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
Anna’s expression subtly changed. She shook her head instinctively. “I can’t go in.”Sighing, Ivanka gently said, “I’ve been keeping him company just now. I told him that I regretted it and wanted to be with him. I even told him Mr. Jackson approved of our relationship. I’ve pretty much said everything that needed to be said.”Anna shook her head. “No, you should still go. If you’re there with him, he will...”Ivanka shook her head. “I worry that continuously stimulating him may backfire.”Sandy understood quickly and nodded, “Yes, Ann, you care a lot about him. Maybe you should go in and keep him company for a while.”Ivanka and Sandy did not know how to persuade her.Ivanka felt like she was provoking Anna with her words, but Anna was really worried about Hanson. She had to give her an extra push.Of course, Ivanka and Sandy’s concerns were right. Anna truly cared about Hanson.Anna frowned. “Well then... I’ll go in and try to make him happy.”Ivanka and Sandy nodded with mi
Michael immediately called Evan.“Mr. Barkworth.”“How many people are there?”“Three people. Ms. Ivanka, Ms. Anna and Ms. Sandy.”Michael’s expression was cold. “What’s Hanson’s condition?”“He’s unconscious now. If he doesn’t wake up within a month, he’ll become a vegetable, so they’re trying everything to wake him up.”Michael pursed his lips silently.Evan caught on and provided all the details.“Right now, Ms. Ivanka is doing everything she can to make Mr. Hanson wake up as soon as possible. Tonight, Ms. Ivanka, Ms. Sandy, and Ms. Anna will be staying there, and…”Michael remained silent. Evan inhaled and continued, “Ms. Ivanka is very concerned about the situation at the hospital. Mr. Hanson is unconscious. If you go there, it might...”“Ahem... it might worsen Mr. Hanson’s condition. By then, Ms. Ivanka will definitely...”Evan could not bring himself to say the rest. His intended message was clear.Michael could not go.If it affected Hanson’s condition, Ivanka wou
Chiara’s eyelashes fluttered. Even over the phone, she could sense the pressure emanating from Michael.After hesitating, she spoke softly, “Yes, there are some business matters I’d like to discuss with you.”Michael remained silent. He did not immediately answer her.Chiara instantly grew nervous. “Mic?”“You can come.”Chiara sighed in relief. Smiling, she said, “I’ll come to the office to see you tomorrow.”Michael simply responded with a faint “mm-hmm” before ending the call.There was no hint of warmth or concern for her well-being.He had no intention of having any small talk with her.With two out of three pieces of evidence provided by Ivanka confirmed, at the very least, Chiara was no longer an innocent person.As he thought about the accompanying recording, his phone rang again.Glancing at the caller ID, he slightly frowned and answered it.“What are you doing now? Come out for some fun.” Ivan’s voice carried enthusiasm. It was as if he would personally come to M
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