“Mr. Barkworth, since I have the pleasure to meet you this time, let’s get straight to the main point. You’re aware of what your grandfather has done and the incident between us. I don’t want to make a fuss on certain matters because I don’t care about them. However, if you cross the line, I’ll take action.” Ivanka sounded cold and indifferent. She no longer showed any tenderness toward him. Chiara turned to Michael nervously. She noticed a strong hint of mockery in his eyes. The next moment, Michael sneered, “My grandfather didn’t tell lies. You know you colluded with your father and committed that disgraceful act.” Ivanka’s expression immediately darkened. “You can criticize me, but not! My! Dad!” It was a common sentence, but when she emphasized the last few words, she exuded a strong murderous intent. Chiara and Michael immediately became stunned. Meanwhile, Ivanka’s gaze was filled with coldness. “Michael Barkworth, if you don’t want to disgrace Barkworth’s Group or make
As she watched Ivanka’s fading silhouette, Chiara called her anxiously, “Iv! Iv!” In her worked-up state, Chiara tried to get down from her bed, but Michael stopped her. “Ignore her!” Chiara looked pale. She shook her head. “Mic, Iv hasn’t recovered from the incident last night. She must be really shocked. I tried to comfort her, but she couldn’t move on from it. I’m worried she will do something stupid!” Michael’s irises shrank! Ivanka was alone with no one to support her. She had no close family members who were worthy to make her stay in the world. If she decided to commit suicide… The next moment, Michael snorted, “Ivanka is a hypocrite. She will do anything to achieve her goal. It’s unlikely that she will do anything stupid.” A hint of a smile flashed in Chiara’s eyes, but she acted worriedly and shook her head. “Mic, she’s my only cousin. Don’t hurt her, okay?” Looking at Chiara’s kind and worried expression, Michael said in a low voice, “Lay down first.” Chiara r
Ivanka’s expression immediately changed. “What happened to her heart?” At that moment, she stopped trying to break free of him. She looked worried. Michael glanced at her coldly and said nothing. He immediately made his way to the main driver’s seat. Ivanka gritted her teeth and felt helpless right then. If she became enemies with Michael, what should she do with Rosie? Rosie treated her really well. Yet, Michael was Rosie’s biological grandson. Why did it have to be this way? Michael did not hurry to drive off after he locked the car. Ivanka noticed that something was wrong, and she glared at Michael. “Are you sure you came for me because of Grandma?” Michael snorted and looked at her with disdain. “Ivanka Lane, do you truly think you’re in a position to threaten me?” Ivanka gradually composed herself. She did not want to talk to Michael anymore, so she closed her eyes and leaned against the passenger seat. The next moment, Michael grabbed her. They collided into each
Ivanka’s gaze burned with fire, and she felt deeply humiliated! She was so furious that her entire body trembled. The next moment, she bit his lips ruthlessly! “Ow!” Michael let out a muffled groan and immediately released her. He threw her to the side, and Ivanka slammed against the door by the passenger seat. “Are you a dog?!” Michael gritted his teeth, and his expression was frosty. Ivanka felt his breath and the smell of his blood in her mouth. She stared at him, and her face was as white as a sheet. She had the look of someone who had just been r*ped, and she could not accept it. Michael’s heart tightened. He wondered why he kissed Ivanka all of a sudden too. He would never forget their kiss. He never knew that kissing was such a beautiful thing. Yet, he sneered at the next moment. “Ivanka, I thought you enjoyed exciting things like that. You addressed me as your ‘brother-in-law,’ yet you kissed me while you were in my arms!” Ivanka’s body trembled even more! She
Chiara lay on the hospital bed and smiled happily to herself. Her assistant, Belle, walked over to her anxiously. “Ms. Lane.” Chiara cast a glance at Belle. When Chiara noticed her strange expression, she had a bad feeling. “What is it?” Belle drew a deep breath. Although she was reluctant to say it, she still told Chiara what she saw in resignation, “I followed your instructions and tailed Mr. Barkworth. Ms. Lane was about to get into her car when Mr. Barkworth forcefully pulled her into his car. Ms. Lane couldn’t escape him…” At this point, Belle dared not say anything further. She looked at Chiara warily, and as expected, Chiara’s expression had darkened. Belle’s heart trembled. The public had always thought of Chiara as a gentle and virtuous lady, but Belle knew that Chiara was a temperamental and jealous woman who would do whatever it took to get what she wanted! “What happened?!” Chiara turned to her. “Tell me!” Belle shivered, and her heart quaked. She was reluctan
Ivanka and Michael remained quiet until they arrived at the Barkworth family’s mansion. Michael ignored Ivanka and immediately got out of the car. Ivanka frowned and said nothing. She pushed open the passenger seat door. She had no idea her lips had turned red and swollen. As for Michael, there was a faint handprint on one side of his cheek. Although the handprint was not obvious, one could figure out what it was. They entered the Barkworth family’s mansion together. When the butler saw them in their current state, a thought sprang up in his mind. The butler thought internally. “Young Master Michael must have kissed Ms. Lane by force, then ended up being slapped. “On second thought, something is wrong. He has no feelings for Ms. Lane during their three years of marriage, so why would he fall for her after the divorce? “Could I have guessed wrongly? “Could this be a mere coincidence?” Michael asked calmly, “Where’s Grandma?” “Mdm. Barkworth is resting upstairs afte
Michael’s calm facade cracked a little. This time, he agreed with Rosie’s words. “Seriously, she caused so much trouble… Does she realize that breaking you and Ivanka up is the unwisest thing she’s ever done?! You and Ivanka are a match made in heaven!” Rosie’s heart ached for Michael and Ivanka. She pitied them. Michael’s facade shattered even further, and the next moment, he held Rosie’s arm. “Grandma, let’s go down.” Rosie shook her head in resignation. “I’ll give you some ointment to apply on your cheek. We can’t let it go untreated.” “Okay, I got it.” Rosie nodded and went downstairs with Michael. Ivanka stood in the living room stiffly. When Rosie saw her, she softly said, “Iv, why are you standing there? Come and sit down. Why didn’t you go upstairs and see me?” Ivanka almost lost her cool, but she said with a smile, “I saw Michael go upstairs to look for you, so I didn’t follow him.” When Rosie saw Ivanka, she ignored Michael and hurried over to Ivanka. It did
A contemplative look settled on Ivanka’s face. She thought Rosie’s words somehow made sense. Meanwhile, Michael said nothing. He nodded at Harvey. Harvey immediately waved at the servants. It did not take long before several servants came out pushing several rows of drying racks. A variety of clothes were hanging from them. The clothes were tailored-made according to Ivanka’s body measurements. Each piece of clothing was classy. It was clear that Michael had selected them with care. Ivanka knew Michael must have given his orders and had someone tailor make the clothes for her. When Rosie saw the clothes, she was extremely delighted. “Well done! They look great! Mic, you finally did something that makes me happy!” Michael pursed his lips and said nothing. Rosie turned to Ivanka. “Iv, do you see any clothes that you fancy among them?” Michael turned to her. Ivanka nodded calmly. “They look good.” She sounded as if she was just humoring them. His expression turned cold.
Egbert stormed off in fury, but Sandy’s rage had not cooled in the slightest. She even lashed out at Ivan. “You shouldn’t have stopped me just now! If I’d given him a good scolding, or even a beating, maybe it would’ve finally knocked some sense into him. Otherwise, he’ll keep coming back. He’s always trying to use me for his own purposes!”She was so angry she was practically grinding her teeth. Ivan pressed his lips together and let out a long sigh. “With the way you looked like you were ready to kill someone, what did you expect me to do? Just stand there and watch you commit murder?”He was really worried when he saw how Sandy was losing control. “What’s the point of that old b*stard still being alive anyway?” Sandy said coldly. If she could really get rid of that old man, she would do it so she could avenge her mother and let go of that grudge she had been holding on.Ivan shook his head and said in a low voice, “Then think about it, how hard did you work to get to where yo
Sandy exploded. “Eighty million? Why don’t you go rob a bank? Or better yet, see if that wrinkled old face of yours is worth anything as collateral!”Sandy was fuming.Egbert had not expected Sandy to be so vulgar. He turned back, enraged.His black eyes shot daggers like he could rip her apart on the spot. Sandy did not flinch. Instead, she lifted her chin and gave him a cold, mocking smile. “What? Are you so mad that you’re thinking about hitting me? Do you want me to remind you of the law? We have no legal ties anymore. If you so much as touch me, that’s assault. And let’s not forget, you barged into my workplace to cause a scene.”“Sandy, I don’t know what kind of twisted morals your birth mother and adoptive mother taught you, but just look at yourself now! Do you even resemble a proper human being?”Egbert was extremely disappointed in Sandy. The one thing Sandy hated most was when people brought up her birth mother and adoptive mother. Those two women were the most import
Egbert snapped at Sandy coldly. His gaze was pressing.However, that had no effect on Sandy. Her lips even curled into a mocking smile as she said, “I’m not one of your McNeil pets. That look, your words, they cannot intimidate me at all.”At the mention of “pets,” Egbert was so furious that he slammed his cane against the floor with a loud crack. “Listen to yourself! Is that any way for a lawyer to speak? Do you even understand the meaning of respect, decency, and manners? Is that how your mother raised you?”Sandy had been mean and harsh on purpose to kill whatever sliver of hope he held onto.Just as she wished, he was angered.Watching him lose his composure, Sandy even felt a flicker of satisfaction rise within her. Her mother and herself were thrown out and lived a tough life while her father stood by uselessly. Who else was to blame, if not this old man standing before her?“My mother raised me to be a decent person. She taught me never to push away what’s rightfully mine,
Thomas stated his purpose.Sandy’s reaction, however, was full of repulsion. She frowned. Even her tone was curt. “Uncle, I made it very clear about seeing him the last time we spoke. He never once considered me part of the McNeil family. If it weren’t for my mother taking me in, I wouldn’t be where I am today. Now that I’ve grown up and suddenly seem useful, he wants to claim me back? I was abandoned by the McNeil family the moment I was born. I’m not stupid enough to become a pawn for your family!”Sandy was furious.She had always treated Thomas with a certain courtesy, but at the moment, that line had clearly been crossed.Thomas, though only the messenger, could feel the weight of her resentment. “It may not be as bad as you think. If you won’t go, Dad will come find you himself.”That was the truth. Yet Sandy did not spare the old man a shred of respect. She scoffed. “He might be your dad, your head of the family, but he’s nothing to me. From the moment I was abandoned, th
Sandy was really surprised to see Ivanka. “When did you get back?”“Today,” Ivanka answered honestly.“You have quite a packed schedule for just one day.” Sandy teased her.When they had planned to take down Coco last time, Ivanka was not around. Then Michael returned. From what Sandy could tell, they were always either together or closely following each other.Ivanka did not respond to her teasing. “I’ll only be here for a day or two, then I would have to leave again.”Sandy was speechless. She rolled her eyes at Ivanka. “Are you going to become a full-time jet setter?”“She can’t help it,” Anna answered for Ivanka. Just as she finished saying that, Anna’s phone rang. It was another case to follow up on. She had to step away to take the call.Only Ivanka and Sandy remained in the office. “You look exhausted. If you keep going like this, I’m worried you’ll wear yourself out!” Sandy shook her head and expressed her concern for Ivanka. Ivanka chuckled. “I wouldn’t go that fa
When she heard what Anna said, Ivanka immediately teased. “Why, can’t I even come to the firm?”“Well, of course, you can come. You are an important partner; why can’t you come?” Anna laughed and looked at Ivanka, annoyed. Immediately after, she made a cup of tea for Ivanka.The tea was also of fine quality. She had bought it.Ivanka also remembered how she, Anna, and Sandy, the three of them, used to work hard together in the firm after she divorced Michael. Originally, she wanted to live on her own. However, one thing happened after another, and her plans got delayed. “I don’t see Sandy. Has she gone to handle cases?” Ivanka sipped a mouthful of tea, and immediately after, she asked Anna about Sandy’s whereabouts.Anna told Ivanka truthfully. “Sandy recently took over a very tricky case. She wants to make a not-guilty defense for that person. But the father of the deceased is the Groethe family, a rather prestigious family in Bostone. How could a commoner fight with a rich ki
But as time went on, things happened one after another. While they were in contact with each other, she also slowly understood Jonah’s personality.The most important thing was that Jonah was also honest with her later on.When Jonah mentioned this again, Ivanka could not help but scrutinize Jonah again.He was starting to become unhinged!“Jonah, you need to stabilize your emotions. Sometimes, when you feel impatient, you should just close your eyes and take a good rest. You should not have such emotions.”Ivanka spoke solemnly toward Jonah and advised him. When he saw Ivanka’s serious expression, Jonah instantly also realized that he had lost himself.Ivanka was not like Chiara, who could accept him losing control. If he lost control in front of Ivanka, it would affect Ivanka’s mood. That would make him courting death too! This would put a halt to all his opportunities!Jonah also realized this problem. He was very distressed. He could not even explain why his emotions had
When Ivanka said this, she pressed her hand on Jonah’s shoulder. There was no other meaning, she wanted Jonah to calm down.But this instead gave Jonah an opportunity. He grabbed Ivanka’s wrist. Then he tugged forward forcefully… Ivanka was caught off guard, and her whole body fell on top of him.He then took advantage of the situation and held Ivanka in his arms.The faint scent entered his nose, Jonah was intoxicated for a moment.But at that moment, he felt like he was waking up from a dream.Ivanka could not be so intimate with him. The sensations of touch and warmth in front of him were so real again. It was not an illusion, it was his compulsion!After realizing this, Jonah hurriedly pushed Ivanka away. He even more quickly apologized to Ivanka. “Iv, I’m sorry. I lost control. I didn’t mean to…”“I know.”Ivanka uttered softly, but her tone was cold.She knew. Neither did she blame him. But why was she using that tone, with that look on her face?“No, Iv. you’re blami
“Jonah, I don’t like you. I told you, I only see you as a friend. When I’m unwilling to do something, no amount of moral coercion would work on me.”Ivanka spoke up bluntly. She did not want Jonah to cling to something impossible.Jonah was silent.This was where Jonah and Michael were different.“Look, you still have so many things to do. By the time you remember me, we have already missed the best time. This time when you leave, did Michael go with you?” Jonah raised his eyes to meet Ivanka’s. He wanted to hear Ivanka’s answer from her mouth.Ivanka did not reply. But the look in her eyes already said it all.Her silence confirmed it all.Jonah felt that his heart grow incredibly heavy at the moment. He had a crazy thought: Was it true that if Michael died, Ivanka would be able to focus all her attention on him?However, he was an invalid and did not even have a chance to get close!“The way you treat Michael and the way you treat me has always been so different. I know. A