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
“Michael has already divorced once. He can divorce a second time. By then, I…”“Enough! Right now, you need to focus on getting married. Once you’re married, find a way to make Michael truly fall in love with you!”In essence, these were bedroom matters.Chiara inhaled deeply. She was on the brink of a panic attack.Lyla did not want to dwell on these matters any longer. She spoke coldly. “We’ve already destroyed the evidence. We can do nothing more. You can only deny and feign innocence. Don’t show any signs of guilt!”Chiara remained silent.Theodore’s expression darkened. “What should we do next?”“Find the person who plotted against us. And we need to get rid of Ivanka as soon as possible!”Theodore narrowed his eyes. “Getting rid of her won’t be easy, but it might be easier to arrange for someone to rape her.”Chiara’s eyes lit up. Her previous frustration vanished.“That’s right! Getting rid of her might be difficult and risky, but if we arrange for a few men to go afte
Ivanka’s eyes flashed with emotion. She eventually told them everything that happened in the past few days.Sandy guffawed. “Hahaha! What a tool! Let everyone see her true colors! These two really deserve each other!”Anna frowned. “I know it’s payback, but… then Michael won’t marry Chiara. He has been harassing you. If he learns what kind of person Chiara really is, he might grow even more obsessed with you in the future…”Her voice trailed off, and her eyes were filled with worry.Ivanka simply smiled and said casually, “No, Michael has better things to do anyway. Now, he merely thinks that I have ulterior motives. He’s still busy trying to help Chiara. When he sees her true colors, he won’t pester me anymore.”Anna frowned a little and glanced at Sandy reflexively. Sandy happened to look over at her as well. They both had the same expression and thought.Really?Was it that simple?Sandy hesitated for a while and could not help saying, “Iv, you better watch out for yourself.
After Ivanka woke up in the morning, she received a message from a Lane servant.Someone was serving as her eyes and ears.That person was an ordinary servant. She could not look after the Lanes closely, so they would not be too wary of her. Nevertheless, someone like that could make an efficient spy.Bonnie Clayton had worked in the Lane family’s residence for four to five years. She was not one of Hermes’ trusted employees, so the Lanes did not fire her.Little did they know that Ivanka had helped Bonnie repeatedly.She was secretly loyal to Ivanka, and she could observe the little things that happened in the house.However, something happened today.There was a bombshell. Everyone in the house knew about it.Bonnie: Ms. Lane, Mrs. Lane fired her assistant. She was furious. She kept asking the assistant why she would do something like that, then she kicked her out when the assistant said that she was framed.Ivanka smiled.Ivanka: Thank you, Bonnie. I still need you to watc
Chiara inwardly panicked and was at a loss for words.But Michael said nothing the entire time, so she dared not behave strangely and give herself away. She quickly said with a smile, “As usual, it’s about our partnership with your company. Iv’s friend is now hospitalized, and she is quite preoccupied, so my dad wishes to revisit certain discussions. Can we replace her? Many people are way more experienced than Iv.”If Ivanka was around, she would be impressed by how brilliantly Chiara had worded her request.Even under such a circumstance, she had not forgotten to drive a wedge between Michael and Ivanka.When Chiara mentioned that Ivanka’s friend was hospitalized, Michael’s expression darkened significantly.A flicker of excitement flashed in Chiara’s eyes. She suddenly thought that maybe she stood a chance today.Before Michael said anything, she quickly spoke. “I know… Mic. You admire Iv’s talent. Her proposal has amazed many people. But… sometimes, even if one manages to wri
Ivanka did not pay him any mind and got into the car. If Michael dared to chase after her again, she would most definitely kick him out of the car! She would do what she said she would!Michael did not catch up, but he blocked her with his arms wide open. His stance was clear: You can leave. But over my dead body! Ivanka could not possibly drive over Michael. But it was not a problem for Michael to keep blocking her way. Plus, she had just politely rejected his parents. So, it was even more impossible for her to turn back. Ivanka ran out of patience. She held her forehead and frowned. Michael had already drained her last bit of patience. She never imagined that Michael would actually cling to her to such an extent! How would she put it? All her positivity had been drained clean! “Michael, your parents are still at home. Aren’t you afraid they’ll see and laugh at you? I know Grandpa and Grandma are standing by our side now. It’s not like you and I haven’t been in
Ivanka would neither accept the carrot nor the stick approach. Michael had no choice but to persuade her with reason and win her over with affection. Ivanka snorted. “Have you ever given me a chance to have a meal with you before this? As the saying goes, Rome wasn’t built in a day. It takes time for things to come to this state. Things might have passed for you but not for me!” Ivanka’s gaze was razor-sharp. Michael felt his heart clench up. At that moment, his throat was in so much pain that he did not know what else to say to her. Ivanka did not wait for his response. She pushed away his hand and headed out without hesitation. Michael did not stop her. Nonetheless, he went after her and followed behind her. Meanwhile, they heard the sound from the kitchen. Mindy prepared dinner in the kitchen, and Jay helped her out. They had heard their conversation. Out of courtesy, Ivanka went to the kitchen and greeted them. She said with a smile, “Uncle Jay, Aunt Mindy, I’m
Ivanka clenched her fists. Her gaze was filled with ferocity. She looked like she was really going to punch Michael. Michael noticed the anger in her eyes. But since the person was none other than Ivanka, he was willing to take the beating. He even took a step forward and held his head high. “Strike me if you want.” “You!” Ivanka glared at Michael. He truly annoyed her. She reminded herself to keep her composure. She sucked in a deep breath before saying, “Michael, I’ve treated you with respect. You’d better behave yourself.” Right after she finished the sentence, Ivanka left. Before she even took a step forward, Michael grabbed her. “My mom is preparing the dishes inside the kitchen. If you leave now, you’re not showing me any respect. Please stay around to have dinner. Even though we’re already divorced, and it’s impossible for us to get back together again, we’re still friends,” said Michael. Haha! He had been adamant. He was using the same approach to draw close
Mindy’s expression instantly darkened. “What’s with us being prejudiced against her? Had I ever targeted her when she married Michael from the beginning? “She knew how well Rosie had treated her. It’s her own fault for failing to bond with Mic. How could you blame us?” Mindy had always disliked Ivanka. She believed Samuel’s intervention had been the reason for their marriage. It was an arranged marriage. There was no need for the Barkworth’s family to have an arranged marriage. At the end of the day, it was all up to Samuel to choose the bride for Michael. Ever since Ivanka married Michael, aside from the deliberate arrangements, they had hardly shown up together as a couple in public. Mindy did not have any particularly hard feelings for Ivanka. She believed the two would live happily together after getting married. After they divorced, Mindy thought Michael could start all over again. But she did not expect to see their current relationship was no different from when they
It was Jay and Mindy. When Ivanka saw them, a thought came across her mind. She took out a syringe and inserted it into Michael’s arm to unmute him. Michael felt like he had been stung by a bee. It was as though he had been put in jail, only to be freed all of a sudden. Ivanka took away the syringe and gave him a glance with displeasure. “Get out of the car now. Your parents are here—” “Aren’t you entering the house?” Before Ivanka finished her sentence, Michael interrupted her. When he looked at her, his eyes were filled with sincerity and seriousness. But Ivanka rejected him coldly. “Quick! Get out of the car! I’m not joking with you. Get out now!” “Let’s go in together. After all, you’re already here. Are you worried about seeing them?” Michael was undaunted by her emotions and tone. Instead, he stretched out his hand to try to grab Ivanka. Nonetheless, she avoided him with ease. Meanwhile, Jay and Mindy saw them. They walked over to them. Mindy glanced at th
It was no wonder Jonah asked for so many details. All these were facts.Ivanka did not avoid answering his questions. She gave a light smile. “The longest will be half a year.”If the treatment was ineffective after half a year, she would go to Silvania with Vincent.After all, it was not just about her.Upon learning of Ivanka’s decision, Jonah smiled wryly. “Iv, I don’t think it’s an easy feat to treat my legs. How about you go and deal with your stuff first? You can always treat my legs afterward.”Ivanka initially planned to do it that way. But George, Florence, and Margaret had interrupted her plan.Since she had returned to Bostone, why was there a need to travel back and forth again?She might as well treat Jonah’s legs.Besides, Vincent had informed her that it would be highly uncertain whether they could still return to their home country after arriving at Silvania.Ivanka said, “No. I don’t want to make so many trips. I’ll treat your legs for half a year and see if i
It was not an overstatement to say Michael was crossing the line. Nonetheless, Ivanka could not just sit there and watch the two men get into a conflict. Hence, Ivanka pulled Michael to the side and glanced at him. “If you don’t want to be kicked out, you’d better wait here.” But Michael was undaunted by Jonah. Although Jonah had the power to rebuke him in his own territory, Michael refused to allow Jonah to get the upper hand. Ivanka saw the determination in Michael’s eyes. She was very worried that the two might get into a fight. She quickly pulled him back. “Stop making me worry about you. Just wait here! If you dare to come after me, I’ll…” Although she did not finish her sentence, her intention was clear enough. If Michael disobeyed her, she would make him a statue! Understanding this, Michael did not follow Ivanka. But when Jonah turned around and left, the provocation in his eyes was evident. Still, Michael listened to Ivanka. He did not want to offend her. He
Jonah narrowed his eyes while questioning Michael. Still, Michael did not respond to him. Ivanka pursed her lips. She looked displeased when she answered Jonah, “Jonah, there’s no need to speak so harshly. Do you still want me to treat your legs?” She had temporarily made Michael mute. She did that to stop Michael from talking endlessly about those things. Nonetheless, he had still insisted on coming along with her, only to end up being targeted by Jonah. Ivanka had no intention of making Michael mute in front of Jonah. Upon hearing Ivanka’s words, Jonah looked at where she currently stood. She stood in front of Michael. It looked like she was trying to protect him more. As the saying went, true love was portrayed in hard times. This saying was true indeed. It was true that Ivanka cared about Michael. Jonah said gently to Ivanka, “I want you to treat my legs, and I only speak harshly to specific people. I already showed him much respect when he barged into my terri
Michael remained resolute.Ivanka rolled her eyes. “Then stay stubborn. I’ll only fix it when you stop pushing me away.”After she was done speaking, she turned to leave.Michael followed.He even opened the passenger door and got in her car. He was determined to follow her.But Ivanka would not go easy on him.Once inside, she warned him coldly, “Not being able to speak is harder than you think. Follow if you want. Michael, are you sure about this?”Even after her warning, he kept staring straight ahead.She said nothing more and started the engine.Within half an hour, she arrived at Jonah’s mansion.Jonah came out to greet her personally. The moment Ivanka parked the car, Jonah immediately spotted Michael in the passenger seat.The sight of him stirred up bitterness in Jonah. Yet there was nothing he could do.Before Ivanka exited the car, she said to Michael, “Wait here.”Without glancing at him, she walked straight toward Jonah.Her attitude made Michael decide t