What Blake said struck a chord with Tanya.Her expression was cold, and the look in her eyes was vicious.She did not even love Blake, so everything he did had nothing to do with her. She did not care if he was involved with other women.“Do you have anything else to say? I don’t think I need to be at this party for long.” Tanya averted her gaze so that she did not have to look Blake in the eye.She had made her point clear. If he did not need her around, she would take her leave for the night.Naturally, Blake knew what she meant to say.“Get lost then!”He yelled at Tanya right away. She did not even spare him a look before lifting the hem of her dress, turning around, and walking away.Blake’s voice was filled with disgust, hatred, and rage. But Tanya could not care less about how he felt.She had come to the party with Blake, who arranged their ride. The Hicks, who organized this party, had prepared a parking lot for the guests. There were cars arranged neatly across the p
Tanya was not a fool.Seeing Tanya’s reaction, the man smiled calmly and said, “Seriously? He’s just your boyfriend. He can’t possibly stop you from making friends, right?”Tanya ignored him and kept walking.She reached a junction and took out her phone to book a ride. But the Hicks family’s mansion was on the hillside. Moreover, Caeser had contacted the Ministry of Transport to impose traffic control in the area. Apart from those who attended the party, no one else’s vehicle was allowed to enter.Seeing that there was not a single car around, Tanya had no choice but to walk down the hill.Blake had told her to get lost, so she would not go back to the mansion to ask for his help.She walked for about five minutes. High heels were not made for long-distance walks, and she was in a long evening gown. She held a little purse that contained her phone, lipstick, a small packet of tissues, and nothing else. Worse still, she could not tear off the long hem of her gown.Tanya had no c
“Alright, go back to the casino and wait for my order.”The fight between Tanya and Blake had revealed how fragile their relationship was. If Tanya thought the stranger she met at the party was reliable, she would try to leave Blake.She would have thought that she had gotten her freedom. But in fact, it was just another circle of hell awaiting her.By then, Tanya would suffer a worse fate than death.That was what Ivanka wanted to see.After all, Tanya had disguised herself as Ivanka and put a stain on her reputation for a time. Moreover, Tanya was still planning to come after her and Michael.Ivanka would not intervene in the feud between Tanya and Michael, but since she had run into Tanya at the party, she would like to settle the score between her and Tanya.“That’s your plan?”As Ivanka hung up, Vincent could not help frowning.He knew what she was up to when she had asked Njord to assign the job to a man.But the progress was too slow!Ivanka nodded with a smile. “Yeah
Ivanka tried to step aside, but Michael blocked her path.The acrid smell of smoke hit her.She instinctively covered her nose and mouth.Michael saw her reaction and put out his cigarette.“If I talk through a third party and they can’t get my point across to my subordinates, wouldn’t it be better to handle it myself?”Ivanka frowned. “Is this really the time to talk about this?”She thought about pushing him away, but she decided against it.“I know it’s not. I also know you did all that to make me give up. But I won’t. It will just hurt.”His voice was hoarse and tinged with sorrow.He looked heartbroken.If this had been before, she might have felt bad for him. But at that moment, she felt nothing. She said calmly, “That’s your problem, not mine. If you want to keep getting knocked out and run around like this, be my guest.”She stepped forward and pulled out her phone.Michael knew exactly what she meant. If he kept blocking her way, she would call Njord, Stella, and t
A teasing voice broke the moment, interrupting Ivanka and Michael.They turned to look.Standing before them was none other than Mr. George. It had been a while since they last saw him.Michael narrowed his eyes. He had not expected him to show up at Caeser’s banquet.“What? Didn’t learn your lesson last time?” His tone was cold and sharp.As he spoke, he stepped forward. He simultaneously shielded Ivanka behind him.They knew they were in Mirvania, and Vincenzo was nearby. No matter what Mr. George was planning, he would not dare make a move under Vincenzo’s watch.Still, Michael’s reaction was instinctive.“No hard feelings, right? Isn’t this how friendships start?” Mr. George replied indifferently. He stepped to the side and looked at Ivanka.“Friends?” Ivanka let out a sharp laugh. “Be honest, Mr. George. Do you really think we could ever be friends?”She had taken the Ganoderma Nebula. He had tried to steal it by sending his men. She had turned five of them against him a
Ivanka had never revealed her identity as Violet Cress. How did Mr. George figure it out just from her treating Caeser?“Mr. Ali, I only gave Mr. Hicks a few herbal prescriptions. It was nothing special.”“Caeser has plenty of skilled doctors, yet none of them could fix his condition. You did so effortlessly. That says a lot. Anyone who can earn his trust must be exceptionally capable. Ms. Ivanka, the Ganoderma Nebula is not something just anyone can use properly, nor does everyone have your level of confidence.”At first, Mr. George had not suspected anything. But after learning about the legendary medical expert, Violet Cress, he started making connections. She was well known by reputation, yet no one had ever seen her face. He had looked into her background and found that she was probably not elderly.There was also the Ganoderma Nebula.So, he made an educated guess.Looking at Ivanka’s calm reaction, he was even more convinced. When he first mentioned it, there had been a fl
Ivanka saw the grin on Michael’s face and immediately let go of his arm. Her expression darkened with displeasure.Michael looked like he was enjoying her frustration.“I’m not,” he denied at once, quickly adding, “I’m happy because you pulled me away. It shows you care.”Ivanka was speechless.She looked at his smiling face and shook her head. “I just didn’t want you getting into a fight with Mr. George right now. If something happened to you while I was there, I couldn’t just leave. And if I didn’t, that would make me responsible for you.”Michael frowned. “Do you really think I’m that useless?”He had fought Mr. George before and never even saw him as a threat. There was no way someone like that could take him down.“That’s not the point. Mr. George isn’t alone, but you are. This isn’t your territory, Michael. And don’t forget, the drug in your system hasn’t fully cleared, and your gunshot wound—”He cut her off before she could finish.“That injury was a long time ago. I’m
Vincenzo immediately noticed Michael putting some distance between them.It was not out of fear but respect for Vincenzo’s status. After all, he was Ivanka’s only family.Ivanka walked straight to Vincenzo without sparing Michael a glance.Michael could only stand there and watch her leave.Back at their spot, Vincenzo remained silent. Ivanka, however, felt uneasy.She had only gone to the restroom and had not expected to run into Michael.After some thought, she decided to explain.“Uncle, I didn’t go looking for him.”“You don’t need to explain. Even if you did, that’s your choice. I’ve said what I needed to. The decision is yours.”His tone was calm, but to Ivanka, it sounded like he was upset.She wanted to say more, but Vincenzo spoke first. “Don’t blame yourself. I’m not angry. Once the banquet is over, take a few days to rest. Then we’ll head out.”“Alright.”Since he had already said that, there was nothing more to say.Caeser had hosted the banquet to trigger inte
Vincent immediately frowned with confusion. But soon enough, a realization dawned on him.The man on the phone was Jonah!Njord and Stella would not assassinate just about anyone. Moreover, they were in Bostone to take care of Ivanka’s business.The only person who kept troubling her was Jonah!“You’d better let them go, Jonah Sadler.”Vincent pressed his lips together. There was a grim look on his face as he frowned.Sitting beside him, Ivanka heard him saying Jonah’s name and was instantly startled. Did Njord and Stella go after Jonah?Did they try to kill him? What was going on?“Why would I let them go? You sent them to kill me. But they failed and ended up getting caught. Since you want me dead, why would I let your subordinates live?” Jonah snorted coldly. There was a look of disdain and ferocity in his eyes.After all, he was a man whose influence and wealth rivaled Michael’s. If someone was after him, he would never back down without retaliating.Vincent said nothing
Njord had no choice but to keep explaining themselves to Jonah so that Jonah would not be suspicious of them.Meanwhile, Njord and Stella observed him secretly and hoped to find a chance to strike.But Jonah was not a fool.As Njord spoke, Jonah kept his eyes on him and Stella. These two looked even less like maintenance staff the longer he observed them, so Jonah remained doubtful.He signaled his men with a nod and a look. The bodyguards around him immediately tried to subdue Njord and Stella.Njord and Stella exchanged glances before striking at lightning speed. They wanted to take down Jonah in order to control his subordinates. However, the bodyguard who stood closest to him gave a kick and instantly parried both of their attacks.Other bodyguards quickly distracted them and drew them away from Jonah.Meanwhile, Jonah noticed that the two of them were skilled fighters. They had obviously gone through professional training!If the fight went on, his bodyguards would certain
Still, Ivanka made a show of reaching out to help Chiara up.Her tone, however, remained clear and unmoved. “Begging me won’t change anything. I’m not Jonah. If you’re going to plead with someone, it might as well be him.”“But he listens to you.” That was why she had to ask her to do it.Ivanka frowned. “Jonah isn’t some little pet I raised. He’s not going to do whatever I say. Melanie, you’re oversimplifying everything. You should really be focusing on how to lock down your next deal and solidify your footing in the Levine family. That’s what matters now. We should order something before a server walks in and sees you like this. That wouldn’t look good, don’t you think?”With that, Ivanka let go of her hand.Chiara had never intended to actually stay kneeling anyway, especially not after Ivanka reached out to help her up. The moment had played its part.She was not going to give up just yet.“Iv, could you at least bring it up to Jonah for me? I… There’s a show at Springvale
Seeing Ivanka about to leave, Chiara quickly got up to block her path.Ivanka smiled and said, “I don’t need anything from you. I really do have something to take care of, so let’s have the meal another time.”“But your schedule is always packed. If I want to see you again, it’ll be nearly impossible. Iv, didn’t you say we’re good friends? Are we not even close enough to share a simple meal?” Chiara drew in a breath. Her voice was laced with disappointmentHer eyes were already turning red.“Hmm, I noticed this cafe serves light meals too. Let’s just eat here.” Since she had not openly fallen out with Chiara yet, and Chiara was so insistent on putting on another act, walking out at that moment would only make her seem like a bad friend.“Iv, they only serve light meals here. I was hoping to treat you to a proper dinner. I... Actually, I was wondering if you could do me another favor?” Chiara asked tentatively.The fox finally showed her tail.No wonder she had laid it on so thic
Chiara lowered her head. “Iv, things have been really difficult for me in my family. Because of your introduction, I got the chance to meet Jonah. You talked about bringing a friend along last time, but neither of them ended up working with me. If I can’t land a deal soon, I’m afraid…”Her voice filled with hesitation, grievance, and sorrow. She sighed.“Aren’t you presenting yourself as Jonah’s fiancee these days?” Ivanka replied coldly. Seeing her act so meek and pitiful, Ivanka sneered.Since she was publicly claiming to be Jonah’s fiancee, surely the Levine family would not be treating her so poorly.“I am, but it’s all fake. And now that you’re back, do you really think Jonah would still let me keep playing as his fiancee?”The more she spoke, the more aggrieved she sounded. Tears even rolled down her cheeks.Ivanka only found the sight nauseating.Chiara’s acting had really reached a masterful level. Honestly, it was such a waste of talent that she was not in showbiz.“Ev
Jonah was the Sadler family’s primary heir.If he was incapable, how could he and Michael have made it onto the list of Bostone’s most sought-after elite bachelors?Hearing him say such things, Ivanka felt horrible.“Jonah, I’m really not as great as you think I am. With everything you have going for you, it’d be very easy for you to find a beauty who loves you. I’ve got things to take care of today. I have to go.” As she said that, she pushed Jonah away.If she kept talking to him like so, it would only make things worse. His emotions were already unstable. If he really did something reckless, it would become a scar neither of them could ever erase.She was set on leaving. Jonah had no way to stop her.He could only ask about her plans for the next day. “Will you be coming by around the same time?”“I’ll come in the afternoon.”Since she was back in Bostone, some matters at Lane’s Group needed her attention.At that point, there was no way she could ask Jonah to move in wit
Realizing Jonah was losing control, Ivanka quickly removed the medication from his body.Her voice was calm. “Jonah, your emotions are very unstable right now. You need to rest. I’ll carefully consider the next step of your treatment.”She turned to leave, but how could Jonah possibly let her go?The moment he reached out to grab her, Ivanka swiftly stepped aside.However, Jonah did not give up.In a moment of desperation, he pushed himself off the bed, only to crash to the floor with a heavy thud.The sound froze Ivanka in her tracks.When she turned around and saw Jonah on the floor, she rushed to his side. “Why would you do this to yourself, Jonah? Please calm down and think about it. Everything I’ve said to you is the truth. Even if we could get married without caring what they think, what about later? What about our future children? Would they have to grow up being treated differently too?”She had seen the end of her marriage to Michael long before it arrived. That was wh
Margaret let out a disdainful laugh. The corners of her mouth curled in contempt. Coupled with the look of disdain in her eyes, her contempt for Ivanka was as clear as day.Ivanka could tell Margaret was trying to provoke her, but she did not take the bait. “I don’t need to go crying in front of Jonah. If I really wanted something, do you honestly think you could stop him from giving it to me?”People in love usually lost all reason.Jonah had proven how stubborn he could be when it came to her. If she so much as hinted at something, he would do it without hesitation. In fact, he would get it done immediately if it meant proving his love to her.She just did not want Jonah to be rejected by his own family. Plus, she had no real expectations when it came to love. If she had cared that much, she would have made her move long ago.To Margaret, Ivanka’s words sounded like clear provocation, so she was not about to back down. “As long as I’m still alive, you really think I’d let so
In the face of Laura’s meltdown, Ivanka’s words seemed a bit smug.She was doing it on purpose.“You! Ivanka, how can you be so shameless as to say such things? Are you still a woman?” Laura’s hand, which was pointing at her angrily, trembled uncontrollably.Laura’s tears fell like a snapped pearl necklace. Ivanka laughed in a low voice. “Of course I am, otherwise how did I become the one Jonah wakes up to every day? Laura, since things have come to this, you’d better hurry home and stop embarrassing yourself here.”“What’s the point of chasing after someone who doesn’t like you like this?”She acknowledged Laura’s persistence toward Jonah. But insisting too much would turn into clinginess. Jonah’s dislike and disdain for Laura was clear. He never once gave Laura a chance. Even so, Laura refused to give up.Sometimes she did not think thoroughly before doing things. “Whether there’s a point to it is not for you to say!”Laura was still persistent.But the next second, Iva