Michael remained confident and self-assured. โI can offer you plenty when it comes to partnerships.โIvanka did not miss a beat and shot back sarcastically, โWhy not go ahead and say if I remarried you, my status would shoot up? Iโd have a secure spot in Laneโs Group, and no one in Bostone would dare disrespect me.โMichael nodded in agreement. โThatโs true.โIvanka was taken aback. She had not realized Michael could be so shameless.She rolled her eyes. โThatโs just your idea, not mine. Iโm genuinely busy and donโt have time for pointless conversations. If youโre feeling uncomfortable or unwell, go home and ask Evan to help you or something.โWith that, she turned to her computer and ignored him.Michael scoffed at the idea of Evan helping him. โWhat can Evan even do? Everything he knows, he learned from you. Youโre here now, so why would I go to him?โBesides, Evan and I are two grown men. If weโre alone together, others mightโโโWhat about it? Youโre 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 Ivankaโs behalf. โLook, Iv isnโt going back to her past. Sheโs not about to make a dumb mistake. Mr. Barkworth, weโre adults. Can we stop acting like kids playing pretend?โMichael, 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.Michaelโs expression turned dark and sour, but Sandy did not care.After saying her piece, Sandy seemed satisfied. She grabbed Ivankaโs hand and said, โIv, letโs go. If they want to stay, thatโs their problem.โWith that, Sandy took Ivankaโs hand and walked out, leaving Michael and Ivan in the chairmanโs office.Michael turned to Ivan with an icy glare.Ivan raised his hands helplessly. โHey, I didnโt know you were here. I tried my best to make her stay, but she just wasnโt buying it. If you want to get back together with Ivanka, youโre going to have to get past Sandy fi
Advice?Ivanka was amused by Chiaraโs request. โI just finished working. If you want to meet, Iโll send you my location in a bit. Iโm with a friend right now.โโSure.โChiara 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. โIโll hang up now. Iโll send it to you once Iโve got the location.โโOkay, bye!โ Chiara responded briefly before hanging up.Sandy could not help but ask, โWho were you talking to? Whoโs coming over?โSince 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. โPeople can say whatever they want. Jonah may or may not be trustworthy, but right now, weโre working together. He risked his life for me. Michael did too. From now on, theyโre just business partners and friends.โAs long as she did not have feelings for them, it wouldnโt lead anywhere.Sandy shook her head and sighed. โSure, you might see them as friends, but do they feel the same? Figure that out!โ
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, Chiaraโs 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, โIv, when you were the Lane familyโs eldest daughter, how did you handle all the banquets and events? Didnโt you ever get anxious?โShe added in frustration, โAnd those contracts with all their legal terms? I just couldnโt wrap my head around them. How did you ever get through that?โIvanka chuckled. โHonestly, 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. โIv, 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 itโs our first time meeting, something feels off! I think Iโm losing it, seriously!โShe just could not understand why Melanie seemed so fake!If there was nothing wrong, why would she feel like
Sandy grinned smugly. โChiara cares most about her image. So, letโs make sure she loses it. Imagine how funny it would be if she made a fool of herself in front of everyone!โIvanka snapped her fingers in agreement. She had the same idea.Meanwhile, Chiara used her phone call as an excuse to take an allergy pill.During her โdeath,โ she had been trained by Katiana to change many of her habits. But one thing that had not changed was her mango allergy.To be cautious, she always carried allergy pills. Such was the perfect time to use them. Ivanka had ordered mango juice, but it did not seem intentional.Chiara had altered her habits and appearance. She had not crossed paths with Ivanka in a way that could give away her identity. There was no way Ivanka would recognize her.Still, she stayed cautious. While talking on the phone, she said, โYou donโt have to call every time. Just text me if something comes up. Iโll get back to you as soon as I can.โHearing her tone, Theodore frowne
โMelanie, thatโs very polite of you. Itโs only normal for you to have something else to handle. Weโre friends. Donโt regard yourself as a stranger,โ said Ivanka generously. Chiara smiled. She did not believe that Ivanka was not at all interested in the project at Willy suburbs. Chiara took the initiative to invite Ivanka to join her. โIv, my mom wants me to learn and follow up about the company affairs. But I really know nothing about them. My mom said if I can nail down the contract for the project at Willy suburbs, I can gain a foothold in Levineโs Group and have the rest accept me. I donโt trust others to help me with this. Can you help me?โ While saying this, Chiara grabbed Ivankaโs hand and stared at her eagerly. There was a hint of pleading in her misty eyes. Ivanka disliked others touching her, much less Chiara. However, Ivanka had no choice but to put up with her because of her plan. Ivanka smiled and replied to Chiara, โIโve long known about the project in Willy su
If this had been anyone else, Michael would not have tolerated such arrogance from Jackie. He would have already beaten him up and coldly told him to get lost.However, Jackie was Vincentโs man.And Vincent was Ivankaโs uncle. For that reason alone, Michael swallowed the anger surging within him.โLetโs go then.โIn the end, he conceded. It was not because of Jackie, but because of what Evan had said. He could not just let Ivanka return and find no one waiting for her.However, before leaving, Michael made arrangements. He instructed Evan to leave some men behind, ensuring that the moment Ivanka came back, he would know.He did not intend to withdraw the forces he had sent to rescue Ivanka either....Back in the country, Coco stood in the middle of the room and shouted arrogantly at the servants. โGo get Samuel! Tell him I have something to say!โShe was making such a scene that the servants had no choice but to comply.After being informed of the situation, Samuel, upon hea
Coco simply smiled and stayed silent.Samuel had plenty of time to wait her out.Meanwhile, Jackie was also waiting for Michael. If he did not leave within the hour, Jackie would follow Vincenzoโs orders and put him on a plane back to Bostone.Time was running out. Just as Jackie was about to act, Michaelโs phone rang. It was Samuel.Samuel had never sounded this anxious and serious before. โMichael, get back here now. Your grandmother collapsed. I took her to the hospital, but she still hadnโt woken up. Coco said that if she doesnโt see you in three days, your grandma will die.โMichael knew Coco was bad news, but he never expected her to strike at such a critical moment.Ivanka was still missing, but Rosie was his family. He could not abandon either of them.But at that moment, he had to choose Rosie.โOkay, Iโll come back now.โHe immediately contacted Evan.Evan was his trusted aide. Naturally, he had to stay behind to follow up on any news regarding Ivanka.But Jackie w
Rosie liked Ivanka way more than Samuel. Besides, there was no conflict between the two of them, so why did Rosieโs attitude toward Ivanka suddenly become so frosty?But Rosie simply shot Samuel a cold glare. โDo I need any reason to start hating someone? Anyway, Coco isnโt too bad. Iโm going to meet with her and talk to her about the wedding arrangementโฆโโWedding arrangement? Who is getting married?โSamuel quickly cut her off. He was utterly flabbergasted and could not believe what he had just heard.Rosie glared at him again. โCoco and Michael are about the same age. Who else is she going to marry? Me? Of course sheโs marrying Michael. Heโs the only single one in our family.โAs she said that, Rosie walked off and left him behind.She looked so determined. Recalling her tone earlier on, Samuel was increasingly certain that something must be very wrong with her.He glanced at the house staff and signaled them to follow Rosie. They immediately obliged.Then Samuel immediate
Before Michael even finished his sentence, Vincent cut him off angrily.He said to Michael with a fierce glare, โGet out of her sight. If I see you anywhere near her, youโll suffer a fate worse than death!โWith that, Vincent turned around and left. His subordinates surrounded Michael soon after.Jackie was leading those men.He was rather straightforward. โListen, we tolerated you because of Ms. Ivanka. Now that she is in trouble, youโd better listen to my boss and leave within an hour. Donโt piss him off.โCertainly, Michael would not listen to him.But as he insisted on staying, he received a call from Rosie.From the moment he had noticed that something was off with Rosie to after he arrived in Mirvania, he had not received a single call from her. The person he had hired to watch over her had not sent him any messages either.This phone call immediately alarmed Michael.Once he answered, Rosieโs old, frail voice rang out in his ear, โWhen are you coming back, Mic? I have
Seeing that, Vincent immediately gave Njord and Stella an order without hesitation.โFind out where his hideout is. I want to make him die a terrible death!โHis bellow of rage rang out.Njord and Stella noticed his grim expression and the fierce glint in his bloodshot eyes.They had been working for Vincent for many years, but neither had seen him so angry. He was even angrier than the time Stella defamed Ivanka!Naturally, Njord and Stella got to work right away.As for Michael, he could hear the commotion at the front door earlier on. After Vincent left and Evan returned to him, Michael asked before Evan even said anything, โWhatโs the matter?โEvan replied with a solemn expression, โItโs Vincent. Heโs here for Ivanka.โHearing that, Michaelโs face instantly darkened.Ivanka had already left. If Vincent showed up to look for her at that hour, it must have meant that something was up with Ivanka!Michael immediately pulled the blanket off himself and tried to get out of bed
Mr. George intercepted Ivanka at the hotel entrance.He had brought some men with him. Ivanka narrowed her eyes.Before she said anything, Mr. George smiled and said, โGreetings, Ms. Lane.โโWhatโs the meaning of this, Mr. George?โ Ivanka knew what he was clearly up to when he brought so many men with him to intercept her. But she was not afraid.Mr. Georgeโs smile broadened. โYouโre a smart girl. I just want to befriend you, and I need your help with something. Do you mind going to the Middle East with me?โHe had a plastic grin on his face as he said that.It was very fake.Ivanka knew the underlying meaning of his โinvitationโ. If she refused, then this โinvitationโ would turn into kidnapping.He would order his men to take her to the Middle East by force.Clearly, Mr. George no longer had reservations about offending Vincent.Ivanka immediately chuckled. โDo you think Iโm here on my own?โโI never assumed that,โ Mr. George smiled as he replied slowly.He stepped forwa
As Michael asked this question, he looked over at Ivanka with his dark eyes.At that moment, he seemed very serious.The firm and determined look in his eyes seemed to imply that he would gladly die for her.Ivanka knew that Michael was in love with her. After all, they had been through so much together.But she still could not get over their unpleasant past.โIf youโre actually looking forward to that, then I wonโt do it. How about that?โ Ivanka snapped and quickly averted her gaze from Michael. After she stopped paying attention to him, she worked a lot faster.Soon, Ivanka started giving Michael a massage and pressing on all the sore spots.Michael did not dare move.It was mostly because he did not want her efforts to be in vain.Seeing the serious look on her face, Michael pressed his lips together and said slowly after seconds of silence, โIf you can vent your anger by chopping off my limbs, then why not? Besides, you wonโt be held accountable for it.โIf Ivanka ever wa
The man in front of Sandy sneered again and strode toward her. Other men followed him.When they all approached her at once, Sandy felt a sense of tension.After all, she was alone in the basement parking lot and facing a bunch of hostile men.โHow dare you!โSandy clenched her fist and shouted at them in a steely voice.โDo you know who I am? Iโm Ivan Yorkโs girlfriendโAhh!โBefore she even finished, someone knocked her out from the back with a bat.Then they put a gunny sack over her head and tossed her into a van.โฆIn a hotel near Kingzillion Casino, Evan brought Ivanka some food and milk tea when he came back.Of course, he bought them because Michael had told him to.Michael thought that Ivanka would not throw these things into the trashcan right in front of him and Evan.But Ivanka glanced at the food and knew that it was Michaelโs idea.As an assistant, Evan would not ask around to figure out what she liked.When Ivanka did not take the food and drink, Evan said t
Since Robinโs dad had chosen a criminal defense lawyer who would represent him for free, he would not agree to switch lawyers.It would be hard for Ivan to persuade him unless Sandy backed down willingly.But based on her current attitude, she was not going to do that.She was such a difficult woman!โYouโre asking me to talk to his dad? You might as well tell me to keep persuading you. Given the situation, you know full well that the man canโt be convinced.โAs he spoke, Ivan heaved a long sigh.Sandy ignored him.Soon, the car arrived at Ivanโs law firm.It was time for him to get out of the car, as he said he would.Sandy did not urge him to get out. She hoped that he would not go back on his own words.Ivan noticed that she did not intend to say anything. There was a cold look on her face.Eventually, he summoned up the courage to put his arm around her neck and pull her closer.โI love you, Sandy. Iโll love you till the end of time!โWith that, he kissed her hard on t