Ivanka looked at Jonah while struggling to find the right words. There was no longer any point in her asking him why he was here; she knew he was doggedly pursuing her. She would only be asking the obvious. Jonah smiled gently. “I thought you might need company while caring for him.” “No need!” Ivanka quickly refused. She feared Jonah’s presence would upset Hanson, who was currently very fragile. “I still need to go to the hospital. I’d prefer if you kept your distance for now.” “Do you care about him that much?” Jonah asked through narrowed eyes. “He’s like family,” Ivanka said. Ivanka emphasized the word “family” to show how important Hanson was to her. Jonah laughed. “So, you see him as family, not a lover?” Annoyed, Ivanka frowned. Jonah seemed pleased and said, “I came to give you something. I won’t disturb you for a few days. But if you don’t care for yourself, you can’t look after your cherished ones. After all…” He leaned in closer. Ivanka’s expressio
Ivanka nodded, “He’s probably getting close to me for his benefit.”Sandy was doubtful. “I don’t think so. With his prestigious status, there’s no reason for him to do that. While many want to curry favors with you, someone of his stature would only need to avoid antagonizing you. Why would he need to... win you over?”Anna agreed. “I agree. After all, he’s at the very top of the social hierarchy. If he wasn’t sincere about you, why would he try so hard?”Slightly exasperated, Ivanka forced a smile. “I’m divorced. Given his high status and the fact that I'm his arch-rival’s ex-wife, he has no reason to want me.”Going after a woman Michael Barkworth had turned his back on—would only make him look pathetic.Ivanka did not believe Jonah Sadler had any real feelings for her.In her eyes, it was all for personal gain.“Let’s see what he got for you,” Anna urged.With no other choice and knowing her friends wanted to lighten the mood, Ivanka opened the envelope.“This envelope is q
The group looked at Jonah’s bold words in the album.[My Princess: Knowing you’re a lawyer, I didn’t infringe on your portrait rights. I made all these photos myself without anyone’s help. I won’t share them; they are our private memories. Do you like them?]“How romantic!” Sandy exclaimed enviously. “If a man did this for me, I would definitely marry him.”Anna had a bittersweet smile. Deep down, she hoped Ivanka and Hanson Jackson would end up together.Yet, she harbored selfish feelings for Hanson and was secretly relieved that Ivanka would not reciprocate Hanson’s feelings.This contradiction tormented Anna. She knew she should prioritize Hanson’s happiness over wanting him for herself. It gave her an unbearable headache.Unable to stop herself from thinking about Hanson’s recovery, Anna turned away and pretended to get a drink with reddened eyes.Ivanka closed the album and put it back in the envelope.Sandy softly asked, “Ivanka, you’re not returning this album to him, ar
Theodore Lane rubbed his forehead in frustration while speaking sternly, “Do you think I want her to get involved? At this point, do you think I have any control over the situation?“The project is completely public now. Everyone knows what’s happening. If I stop Ivanka from getting involved, they’ll call us petty ingrates. How would you handle that?”Lyla inhaled deeply. She frowned in frustration, but could not find the words.After a pause, she said firmly, “What do we do then? We can’t let Ivanka keep this up. Eventually, she might completely ruin us. After all, she’s already suspicious of us; if she finds out anything more, our whole family won’t be spared!”Theodore’s expression changed, but he still spoke firmly. “Without proof, what can she find out? Stop being irrational. The collaboration is basically official. I’m just not sure yet whether to let her collaborate with Sadler’s or Barkworth’s.”“Not Barkworth’s!” Chiara immediately objected fearfully. “Her ties with Micha
“Then what exactly do you plan to do?” Theodore asked while frowning.“Don’t worry about this. I’ll figure it out on my own,” Lyla replied. She hung up without waiting for Theodore’s response.Chiara looked at Lyla worriedly. “Mom, what are you going to do?”Lyla frowned. “Other than going after her well-being, do you see a better way? As long as Ivanka lives, we won’t ever have peace.”Chiara’s expression changed slightly. “Y-you plan to kill her?”“How can we kill her now?” Lyla looked worried.“Then do you plan to make her ill first?” Chiara asked skeptically while frowning. “But what’s the use of a minor illness?”“We can’t delay this. The company will pressure your father to decide. We must be prepared in five days.”Chiara frowned in disbelief at her mother’s desperation. It was highly risky. If discovered, they could end up in jail. But she realized this was the only way to force Ivanka back.Chiara was agitated.…The critical twenty-four-hour mark was approaching fa
Frank sighed helplessly and nodded. “Alright then.”Ivanka lowered her head silently.Frank sighed again and turned to Ivanka. “Since that’s the case, Ivanka, tonight...”Ivanka nodded. “Yes, I’ll stay here. Uncle, you have other matters, and Auntie doesn’t know about this. You should go home early. Don’t worry, we’ll take good care of him.”Frank sighed resignedly. Past a certain time, only single visitations were allowed.After staying for half an hour, Frank left the room. He looked at Ivanka with a dejected, fatigued expression. “He won’t wake up anytime soon. Thank you both.”Ivanka nodded determinedly. “I’ll go in and see him now. I’ll stay with him all night.”Frank nodded and left silently.Ivanka carefully muted her phone and took all necessary precautions before stepping in.Sandy looked at Anna’s swollen, tearful eyes and held her hand firmly. “Anna, he’ll get better. He has to. You have to believe in Ivanka.”“And believe in Hanson’s feelings for Ivanka.” She thou
After expressing her feelings, Ivanka stared at Hanson. He did not react.Ivanka sighed helplessly. “You don’t want to wake up because you won’t forgive me? Hanson, if you wake up, I promise I’ll be with you, okay?”Hanson remained unresponsive.Ivanka sighed desperately. “I know... you don’t want to forgive me. Uncle Frank has agreed to us being together. I didn’t cherish what we had and lost you.”The room was silent while Ivanka remained seated.She was thinking of ways to stimulate Hanson’s consciousness and compel him to wake up. Although she did not want to resort to using the threat of leaving, she could not let him stay in a coma forever.Sighing softly, she said, “I know you can hear me, so listen properly. I will stay for three days. If you’re still unconscious in three days, then it just means that you don’t want to see me and you’ve given up on me. To not affect your recovery, I’ll...”“I’ll leave and detach myself from your life.” Just as she finished speaking, Ivan
Anna nodded eagerly. “Yes! That’s right! This is good news! Great news! I-I’m just so happy! I need to call Mr. Jackson! This will cheer him up too!”“Don’t!” Seeing Anna already pulling out her phone, Ivanka stopped her. “Mr. Jackson might be with Mrs. Jackson right now. We can’t let her know about this.” Anna quickly understood. “Right, right, I got carried away.”They stood in the corridor and waited for the doctor. Ivanka glanced down slightly. She had gained a good understanding of Hanson’s condition. They could only attempt to wake him up.After a while, the doctor finally came out.The three ladies turned to the doctor. They did not want to miss any detail.“Doctor, how is he?” Anna asked eagerly.As the doctor shook his head, their expressions fell slightly.Another doctor came out behind him. “Although his fingers moved, his overall physical indicators are still the same as before; there’s no significant difference. It’s possibly just a neurological response and not
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