Mandy’s once-beautiful makeup was smudged beyond recognition. It was as embarrassing as it could get.They had planned to sneak away unnoticed and find a room to freshen up.Actually, the crowd was immersed in the joyous atmosphere. No one seemed to notice them.However, Candice, always sharp-eyed, spotted them immediately.After Ivanka finished speaking, it was Candice’s turn to address the crowd.She smiled as she stepped onto the stage. She took the microphone and began by expressing her gratitude to Ivanka. Then, feigning surprise, she looked toward the back of the crowd. “Mr. Clark, Ms. Cruella, what happened to you? Why are you in such a state?”The crowd turned to follow her gaze and spot the disheveled duo.At that moment, Mandy wanted nothing more than to strangle Candice.To make matters worse, the lighting technician, mistaking them for special guests, spotlighted them.It threw their embarrassing state into full view.If not for the inappropriate setting, Mandy mi
Michael had just stepped out of the restroom. To get back into the event, he either needed to take the direct route or make a long detour around half the venue.And yet, this woman was shamelessly occupying the passageway. She seemed completely at ease with inconveniencing others.Mandy flushed, not from coyness, but from sheer embarrassment.Thinking back to her earlier assumptions and behavior, she wished she could disappear into the floor.She whispered, “Sorry,” before stepping aside to clear the way.Michael said nothing, but the disdain in his gaze cut deeper than any words could.Mandy watched as Michael walked straight toward Ivanka.Even when Ivanka was not speaking to him, Michael simply stayed quietly by her side.The sight made Mandy’s grip on her wine glass tighten abruptly. Her eyes flashed with intense jealousy.Her emotions, too intense to contain, did not go unnoticed by Ferris.When Mandy snapped out of her thoughts, she realized Ferris was staring directly
Ivanka sneered and thought to herself. “So this is why the fox is suddenly acting friendly toward the hen. Now their intentions are clear.”Mandy, seizing the moment, raised her glass of red wine. Apologizing was not easy for her, but she convinced herself that everything would return to her favor by the end of the night.She forced herself to say it. “Ms. Ivanka, I was out of line before. Let me toast to you. I hope we can put our past grievances behind us. You’re magnanimous. Please forgive me.”Perhaps imagining Ivanka’s downfall later tonight, Mandy’s lips curled into a smile. It carried just enough of an impression of sincerity to make her words seem genuine.Ivanka smiled and said, “Sure. If you want to come back, just go through the interview process. I won’t stand in your way. But whether or not you can return to the company will depend on your own abilities.”Ferris and Mandy’s faces immediately darkened.Ivanka clearly understood they were asking for Mandy’s reinstateme
Ivanka rarely stayed alone after boarding the boat and spent most of her time on the deck.She was curious to see how Mandy would execute her plan if she did not isolate herself.More than that, anyone bold enough to plot against her must be prepared for the consequences.Under the moonlight, Ivanka held her wine glass and downed its contents in one go. An enigmatic smile lingered on her lips.At first, seeing Ivanka remain on the deck and not return to her cabin made Mandy visibly uneasy.What about the surprise she had prepared for her if she did not go back? Mandy, growing increasingly anxious, turned to Ferris. “Do you think she’s noticed something? What if she traces it back to us?” Her face was pale with fear. It seemed like she was traumatized by the lesson Ivanka had taught her.Watching her panic, Ferris chuckled and patted her shoulder. “Stay calm. We’ve been discreet. How could she possibly figure it out? Even if she suspects something, there’s no evidence to prove w
Mandy lost consciousness and collapsed to the floor.When she woke up, she found herself in an unfamiliar room.Could someone please explain why a man was lying beside her?It was not just any man, it was the very one she had arranged to send to Ivanka’s room!Although she could tell she had not been violated, the sight of herself and a man not fully dressed in the same room was a disaster waiting to happen if anyone saw them.Suppressing the urge to strangle the man, Mandy tried to wake him up.However, he too had been drugged and would not wake up no matter how hard she tried.Sweat poured down Mandy’s forehead in large beads.Just then, the sound of footsteps echoed from the hallway. Like a startled bird, she frantically searched for a place to hide.As the footsteps grew closer, she had no time to think and quickly darted into the closet.Outside, she heard Ferris’s voice accompanied by a woman’s, one she did not recognize.Ferris’s tone dripped with lust. “I’ve missed y
Ferris, irritated by the chaos, opened the door to step out for some air and think of a solution.As soon as he opened it, he came face-to-face with Ivanka.To be precise, she had a group of people with her.Ferris cursed inwardly.Instinctively, Ferris tried to close the door. He knew full well that the mess would reflect poorly on him no matter how it unfolded.However, Candice was not about to let him have his way.It was all part of the plan, after all.Just as the door was about to close, Candice slipped inside.“Oh my!” Candice exclaimed. She covered her mouth with an exaggerated look of surprise.Ivanka feigned confusion and asked, “What’s going on?”She stepped forward as if to check, but Ferris quickly blocked her path.His face darkened. “Just a personal matter, Ms. Ivanka. There’s no need to trouble you with it.” His eyes flicked nervously toward the people standing behind her.If they saw what was inside, things would spiral out of control.Forcing a strained s
There was another version of the story closer to the truth. Allegedly, Mandy had slept with some man in Ferris’ room.Meanwhile, Ferris cheated on her with his female secretary.When the four of them ran into each other, tension broke out.Mandy got jealous and started fighting the female secretary, who was an intern.Ferris could not talk some sense into her, so he had no choice but to leave the room and get a breather.He had not expected to be discovered that way.Of course, Ivanka was partly responsible for this version of the rumor.She would not let Ferris appear faultless and innocent in the rumors.She looked forward to seeing how he explained himself to his wife.In the meantime, after Mandy calmed down in Ferris’ room, she did not dare to face what came next.Ferris had sent the female intern away a while ago. Once he and Mandy cooled down, they realized Ivanka had set them up.Candice’s phone was on the table. She must have dropped it when she eavesdropped on them
On the cruise, Mandy was a little shocked when she saw Michael leap into the sea. She wanted to save him and tossed a lifebuoy off the deck.It was attached to a rope, which meant that if Mandy pulled it, Michael would be dragged onto the cruise.But Michael wanted to save Ivanka, so he put the lifebuoy on her.Mandy hesitated.Ferris had told Mandy that Ivanka knew how to swim. Therefore, Mandy had not intended to let her drown. Of course, it would be ideal if Ivanka drowned. But even if she survived, it would have been a humiliating experience for her.However, Ivanka suddenly had a cramp for some reason and almost drowned in the sea.Seeing that, Mandy thought that she lucked out.Who would have thought that Michael would show up and ruin her plan?“Pull her up!” Michael held onto the lifebuoy and shouted at the people on the cruise.Deep down, Mandy was conflicted.But the commotion had drawn some people from other parts of the cruise.Hearing their approaching footste
By the time Ivanka and Michael got off the plane at Mirvania, it was already 9 p.m. Before boarding the plane, Ivanka had WhatsApped Vincent. Therefore, the moment they got off the plane, Vincent had Njord to pick them up. They saw Njord immediately after getting off the plane. The moment Njord spotted Michael behind Ivanka, his expression instantly turned black. Njord recalled how Michael had schemed him before this. “Why are you coming with Ms. Lane? Ms. Lane, have you hired him as your bodyguard?” Njord cussed at Michael before asking Ivanka. Ivanka was aware of the grudges between Njord and Michael. But since Njord came with a group of people, Ivanka looked solemn and rebuked him, “He’s my friend. Njord, you can’t say that to him.” “Ms. Lane, if he’s truly your friend, I’ll naturally show him my respect. But the truth is, after being with you for such a long time at the casino, how can a person like him be considered your friend?” Njord said without hesitation when ment
“Got it.” Chiara behaved submissively in front of Jonah. Jonah swept her a cool glance and did not reply to her. Their meeting with Margaret had ended up unhappily. Little did they know that right after Chiara left, Laura came. Compared to Chiara, Laura, at least, genuinely loved Jonah, and Margaret knew it. In the past, Margaret did not entertain her. This time, she allowed Laura to enter the house. This gave Laura false hope. She asked, “Aunt Margaret, are you willing to accept me?” “To be frank with you, if not for the fact of Jonah’s current condition, I wouldn’t have accepted you. I’ve only allowed you to enter the house because I’ve some questions for you.” Margaret spoke without hesitation. Her tone was cold. Laura looked at Margaret in puzzlement. “Aunt Margaret, what do you want to ask me?” Laura’s gaze was filled with expectancy. Margaret pursed her lips. Then she said coolly, “You’ve fallen head over heels for Jonah, haven’t you? Since you love him, could
Margaret had always wanted a daughter-in-law. Besides, the girl had to come from a wealthy family. Jonah had done so according to her will and took Chiara home, but Margaret refused to accept her. “I want a genuine couple relationship. What are you guys doing now?” Margaret’s expression was dark and cool. She took a step toward Jonah and did not even glance at Chiara. Chiara knew it was better to fall silent at that moment. Jonah said calmly, “We’re in a genuine relationship. She needs a husband. I need a wife. Would our union cast any doubt?” Melanie had just reunited with her family. Her family did not favor her, and she had to be hidden behind the scenes all the time. As for Jonah, he was a cripple who was bound to a wheelchair. He believed no one would object to the two of them getting together. On top of that, he was just using Chiara. “Indeed, no one will doubt your relationship. But I know what you’re thinking. I don’t mind the fact that you’re using her to stop
Sandy pushed Ivan away. But she still held his flowers in her arms. It was a bouquet of pink roses. Pink was her favorite color. The bag he gave to her contained her favorite food. Ivan had put in extra effort. “Think about it carefully. I’ll come again tomorrow.” Right after Ivan finished his sentence, he turned around. Looking at his gifts, Sandy felt a surge of indescribable bitterness in her heart. She did not throw his gifts away. After all, Ivan gave them to her out of his kind gesture. Sandy carried the gifts back to the office. Anna instantly spotted her. Anna raised one of her eyebrows and chuckled. “Did Young Master Ivan give them to you?” Sandy only had Ivan as her male friend. She did not deny it. Nonetheless, Anna noticed Sandy’s dull expression. Anna hesitated first before asking, “Is there any problem between you and Ivan? You don’t look happy. Is your family objecting to your relationship with him?” Sandy and Ivan had always been a quarrelsome but lo
Sandy fell silent. She looked resigned and replied to Ivan honestly, “I can’t possibly allow you to pester me for the rest of my life. My family is urging me to get married soon. With you pestering me, I think I should marry somebody else to end all this once and for all.” “Do you think I would allow that to happen?” While saying this, Ivan took a step forward. His expression darkened. He exuded an intense sense of hostility like the most horrifying creature emerging from hell. Ivan’s murderous look seemed to state that he would go to the extent of stealing the bride at Sandy’s wedding ceremony if he was not the bridegroom that day. On top of that, he gave an impression as though Sandy would either be his bride or a ghost bride. Seeing Ivan in his current demeanor, Sandy did not know if she should laugh or cry. Prior to that, she was worried that Ivan was just using her. At that moment, she finally realized the disparity of status between them. Ivanka had always believed that m
In the past, Ivan did not understand the conflicts between his parents. He thought his mother had been so cruel that she cheated on his father and abandoned him. Later, Ivan learned his mother had not been the one at fault. So, a heartless sc*m like his father was not in the position to rebuke him. If not for his parents, Ivan would not have let himself go wild and had so many girlfriends. Reuben York sounded indifferent. He made himself clear by saying, “You should, at least, marry someone with a clean background and whose parents are still around so that they could assist you—” “Does that mean I need to accept an arranged marriage by you? I’m not your only child, you can instill your way of thinking on your other children!” Right after Ivan finished his sentence, he hung up. His expression turned dark. The next moment, he accelerated the speed of his car. He carried a bouquet of flowers and Sandy’s favorite food when he showed up in front of her. For a moment, Sandy was
Ivan had not lived with his mother for a long time. Meanwhile, Sandy was her adopted daughter and the direct heir to her estate. Legally, the necklace could be considered part of that inheritance.Following that logic, Ivan had no right to speak on the matter.But to him, Sandy was just an adopted daughter. He was the biological son. Their separation had been caused by a misunderstanding. Since the truth was out, it was only natural for him to take back his mother’s belongings.If things went to court, it would be a battle between them. Both had an equal claim.By blood, Ivan had an undeniable advantage.From the way he spoke, Sandy could hear his confidence and condescension. She knew exactly what he was implying. He was prepared to fight her for the inheritance. But things had not escalated to that point yet.Even if they did, she had no fear of going to court with him. In fact, she was ready to fight.“Ivan, Mom left it to me. She never said it was for you. Whatever happened
Sandy heard the same automated response as the one on Ivanka’s phone.Did that mean they had all left together?Realizing this, she did not press Candice further. Instead, she smiled casually. “It’s nothing. Get back to work. I’ll head out now.”As she turned to leave, she pulled out her phone and sent Ivanka a message.Sandy: Call me when you turn your phone back on. Just as she was about to get in her car, her uncle, Thomas, walked up to her.The moment he saw her, he frowned. “Still upset?”“Uncle, I don’t want to think or talk about it. If you’d been through what I have, you wouldn’t be trying to change my mind.”Addressing him as “Uncle” was Sandy’s way of maintaining politeness while creating emotional distance. She hoped Thomas would get the hint and back off.Thomas was caught off guard. He fell silent and was unsure how to respond.Before he could, Sandy got in her car.On her way out of the law firm, her phone rang. It was Ivan. “My baby, Sandy, where are you?”
Chiara’s tone was sharp. Her eyes darkened with determination.James noticed. So did Jonah.Jonah snapped out of his thoughts. Chiara was trying too hard to prove herself. It was clear she wanted to use him to elevate her own status.Fine. He would let her think she was winning only to watch her fall even harder.“They’re just regular people. They aren’t worth your energy,” Jonah said. “Let’s go home and see my mom first. Tomorrow, I’ll visit yours.” He had already made all the arrangements.Chiara had no objections.Even so, she sent Katiana a message.Katiana replied right away.Katiana: Since he’s coming, I’ll gather the whole family. You’ve finally brought some honor to us. Just do your part, and I’ll handle everything else.Chiara was not surprised that Katiana would invite the entire Levine family. As the second daughter of the Levine family, she had always been under scrutiny. Katiana had pinned all her hopes on her. Katiana wanted her to make a name for herself and sec