In the second round of the competition, Michael was matched against Doska.When Doska heard the news, he was so thrilled he nearly jumped for joy.He stared at Michael with eyes filled with hostility. He was eager to begin.Michael, however, paid no mind.It was not just a match Doska had been waiting for. Michael had been anticipating it as well. It was time to settle some matters.As the referee announced the start of the match, both men prepared to enter the arena.Before Michael stepped onto the stage, Ivanka called out to him.“Be careful later.”Michael looked at her with puzzlement. “Don’t you trust me?”Ivanka rolled her eyes. “I’m telling you to be careful not to kill the guy. Mdm. Wright is still here, after all.”Hearing this, Michael glanced at the worried-looking Mdm. Wright sitting on the sidelines. He nodded to show he understood.When they went on stage, Doska’s voice dripped with jealousy as he said, “Ivanka is being so nice to you now. You’d better enjo
Although everyone was puzzled by the sudden change, they chose to comply.It also gave Michael a day to relax and recover.Hand in hand with Ivanka, they walked back home. They looked like a perfect pair, as if they were made for each other.Behind them, Anais’s eyes fixed on their backs. She silently made up her mind about something.Later that evening, Anais sought out Ivanka and Michael. Whatever she said to them remained unknown, but she stayed for quite some time before leaving late into the night.When she finally walked away, her steps were light. The gloom she had carried earlier seemed to have lifted entirely.The next day, all the finalists gathered as instructed in the village chief’s courtyard.The referee arrived late, only to tell everyone to stay put and wait. He promised to return shortly.However, as the hours passed, the referee never came back.Morning turned into evening, yet they were left waiting with no further instructions.During this time, three in
Could it really be a contest of who ate the most?The idea was absurd.As the crowd exchanged shocked and incredulous looks, Matthias snorted before explaining.“You all know that the Heroes Meeting changes every year, and this year is especially unique. This time, the champion of the Heroes Meeting will not only be granted a request of their choosing, but they will also marry my precious daughter and become the next village chief.”Michael’s heart skipped a beat. Even though he had been forewarned, the sheer bluntness of the arrangement still managed to shock him.“You all performed well, at least in the first two rounds. But in this final test, only one person stood out.” He pointed at Michael.Michael sat there with his back straight and unwavering under the scrutiny of the crowd. He seemed unfazed by being in the spotlight as if he were entirely accustomed to it.His calm demeanor, devoid of any noticeable reaction, only made Matthias feel more conflicted.“Why, Chief? What
Matthias snorted. “She’s nothing more than a dumb pretty girl.”“She’s not,” Michael retorted without hesitation. The quick rebuttal only deepened Matthias’s displeasure.After finally finding a promising candidate, discovering he was a lovestruck guy was hard to accept.Matthias tried both persuasion and coercion, reasoning and admonishment, but Michael refused to budge.Every time, Michael gave the same response.“I’m not good enough. I’m not worthy of Anais.”Matthias was so exasperated that his face turned red.Before Matthias could explode in anger, Michael fixed his gaze on him and spoke earnestly.“Before the finals, I knew this test would be different. Anais was the one who told me.”Hearing Anais’s name, Matthias’s demeanor softened immediately. His agitation faded.Had Anais tipped Michael off about today’s test?No, it could not be.For the sake of fairness, Matthias had not told anyone about the test. Even the referee had only learned about the true nature of
“Fine, fine.” He glanced at the couple standing before him, then at his daughter sobbing in his arms.Everyone in the village knew that Matthias doted on Anais more than anything else.In the end, he relented.“My health can hold out until the next Heroes Meeting. My precious daughter will wait for a true hero to marry,” Matthias said and patted Anais’s hand gently in reassurance.Anais nodded and signaled that she was okay.She had finally come to terms with everything.In the past, she had been highly pampered. She had been too willful while blinded by her own privilege and was unable to see herself clearly.Ivanka, on the other hand, was admirable. She was brave, intelligent, and kind-hearted.Anais had once witnessed Ivanka tending to an injured wild rabbit. It was at that moment she completely changed her view of her.Would someone who cared enough to save a wounded rabbit be a bad person?If Ivanka was not a bad person, then why had Anais felt the need to oppose her s
Ivanka and Michael ultimately failed to reach an agreement with Matthias.Anais tried to intercede, but she was taken away by Matthias before she could say anything further.Ivanka and Michael returned home together.Mdm. Wright had prepared a full table of food. Seeing them enter, she warmly greeted them, “Come, sit down and eat.”Noticing the expressions on their faces, she assumed they had not won the championship and chose not to bring up the subject.They could not enjoy the dinner, as each of them was lost in their own thoughts. After finishing, Mdm. Wright set down her spoon and offered some heartfelt advice. “Sometimes, letting things take their natural course is the best option. As long as you’ve tried your best, regardless of the outcome, you should have no regrets.”Michael and Ivanka understood her message. It was a reminder that some things simply could not be forced.However, how could they easily let it go when they were so close to their goal?Ivanka managed a
On the boat, there were also two young girls and a burly man.Ivanka recognized him as the village’s best swimmer and most skilled sailor.She guessed this arrangement must have been Michael’s doing.If Matthias had wanted to monitor her closely, he could have sent anyone along. There was no need to assign the village’s top sailor.The two young girls were the sailor’s children.When Ivanka woke up, they rushed over. They spoke in slightly broken English, “You’re awake! Are you okay?”The girls were clearly fond of Ivanka for no other reason than that she was beautiful.People were naturally drawn to beauty.Ivanka, unused to their concern, simply shook her head.“I’m fine. I just need a moment alone.”Though a little disappointed, the girls did not press her. They nodded. They respected her need for space and left the room.Ivanka’s hands trembled as she picked up the envelope. Inside was Michael’s handwriting, one she knew all too well.[I’m sorry for lying to you. By the
Who would have thought that Candice would actually agree to the arrangement?No matter how often Mandy made things difficult for her, Candice had pulled through and stayed in the company all this time.She had even barged into the meeting room.They could have kicked Candice out, but doing so would have made them look suspicious, as if they had something to hide.In truth, they did have something to hide.Ferris shot Candice an impatient glance. “Board meetings are scheduled according to our schedules, so what if we decide to hold the meeting sooner or later? Ms. Ivanka has already passed away. Naturally, it’s up to the living to run the company properly. Why are you against that? Do you think she would want to see Lane’s Group close down shortly after her death?”Seeing how self-righteous he was, Candice wanted to cuss him out.“All I know is that Ms. Ivanka would never want to see her company end up in your clutch because you’re a sc*mbag!”At that point, Ferris was truly enr
This must surely be what it meant by family ties were the strongest. Ivanka nodded. Her eyes stung. “It has indeed been a long time since I’ve seen you, Uncle. Why did you ask me here?” Nothing had changed in the casino. There were plenty of people by her uncle’s side. He seemed well and was in high spirits. Even that big Tibetan Mastiff wagged its tail and came up when it saw her. Throughout the whole trip here, Ivanka had thought about it and kept this matter at the forefront of her mind, yet she could not understand and was also anxious. “I can take you back this time because of your mom’s matter. I think there are some things you should know. Knowing will be better than your current situation. I can’t just watch you continue to be influenced by Michael,” Vincent said seriously. At first, Ivanka had said that she wanted to look into it. Also, she meant that there were still some things in Bostone that had not been dealt with. So, he had let her go back. Yet what happe
Regarding Michael’s previous scheme against Njord, he knew Njord was still angry with him. Therefore, when Njord cussed at Michael in front of the crowd, Michael decided to compromise the situation. But since Njord proposed to have a duel with him, he would not allow somebody else’s subordinate to flaunt by overwhelming him. On top of that, he would not allow anyone to look down on him like this. Njord refused to give up. He rose, then charged at Michael and attacked him. Since Michael was able to take him down in the first round, he was able to prevail against Njord again in the second round. As a result, Njord was knocked to the ground. He lost the energy to get up again. Meanwhile, Michael bent slightly in front of Njord. Michael looked down at him and smirked. “I know you’re very angry with me. But you’ve been working under Vincent for so many years, don’t you still get it?” That was, one had to create an opportunity. If one lacked the capital, no matter how great t
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