Ivan knew for sure that Michael had not gotten over his ex-wife, yet he feigned indifference.Ivan would like to see how Michael reacted if he found out what she was dealing with.Crossing his legs, Ivan looked forward to seeing what happened next. There was a smirk on his lips.Xander looked at Michael and tried to talk some sense into him. “William Parker is capable of getting anything he wants. He is gutsy. Besides, you have already divorced Ivanka. She no longer poses any threat to him.”Ivan laughed. His legs remained crossed as he said languidly, “That isn’t true. Isn’t Jonah quite fond of Ivanka now? With him around, Mr. Parker probably wouldn’t dare do anything to her. I saw them sitting at the same table just now, and he has been behaving himself. He might just give in and sign the agreement this time.”Michael was speechless.Noting his inaction and darkened expression, Ivan let out a hearty laugh. “Alright, I was just gossiping with y’all. Let’s mind our own business a
Mr. Parker was not in a rush to say anything. Instead, he stared at Ivanka in seemingly deep thought.Ivanka remained composed as usual. Her calm expression gave nearly nothing away.He had indeed spiked the food with something.But with only the two of them in this room, Ivanka was not afraid.Mr. Parker smiled. “You’re right, Ms. Lane. It’s just that… You ought to know there’s no such thing as a free lunch. You have been in business for a while and got to where you are today, so I suppose you know how things work in this industry, yes?”As he spoke, he raised his hand.As his hand was about to touch Ivanka’s, she evaded his touch with composure and ignored his hand, which was frozen stiff awkwardly.The smile on Mr. Parker’s lips was a little tense. But he soon recovered from his embarrassment. Staring at Ivanka, he said smilingly, “Ms. Lane, it is how it is in our industry these days. You ought to know what I want from you and what you should give in return. I heard that you
“Ms. Lane, since you have so much confidence in your plan, show me then. I’ll take a look and decide for myself,” Mr. Parker said.With a smile, Ivanka produced her business proposal in a swift, smooth motion.Mr. Parker had never let anyone wrap him around their finger at the negotiation table, especially if the other party was a woman.Now, all thanks to Ivanka, he was indeed put in a passive position. However, if what she claimed was true, he would not mind being manipulated like that.Mr. Parker took the business proposal from Ivanka. At this point, he was no longer eager to take advantage of her. Rather, he started reading the plan attentively.The more he read, the more shocked he was. But he was an experienced businessman, so his expression betrayed nothing.After he read the entire document, Mr. Parker put down the proposal.However…Before Ivanka asked to meet with him, she had done her homework.If Mr. Parker was not interested, he would never finish reading the docu
At any level of prestige or situation, humans always find something to gripe with.Moreover, Ivanka was a gorgeous woman. William had moved heaven and earth researching her. He was unwilling to let Ivanka leave without incident.Ivanka stopped and looked at William, “Mr. Parker, do you have any advice?”He smiled at her. “Ms. Ivanka, I’m sure we can discuss this over a meal. I’m satisfied with this proposal. I’ll cooperate with the Lane’s Group if we have this meal.”Ivanka frowned, but he continued, “Ms. Ivanka, if you don’t show me some respect... we can forget about the collaboration, then.”She stared at him intently. “Mr. Parker, did you spike these foods and drinks?”William was momentarily speechless. “Ms. Ivanka, are you insisting on disrespecting me?”Ivanka remained silent.The next moment, someone barged into their room. Visibly unhappy, William turned to look. Who was it?! Did they not realize he was dealing with something important right now?However, upon s
Ivan smiled, “Ms. Ivanka, fret not.”He started eating the food.William and Ivanka’s expressions changed.Ivanka wanted to stop him, but it was already too late.Just as she was about to speak, he said, “Mr. Parker, let me say this again, ask her to leave. Otherwise, we might have some complications in the future.”Only William knew if he spiked the food. When he saw Ivan eating them, he did not dare to keep Ivanka around to avoid trouble later. He hurriedly looked at Ivanka. “You should go first. We’ll discuss our collaboration later.”Ivan immediately frowned, “Collaboration? What collaboration? You should just collaborate with the York family in the future.”After speaking, he continued eating.He was genuinely hungry.But he did not drink the wine. Usually, people would spike the drink.Ivanka narrowed her eyes and then left silently.Ivan was here for a reason, maybe to rescue her from William.However, she was not close to him.After leaving the room, she picked up
William’s eyes twitched as his expression drastically changed. He hurriedly shook his head. “No, no! Mr. Quinn, this is a misunderstanding!”He was now on the verge of tears.Everyone knew that Ivan, Xander, and Michael were really close.But now, Ivan has eaten the spiked food!Ivan’s expression darkened. “You spiked the food too?! What’s your problem?!”William shook his head hastily. “No... it’s not... I...”Michael’s expression darkened.“Damn it! I was really drugged. Where’s the antidote?” Ivan started feeling restless.Now that everyone has found out what happened, there is no way he could defend himself.Xander did a tap test to check Ivan’s condition and made a call.Michael slowly walked over, pulled out a chair, and sat down.He did not utter a word, but his serious expression displayed his bad mood that teetered over the edge of an outburst. Parker Corporation might turn into ruins at any moment.Xander sensed that something was about to happen. He hung up the p
Surprised, Ivanka raised her eyebrows. She had only talked to Oliver a few times. Though he had been polite before, this time, she sensed a hint of flattery in his voice.What had just happened between Ivan and William?Did Ivan help her?She pursed her lips and said, “Alright, I’ll have the commissioner contact you. Here’s to a good collaboration.”“Here’s to a good collaboration, indeed. Is there anything else that you need?”Anything else that she needs? Pfft.Ivan must have done something that made William compromise so readily with her. Apparently, she owed him a favor now.“No, goodbye.”“Okay, goodbye, Ms. Ivanka.”With that, she hung up the phone.She had finalized two contracts out of five. Michael would not mess up for Chiara’s sake, and William would not dare to either.As for Jonah...She narrowed her eyes. If he did not respond in the next few days, she would have to call him.Next, there were two projects left to discuss.One of them involved dealing with
“Did she fall into William’s trap?”He was a cunning man. Not only did he want to screw women, he simply tossed them aside after the fact.Many people suffered humiliation without making any progress in their careers.He would take advantage of them, whether he genuinely liked them or was using them to pursue a project of his interest.In any case, he would never suffer losses.He would not sign a project directly; instead, he would consider it after gaining some advantage.So, did that mean Ivanka... Many people started gossiping about her. “Did Ivanka sleep with William?”“I don’t think so. She’s too special. Even if William is bold, he wouldn’t dare to do anything to her, right? Maybe her proposal is really impressive.”“You’re so naive! This time, Ms. Chiara clearly wants to trouble her. No way Ms. Chiara would make things simple for her. Maybe the proposal is inadequate. In that case...” “The chances are slim.”Rebecca was worried about Ivanka. She had a complicated
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