Michael did not even spare Chiara a glance.Chiara sneered while looking at Ivanka and Jonah chatting happily. It had been three years since she had planned this, and it was time for her to execute the final step.Ivanka had fallen into the trap on her own, so she could not blame Chiara for not being merciful.It was Mr. Morris’s birthday, but the four individuals became the highlight of the night.Of course, everyone was watching with bated breath to see Michael and Jonah’s fight for the wife.It was going to be an interesting show.Michael walked to Ivanka with gloomy eyes and a cold expression under everyone’s attention. Ivanka looked up and happened to see the two walking over. She smiled. “Ah, the both of you are here.”Her calm voice did not reveal much emotion. Jonah also broke into a smile. “Mr. Barkworth, it’s rare to see you attending a banquet with someone other than Iv.”Iv?Michael’s expression darkened.He sneered. “This is also my first time seeing you attend
Everyone in the world knew that Jonah and Michael were rivals.Ivanka smiled. “You can call me Ms. Lane now.”Mr. Smith’s chubby smile stiffened up. He seemed to come to a realization and was shocked. “Mrs… No, Ms. Lane, you…”Jonah smiled. “Yes, they’re divorced.”Mr. Smith was extremely shocked.He thought. “Weren’t they deeply in love with each other? Why did they suddenly get a divorce?”When he was about to ask another question, Jonah smiled and said, “I still need to take care of some other matters, so please do excuse me.”A trace of disappointment flashed across Mr. Smith’s eyes. Then, Ivanka left with Jonah.Jonah looked at Ivanka with a smile. “Mr. Smith is a blabbermouth. Telling him alone would be enough.”Ivanka raised her eyebrows and glanced at Jonah. “Mr. Sadler, how did you know I was planning to spread this news today?”Jonah smiled. “Because we’re soul mates.”Ivanka was at a loss for words.After thinking about it, the pieces all fell into place. If she
Ivanka pursed her lips and said nothing.Jonah smiled. “Don’t be afraid. If you’re worried, I’ll go up the stage with you.”Ivanka slowly took a deep breath. Jonah was right. At this point, there was no turning back.She thought. “Well, forget it. If Michael is planning to be merciless, I’ll be merciless too.”At that moment, Adrian was smiling on the stage. “At gatherings like this, people will usually discuss some cooperation in private. I’ve prepared a ‘convenience car’ for you all. Here’s a wall I prepared.A wall?Everyone was confused. They saw Adrian waving his hand, and two slender, tall women came out with a cardboard wall.There were a lot of white stickers neatly pasted on it to block the words inside.Adrian smiled. “I have specially prepared this. Everyone’s name is on it.”Everyone was shocked.They were all curious to know what Adrian’s plan was.Ivanka pursed her lips. She knew that her name was among them.“For the sake of fairness, both men’s and women’s n
The people’s hearts were racing out of nervousness. They had been thinking about what to say if they were chosen. They were all scared of being the first person.Ivanka did not think much about it. She knew that Jonah would not let her be the first pick.She took a deep breath and said softly, “I need to use the restroom.”Jonah looked at her with deep eyes and said softly, “Okay. Iv, don’t get stage fright.”He had an underlying meaning when he told her not to get stage fright. They were all people of high social status. They could keep calm and would not get stage fright.After all, they were all sociable and were used to attending this kind of occasion.However, he still told her not to get stage fright. In truth, he was telling her not to be afraid of Michael.Ivanka nodded. Then, she turned and walked to the restroom.Chiara saw Ivanka leaving and hurriedly said to Michael, “Mic, I need to use the restroom.”Michael nodded lightly and continued to drink.Ivanka was a lit
Michael looked at Ivanka coldly. “Are you satisfied after making a fuss?”“Am I satisfied?” Ivanka chuckled. “You’re the one who made a fuss.”In the past, she devoted herself to being Mrs. Barkworth and made the Barkworth family the focus of her attention. She would never do anything that would embarrass the Barkworth family. Many people praise her for being a perfect wife and daughter-in-law. However, Michael never spared her a glance and fooled about with Chiara. Now that they were getting married, she had become a laughingstock. In spite of all that, Michael was claiming that she was making a fuss.Michael’s thin lips pursed when he saw the mockery in Ivanka’s eyes intensifying. “If you leave the banquet now, this matter ends here.”Ivanka looked at him indifferently. “Will you go to the City Hall with me tomorrow to collect the divorce certificate, then?”Michael immediately sneered. “Ivanka, quit dreaming and stop testing me. I’ll divorce you sooner or later.”When Chiara
Chiara was just as surprised. What was Ivanka going to do on stage?Michael would not have planned this, so only Jonah could have set this up. What were they planning?Chiara was genuinely curious. Jonah would never help Michael and Ivanka to reconcile. If Ivanka and Jonah got together, she would reject Michael and she would not be together with him anymore. After that…Chiara eagerly waited. She hoped that Ivanka could continue being proud and never meet Michael anymore!Jonah turned to look at Ivanka with a smile. “Should I accompany you?”“I’m good.”Ivanka was calm and at peace with herself.Jonah and Michael became everyone’s center of attention. Ivanka stood beside Jonah, and everyone could see her at a glance. They stared at Ivanka as she got up on the stage.Mr. Morris sat in the head seat and looked over. He immediately frowned. “Who did this?”Adrian’s expression darkened. “I’ll ask someone to investigate.”The Morris family would never do something that would offen
Everyone was shocked.She was so bold!In other words, she was announcing to them that she had broken up with Michael!Otherwise, why else would she no longer be Mrs. Barkworth?She had become single again!Jonah had been watching Ivanka. At that very moment, he suddenly smiled, and a hint of joy shone in his dark eyes.He turned to look at Michael. Michael had a gloomy expression but otherwise did not react much.He had probably brought Chiara over today to put on a show.However, Ivanka’s actions had made his show in vain. Everyone knew their relationship had fallen apart, and Barkworth Group became the laughingstock.Michael sensed Jonah’s gaze and looked at him. They were not sitting at the same table. Many people were between them, but that did nothing to stop them from shooting murderous gazes at each other.Jonah smiled and raised his glass. Although it was champagne, he could still drink a toast to him.Michael stopped looking at him. Instead, he got up and walked ou
Jonah smiled. “I still have matters to attend to, but I’ll find a chance to make it up to you later, Mr. Morris.”One should never be angry with someone who was smiling so widely. Mr. Morris could only return the smile. “I’m flattered, Mr. Sadler. Since you have to take care of something, I’ll leave you in peace.”Jonah nodded and left with Ivanka. The other guests were still giving their speeches. However, the departures of the two important figures left the guests feeling a little empty. It was just turning out to be such a good show, but they were going to prematurely end it here.They could only follow up through the media later.The two of them walked to the car. Jonah opened the door of the front passenger seat for Ivanka, and Ivanka got into the car.After Jonah closed the door, Ivanka said, “Now that the banquet is over, when will you make the appeal?”“Let’s wait until after your divorce. I must take care of something, but it won’t take long.”Ivanka nodded and did not
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
Mandy was rushed to the hospital.She fainted, but Ferris was not as fortunate.It seemed that he could not accept the fact that he had kicked his own child. He kept shaking his head and muttering, “This can’t be. How could this happen?”He looked like he was losing it.However, the law would not overlook his actions just because of his mental state.Ivanka had seen enough of their mess and was no longer interested in watching them tear each other apart. She asked the police to explain why they were there.“Mr. Clark, Ms. Ivanka has filed a report requesting a full investigation into the circumstances surrounding her fall into the water. Following our preliminary inquiry, both you and Ms. Mandy are now considered suspects. We are required to take you both in for further questioning.”Ferris did not respond. He was still unable to process what had just happened.The police followed protocol and arrested him.Ferris was led away with his hands cuffed. He was completely dazed.N
Still, Ferris kept quiet. However, the others in the room did not.A portly shareholder stood up, smacked his lips, and forced a flattering smile. “Isn’t it obvious? Ferris wants to take your place, Ms. Ivanka. Everyone can see it. He’s nothing but a complete traitor!”Once he spoke up, the rest quickly chimed in.“Yeah, he’s a traitor!”Ferris looked around the room. He already knew these people were untrustworthy, but he had not expected them to turn on him so easily.Ivanka, on the other hand, did not seem surprised.She had not taken any action on Ferris and Mandy because she wanted to watch the chaos unfold. These shareholders had sided with Ferris when she was gone, and they switched back just as quickly when she returned.Ferris was no fool. He knew that too. But the sense of isolation he felt at that moment drove him into despair.Still, he was not one to back down easily.He spat in the portly shareholder’s face.“And who the hell are you?” Ferris sneered. “You were