If this were the past, she might not have thought about it. However, she knew about the incident at Mdm. Barkworth’s birthday party, so she realized that there had to be a rift between the cousins. Chiara sounded like a nice person on the surface, but she was actually trying to sideline Ivanka.Luckily, nobody was protecting her. Even if she was capable, she could not become an executive in Lane’s Group. Tsk! Since Chiara wanted to promote Scarlet, she would naturally have to earn it. She curled her lips into a malicious smile.Coincidentally, she had a few cases that could make Ivanka quit due to how difficult they were. Right then, she returned to her office and prepared to take out those projects.Meanwhile, Ivanka was observing her surroundings. Rebecca waved at her. “Ms. Lane, here.”Ivanka looked over in the voice’s direction and saw that a sweet-looking girl was greeting her with a smile. Noticing that Rebecca was pointing at the empty seat beside her, Ivanka walked over.R
Scarlet smiled faintly. “Ms. Chiara hopes that you’ll be properly trained so that you won’t need to worry. She said that this was agreed between the two of you previously, so I might need to give you some rather difficult tasks. May I ask if you’re willing to accept them?”Before Ivanka was there, they would call Chiara “Ms. Lane.” Now Ivanka had joined, they called her Ms. Chiara to differentiate the cousins.Rebecca was slightly surprised. “But… Ms. Lane just arrived today, and I’ve sent her some recordings.”Scarlet cast a glance at Rebecca. If she was promoted to manager, she guessed that the assistant manager position would become Rebecca’s. Therefore, she did not refute Rebecca. She just smiled, looked at Ivanka, and said, “Ms. Lane, you’re different from the others, and Ms. Chiara has different expectations when it comes to you. As such, would you consider working based on the company standard but at a higher difficulty?”Scarlet appeared very humble, but she was actually ca
Ivanka just smiled. “Ms. Zeniah was right. Chiara wants to train me. If I disagree, I would be humiliating her. Chiara is doing this for me, so I’ll give it a try.”Everyone was stunned. It seemed like Ivanka had let it slip by accident, but those who heard her felt different now.Chiara said that she was making things more challenging for Ivanka’s sake. However, if it was too difficult, how could Ivanka complete the task since she was just a newcomer? She even needed to keep up with the company’s standard and system. If all her points were deducted, she would have to leave.How could she return to Lane’s Group in the future?Therefore, it would be even more impossible for her to manage Lane’s Group because she would not be qualified.Was this her way of keeping Ivanka away from Lane’s Group so that she could not take advantage of the company?The staff members appeared to be conflicted at this moment.However… some had always believed in Chiara, while others did not care about
Rebecca nodded in resignation. “Okay.” She took the proposal and said to Ivanka, “First, you have to gain an understanding of the project and the person who planned it. You have to communicate with him and find out the essence of the project before negotiating with Mr. Barkworth. Here it is.” Rebecca pointed at the name and phone number of the person who wrote the proposal. “Johnson Cedar created this project. You can discuss it with him. As for getting Mr. Barkworth’s signature, I can’t help you with that.” One of their company’s employees had previously negotiated with Michael, but it was in vain. Rebecca knew that Michael was the person in charge of the project because some employees had tried to negotiate with him in the past but failed. Later, Rebecca provided Ivanka with more information, and Ivanka nodded. “Thank you.” “Sigh, it’s my job. After this, you’ll have to find a way to persuade Mr. Barkworth.” Rebecca shook her head in resignation. She did not believe Iv
Ivanka found this ironic. In the past, the only time she looked for Michael was to ask when he would go back and eat. This time, she was coincidentally going to ask him when he would be free to have a meal together. She hesitated for a while before calling Michael’s assistant. When Evan saw Ivanka’s phone number, he was a little puzzled. Although Michael had divorced her, Evan had not deleted her phone number. He believed that Michael never had a clean break from her. Hence, Evan answered Ivanka’s call without hesitation. “Hello, Ms. Lane.” “Mr. Hawke, I’m Ivanka from the Public Relations Department in Lane’s Group. I’m calling about the newlywed proposal which Mr. Barkworth previously turned down. I’ve made changes to it, so could you let me know when he’ll be free? Could we have a meal together?” Ivanka said softly. Evan was surprised. In fact, Michael was free that night. However, Evan dared not tell her that. “Mr. Barkworth is having a meeting now. I’ll talk to hi
Rebecca was puzzled. “I-I’ve never seen them before.” Ivanka chuckled. “It’s no surprise that you haven’t seen them before.” Rebecca’s expression changed slightly. “This is strange. Why are there so many similar types of proposals? If we bring these to our clients, how could they possibly agree? Oh, my God! Iv, did you…” Rebecca did not know what to say anymore. Meanwhile, the employees inside the office stared at them. Ivanka casually unfolded the folders for the other two proposals. Similarly, these proposals demanded their clients to invest first, and Lane’s Group would profit from them. Ivanka mocked the company in her heart. These proposals had previously been dismissed. Based on the contents of the proposals, Lane’s Group would not suffer any losses from the collaborations. However, it was obvious to see that the company was taking advantage of its collaborators. Before Ivanka joined Lane’s Group, the proposals had been put aside. However, after she joined the com
Ivanka heard Michael’s sneer from the other end of the line and immediately figured out that he was right next to Evan. Evan cast Michael a glance, but Michael had no intention to speak with Ivanka. “I understand,” Evan quickly replied. After the call ended, he turned to Michael hesitantly. “Mr. Barkworth, are you sure you want to reject working with Ms. Lane?” Michael’s eyes were filled with disdain. “The proposal is a failure. On top of that, Ivanka is in charge of it. She’s made me suffer a ton of losses. I’m being nice by rejecting her offer to collaborate.” Evan said nothing. Meanwhile, Michael coldly added, “Find out why she returned to Lane’s Group.” “Got it.” ...... Meanwhile, Ivanka’s phone vibrated again. Seeing that the caller was Jonah, she answered the call. Before she could say anything, Jonah softly asked, “Are you working in Lane’s Group?” “Yes.” “Can I pick you up from work?” Jonah asked in a gentle and magnetic voice.Ivanka chuckled and asked,
At that moment, Ivanka was already standing at the company entrance. She frowned slightly when she saw the flashy Lamborghini and regal-looking man in the sapphire blue suit. Jonah had been paying close attention to the entrance. When he saw Ivanka, the corners of his lips curled up slightly. Although Ivanka was averse to the idea of him showing up like this, she knew what kind of person Jonah was and why he did this. So, she gradually walked toward him. After all, they were going to work together. Hence, there was nothing wrong with fulfilling each other’s wishes. Jonah smiled as he opened the passenger seat door for Ivanka. The crowd watched as she got in, and some ladies from afar screamed uncontrollably. “I’m so jealous! She was blessed from a young age, and she grew up with the positive influence brought on by those blessings. After that, she married a successful man and obtained Mrs. Barkworth’s favor. Mrs. Barkworth even treats her as her granddaughter. Following the d
The next day, when the sunlight shone onto the bed through the gauze, Ivanka gradually woke up. She opened her blurry eyes and took her phone. She was shocked to see that it was already after 10 a.m.. It could have been due to it being a rare opportunity to relax after returning home. Perhaps it was also her overthinking that had kept her up very late last night. Regardless, Ivanka seldom woke up so late. She quickly washed up and went downstairs, only to realize Michael was sitting on the couch reading today’s newspaper. Meanwhile, Rosie and Candice were nowhere to be seen. When Michael heard a sound coming from upstairs, he turned around and saw Ivanka hurriedly walking down in heels. He frowned and said, “Slow down. Don’t be so nervous.” Upon hearing his words, she subconsciously slowed down. Michael stared at Ivanka. His gaze was filled with desire and love, and he refused to look away. Ivanka reached downstairs. She looked around and asked, “Where are Grandma a
Ivanka remembered something and turned to Michael. “Why are you here? Do you have anything to talk to me about?” “I went to your room but couldn’t find you. So, I looked around and finally found you here. Are you enjoying the night view?” After Michael finished his sentence, he looked up to see the sky. Ivanka looked up at the sky too. Michael rested his gaze on Ivanka. He glanced at her chin, then her fair and slender neck, after that her collar bone… The rest of her body was covered in clothes. Yet, the sight was very tempting. Michael gulped. “Tonight’s moonlight is beautiful.” Michael naturally said the sentence. When Ivanka heard this, she turned to him and looked stunned. Michael looked away and said somewhat unnaturally, “When I was downstairs, Candice said she had something else to handle tomorrow, so she couldn’t accompany you to the police station.” After Michael finished his sentence, he stared at Ivanka and observed her expression. He was disappointe
Ivanka nodded. What Rosie said was true. Rosie continued, “If Michael were the stranger, why are you resisting him and feeling helpless?” Ivanka was stunned. It was a fact. If a stranger courted her relentlessly, Ivanka would only find them annoying. But she would not resist them. Only she knew the reason she refused to accept them. But when it came to Michael, she treated him differently. From the bottom of her heart, she refused to give him a fair chance to court her. Was it because she was worried that her heart would move for him? Ivanka was startled by the thought. She shook her head as if trying to get that ridiculous thought out. When Rosie saw this, she chuckled. Ivanka was a smart woman. It was sufficient to say all that; too much would be meaningless. Rosie looked up at the moon. She could not help but sigh. “Tonight’s a beautiful moon night. Unfortunately, it’s time for me to go to bed.” After Rosie finished her sentence, she headed to her room. Ivanka
On the other hand, Ivanka had no idea her best friend had “betrayed” her. She helped Rosie into the bedroom. When they passed the garden, Rosie suggested walking inside it. Ivanka was too embarrassed to reject her. So, they came to the garden. The gardeners attended and trimmed the garden daily. It was naturally a sight to behold. There were many rare plants in the garden. Of course, there were also some rare herbal plants in the garden. Ivanka had planted them, and the herbal plants were flourishing. There was a botanical garden encircled within the garden. It contained the herbal plants used to nourish Rosie’s health. While they were walking along the path, the fragrance of flowers, the earthy smell of the soil, and the faint aroma of the herbal plants entered their nostrils. The fragrance lifted their spirits. On top of that, the fragrance could refresh one’s mind. Rosie felt more refreshed as she walked down the path in the garden. She grabbed Ivanka and shared
Within the blink of an eye, it was already 12 a.m.. Ivanka noticed that Rosie had been yawning but still refused to go to bed. Ivanka knew why. While they were chatting, Ivanka occasionally turned to Rosie. While Rosie was wiping off her basal tears, Ivanka and Michael exchanged glances. Ivanka sat beside Rosie and patted her hands gently. Rosie looked more alert, but her eyes were still a little blurry and appeared bloodshot. She had dark rings beneath her eyes. In spite of her exquisite makeup, her dark eye rings were still visible. Of course, it was only visible when Ivanka looked closer at her. Seeing this, Ivanka’s heart ached more for Rosie. Ivanka believed Rosie must have stayed up late or had insomnia when she and Michael went missing. Rosie wanted to receive first-hand information about the missing duo, but she was also worried that she would not be able to face reality. After struggling and battling with her inner conflicts for a month, Rosie’s health de
Speaking of which, this was Michael’s first time seeing Ivanka looking this helpless, and he found this a novelty. Whenever Rosie said things like that, Ivanka usually looked expressionless. She either looked calm, or she pretended to be deaf. Based on her unease and embarrassed look, did that mean her heart began to move for Michael? With that thought in his mind, Michael was eager to find out the answer. At that moment, they heard Candice’s voice. “Why are you staying outside? Did I come at a bad time? I thought I could have dinner immediately after I returned from work.” Ivanka and her group turned around and saw Candice standing not far away from them. She smiled as she looked at them. When Candice noticed Rosie’s teary eyes, she looked surprised and approached them. “Grandma has a sharp tongue, but she’s soft-hearted. She said the two of you were so cruel that you left her and a whole mess behind. She said she would teach you a lesson when you return.” While speaki
Everything had been fine just a moment ago.Why had she suddenly started to distance herself from him?It was probably true that a woman’s mind was unpredictable. Even a strong woman was no exception.Soon, they arrived at the Barkworth family’s mansion.Michael wanted to get out first and open the door for Ivanka, but she stopped him by tapping her soft hand on his shoulder.He looked down at her hand and then looked at her.“Don’t get out yet. I’ll grab a coat for you from inside and come back.”Michael wanted to refuse, but Ivanka had already exited the car.He watched her walk away. He then leaned back against the seat and felt a wave of relaxation.It felt as though he had finally found someone who had his back.He could not help but find it funny when he thought about it. He glanced at the spot where Ivanka had touched his hand and chuckled quietly.In the front seat, the driver felt so awkward about what he had just witnessed that he wished he could hide behind the st
The motorcycle approached them with no sign of slowing down.Michael’s expression turned grim. He quickly pulled Ivanka to the side and turned to shield her with his back.Ivanka felt a sudden spin. By the time she regained her balance, she found herself in Michael’s arms.His embrace was warm and strong. She could smell his familiar scent.It felt as if everything around them had slowed down.Then she heard the sound of water splashing on Michael. She pulled away from his embrace.Michael felt his arm grow light and stared at the empty space where she had been. He could still feel her warmth lingering.He shifted his gaze to Ivanka.Before she could speak, he quickly asked, “Are you okay? Did you get splashed?”She blinked and shook her head.“I’m fine. What about you?”He shook his head, but she did not buy it. She was sure the sound of the water splashing had been loud. There was no way he was not wet.Without hesitation, she grabbed his arm and turned him around.His b
Both Ivanka and Michael walked side by side as they maintained just the right distance between them. They looked great together, and their presence naturally attracted many gazes.It was worth mentioning that it was difficult to tell whether Michael did this on purpose or if it was just a coincidence.Both of them wore black trench coats that day. The styles were quite similar. This made them look even more like a couple in matching outfits.Ivanka’s wavy hair and red lips were striking. The beauty mark by her eye was the perfect finishing touch, which made her look stunning.Despite her beauty, Michael standing beside her did not go unnoticed either. He seemed to be a perfect complement to her.They looked like a perfect match.Ivanka noticed it but said nothing.Michael broke the silence and asked about Ferris and Mandy.“What are you going to do about Ferris and Mandy?”Ivanka did not answer right away.Michael continued, “Just having them arrested seems like getting off t