Ivanka raised her eyebrows in disbelief.“We’ll each take what we need. You fight for leniency, and I’ll help you with Mrs. Clark. As for your final outcome, it’s up to you.”Ivanka stood up and patted the dust off her body. “Think about it.” After saying that, she left with Michael.Leaving Mandy to fret over those photos alone.After leaving the visiting room, Ivanka ran right into Jolie.It could be a case of the world not being big enough.When Jolie saw Ivanka, her eyes flashed with scorn and resentment.No matter what, Ferris was still her husband. Not only did Ivanka send Ferris behind bars, but she also clearly wanted to intervene.Naturally, Jolie would not give her any grace.Ivanka was not afraid of her either and politely nodded toward her as a greeting.Then she took Michael with her and got ready to leave. Just then, Jolie’s line of sight also landed on Michael. She smiled coldly.No wonder. No wonder such a little girl managed to force Ferris into this situa
Ivanka nodded her head, it was not easy to send away that troublemaker Michael.Michael did not forget to “catch up” with Jolie when she left.“I wonder how Mdm. Clark has been doing recently. Grandma misses her. We will definitely pay a visit some other time.”Jolie understood the threat in Michael’s words. Her smile froze momentarily, then quickly returned to its natural state.“Then I’ll be waiting for you.”Michael did not say anything and left the police station.After watching Michael’s silhouette leave, Jolie said ignorantly. “Your relationship with Mr. Barkworth is pretty good.”To others, the two were divorced.Ivanka felt that her words were prickly. She felt uncomfortable when she heard this; it pierced her ears.She was not a pushover either and sneered back. “Not as good as your relationship with Mr. Clark.”Jolie’s smile froze all of a sudden.Why did she appear here today? All because Ferris kicked his mistress’s child.Ferris and his mistress were even locke
“As for husband and wife, if they have been separated for a long time, why do they have to suffer just to keep it up? Marriage is not something you do alone.”“Your words are very touching, but I do not agree.”Ivanka’s words had some truth in them.She wanted to persuade Jolie as well.Unfortunately, Jolie did not appreciate it and only felt that Ivanka was humiliating her. She was making her deepest heartfelt wounds public and then constantly rubbing salt into them.When she saw nothing worked on Ivanka, Jolie could no longer keep her composure.So Jolie put everything on the table too. She pushed the mocha away. “Ms. Ivanka, this is my family’s family issue. Did you have to come and get involved?”When she saw that Jolie was no longer acting anymore. Ivanka did not feel pressured to hold back anymore. She put down her cup and her eyes were filled with viciousness.“Mrs. Clark, getting to this position was not easy for me. I’ve always held a single belief all along the wa
Michael did not take long to send over the location.Ivanka glanced at it, confirmed the general location, and drove there.She arrived at the place. It was a shopping mall.Michael stood outside the mall waiting for her. He grinned once he saw Ivanka arrive.He attracted frequent glances from the surrounding people.Michael’s appearance was exceptional. While he waited outside for Ivanka, people kept staring at him. However, Michael looked cold and icy when he did not smile, which helped him prevent a lot of flirting.Of course, some girls were still brave enough to chase after their love and rushed up to ask for Michael’s contact information. They were sent back when Michael replied, “I already have a wife.” Others wanted to see what kind of beauty this handsome man’s partner was.After meeting Ivanka, only did they realize what a match made in heaven meant.The two of them were such a good match in both appearance and temperament. When she saw Michael Ivanka’s gloom fr
An unusual feeling lingered.Accepting this bouquet of roses felt like agreeing to Michael’s request. It was as if she had agreed to a date.Ivanka felt pressure on that thought.She said, “If these roses are given purely as a gesture of friendship, I’ll accept them. But Mr. Barkworth, if these mean something else, I’m afraid I must decline.”Ivanka was straightforward and honest.Until she had sorted out her feelings for him and whether or not to take their relationship further, she did not want to do anything that might cross boundaries or lead Michael on.A relationship that began in ambiguity would inevitably end the same way.She did not want that.Michael’s disappointment was evident, though fleeting. He chose not to dwell on it.Despite his slight sadness, he smiled calmly and said, “It’s a gift between friends. Please accept it without any worries.”Michael chose to change the subject.He said casually, “I bought movie tickets. Want to go together?”Ivanka, still ho
He looked genuinely content, so much so that Ivanka could not find the right words to say for a moment.“Actually, you don’t have to do this.”Michael was proud, accomplished, and always carried himself with an air of invincibility.Though he clearly did not know much about dating, not even his assistant Evan had any advice. So, in desperation, he had resorted to scouring the internet for date ideas.Ivanka saw through it, but she chose not to call him out.There was a certain warmth in being cared for and liked so earnestly, even if it was awkwardly executed.Still, she did not want the usually untouchable Michael to lose sight of himself in the process.Ivanka’s smile softened. Then the amusement in her expression slowly faded away.Ivanka took the plush toy from Michael’s hands and handed it to a nearby child who had been waiting impatiently for a turn at the claw machine. His eyes had been glued longingly to the toys inside.The child let out a joyful cheer upon receiving
The owner brought over a plate of freshly grilled barbecue.Everything looked delicious and tempting: cheese-stuffed mushrooms, grilled zucchini, roasted potatoes, lamb skewers, and bacon-wrapped shrimp.Ivanka handed the disposable cutleries to Michael.Michael hesitated for a moment before taking them. He glanced at Ivanka.She gestured toward the platter of barbecue. “Sandy and I found this little gem of a barbecue joint. Give it a try. It’s surprisingly clean for a place like this. There’s no greasy mess everywhere.”She had wiped the table earlier because she thought Michael might not be used to this kind of setting.Michael looked around and took in the surroundings. She was right.There were no drunk men shouting, clinking glasses, or overly loud, rowdy patrons.Nor was it coated in grease, with trash and leftovers strewn all over the floor.It was, surprisingly, quite tidy.Michael nodded. He picked up a piece of grilled lamb and placed it in his mouth.It was noth
The next morning, when Ivanka woke up, she found herself lying in her bed at home. For a moment, she was dazed.As her memory clicked into place, she recalled that Michael had brought her back.Thinking about everything that happened the day before, Ivanka rubbed her head and paused. Instead of getting up immediately, she turned her gaze toward the window.Sunlight streamed in. It made her squint against its brightness.It was not until she heard Michael’s voice from outside the room that she snapped back to reality.“Are you awake? If you’re up, come down for breakfast.”Ivanka responded with a soft “okay,” tossed the blanket aside, slid into her slippers, and went to the bathroom to freshen up.When she arrived at the dining room, Michael had already laid out a full spread of food.They were all her favorites.Michael noticed her coming down and pulled out a chair for her.“Have a seat.”Ivanka thanked him and sat down.She glanced at the table filled with food that looke
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