Ivanka’s lips quivered. She tried to speak but failed.Sandy suppressed her inner worry and said sadly, “Hanson... got drunk and was hit by a vehicle. He’s now unconscious.”Anna’s head hung low. Her eyes were swollen. She was unable to find words to say.Frank turned pale. “What did the doctor say?”Everyone had no choice but to tell him the truth.Frank inhaled sharply and staggered.Vegetative state?He had only heard of this condition and had never experienced it happening to someone close to him. However, now... his son may experience it.His expression was grim. However, having weathered numerous challenges and hardships over several decades, he maintained composure.He inhaled deeply and said, “We have a month. Let’s figure out a solution.”Everyone fell silent as fear lurked in their hearts.That night, Frank stayed at the hospital. Anna schooled her emotions and approached him before saying, “Mr. Jackson, given the current situation, no one is allowed in. You still
Thomas was very pleased with the current outcome. He chuckled lightly and casually said to Susan, “Mr. Barkworth and Mr. Sadler both have sharp eyes. They specifically requested Ivanka to take charge. Do you think this is merely a coincidence? If one of them isn’t thinking straight, does that imply the other is also off their rocker? Honestly, between the two, who seems more out of touch?”Thomas’s words resonated with the crowd. They fell silent. Though not entirely convinced, they had to acknowledge Ivanka’s capability. Many had already started to believe in her ability to handle the projects.On the other hand, Theodore’s faction opposed letting Ivanka reclaim Lane’s Group. They refused to entrust the company’s fate to a mere girl. If Ivanka succeeded, it would unequivocally demonstrate her leadership prowess.They would never follow orders from a girl! It would only stoke their resentment and defiance toward her.Hugh’s expression soured as he glanced at Theodore before inquiri
He held the position of chairman, but nobody truly feared him. He was merely a figurehead lacking real capability. The company had declined steadily since he assumed leadership. If Lane’s Group did not change leaders soon, it would be doomed.Many were already eager for Ivanka to take over. After all, she was the daughter of the former chairman, Fernando! She possessed the same astuteness and capability as him!Thomas felt even more confident about the situation. He spoke up again, “Ms. Chiara is currently suspended. I don’t understand why she is still meddling in company affairs. Didn’t she consider the potential consequences?”Theodore silently inhaled deeply. He tried to maintain composure as he calmly stated, “I’ll address this with her upon my return. During her suspension, she will not be involved in company matters.”Thomas smiled and responded, “I’m relieved to hear that from you. It assures me that Ms. Chiara won’t act recklessly again. Otherwise, it would reflect poorly
The room fell silent once again as the topic lingered in the air.Awaiting his response, everyone turned to Theodore. Yet, Theodore was just as uncertain.The prospect of Ivanka collaborating with the two companies, particularly with Michael, did not sit well with him.Should they proceed with the partnership with Sadler’s Group despite this internal conflict? But what about Barkworth’s Group?Theodore hesitated to express his thoughts.Thomas smiled and said, “That’s why I said we should ask Ivanka for her opinion first.”Hugh immediately objected. “The company’s interests should come first. She’s just one member. Why should her opinion dictate our decisions?”Thomas shrugged. “You all know her value. Without her buy-in, can we truly ensure the success of this collaboration?”With no consensus reached, the meeting concluded without resolution.Theodore could not issue directives unilaterally. He needed to confer with his team privately.After the meeting, Thomas immediately
Ivanka was worried it might be from Hanson’s side. She immediately picked up her phone. When she saw it was Michael’s number, she frowned and hung up without a second thought.Michael was about to speak, but instead, he heard a mechanical female voice.“Sorry, the number you dialed is currently unavailable...”Michael’s expression darkened.He tried calling again.But, it got disconnected just like before.He tried again. This time, his number got blocked.“Ivanka Lane!!” Michael gritted his teeth as he shouted her name.He immediately called Evan.“Give me your phone,” Michael ordered.Puzzled, Evan complied nonetheless. He headed to Michael’s office. As soon as he opened the door, Evan could feel the chilling atmosphere emanating from the office.In confused bewilderment, he handed the phone to Michael.Michael took the phone. He was about to call Ivanka again, but he glanced at Evan before saying in a low voice, “You may go.”Still wearing the puzzled expression, he n
Jonah said calmly, “I’m coming to you this afternoon. Please give me your spare house key and record one of my fingerprints in your system. Ivanka was stunned. She no longer wanted to talk to him, so she immediately hung up. She truly needed to rest. Before noon, someone already knocked on her door. Ivanka’s drowsiness vanished.The banging on the door darkened her face with fury. It was certainly not Jonah. It was Michael! “Is he crazy?” Ivanka lay on the bed and was reluctant to get up. However, the banging on the door only grew louder! Ivanka furiously threw off her blanket and got up from her bed. The banging on the door was so loud that it hurt her ears. If this went on, Ivanka was worried that her neighbors would come over to watch the drama again. She gritted her teeth and opened the door. The moment Ivanka saw Michael, she furiously tried to kick him in the nuts. Michael’s expression instantly changed, and he evaded her. Ivanka glared coldly. “If you
Michael sharply gazed at Ivanka. She stared at him dismissively. Michael pursed his lips. He did not want to have conflicts with her at that moment. He shut his eyes for a while before saying in a deep voice, “You need to take into consideration your collaborator’s background. Lane’s Group is your foundation, so you need to consider the outcome of its collaboration with Sadler’s Group and Barkworth’s Group and find out which one could bring greater benefits to your company.” Ivanka remained silent. Michael continued, “In the eyes of a businessman, money matters the most, while the rest could be ignored.” This time, Michael sounded uncharacteristically patient. In other words, he implied that Ivanka should be open-minded and not linger on the current situation. She should not be bothered by their relationship. Instead, she should put aside those thoughts and consider the company’s interests. This was a businessman’s mindset, and she should think like that. Ivanka frowned s
Michael froze and subconsciously inhaled deeply.Ivanka did not notice anything odd. Her slender fingers worked on the notebook as she slid to turn on an audio file. “Chiara, why did you call me at this hour? Hasn’t Michael come back yet?” Michael frowned slightly. He recognized Lyla’s voice. “Mom…” Chiara sobbed. Lyla asked in a serious tone, “Why are you sobbing? What’s going on?” Chiara sobbed again. “M-Mic came back.” Lyla smiled. “Chiara, this is just a matter of time. Even though both of you are not married yet, with Michael’s personality, he’ll certainly bear the responsibility. This is good news for you. Why are you crying? What is he doing now? Are you calling me inside the washroom?” —— The audio file paused there. Ivanka already sensed an increasing chill surrounding Michael. She chuckled. “Let’s continue. Hold back your anger first.” Michael pursed his lips silently. —— The next moment, Chiara said anxiously, “No, it’s not like this. “If things go o
“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