The doorbell rang.Ivanka came back with Michael. Though he had not stayed with her, the timing of the visit made perfect sense, given his personality.With little patience, she pulled the door open.“Iv, you’re home!”There was a cheerful voice. The sight of the person at the door took her by surprise.“Grandma? What brings you here?”Rosie’s sudden visit left Ivanka puzzled, especially since she had not told her before coming and because she had treated her really coldly before this. Something was off, but Ivanka decided to just roll with it for the time being while observing Rosie.“I came to drop off some things for that brat, Michael. I figured I’d check if you were home as well. I had a tiny bit of hope and luck on my side, and luckily, here you are.”Ivanka’s eyes fell on the insulated food container Rosie was carrying.Ivanka welcomed Rosie inside. “Grandma, I actually just got back not too long ago. Did you get everything sorted for Michael?”“Mmm, I had Evan take ca
Rosie wasted no time bringing up Michael.She knew that they needed the right opportunity to be back together.Ivanka shook her head. “Grandma, it’s not work-related. It’s just a personal matter. I have to pack now, but thank you for the chicken soup.”As she spoke, she walked over.She was debating whether to have Rosie take the soup back with her. With everything on her mind and how suspiciously Rosie was acting, she had no appetite for it. At the same time, she did not want to waste Rosie’s thoughtful gesture.After a moment of hesitation, she opened the insulated container. The rich aroma of the chicken soup immediately filled the air.Taking a small sip, she found it light yet flavorful. Seeing Ivanka drink the soup so contentedly, Rosie was more than pleased. “Iv, if you like it, just come over anytime! And if you’re too busy, I’ll bring it to you myself. This is from my own free-range fowls. They are much better than those store-bought ones raised on feed. The meat is fi
Ivanka fell into a brief silence at Rosie’s words.Michael and she had been through a lot together and were constantly by each other’s side. To outsiders, it must have seemed like they had rekindled their relationship.If she had not seen what Chiara had written, she might have started believing it herself.Ivanka quickly pulled herself out of those thoughts. She smiled and said, “Grandma, I really think it’s best for me and Michael to just be friends. You see, we’ve been married once, and being husband and wife wasn’t nearly as easy as just being friends. We’ve tried and failed. Why go through that struggle again? Anyway, your chicken soup is really delicious. I mean it. I’m not trying to rush you out, but I do need to get going. Why don’t you head over to Michael’s place?”Ivanka really needed to pack. Leaving Rosie alone while she did so did not feel right. That was why she said what she did.However, to Rosie, it was a first.A wave of disappointment, sadness, and bitterness
“Grandma, I’m heading over to her place now.”Rosie simply stepped aside in silence.Meanwhile, at Ivanka’s apartment, she had left the door slightly ajar after seeing Rosie out, since she was busy packing and would be leaving soon.That small detail gave Michael the perfect opportunity to walk right in.Noticing the slightly open door, he pushed it open and stepped inside.Ivanka was placing things into her suitcase.“Are you going to Mirvania?”Michael’s voice was low and raspy.The sudden sound startled Ivanka so much that a chill ran down her spine. Her heart pounded in her chest before she turned around and saw that it was just him. Slowly, her heartbeat returned to normal.She shot him an annoyed glare. “Michael, are you trying to give me a heart attack?”“Not at all. Your door wasn’t properly shut,” Michael explained matter-of-factly how he had gotten in.Ivanka was not actually blaming him for that.Just as Ivanka was about to say something else, she stopped herself
Michael frowned deeply.Ivanka retorted, “When I say you’re being childish, I mean you’re acting on impulse without thinking things through. Michael, I don’t need you to come with me. I have my own arrangements.”“And what arrangements could you possibly have? Have you forgotten how close you were to getting into serious trouble at the casino last time?” The moment he brought up that incident, his expression turned deadly serious.That time, he had taken two bullets for her.In that casino, Tanya had even worn her face to scheme against him. There had been Mr. George, Alexander, and that woman by Alexander’s side.There was also the involvement of the Hicks family.Vincent had called. However, given her uncle’s status in Mirvania, it was impossible for him to have been threatened into making this call. Could someone have set him up? Could it have been a voice simulation?The thought sent Ivanka on high alert. Without wasting another second, she immediately redialed his number.
Rosie spoke with a smile. “Don’t you worry, the driver took me here. Besides, even if you’re not around, I still have Candice with me.” “Okay, remember to have meals and rest on time,” Michael reminded her because he was still worried.Rosie nodded and left happily.Michael and Ivanka did not bring much with them. Moreover, Evan had arranged their private flight at the last minute, so they boarded the private jet just an hour later. Before boarding the plane, Ivanka sent Jonah a text message.Ivanka: I have something to attend to in Mirvania, so I’m flying there. We’ll discuss the matter about Willy suburbs once I get back. You may contact Melanie first. As for your legs, remember to take the medicine I prescribed you.She had been incredibly busy lately and did not have time to check on many people in her life.When Ivanka sent Jonah the message, Michael happened to see it. Spotting “Jonah” on the screen of her phone, he was extremely displeased.He thought that Ivanka always
When Jonah received Ivanka’s message, the first thing he did was call Ivanka on the phone.Lately, Ivanka had not visited him, and it was inconvenient for him to go to her in person. But he had sent people to watch her and learned that she had been very close with Michael lately. Deep down, he was displeased.To be fair, Ivanka had the right to choose who she wanted to date. Besides, Jonah was still sitting in a wheelchair. Considering this factor, he thought that Ivanka would be better off with Michael.When he called Ivanka, he heard only a robotic female voice on the speaker. It said, “Hello, the number you’ve dialed is currently unavailable…”Jonah could not reach her number.Recalling Ivanka’s message, he suddenly realized that she was on a plane. Therefore, he did not try calling her again and simply replied to her message.Jonah: Rest assured, Iv. I’ll get it done. Call me once you land.Then he contacted Chiara.Chiara was surprised to receive his call. He had never rea
Chiara did not expect that Jonah would warn her so subtly because of Ivanka.However, Chiara had dared scheme against Ivanka even while Michael was still around, so she would not feel threatened by Jonah at all. Despite that, she played along with a smile. “Of course. Ivanka was the one who connected us, and I’m no ingrate. Naturally, I’m thankful for her help. Don’t you worry, Mr. Sadler, I’ll keep what you said in mind. Should I head over to your place tomorrow? Or would you like to come over to mine?”As she spoke, Chiara clenched her fists and dug her nails into her palms. She was certain about one thing: since Ivanka and Michael had been close lately, Chiara no longer had a chance with Michael. But she could try her luck with Jonah.Therefore, Chiara would never let him slip through her fingers!Jonah said flatly, “You decide where we’ll meet tomorrow.”“Alright,” Chiara responded.After Jonah hung up, he tossed the phone onto the coffee table. The reason he kept his phone
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