Hanson’s voice was sorrowful.“Iv, are you going to say yes to him?”Ivanka was puzzled.“Hanson, are you drunk?”Hanson sounded quite different from his usual gentle and elegant self.“Iv, answer me. Do you… like Jonah?”Ivanka was startled. She neither liked Jonah nor planned to say yes to him.However…Seeing Hanson like this, Ivanka thought that she might have to lie.After a pause, she said hesitantly, “Yes.”Hanson’s heart throbbed with pain.When Hanson learned that Jonah was openly wooing Ivanka, he was rather upset. But he assumed that she was recently divorced and was still recovering from a broken heart. There was no way she would say yes to Jonah, so Hansan let it slide.But now, he watched Ivanka and Jonah interact and appear together before him again and again. He kept seeing them trending on Twitter, and everyone said that they were a match made in heaven. As Hanson witnessed all these, he started panicking.Presently, Ivanka had even agreed to work with Jon
The man stared at her with a small grin. His starry eyes were dazzling in the dark of the night.Ivanka’s eyes flew open.But she could not be bothered with him at the moment, because a gasp sounded from her phone speaker.“Iv… You always know how to upset me. How could you shatter my heart?”Ivanka looked guilty. She inhaled deeply and said in a rush, “I have something else to attend to, so I’ll have to hang up. Don’t drink too much. Head home early and get some rest.”With that, she hung up.The other man’s grin only grew wider.“Iv, I heard everything.”Ivanka went pale a little. “Please don’t get the wrong idea. I-I just used you as an excuse to turn him down.”Jonah’s starry eyes looked gleeful. He took a step closer to Ivanka. “Oh, is that right?”Terrified, Ivanka quickly backed away and changed the topic. “Why are you here? Are you here for business?”Jonah chuckled and stared at Ivanka gently. “I knew someone liked me, so I rushed here to hear it myself.”Ivanka se
Chiara blinked in disbelief. They had not eaten much during dinnertime. Now he was going to send her home?But it made sense. Had she not waited at the junction and suddenly intercepted him, they would have parted ways already. He would not even drive her home. She should not ask for too much.Chiara could only nod obediently. “Alright, but I have something to tell you. It’s about the company’s business.”Michael turned to her. She had not moved a step. He said flatly, “Are we going to talk here?”Chiara’s expression changed slightly. She snapped out of her reverie and sheepishly said, “Let’s… talk in the car.”Michael wordlessly walked on.Confused, Ivanka looked at Jonah. “Is this the show you are referring to?” But the two of them were already approaching the car. Ivanka and Jonah would not be able to see anything.Jonah smiled faintly. He spoke softly. “They are getting into Chiara’s car.”Ivanka blinked in astonishment. Jonah would not be able to install any bugs in Michae
Michael had not heard it, but it did not mean that he was oblivious.As he read through the entire proposal, he could tell that it was Ivanka’s style. She had written it herself.At that moment, he was shocked and filled with disbelief.After Chiara told him everything, she finally sighed in relief.She looked at Michael carefully and said in a low voice, “I… I have no other way. The company executives think that Iv is inexperienced and unable to handle this project. But Mr. Sadler… Perhaps he likes her too much and intends to pursue her through their partnership. There is no way our company will let Iv ruin her reputation or get embroiled in scandals, so… considering the current situation, I want to ask you…”Chiara could not continue.Why would her father make her approach Michael with this matter?Why would he give her the proposal?When she was heading out, she had planned to leave for good. But her father’s assistant came to her and handed over this proposal along with his
“So… everyone just left her be and let her handle the work herself. I didn’t expect her to be so impressive. She managed to make these plans work.”In spite of Chiara’s reluctance, she had no choice but to say it aloud at this point.Besides, it was an open secret. Michael would surely find out.Michael remained silent.Panicked, Chiara continued, “You can tell from the requirements on the contract that the executives were meant to put Ivanka at a disadvantage. They demanded Sadler’s Group to be the sole source of funding, and it wasn’t a small number either. Everyone thought it was impossible, but who would have thought that…”She could not continue.But she had said all these things on purpose, and it was all she could do.Now, she would see if Michael would accept this proposal and put someone more experienced in charge.Michael narrowed his eyes slightly and looked at Chiara. “So, you want me to take over the project and remove Ivanka. Then replace her with someone more exp
“It’s up to you from now on, Iv. Both of us want you, but who will you choose?” The smile on Jonah’s lips was bewitching. There was even a hint of delight in his eyes, which she had not seen before. Ivanka had a faint smile on her face. “You already know the answer, Mr. Sadler.”Jonah laughed. “But I still want to hear more words of approval from you. Just like…”As he spoke, he suddenly leaned toward her and said in a gentle voice, “When you were on the phone with someone else just now.”Ivanka’s expression changed slightly, and she immediately backed away.She turned around. The lights in Chiara’s car had gone off. Michael had already driven off. Ivanka quickly said, “They left. I should be going too.”“I’ll drive you.”When Chiara’s car disappeared from view, Ivanka immediately opened the car door and said flatly, “That won’t be necessary. My car is right here.”With that, she got out of the car. Jonah did not stop her. As he watched her stride away quickly, he said in a so
“What did you say to him? Why did you provoke him?”Ivanka opened her mouth to speak. But at that moment, surprisingly, she found herself tongue-tied.Sandy sensed something was wrong. She stepped forward and pulled Anna away. “Anna, calm down. What happened?”Ivanka closed her eyes regretfully. “It’s my fault.”Sandy was confused. “Iv?”Ignoring her, Ivanka anxiously turned to Hanson’s other friends and asked, “How’s he now?”One man sighed. “We were just drinking together and discussing our crushes. We noticed Hanson sipping alone in silence and being odd, so we dropped that topic. Out of the blue, he stood up and said he had to make a call.”Ivanka clenched her fists as she paled.Sandy’s gaze changed. Evidently, she guessed that Ivanka must have rejected Hanson. Otherwise, he would not be so devastated. He then went out all drunk and distraught... and got into an accident.“We figured he probably called you. After quite a while, he didn’t come back. When we went out lookin
Everyone froze. Ivanka spoke first. “Doctor, how’s he doing?”“He suffered severe head trauma in the car accident. It’s bad. We managed to save his life, but how soon he wakes up depends on his own willpower. If he can fight through fate, he’ll gradually recover. But... if he doesn’t wake up within a month, he’ll...”The doctor sighed helplessly and shook his head. Ivanka’s heart sank; she knew what the doctor was about to say.Sandy was puzzled. She asked anxiously, “What happens if he doesn’t wake up within a month?”The doctor sighed again and said faintly, “He’ll be in a vegetative state...”With that said, he left the scene.Soon, another doctor came out and gave a series of instructions to the crowd.Anna cried even harder. She looked angrily at Ivanka. “Hanson is an excellent man. He loves you with all his heart and doesn’t even mind you being a divorcee. Why didn’t you give him a chance? Why break the poor guy’s heart like that?!”Ivanka closed her eyes and said, “I’m s
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