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
They initially thought highly of Ivanka as an impressive lawyer. However, it seemed like she was just slightly more skilled in the legal field.Chiara smiled as she observed the disdainful looks from everyone toward Ivanka. She then said to everyone again cheerfully, “So, I’m hosting a celebration tonight! Let’s all have dinner together. Are you all free? It’s okay if you already have plans. It’s not compulsory.”Chiara was Theodore’s daughter, after all. Of course, no one would decline.Even if they did not want to, they would still have to show up.Also, of course, many were intrigued to witness the unfolding drama between Chiara and Ivanka!“Of course, since Ms. Chiara is being so generous, count me in! I’ve got no plans tonight.”“Me neither!”... When Chiara heard their response, she smiled and said, “Okay, it’s decided. Everyone, don’t head home after work, alright? We’ll have dinner straight away.”Ivanka sneered. Chiara had not discussed any of this with her at all.
Ivanka nodded and walked over. “Let’s go,” Evan said and brought Ivanka to the elevator for the CEO. The receptionist whipped out her phone to begin gossiping in the work group chat. Peggy (Receptionist): Ivanka Lane just dropped by, and Mr. Evan even brought her up via the CEO’s elevator!Those words caused the employees to go wild. A series of messages full of shock, disbelief, aspirations, and jealousy popped up. Jason (Admin): Holy! Seriously? They’re still talking to each other?!Lisa (Sales): I have a relative who’s working at Lane’s Group’s Public Relations Department. Ivanka Lane has been going back to work recently, and they have a project with Barkworth’s Group. I heard that Mr. Barkworth is only agreeing to Ivanka Lane’s proposal because of Chiara.Peggy (Receptionist): I see. But Ivanka Lane sure is lucky. She might be divorced with Mr. Barkworth, but she’s still in contact with him. Lady Luck must really love her.While the people were talking about this, Iva
Ivanka picked up the documents he threw over and headed outside without saying anything else. She could wait for Evan to tell her the specifics. However, once she returned to the company and wanted to go to her office, Belle blocked her path. Ivanka recognized her. She was Chiara’s assistant. Belle gave her a complicated look. After a brief pause, she said, “Ms. Ivanka, Ms. Chiara is asking for you. Please come with me.”Ivanka nodded silently. They went to Chiara’s office. When Ivanka saw Chiara still bound to her wheelchair, mockery flashed briefly in Ivanka’s eyes. She had already begun looking into the things Chiara did in the past and hoped that Chiara could handle all that was going to happen in the future. Belle shut the door and left. Chiara looked at Ivanka. “Did you go to Barkworth’s Group?”Ivanka’s gaze turned a little darker. In the next moment, with a faint smile, she said, “That’s right. Thanks to you, I managed to secure the deal. Mr. Barkworth wants m
“So, Chiara, if you’re worried about him falling in love with me, you’d better think of something quick, or I’m going to be leaving with him on a business trip tomorrow.“If our positions are switched and this happened in the past, what would you say in my place? Let me see… I believe you’d say something like, Iv, some things are just out of our control. I don’t want to ruin your relationship like this either, but he just wants me to go. For the sake of making our company better, I have to. Don’t worry, I’ll be sure to keep my distance so that you won’t misunderstand things between us.”Ivanka’s tone and expression were the perfect imitation of Chiara. Chiara was so agitated that she slammed her fist on the table. “You’re crossing the line, Ivanka!”Ivanka sneered. “I know. Since you don’t like me, I’m just going to go work now.” Then, her smile widened. “I’ll be looking forward to the party you’ll be throwing for me at night.”Without waiting for Chiara’s reply, she made to le
“Who knows? But there’s an old adage that goes: money makes the world go round.”“Is Ivanka even in need of money? She’s Iris!”“I’m just quoting an adage. Besides, now that Ivanka has joined the company, she has to do something outstanding to build a good reputation.”Chiara sneered. Perhaps Ivanka had been able to predict that Chiara would do something to her during the party, but she definitely did not predict that she would ask William to come here. Perhaps Ivanka was just too charming. When William heard that Ivanka wanted to invite him to her celebration party, he had eagerly agreed to come. She would tell Ivanka about this later. But at the moment, she wanted Ivanka to know the consequences of provoking her. Since they had told the manager the number of people who would be coming here ahead of time, there were no extra chairs in the room. The only spot left was the one beside Ivanka. Mockery shone in Ivanka’s eyes, but she did not care about this particular detail.
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