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
Michael frowned again. The chill in the room seemed to creep deeper into his neck.Ivan, on the other hand, chuckled and said, “Come on, tell us. How bad is it?”Michael pursed his lips and eventually said, “Everything except the recording has been confirmed.”“Oops.” Ivan’s eyes gleamed with amusement. “This is getting interesting.”Unlike Ivan’s playful demeanor, Xander gazed at Michael calmly and asked, “What do you plan to do next? Are you still going to marry her?”Michael pursed his lips wordlessly.Ivan chuckled. “Can’t you see how reluctant he looks? He’s just doing it out of gratitude to Chiara for saving his life. Otherwise, it’s difficult for Chiara to find a good match, especially as a former vegetable. Who would want to marry such a frail woman?”When both Michael and Xander remained silent, Ivan said wryly, “Master Barkworth wants Chiara to be his daughter-in-law, but let’s be real, it’s all about securing Lane’s Group as the main supplier for Barkworth’s Group. It
Evan: Mr. Barkworth, regarding the recording, we’ve confirmed part of it matches up, but the rest has been completely cut off.Ivan frowned slightly. “Only part of it matches? Why does it feel like the matching parts are not crucial?”Just as he finished speaking, Evan sent the recording.Michael immediately pressed play.Shortly after, they heard the conversation between the mother and daughter.They only heard enough to learn how they planned to soften Michael’s heart this time. The fake relapse was already confirmed, but the crucial part of the recording was missing.“Pfft.” Ivan could not help but scoff. “Why do I feel like Evan was playing you?”Michael’s expression turned colder. Even though he knew Ivan was joking, he was puzzled to see only part of the recording recovered. The more critical portion was missing.Michael: Why is part of it missing?Evan: That data has been destroyed. Our people recovered what they could, but that’s all they have restored for now. They’re
Ivanka frowned deeply. Michael was in a horrible state. He had been poisoned and suffered gunshots. He had a strong tolerance to medicine and pain. But it was his mental condition that caused him to fall into this state. Not being fully recovered also added to the burden. Ivanka gave him a white pill which she had formulated by herself. After that, she had the security guard carry Michael into her car. Then, she sent him to the hospital. They arrived at the emergency department. Xavier had finished attending to his patients. When he walked out of his office, he saw Michael being carried into the hospital. He then saw Ivanka beside Michael. Xavier frowned. His expression became tense, and he asked solemnly, “What’s happened to him?” “He’s weak and had previously been poisoned. Since you’re around, you can look after him.” Ivanka summarized Michael’s condition. After hearing Ivanka’s brief explanation, Xavier gave Michael a checklist and put him on a drip. After that,
Since Jonah had come to this and Ivanka was not an ungrateful person, she nodded and gave her word. “Jonah, I’ll give this my all. Don’t worry. As long as it’s within my ability, I’ll help you.” Jonah had to be bound to the wheelchair at the moment. Since Ivanka had shared a similar experience when she took over Lane’s Group back then, she naturally figured out how wolfish and greedy his adversaries would be. Jonah was injured because of her. She swore to give her all to save him from whatever crisis he was facing. Jonah took advantage of this and asked, “What time are you coming tomorrow? I’ll have my assistant get ready.” Ivanka thought for a moment. “Tomorrow afternoon.” She needed to manage her company affairs during the first half of the day. Jonah was content upon hearing her answer. “Good. I’ll wait for you tomorrow.” “Okay.” Ivanka nodded before hanging up. When she returned to her office, she did not expect to see Michael sitting on the couch. She nearly jum
There was only one possibility. Ivanka was calling somebody else. Michael wondered who could strike up such a long conversation with her. Sandy and Ivan had returned to the country. Ivanka’s besties were around her. Even if Ivanka deliberately approached Chiara, she could not possibly have so much to chat with Chiara. If Ivanka’s phone call was business related, there was no need to chat this long. Michael eliminated the possible reasons one by one. In the end, he thought of Jonah. Michael’s expression instantly turned as dark as thunderclouds. His gaze was dull and cold. Evan noticed it. He also saw the call record on Michael’s phone. Evan quickly persuaded Michael, “Mr. Barkworth, Ms. Lane could be tied up with her work, so she couldn’t answer your call. We could go to her workplace now.” Michael said nothing. He gave a cold glance at Evan. Evan got a shock. The next second, Michael turned around and left his office. Looking at Michael’s fading silhouette, Evan wi
It was why Ivanka still came for Jonah in spite of her unpleasant experience with Margaret in the hospital last time. Jonah had been injured because of Ivanka. She came for him only. The other people did not matter to her. Jonah’s heart sank upon hearing her words. His expression tensed up. He could imagine the indifferent look on Ivanka’s face right at that moment. She had that expression on her face simply because he was never really important to her. Jonah was upset precisely because of her indifference to him. He wanted to say something to her but did not know how to begin. He was also not in the position to say that. It did not take long before Ivanka’s gentle but rather indifferent voice rang in his ears, “Jonah, don’t worry. I’ll treat your legs until they recover. Don’t run into any conflicts with your mom because of me.” Her words pulled Jonah’s wandering mind back into the present moment. He felt a heavy weight on his heart. “Iv, I trust you. You don’t need to
Margaret became frustrated and grabbed Ivanka. She could not understand why Ivanka was fine while Jonah ended up in such a bad situation after the accident.Then, Jonah defended Ivanka. There was also all the talk about Ivanka’s treatment. Margaret was curious to see what kind of miracle medicine Ivanka could develop.In the end, Ivanka’s treatment did not work. Moreover, her relationship with Jonah, which had finally started to improve, was once again ruined because of Ivanka.Jonah scoffed. “Mom, I’m not an eight-year-old anymore. You’re saying all this because you want me to go along with your plans for an arranged date, right?”Margaret had not expected Jonah to guess her thoughts. She was about to insist on her point when Jonah spoke first. With a mocking smile, he said sarcastically, “Do you think anyone would date someone like me?”He had a point. But Laura might be one such person.However, Margaret did not like her. She would do anything to keep Laura from becoming her d
“That’s because you want him to fall in love with you!” Margaret snapped.Ivanka chuckled softly. Her tone was edged with sarcasm. “Love? Does it really matter that much?”Margaret felt humiliated and furious. She pointed a finger at Ivanka’s face with a hostile expression. “If it doesn’t matter, why are you doing all this? Stop pretending, Ivanka!”Ivanka let out a bitter laugh. “Pretending? What am I pretending for? Is being divorced a crime? Margaret, you’re a woman too. How would you feel if someone accused you like this?”She hoped Margaret would take a moment to reflect. After all, she was Jonah’s mother, and Ivanka did not want their conflict to escalate.But Margaret was unmoved. Her glare turned colder, sharper, and filled with hatred.“You think I’ll just let this go?” Margaret said sharply. “If it weren’t for you, Jonah wouldn’t be in this mess! I meant every word I said, and nothing will change that.”To her, Ivanka was nothing more than someone scheming to use Jonah
“Ivanka,” Margaret took a deep breath while trying to compose herself. When she looked at Ivanka again, her expression was calm. She said, “I don’t know how deep Jonah’s feelings for you run. What I fear most is that once he becomes fixated on you, that’s it. When he falls for someone, his heart won’t make room for anyone else. In that way, he’s just like his father.”Ivanka’s gaze wavered. She bit her lip and was unsure of what to say.“I beg you, don’t hurt Jonah anymore!” Margaret’s voice carried a note of desperation.Ivanka’s expression turned extremely complicated.There was a time when Jonah came to her only to use her. Back then, they were both using each other. It made things simple.But later, Jonah unexpectedly started talking about marriage. Perhaps it was to provoke Michael, or perhaps he simply wanted to keep her close because she was useful to him.At some point, though, it seemed Jonah had become serious about her. She could not pinpoint when it happened. Perhaps
Jonah frowned in clear disagreement, but he stayed silent. Ivanka’s confident smile reassured him and made him trust her.Eventually, he let go of her wrist.Ivanka noticed Margaret putting on her shoes. She quickly followed, stepping outside just as Margaret was about to get into her car“Margaret,” she called out.Margaret frowned slightly and stood still.Since Jonah had not come out with Ivanka, she decided she could spare a moment to speak with her.She turned and looked at Ivanka coldly.Ivanka softened her tone. “Let’s take a walk.”Margaret did not respond, but her silence was enough of an agreement.They walked slowly around the edge of the mansion. The surrounding area was all part of the Sadler family estate.Margaret suppressed her anger and glanced at Ivanka before speaking in a composed tone, “Alright. What do you want to say?”Ivanka met her gaze briefly before looking ahead and said, “Do you know what will happen if Jonah’s coughing continues?”Margaret’s he
Margaret glared at Ivanka and scoffed, “If there’s an issue, I’ll get another doctor to handle it. It’ll be anyone but you, Ivanka. Haven’t I made myself clear enough? I’ve told you this before.”She hated how Ivanka ignored her warnings and kept coming back to visit Jonah time and again. What if Jonah got too close to her and ended up ruining his reputation? If Jonah had not been here, Margaret would have been even harsher.Ivanka frowned as she met Margaret’s sharp gaze. “I’ve never tried to get close to Jonah like that. We’re just friends. I know I’m not good enough for him, so I’ve never even thought about it.”“You might not have, but he has!” Margaret snapped, raising her voice.“Mom!” Jonah’s expression darkened.Jonah was usually calm and polite. This was the first time Ivanka saw him looking so upset and was about to lose his temper.Ivanka’s eyes flickered with hesitation. She was unsure of what to say.Explaining Jonah’s coughing would do no good. Margaret would not