Smack!A divorce agreement was thrown before Ivanka Lane.“Your sister is awake. I’ve promised her that there won’t be another Mrs. Barkworth as long as she’s alive.“Ivanka, sign the papers. We’re getting a divorce.”Ivanka’s cousin had regained consciousness this month. Since then, Ivanka had known this day would come. Ivanka looked up and, her bitterness was clear. “You still don’t trust me even to this day, do you?”Michael Barkworth snorted. “You’ve been a materialistic woman from beginning to end. Why should I trust you?“Ivanka, I hate repeating myself. Just sign the papers. This mansion is yours, as a final show of respect!” A hint of mockery flashed in Ivanka’s eyes. She thought. “Hmph! Therefore, he thinks he is being merciful by sparing some of his assets for me in the divorce?”She took the divorce agreement and saw his signature at the end of it. Calmly, Ivanka asked, “Do you think Grandma will agree to this?”“Do you think that Grandma can provide you with en
“I can’t accept the case?” Ivanka sat down on a couch. Suki nodded with a sigh. Ivanka raised one of her eyebrows. “Tell me why.”“Because…”Suki told Ivanka about the case. Ivanka placed one of her hands on her left thigh. Her fingers twitched. Her brown eyes lit up. “That’s interesting. Who are the parties involved?”“It’s pointless even if you find them out…”Ivanka looked up and saw Suki falling silent.“Both parties are leading figures in the commercial arena. A lot of issues are involved in this case, hence both parties decided to turn against each other. Mr. Sadler requested your help, but his opponent is…” Suki heaved a sigh. “We’re losing an immense sum of commission,” said Suki heart-wrenchingly. “His opponent is your husband!”For a moment, Ivanka could not quite breathe calmly. Suki clutched her heart and said with difficulty, “It seems that this case is not meant for us. It’s torture to see such a large sum of money slip from our grasp.”Meanwhile, Ivanka played w
The man wore a black suit. He looked noble.The two sat opposite each other. He looked gentle as he spoke to Chiara.Ivanka smirked to herself. ‘What a coincidence!’Suki was puzzled. She turned toward in the direction where Ivanka was looking. Suki looked troubled when she saw the duo. “Why are they here too?!”Suki had spoken with so much agitation that Michael turned to look at them. His gaze turned razor-sharp when he saw Ivanka and Suki, and he thought. “No wonder she signed the papers without hesitation and even gave up the mansion. It looks like she’s trying to play hard to get.”Ivanka drew in a deep breath. She thought her next meeting with Michael would be on the day they registered their divorce at the City Hall. She did not expect to see him so much earlier in the restaurant.Ivanka met his gaze and turned away indifferently before dragging Suki to leave.Just then, they heard a voice calling in surprise, “Iv, there you are!”Ivanka turned around and saw Chiara. She
For a moment, Chiara held her cutlery even more tightly. Michael told her that he and Ivanka had gotten a divorce, but they had yet to collect their divorce certificate even though it had been so long!No way, Chiara must not let her efforts go in vain!She said solemnly, “Don’t do that. Why did you two decide to get a divorce so suddenly? Iv, there’s nothing between Mic and me. Why won’t you trust him? If you dislike seeing me around him, I will stop keeping in touch with him in the future.”As Chiara was speaking, she turned to Michael and said seriously, “Even if Iv wants to leave you, I shouldn’t stick my nose into your business and causing you two to split up. Mic, women are very easily pleased. Say some nice things to her, and she won’t ask for a divorce anymore.”Ivanka narrowed her eyes and thought. “She has such a way with words. She’s basically saying that it’s a shame to be dumped by a woman and that I’m throwing a tantrum and that I’d be scared if he really files for
The hostility in Michael’s eyes was so great that it looked like he was about to kill her with his gaze alone. He then left without a single word.Chiara’s lips curled upward. Her poise was one of elegance and regality.Unbothered, Ivanka looked away and continued the discussion with Flint.After the discussion was over, Ivanka called a cab.She touched her neck habitually, and her expression changed suddenly.Where did her necklace go?!“Sir, please turn around and go back to the Imperial Mansion.”She must have been in a hurry to leave and forgot to put it on.After an hour, Ivanka entered the mansion.The moment she entered the bedroom, Michael was already standing before her dresser. He was lost in his thoughts as he examined his watch.Ivanka was puzzled. Over the past three years of their marriage, he had never entered their bedroom. Today, he was looking at the watch that she once gave him. He used to despise the watch and threw it on the floor. Ivanka was the one wh
It took a little over an hour before Ivanka arrived at the Barkworth family’s mansion. She felt conflicted. As soon as they entered the mansion, they heard a cry of excitement. “Iv, my beloved granddaughter-in-law! Come and sit with me. I’ve been longing to see you day and night. Oh, you’re finally here!”Ivanka’s mask of calm cracked, and she could no longer hide the complicated emotions in her eyes. She forced a smile. “Grandma, I’m sorry. I’ve been busy—”Before she finished speaking, Rosie Johanson patted her hand gently and said softly, “Say no more. I know of all your troubles.”Ivanka instinctively looked at Rosie. In her puzzlement, she asked tentatively, “You… know everything?”That was impossible. If Grandma had known about their divorce, she would not talk to Ivanka in this manner.Michael also stared at Rosie in puzzlement.Rosie glared at Michael. Her heart ached for Ivanka as she spoke gently to her, “Yes, I know everything. Mic has absolutely stepped out of line.
Ivanka gave Michael a sarcastic smile. She knew that he must be thinking that she complained about him to Rosie.In the past, Ivanka had tried to avoid having Michael misunderstand her. But now… hah!Even if he misunderstood her, it no longer mattered to her.It was not as if it would do any harm to her.“What’re you staring at?! Iv is not the one who snitched on you. You’re the one who saunters to the hospital every single day and don’t even bother going home. Do you think I’m blind?!”Michael pursed his lips and remained silent.Rosia continued nagging at Michael throughout dinner and did not show him the slightest bit of mercy.Meanwhile, Ivanka was happy to see this. In fact, she felt as if she had vented her anger. Ivanka chatted with Rosie a little longer before she left the mansion with Michael.But this put Ivanka on the spot.Grandma was unaware that they had divorced, so she had to get into Michael’s car.However, she no longer wanted to have any sort of contact w
Michael gnashed his teeth and hissed, “Ivanka…!”Ivanka smirked. She turned into a corner without looking back. Then, she went down the hill through a path that could only fit one person.After some time, she reached a large road. By then, Michael’s car was out of sight, and Ivanka felt relieved.She wrapped her arms around herself and walked under the moonlight and streetlights. The grass was green, and everything appeared to be at peace.She heard the sound of insects. In the past, she was usually in a hurry whenever she passed by the place. She hardly had the time to take a stroll and admire the panoramic view like today. She waited for a while before the cab arrived. Once it sent her home, Ivanka took her bath and felt refreshed.Although she had been living alone in the past as well as the present, she felt an indescribable sense of relaxation at present. In the past, she always had Michael in her mind. Yet now, she could focus on her career. However, she could not help but
“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
Ivanka noticed that the distance between the both of them were a little too close. She moved a little to the side as a form of silent resistance to Micheal’s behavior.Michael only felt lonely for a moment. But he then quickly returned to normal as if nothing had happened.“Candice hasn’t finished giving her statement yet. I know you have to keep her company today, but I don’t agree that you should just sleep here. I’ve booked a hotel in the neighborhood. In a moment, I’ll explain to the people from the police station and send the two of you there.” Ivanka seemed to be a little hesitant.Michael said, “It’s just nearby. It’s about a kilometre away. I’ve reserved two rooms. So, if we need to rush over at night, we can just come over together again. Besides, if you sleep in the lounge for the night, both of you will catch a cold.”Ivanka hesitated and finally nodded.She thanked him and turned to go into the lounge to wake Candice up.Michael’s voice called out from behind her.
The two looked at each other and spoke a name. “Ferris Clark.”“Ferris Clark.” Michael laughed first. Ivanka followed suit. “Speaking of which, it actually has something to do with me. When Candice came, everyone knew I brought her in. When she first came in because she did not have any experience, she was only offered a position as an intern team leader. She thought that she would be transferred to a permanent position after she did a good job. But her report never passed after that. It was stuck in Ferris’s hands. “I will go to the board of directors tomorrow and continue to submit the report. This time it will have to be passed no matter what. I will also take the opportunity to find an excuse to test Ferris. If it’s really him…” Ivanka did not finish speaking, but the ferocity in her eyes made Michael silently pray for Ferris in his heart.Ivanka changed her tone. “But if it’s not someone from Bostone, then we have to consider someone else.”The tacit understanding betwe