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
Chiara said, “I-Is this really okay? If this happens, I won’t be able to contact him as much anymore. If he ever gets together with Ivanka again...” “It has to work! He has no remorse for what he has done to you. The most important thing for you to do now is to find a way to make him feel remorse and pity for you again. After all, you have already used this strategy to drive Ivanka away!” Theodore asked, “So, what are your plans? How do we put her back into a coma?” Lyla said, “I will send over a few thugs, and I will also send over a hero. Do you understand what I mean, sweetheart?” Chiara inhaled deeply. “Ok. I will get ready right now.” “Alright. Give Mindy a call after twenty minutes. After twenty-five minutes, dress nicely and leave the mansion.” Chiara said, “Okay. Got it.” The audio file ended. Ivanka was shocked. She had not expected Belle to discover such evidence. Everything happened naturally. Everyone could sense that something was wrong with them. After lea