Sadness flashed in Ivanka’s eyes. She mumbled regretfully, “How could I upset him again? Ann, he… he’s my friend too.” Anna was startled. She eventually nodded wordlessly.Soon enough, the medical staff transferred Hanson to the normal VIP ward.Ivanka had already called Frank on the phone and informed him that Hanson had regained consciousness.After she and her friends pulled themselves together, they entered the ward.Due to Hanson’s health condition, the medical staff had to arrange everything from diet to treatment during his stay. Hence, his friends did not have to worry about all those things.Presently, the medical staff left the ward.Only four people remained in the room.Ivanka, Anna, and Sandy looked at the man in bed.The bandage on his face was still there, but he obviously seemed much better. His complexion was no longer sickly pale.There were multiple people in the room, but Ivanka seemed to be the only person Hanson could see.There was an expectant look i
Ivanka inhaled and said softly, “It wasn’t a dream. I said it.”With that, she lowered her head and avoided Hanson’s affectionate gaze.Both Sandy and Anna were nervous. They knew that Ivanka was too sheepish to face him.But Hanson did not think that much. He thought Ivanka was shy, and the smile on his lips broadened.He refrained from staring at her with such a loving gaze. He feared that she could not take it.Anna gazed at Hanson with a longing look in her eyes. She found his eyes lingering on Ivanka instead. She inhaled and said thoughtfully, “Since… you’ve woken up, we’ll head out and leave the room to you two. We’ll be resting in the room next door. We have been looking after you all these days. It’s exhausting.”With that, Anna got up and grabbed Sandy’s hand.Sandy looked at Anna, who faked a smile. She felt terribly sorry for her. She could only pick up where Anna left off and smile at Hanson. “Yeah, we don’t want to be the third and fourth wheels. We’ll leave you two
Ivanka froze.Hanson was still holding onto her and seemed reluctant to let go.“Iv.”Some unidentifiable emotion shone in Ivanka’s eyes as she slowly turned to meet his gaze.His eyes were filled with deep affection. “Iv, I get it. You’re just saying all this to wake me up, right? You wouldn’t really tell me the truth while I’m still recovering, would you?”Ivanka’s heart skipped a beat as she felt his intense gaze upon her. She composed herself and frowned. “Do you think I’m lying to you?”Hanson hesitated speechlessly as he continued to stare at her.Ivanka inwardly sighed. She recognized that Hanson was simply grappling with insecurity. His words were a test and a way to gauge if she genuinely meant what she said, or if it was just an attempt solely to wake him up.At that moment, though Hanson was awake, an undercurrent of hope surged within him. He wished what he said was not true, yet he could not shake the fear that it was.He feared that all his recent struggles mig
Ivanka and Hanson looked toward the door simultaneously.Frank entered. Hanson greeted him with a smile, “Oh, Dad. You’re here.”Frank immediately noticed Hanson tightly holding Ivanka’s hand. He studied Hanson, who looked well and was in high spirits. His tense demeanor eased.He pretended not to see how affectionate the two looked. He simply gazed at Hanson and asked him in a softer tone than usual, “How are you feeling?”Hanson smiled and nodded. “I’m fine, Dad. No need to worry about me.”Frank nodded. On his way here, he had already talked to the doctor to make sure Hanson was fine, which made him feel relieved.However, the doctor had repeatedly emphasized that they must not stimulate Hanson’s brain. So, they had to go along with whatever he said.After all, Hanson was his son.So... he had to be okay with him being with Ivanka.As this thought crossed his mind, Hanson lifted Ivanka’s hand and smiled faintly at Frank.“Dad, Ivanka agreed to be my girlfriend.”Frank n
James stopped talking. Jonah knew what he was trying to say.It would only make it harder for Jonah to pursue Ivanka if they continued to make Michael detest Chiara. After all, the two were married for several years and had some feelings for each other. There would be no hope for Jonah if they reconciled.James could see Jonah genuinely liked her. That was why he advised him so earnestly.However, just when he thought Jonah would agree, Jonah simply said, “Just focus on finding out more about this stuff from now on. Don’t worry about the rest.”James was surprised. “Mr. Sadler, you...”He was genuinely curious. This was a very straightforward method, especially considering Jonah’s years-long rivalry with Michael, where they had used all sorts of tactics. This time, it was aimed at Michael, so there was even more reason to go ahead with it.James was puzzled.Jonah casually glanced at him and said, “Because it would hurt Iv.”James looked bewildered. “Huh?”Jonah was no lon
Ivanka sighed and shook her head slowly.“I’ve said it before, Hanson is like a brother to me. I’ve never considered him as a romantic partner. Besides, I used to have feelings for Michael, remember? Just because we divorced and I’ve moved on, it doesn’t mean... I can suddenly develop romantic feelings for someone I see as a brother.”Anna fell silent and sighed.Sandy seemed just as confused. “Anna, you like Hanson so much and are willing to do so much for him. Don’t you want to be with him?”Ivanka also glanced at Anna. She felt a great deal of admiration deep down.Truthfully, most people were selfish. The rare few were truly selfless.If they learned that other women were into him too, even if he did not reciprocate, they might feel a tad jealous. It was normal for women.But... Anna was not like that. She could make endless compromises for Hanson and go so far as to convince Ivanka to be with him... At that moment, a surge of complex emotions washed over Ivanka. But mor
Ivanka paused. She gripped the steering wheel tightly. While silent, her eyes hid a storm within. She did not know how to respond to Sandy.Sandy sighed. “Should we head to your place first? I’m thinking of just crashing there for the day.”Ivanka pursed her lips silently and started the car engine.Traffic was heavy. Their trip took more than an hour longer than usual.By the time they got upstairs, Sandy seemed utterly exhausted. She sat down at the dining table and suggested, “Let’s order some takeout.”Ivanka remained composed. “Takeout isn’t the cleanest. I’ll rustle up something quick. Won’t take long.”With that, she changed her attire and ventured into the kitchen.Sandy rushed to lend a hand, but Ivanka calmly intervened, “No need to fuss. It’s just pasta. Just sit down.”Sandy did not listen to her. She started washing some vegetables. Soon, two plates of pasta were ready.Sandy savored each bite as she thoroughly enjoyed Ivanka’s cooking. She had not had much of
Sandy sat in the passenger seat cheerily.“I’m glad to see Hanson’s condition improving day by day. It seems like he’ll be discharged soon.”Ivanka smiled. “Yes, I’m surprised by how well he’s recovering.”Sandy could not help but chuckle at Hanson’s reaction earlier. “Did you see how flustered he was just now? When he heard you were leaving, he was all frantic. He was just like a kid. He wanted to ask you to stay but had to stop himself.”Ivanka’s eyelashes fluttered as she sighed.“I don’t know what to do next. What if he still can’t accept it?”Sandy’s smile vanished instantly and was replaced by a concerned expression. “Yeah... What if he flips out like he did that one time?...”When someone’s feeling down and out, they rarely think straight.Back then, he lost his wits and wandered into traffic.What if he ended up getting drunk again in the future?Sandy sighed. “Well, let’s cross that bridge when we come to it. We shouldn’t dwell on it too much.”Ivanka pursed her lip