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
Chiara restrained her anger and smiled at Ivanka. “Iv, what are you doing here? And who is this?”Seeing Aalto’s face, Chiara was in a daze for a moment. It was as if her uncle had come back to life.Ivanka ignored the encounter. She simply turned to Aalto with a faint smile. “Sir, shall we go inside?”Aalto did not want to get involved in Ivanka’s personal affairs and simply nodded in agreement.The smile on Chiara’s face stiffened for a moment, but in the next instant, she could not help but sneer. Ivanka ignoring her was perfect. That would let Michael see how rude she really was.However, just as they took their first step, Michael suddenly spoke, “Mr. Aalto.”Chiara’s expression subtly changed. He...Aalto paused and turned to look at the person who spoke.“Mr. Barkworth, is there something you need?”Michael addressing Aalto as “Mr. Aalto” did not impose any pressure on Aalto.Aalto was a principled, headstrong man. Michael had previously gone to great lengths to recrui
Everyone knew that Michael only intervened on someone’s behalf when he had a reason.By assisting Aalto, Michael was essentially gaining a significant favor from him.His sharp and unique perspective could provide invaluable assistance to any company and eliminate any concerns.After Aalto rejected him several times, Ivanka finally felt a sense of relief.She wanted nothing to do with Michael.Michael glazed at Ivanka coldly but said nothing this time. Instead, he calmly suggested, “How about we talk about it after dinner?”Aalto was slightly surprised but after some consideration, he nodded, “All right, we’ll talk later then.”Chiara was speechless.She had originally planned to continue her date with Michael after dinner with a movie or something.Chiara felt like she was about to spit blood.Little did she know, Michael had never sincerely asked her out. He did everything with an ulterior motive. She was nothing more than his pawn.Aalto looked at Ivanka and smiled. “Youn
“Young lady, what do you want to eat?” Aalto showed a rare smile as he asked.Ivanka smiled back. “Anything is fine, sir. You decide.”“I’m buying you dinner. It’s not right for me to order. Look at the menu and tell me what you want.”With that, Aalto handed the menu to Ivanka, who, without further protest, chose a few dishes. Aalto added a couple more.The waiter noted their selections.Once the waiter left, Aalto got straight to the point. “So, you took the initiative to get close to me, and now you want me to treat you to a meal. I understand that you miss your father, but I assume there’s another motive?”Ivanka sighed. “There is a motive. I want to collaborate with you.”Aalto snorted and expressed an ‘I knew it’ expression.Ivanka smiled. “You might be more upset to know that you dislike this sort of project the most.”Aalto was speechless.Aalto squinted and looked at the young girl in front of him. He felt a little tongue-tied. “You’re joking with me, aren’t you?”“
“I wouldn’t be so sure about that. If you were just an ordinary person, perhaps I’d chat with you casually. But who are you? You’re the elite lawyer, Iris. Every word I say might turn into evidence in your favor. What if you exploit it to your advantage?”Ivanka was speechless.Ivanka sighed resignedly. Aalto was on high alert. She sighed again. “Looks like no matter what I say, you won’t believe it.”Aalto responded briskly. “Just state your purpose. I won’t miss any of the five meals I promised you.”Ivanka sighed again. She was in no hurry and said, “Be a little patient. Let’s chat a bit more.”“Young lady, your approach is irritating me.”Since Aalto was being impatiently blunt, Ivanka shook her head. “I just want to discuss this proposal with you. If you refuse, I won’t bother you anymore. However, since you’ve invited me to five meals, that means you’ve given me a chance, right?”Aalto remained silent.Ivanka smiled. “Everyone has their own home and their own self-started
The next moment, Michael suddenly snapped out of his thoughts. His expression turned even grimmer.What was he thinking just now?Why did he keep thinking about Ivanka?“Mic...”Concerned, Chiara looked at him. “Are you feeling unwell? Should we go back?”Michael would see Ivanka again later. He was going to discuss something with Aalto. She did not want to give them any more opportunities to spend time together. She was getting scared.Michael restrained his emotions and looked at her indifferently. “Eat up. These are your favorite dishes.”Chiara was speechless.Even if the dishes were her favorites, she needed to be in a good mood to enjoy them. Why was he being like this?He was thinking about another woman while they were on a date. Who could stand that?After a pause, she sighed and said, “Mic, something has been off with you recently. Is it because I…”She bit her lip, lowered her head slightly, and acted nervously flustered.She acted like she could not finish her s
Michael merely nodded lightly, rose, and headed for the door.Chiara followed him immediately.Regardless of how resentful she felt, she still wanted to stay by his side for her ease of mind.They barely touched the food they had ordered.Because of Ivanka, Michael lost his appetite, and Chiara lost hers because of Michael.Soon, the two of them arrived at Aalto’s private dining room.However, Michael did not see Ivanka there.Chiara was surprised as well. She asked with confusion, “Mr. Aalto, my cousin… has left?”“Yeah,” Aalto answered casually.There was a slight, imperceivable furrow in Michael’s brows.Ivanka had already left. Chiara was in a terrible mood. She no longer wanted to stay. She immediately said to Michael, “If that’s the case, Mic, I shall head back too.”“Sure.” Michael did not even bother glancing at her.Chiara inhaled slightly and left.The night wind seemed to be stronger than during the day. Her hair fluttered wildly in the wind. Chiara combed it wi
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