“I won’t be going back yet. I have other things to do.”She needed to secure one last business partner. In any case, she had always intended to look for that person in the afternoon. Honestly, Scarlet was really “amazing” to have found so many cunning and tough people-in-charge. Naila was easier to negotiate with because she liked the proposal and it was to her tastes. She could even help her son with it, so they could negotiate about it. But the other business partner, Aalto Virtanen, was famously stubborn. He was already fifty years old and was part of the senior management in his company. He was famous for having good judgment, so he had countless business achievements and was headhunted by many companies, but he was never tempted and continued working for Hans Corporation. If he liked the proposal, then they did not need to negotiate any further. But if he did not, then Ivanka would not even have the chance to negotiate by saying that they could just look out for their
Aalto did not find anything strange with the sudden appearance of someone else beside him, nor did he check out who the person was. This was a recreational place. Plenty of people were willing to watch something fun to be entertained. Clearly, Aalto just treated Ivanka as someone who was here for some entertainment. Ivanka stood beside him in silence.Aalto seemed to be in high spirits. However, he did not win anything over the next eight rounds. The number of coins he had left was also only enough for him to play one last round. At the sight of Aalto’s stormy expression, Ivanka smiled. “Sir, should I help you play once? If I win, it’s your win. If I don’t, I’ll play for you another ten times. And I say I’m going to win. Do you believe me?”Ivanka’s confident and clear voice made Aalto turn around. When he saw Ivanka, he was amused. “You’re young, but you’re pretty arrogant, huh?”Ivanka smiled. “Want to let me try it?”Aalto shifted to the right and said in a relaxed man
Aalto was stunned. But after some thinking, he found that she made sense. If she was that skilled, those coins were meaningless to her. He looked at her. “What sort of bet do you want?”Ivanka thought about it for a moment before she smiled. “If I win, you owe me five meals.”Aalto was flabbergasted.He gave her a puzzled look. “Are you going to ask for a fancy meal?”Ivanka smiled. “That’s right. I haven’t had dinner yet. Do you have time for a meal later?”At that moment, Aalto finally observed Ivanka properly. Something was off about Ivanka. She had approached him with a goal in mind. “Girl, why are you here?”Ivanka smiled. “Sir, I just want you to treat me to five meals. Are you scared?”Based on what she understood of Aalto, he was easily provoked. Just as she expected, Aalto scoffed. “What a joke! Why should I be scared?”Ivanka smiled. “Good, then. If I lose, what do you want me to do?”Aalto narrowed his eyes. “If you lose, tell me why you approached me.”Ivank
Aalto instinctively looked down. When he saw the name on the business card, he was stunned. He looked at Ivanka. “You’re Ivanka Lane?!”Ivanka smiled. “The one and only.”“You’re the elite lawyer, Ivanka Lane?”Aalto regarded Ivanka with even more surprise. Knowing who she was now, Aalto grew certain that Ivanka had not lied. He did know that he resembled Ivanka’s father. “Since you came to me, then you should be here for that business cooperation.” Aalto exposed her goal. Ivanka smiled. “Sir, let’s eat first. We can talk about the business cooperation later.”Aalto did not know what Ivanka was planning, but he did pity her for losing her father at such a young age, so he nodded. “Alright. I’m going back to work now. I’ll call you once I clock off work.”“Alright. Thank you, Sir.” Ivanka looked grateful. However, when she looked at him, Ivanka felt her mind wander. She did not even know how she managed to stop herself from calling Aalto her father just now. At that m
Michael was losing his cool again. He became increasingly frustrated and inhaled sharply to school his emotions, but he was failing. As he worked, his mind kept wandering. Bam!Michael slammed his fist against the table. The meeting room instantly fell silent, and the person who had been reporting his department’s progress turned pale. His hands trembled. Documents scattered all over the table. The sound of the papers falling on the table also made Michael realize that he was in a meeting. The person doing the report was close to tears. His legs trembled so badly that he lost his footing. The meeting room had a ghastly, frigid atmosphere, and he was about to faint because of it. Michael scowled and said coldly, “Continue.”The person doing the report trembled. Continue?!Wasn’t Michael displeased with what he said?With his face pale with fright, he said with a quivering voice, “I’m… already done.”Michael’s scowl deepened. After a brief pause, he said, “Repeat it.”
Lyla saw that Chiara had an incoming call and smiled. “Look. He’s calling you.”Chiara blushed. She whined in embarrassment, “Mom…”Lyla immediately chuckled. “Alright, I’ll stop. Answer the phone. I’ll leave you two to it.”She stood up with a smile and said nothing else. When the door swung shut, Chiara inhaled sharply and answered the phone nervously. Her nervousness was mainly due to her depleting contact with Michael and because Michael was no longer as patient as he was with her in the past. She did not dare act as willfully as before. “Mic? Aren’t you supposed to be at work?”It was a little past 4 p.m., and it was a little more than one hour before he clocked off work. “How’s your recovery?” Michael’s voice remained as cool as before. Chiara smiled. “I’m about fully recovered. You don’t have to worry about me.”She always spoke considerately, just like this. It was all so that she could not give Michael any pressure. However, when they met, she would show him t
Another shareholder, Tom Ronson, hesitated for a moment and looked at everyone with a hint of resignation. He said, “Given the current situation, if Mr. Sadler refuses to budge, Ivanka is our only choice. I see no other options. Can you bear to give up such a lucrative business opportunity? Besides, we can only collaborate with Sadler’s Group on this project.Susan frowned and said disapprovingly, “Does it have to be Sadler’s Group? What about Barkworth’s Group? Couldn’t that be an option for us too?”Theodore was momentarily stunned before he turned to Susan, who looked at him with a serious expression. “Mr. Lane, our concern lies mainly in matters of interest. Currently, Ivanka clearly aims to take control of Lane’s Group. We cannot entrust the future of our group to a greenhorn like her.”Theodore nodded in agreement. “You’re right. Lane’s Group is in a delicate position now, and we are in a crucial period of expansion. We absolutely cannot afford any setbacks.”Susan nodded aga
Theodore paused momentarily before nodding. “Okay, I’ll talk to Chiara about this. If Mr. Barkworth needs us to contribute some funds, how much do you think we should contribute?”A heated discussion quickly erupted among the group.At that moment, Ivanka was still in her office. She was waiting for Aalto’s call.It was getting close to the end of the day.After a few minutes, Aalto sent her a message.Aalto: Ms. Ivanka, this is Aalto. Please meet me here after work.Ivanka texted back and put her phone down.Rebecca gazed at Ivanka with admiration. “Iv, are you working on the final project now?”Ivanka nodded. “Yes.”Rebecca’s lips curved into a smile. “How are you feeling this time? Are you confident?”Ivanka chuckled. “I don’t know. Let’s see how luck plays out.”“Don’t be modest. I’m looking forward to you creating another miracle. Everyone in our office is putting in extra effort because of your impressive achievements. Thanks to your influence, our team’s performance h
Margaret had always wanted a daughter-in-law. Besides, the girl had to come from a wealthy family. Jonah had done so according to her will and took Chiara home, but Margaret refused to accept her. “I want a genuine couple relationship. What are you guys doing now?” Margaret’s expression was dark and cool. She took a step toward Jonah and did not even glance at Chiara. Chiara knew it was better to fall silent at that moment. Jonah said calmly, “We’re in a genuine relationship. She needs a husband. I need a wife. Would our union cast any doubt?” Melanie had just reunited with her family. Her family did not favor her, and she had to be hidden behind the scenes all the time. As for Jonah, he was a cripple who was bound to a wheelchair. He believed no one would object to the two of them getting together. On top of that, he was just using Chiara. “Indeed, no one will doubt your relationship. But I know what you’re thinking. I don’t mind the fact that you’re using her to stop
Sandy pushed Ivan away. But she still held his flowers in her arms. It was a bouquet of pink roses. Pink was her favorite color. The bag he gave to her contained her favorite food. Ivan had put in extra effort. “Think about it carefully. I’ll come again tomorrow.” Right after Ivan finished his sentence, he turned around. Looking at his gifts, Sandy felt a surge of indescribable bitterness in her heart. She did not throw his gifts away. After all, Ivan gave them to her out of his kind gesture. Sandy carried the gifts back to the office. Anna instantly spotted her. Anna raised one of her eyebrows and chuckled. “Did Young Master Ivan give them to you?” Sandy only had Ivan as her male friend. She did not deny it. Nonetheless, Anna noticed Sandy’s dull expression. Anna hesitated first before asking, “Is there any problem between you and Ivan? You don’t look happy. Is your family objecting to your relationship with him?” Sandy and Ivan had always been a quarrelsome but lo
Sandy fell silent. She looked resigned and replied to Ivan honestly, “I can’t possibly allow you to pester me for the rest of my life. My family is urging me to get married soon. With you pestering me, I think I should marry somebody else to end all this once and for all.” “Do you think I would allow that to happen?” While saying this, Ivan took a step forward. His expression darkened. He exuded an intense sense of hostility like the most horrifying creature emerging from hell. Ivan’s murderous look seemed to state that he would go to the extent of stealing the bride at Sandy’s wedding ceremony if he was not the bridegroom that day. On top of that, he gave an impression as though Sandy would either be his bride or a ghost bride. Seeing Ivan in his current demeanor, Sandy did not know if she should laugh or cry. Prior to that, she was worried that Ivan was just using her. At that moment, she finally realized the disparity of status between them. Ivanka had always believed that m
In the past, Ivan did not understand the conflicts between his parents. He thought his mother had been so cruel that she cheated on his father and abandoned him. Later, Ivan learned his mother had not been the one at fault. So, a heartless sc*m like his father was not in the position to rebuke him. If not for his parents, Ivan would not have let himself go wild and had so many girlfriends. Reuben York sounded indifferent. He made himself clear by saying, “You should, at least, marry someone with a clean background and whose parents are still around so that they could assist you—” “Does that mean I need to accept an arranged marriage by you? I’m not your only child, you can instill your way of thinking on your other children!” Right after Ivan finished his sentence, he hung up. His expression turned dark. The next moment, he accelerated the speed of his car. He carried a bouquet of flowers and Sandy’s favorite food when he showed up in front of her. For a moment, Sandy was
Ivan had not lived with his mother for a long time. Meanwhile, Sandy was her adopted daughter and the direct heir to her estate. Legally, the necklace could be considered part of that inheritance.Following that logic, Ivan had no right to speak on the matter.But to him, Sandy was just an adopted daughter. He was the biological son. Their separation had been caused by a misunderstanding. Since the truth was out, it was only natural for him to take back his mother’s belongings.If things went to court, it would be a battle between them. Both had an equal claim.By blood, Ivan had an undeniable advantage.From the way he spoke, Sandy could hear his confidence and condescension. She knew exactly what he was implying. He was prepared to fight her for the inheritance. But things had not escalated to that point yet.Even if they did, she had no fear of going to court with him. In fact, she was ready to fight.“Ivan, Mom left it to me. She never said it was for you. Whatever happened
Sandy heard the same automated response as the one on Ivanka’s phone.Did that mean they had all left together?Realizing this, she did not press Candice further. Instead, she smiled casually. “It’s nothing. Get back to work. I’ll head out now.”As she turned to leave, she pulled out her phone and sent Ivanka a message.Sandy: Call me when you turn your phone back on. Just as she was about to get in her car, her uncle, Thomas, walked up to her.The moment he saw her, he frowned. “Still upset?”“Uncle, I don’t want to think or talk about it. If you’d been through what I have, you wouldn’t be trying to change my mind.”Addressing him as “Uncle” was Sandy’s way of maintaining politeness while creating emotional distance. She hoped Thomas would get the hint and back off.Thomas was caught off guard. He fell silent and was unsure how to respond.Before he could, Sandy got in her car.On her way out of the law firm, her phone rang. It was Ivan. “My baby, Sandy, where are you?”
Chiara’s tone was sharp. Her eyes darkened with determination.James noticed. So did Jonah.Jonah snapped out of his thoughts. Chiara was trying too hard to prove herself. It was clear she wanted to use him to elevate her own status.Fine. He would let her think she was winning only to watch her fall even harder.“They’re just regular people. They aren’t worth your energy,” Jonah said. “Let’s go home and see my mom first. Tomorrow, I’ll visit yours.” He had already made all the arrangements.Chiara had no objections.Even so, she sent Katiana a message.Katiana replied right away.Katiana: Since he’s coming, I’ll gather the whole family. You’ve finally brought some honor to us. Just do your part, and I’ll handle everything else.Chiara was not surprised that Katiana would invite the entire Levine family. As the second daughter of the Levine family, she had always been under scrutiny. Katiana had pinned all her hopes on her. Katiana wanted her to make a name for herself and sec
Eleanor narrowed her eyes coldly. Her patience was wearing thin. She never kept useless pawns. Until a job was done, no one slipped from her control.Chiara sensed the threat in her tone. Panic surged through her as she rushed to explain. “No, Boss. That’s not what I meant. I was just updating you on my progress. With Jonah, I can carry out your orders more efficiently. I would never betray you, I swear.”Her voice trembled. She was genuinely terrified.Her rewritten identity as the second daughter of the Levine family, along with her top-tier disguise skills, voice changer, and first-hand access to Ivanka’s plans, proved that the person backing her had serious influence.Crossing Eleanor meant sealing her fate.She had worked too hard to secure her new life. Even though she knew Jonah was using her, being connected to him still had value. If she died, everything she had done to secure her position would be for nothing.She refused to die.“Good. Get me results. Fast. I don’t ke
Michael’s piercing gaze stayed locked on Ivanka. He was determined to get an answer.Ivanka scoffed. “What’s on my mind? From the moment you divorced me for Chiara, I saw our relationship for what it really was. You never loved me. I had to force myself to let go. Why waste time holding on to something that was never mine? I refuse to wallow in bitterness and self-pity.”Michael looked like he wanted to speak, but Ivanka cut him off. “I told you, I don’t want to talk about this anymore. Stop asking the same thing over and over. It’s pointless.”Without waiting for his response, she turned and called out, “Evan, is the food ready?”“Yes, it’s coming!”Evan had been listening the whole time. Even if Ivanka had not called for him, he had already planned to bring the food out to break the tension.Once the dishes were set on the table, Michael fell silent.Ivanka immediately noticed the meal had been tailored exactly to her tastes. From the private jet to the food, Michael had put t