“But you...” Rosie was at a loss for words for the first time.She kept thinking that Ivanka had a tough life.She lost her biological father at a young age, she married a man who did not like her, and her mother-in-law mistreated her. Therefore, Rosie had been trying to make it up for Ivanka.Ivanka smiled. “Grandma, don’t overthink it.”“All right.”Just like that, they continued chatting and laughing. Ivanka felt a genuine sense of familial care from her grandmother. Over the years, their relationship had remained strong. Ivanka was like a real granddaughter to Rosie. To Ivanka, Rosie was like her real grandmother.Ivanka spent a good part of the day chatting with Rosie without anyone disturbing them.Ivanka had intended to leave before dinner, but Rosie kept insisting she stay. She even insisted that Ivanka eat dinner before leaving. Ivanka had no choice but to stay.Unexpectedly, a car engine rumbled from the yard.Ivanka’s eyes flickered slightly. Was Samuel back?The
Michael looked at Rosie speechlessly. “Do you not want to see me that much?”Confused, Rosie looked at Michael. Could he not see that Ivanka did not like seeing him?How was he so oblivious?She frowned and asked, “Aren’t you busy?”Michael and Ivanka could not find a response to her attitude.Ivanka was just as speechless, but she was secretly enjoying this. She loved seeing Michael on the losing end!The more, the better!Michael eventually said with resignation, “I’ll leave after you finish taking the medicine.”“Fine, I’ll take it.”As Michael watched Rosie, who usually hated taking medicine, finish the pills so willingly this time, his temples throbbed intensely for a moment.In less than a minute, Rosie had taken all the medicine.Michael could only say, “If there are any problems, you can call me anytime.”“I got it. Go now.”Michael closed his eyes for a moment and then said, “I can’t leave yet. I’m here to pick her up. We’ll leave after dinner.”Surprised, Ivanka
Rosie lazily shook her head. “I’ll pass. Besides, if I go with you, what about your grandpa then?”“However, seeing you straightening yourself out does surprise me.”Ivanka’s eyes flashed with a hint of irony, but it was for the best. It would help Rosie recover sooner. Given her health, she could not undergo too much stress and worry. Michael remained silent.Ivanka, on the other hand, completely ignored him. She continued to chat and laugh with Rosie. After dinner, they prepared to leave.Rosie contentedly looked at them standing together. She smiled gently.“Have a safe journey, you two. If you have spare time, explore the place. Don’t miss out on the local scenery. I know you are busy, but remember to take breaks. Got it?”Ivanka nodded obediently. “Got it, Grandma. You should rest early tonight. Remember to take your medicine on time. Got it?”She intentionally mimicked Rosie’s tone in the last few words.An almost imperceptible smile appeared on Michael’s face.Rosie c
Belle quickly said, “I did. I informed you about it, but I really didn’t expect Mr. Barkworth and Young Master Ivan to help Ivanka at that time, and I didn’t anticipate them running into each other.”Chiara stared coldly at Belle. “Belle, if you make another mistake like this again, your family might not remain safe!”She uttered the last sentence through gritted teeth.Belle, however, breathed a sigh of relief. She knew she had managed to get away with it this time.She had actually mentioned to Chiara before that Michael and Ivan were present.However, Chiara did not think it could lead to any conflict back then. Chiara was the one who had ignored the key information!Back then, Chiara had even hoped that Michael would witness the situation between Ivanka and William.At the end of the day, she manipulated Chiara’s thoughts. Chiara had missed it.Belle just hoped that Ivanka could bring Chiara down as soon as she could....On the plane, Ivanka and Michael remained tight-lip
“Have an early night. I’ll take my leave.”Michael remained silent. Ivanka immediately frowned. “Wait.”Puzzled, the person turned to Ivanka.His eyes flickered with incomprehension, but he still said, “Miss, what can I do for you?”After a moment of hesitation, she spoke softly, “Never mind. You can go.”The man gave her a perplexed look but, when Michael remained silent, he said nothing more. He nodded and left the room.The two of them were alone in the room.Ivanka said with a calm expression. “I’ll go book another room.”She was going to ask that man about her room, but she assumed that he did not know about her relationship with Michael. So, she did not request him for help and decided to handle it herself.Michael frowned and disdainfully said, “You can stay here. I don’t have time to deal with this in the middle of the night. We have to leave early in the morning tomorrow.”With that, Michael walked into the master bedroom.Ivanka frowned. However, seeing that Michae
Michael glanced at her coldly. “Shouldn’t you know where we are heading?”Ivanka was speechless.She gave him a look of defeat and could not help but snap at him, “How did Evan put up with you all these years?”The look in Michael’s eyes became fierce and icy, but Ivanka was done talking. She started the car.She had been to this place before and was rather familiar with it.Ivanka thought about some places and decided on one. She did not discuss it with Michael and simply drove there.As usual, no words were exchanged. The car was filled with dead silence. They did not even play music on the radio.The two of them were comfortable with the silence. It was how they interacted with each other.Ivanka, for one, certainly did not want to waste her breath talking to this man.They arrived at their destination after over an hour of driving.Ivanka stopped the car in the parking lot and looked over at Michael.“This bridal house is quite well-known. They also have a wide selection
Michael halted in his tracks and so did Ivanka. She turned toward the store manager and said with a perplexed look on her face. “Who told you we’d be here?”Michael immediately shot a cold glare at the store manager. He was silent, but she was already a little frightened. After all, he was no ordinary man.If his chilly glare could kill, she would have been maimed and dead by now. She willed herself not to pass out under his gaze.The store manager took a deep breath and delivered the speech that she had prepared earlier on.“So, our company has been looking for a business partner. We happened to find out that Barkworth’s Group and Lane’s Group are working together. I heard that you have planned to conduct a survey, and I predicted that you’ll visit in recent days. Besides, it’s hard to overlook someone with your demeanor. I have seen you on TV before, so I recognized you immediately. I work here every day. It’s my honor to meet you.”Hearing what the store manager said, Holly, th
The store manager went slightly pale. She immediately got in their way before they headed for the door. Her voice carried a note of panic. “Mr. Barkworth, Ms. Lane, you haven’t seen all the designs. Our current designers are quite talented as well. The situation is not as bad as you imagine, or else a big brand like us would’ve been done for.”Ivanka did not get up. She only stared at the store manager. “Then show me what you think is good. We don’t have time to go through the designs one by one.”The store manager quickly walked over. She picked some wedding gown designs and displayed them on the screen.Ivanka browsed through them. The disappointment in her eyes only grew.The store manager was so anxious that she almost broke out in a cold sweat. She quickly said, “We have also received some new designs today. Mr. Barkworth, Ms. Lane, please have another look at them!”Both Barkworth’s Group and Lane’s Group were big clients. If she missed the chance to work with them, her supe
“I deserve everything that’s happening to me now. But please don’t involve my family in my mistakes…” Ethan clasped his hands together and sincerely begged everyone to spare his family. Ivanka spared him a brief glance before turning off her cell phone. Although she was helping herself to some meat, Michael could see how she felt at the moment. “Why don’t we…” Michael asked for her opinion. But before he finished speaking, Ivanka interrupted him. “Now that he’s released a video like that, if I continue to hold him accountable, I’d be the one in the wrong.” Michael immediately replied, “I can step in—” “You? It’s better if you don’t. Everyone knows your relationship with me now.” Before Michael could finish his sentence, Ivanka immediately interrupted him. Although they were not officially remarried, Michael often went out with her. If anyone else were to see this, what difference did it make? Michael understood, but he really could not bear to see Ivanka getting bulli
After they finished taking pictures, Ivanka greeted everyone politely. “After finishing your meal, go home early. It’s snowing, so drive safely. Bye…” Ivanka subconsciously reminded them. She belatedly realized she had been acting as though she was really an idol. Nonetheless, she treated them with sincerity. She had not done this for Michael’s sake. She did this mostly for the sake of the innocent, inexperienced young ladies who had yet entered the society. These young ladies raised their phones warily and asked, “Could we take a picture together?” They were so worried that their invitation would be turned down, so much so that when they talked, they almost bit the skin off their lips. Ivanka could not bear to reject them. It had not been easy for her to finally reach the private room. Michael teased her, “Our celebrity finally arrived. It looks like you’d best wear shades wherever you go in the future.” Ivanka glared at him and said gruffly, “Stop teasing me.” She paused
After that, Ivanka politely bowed to the people who had been watching the drama in the main hall. She smiled at them. “Sorry for making a fool of ourselves. We encountered two tricksters who wanted to eat the meals for free by calling themselves the friends of the restaurant owners. It happened that I know the restaurant owner, so we easily uncovered their tricks.” By saying that, Ivanka was able to save the hot pot restaurant’s and the Barkworth family’s reputation. Her statement could result in a win-win situation, and the reason was acceptable. Ivanka continued, “Sorry for causing a stir and affecting your dining mood. I’ll foot the bill for everyone who dined on the first floor. How does that sound?” She was not trying to curry favor with the people or to show off her wealth. She simply did not want the people to hate the wealthy. One could not deny that this method worked. Right after Ivanka made her statement, the crowd thanked her. The commotion was no more than ju
The young lady did not know what to do, so she turned to the restaurant manager. The restaurant manager nodded in approval. It was only then that the young lady left the restaurant. Before she left, she glared at Coco. Coco glared back at the young lady and pointed at her viciously. Coco shouted, “Come back! I’m not done with you yet! Who permitted you to leave now?!” The young lady’s body shivered a little. Still, she gnashed her teeth and left. Ivanka watched the young lady’s back as she drifted away. Ivanka stood in Coco’s way because she did not want Coco to chase after the young lady. Ivanka did not want to make a big deal out of the situation. Otherwise, the Barkworth family would be the one who suffered disgrace. After all, Coco stayed in the Barkworth family’s mansion, and everyone knew that Rosie doted on her. If it continued, Ivanka was worried about Rosie’s later years… Ivanka rubbed her temples in resignation. It looked like she needed to resolve the issue as
The restaurant manager thought for a moment before saying, “Ms. Fishbourne, the restaurant has its own rules. Only three types of VIPs could reserve our private rooms while the rest could only enjoy normal seats. I have reasons to believe that our front desk told you the same when you called. We may not have empty seats now, but we’ll have one shortly after.” Coco recalled the situation and remembered that it was exactly like what the restaurant manager had mentioned. So what? Things have changed these days. Coco was no longer an ordinary woman. Her words could even move the earth. With that thought in her mind, Coco chuckled. She kept her tyranny and mockery to herself before locking her little finger with the young lady’s at the front desk. The young lady at the front desk looked down at her finger before glancing at the restaurant manager helplessly. The restaurant manager himself, too, was caught in trouble, so he could not do anything else to defend the young lady. C
Little did Coco know that her behavior was no more like a clown in the crowd’s eyes. Ivanka felt disgusted. Although she could not put herself in Coco’s shoes, she could understand the thoughts of a sensitive person. Ivanka could sympathize with a sensitive and cowardly person. But she could not find herself sympathizing with Coco. Coco’s low self-esteem should not be the reason for her to behave like a crook. Michael, on the other hand, already finished discussing with the restaurant manager and entering the private room. Ivanka lagged behind him. She had no intention of entertaining Coco, much less inviting her to eat together. No doubt that the private room was able to accommodate four people. But based on their relationship, Ivanka thought she had been kind enough to not find fault in Coco, much less eating together. Meanwhile, Coco continued to argue with the restaurant manager. She argued until her face reddened. Although the restaurant manager already made hims
The temperature was above freezing point, so the snowflakes melted before they even reached the ground. The trees were covered in snow. At a glance, they looked like a blanket of pristine snow. The big trees looked as if they had been covered in snow-white new clothes. Ivanka was a little surprised at such a scenery. Even though she often went for business trips in the north and had experienced snow, skied, and various other experiences, it was a rare sight to experience snow in their city. Instead of snow, they looked more like an ice sheet. The snow there was different from the cities in the north. They easily fell on their hair. In just a while, their hair turned snowy white. Ivanka took out her phone and took a photo. Then she shared it with her friends in her WhatsApp group. Meanwhile, Michael took photos of Ivanka. Michael hardly posted anything on Twitter. After a moment, he uploaded a photo of Ivanka taking photos of the scenery.The caption was: Experiencing
Michael glanced at Ivanka.Ivanka kept her eyes lowered and focused on nothing in particular. Both of them tacitly agreed not to bring it up.“Let’s go out to eat,” Michael said. Ivanka agreed without hesitation.If they got ready and left at this time, they would be just in time for lunch.She went upstairs to freshen up. Michael did not rush her. He just smiled, as if he was telling her to take her time.Ivanka felt a little embarrassed and touched the tip of her nose. Truthfully, she was the one in a hurry because she was the one starving.Five minutes later, she came back down.She had changed into a long black down coat that reached her ankles. It was practical and warm.But the weather was still unbearably cold. This winter was harsher than usual.“Let’s go.” She rubbed her hands together and looked at Michael.Michael was on his phone. He was smiling and looked relaxed. With just a glance, Ivanka could tell he was probably making a reservation.Their long-standing
Ivanka slept in the next day. By the time she woke up, the sun was already streaming through the window, casting light across her bed and face.In a way, the sunlight had forced her awake.She frowned slightly before slowly opening her eyes. The brightness left spots in her vision, so she instinctively raised a hand to shield herself before getting out of bed.It was already past 10 a.m.She had no idea how she managed to sleep so much, especially after napping all afternoon the day before.Then again, maybe she was just that exhausted. So much had been going on lately.Fortunately, it was Saturday, so she did not have to go to the office.That was probably why her internal clock had not woken her at seven as usual.Come to think of it, her body’s internal clock was quite accommodating.On workdays, no matter how tired she was, she always woke up at seven sharp. But on weekends, that never happened. She could sleep in as much as she wanted, which was pretty great.She lay in