was intimidating. No one dared to answer.Just as Ferris was about to say something, Ivanka picked up Mandy’s report and tossed it onto the floor.It happened too fast. Everyone was stunned by her action. Even Ferris was caught off guard.Mandy’s face turned pale.“Rules are made by people. Besides, Cand
“Please start.” Ivanka nodded. Mandy glanced at Ferris and then at Ivanka. She did not dare to speak.It was obvious that she did not want to offend either side.But she had received a lot of favors being under Ferris over the years, so naturally she did not dare to disobey him.Ferris felt like he was getting the upper hand again, and he was a lot more cheerful. His expression seemed to say, “Look, this is my staff. Look at how they listen to me and not you. You’re nothing much as the chairman. Who are you here, Ivanka?”The anger from before had completely disappeared. He said calmly, “You really don’t get the hint. If Ms. Lane lets you speak, you should just speak.”Although he sounded like he was scolding her, anyone could hear from Ferris’s tone that he was not complaining. He was gloating.Some shareholders did not want to be caught up in the mess and lowered their heads.Others wanted to see where things went.In a way, he was asserting dominance over Ivanka. Everyone wa
Ivanka suggested to Candice to go home and rest.But Candice still refused.She said, “The contract will be done soon. I’ll be able to rest properly and have peace of mind sooner when it’s finalized.”Ivanka relented. She only said that if she felt discomfort in any way, she must tell her immediately.Candice nodded her head and took note.Ivanka gripped the steering wheel tightly. She felt guilty.Candice was already in such a state, but she still insisted on working. Her reason there was not only to repay Ivanka but also to realize her own self-worth.But Ferris kept getting in the way of that report.It was really upsetting.Ivanka also secretly made it a point to get the report passed on that day.The car reached the company. Ivanka went upstairs with Candice together. Ivanka also personally helped Candice to her workstation.Despite Candice’s repeated refusals, Ivanka was very insistent.She wanted to demonstrate to everyone that she had Candice’s back. If anyone wante