Ivanka’s eyes twinkled. “No, I’m a little tired today. Some other time, maybe.” Sandy seemed to have understood something right away. “All right. Get some rest. Remember to give me a call if you’re bored. I will go and keep you company,” she could only say. “Okay.” They said nothing more and hung up. Jonah swept a glance at Ivanka without asking anything. He stepped on the gas pedal and drove all the way to the front of her building. Ivanka glanced at Jonah. “Thanks for today.” Things would not have gone so well for her if it had not been for Jonah’s arrangement. Jonah cocked his eyebrow. “We both win from this. You don’t have to thank me.” Ivanka smiled slightly. “You should go home early and have some rest too.” Jonah cracked a smile and looked at her dotingly. “Are you worried about me?” Ivanka was speechless. She had only said that out of politeness. She wordlessly responded with a smile and quickly got out of the car. Jonah had always been trying to take ad
She finally reached the mansion after an hour’s drive. The looks in the servants’ eyes were unusually odd as she walked in. Even though it was a closed party and no press could sneak in, there was still a large crowd. The guests at the party could also take videos. Even if no one dared to post it online, word must have spread in private. Besides… With Chiara around, there was no need to be concerned about people not knowing. Mindy was sitting on the sofa. Even her dark green casual outfit could not hide her fury. She had been holding in her anger for Ivanka’s arrival. The moment she saw Ivanka in person, she said coldly, “How dare you show up here!” Ivanka looked up at her. Mindy was still as smartly dressed as ever. She exuded a more aggressive aura. If it was in the past, Ivanka might have worried about what she could do to please her mother-in-law, but she looked extremely calm at the moment. “I dare not decline your request to show up, Mrs. Barkworth.” Rosie moved
Ivanka curled her lip. “Thank you, then, Mrs. Barkworth. If there is nothing else, I shall take my leave.” Mindy’s expression slightly changed. Her rage was about to burst forth! She thought. “So, Ivanka really wants a divorce?” However, she snorted the next second. “Ivanka, you are doing this on purpose, aren’t you? You are aware that if you divorce Michael at a time like this, it will jeopardize Barkworth’s Group’s negotiation of the project. The project is worth at least ten billion. You want to get something out of it, don’t you? Or perhaps you would like to take advantage of the divorce settlement negotiations to get some shares? Ivanka snorted with rage. She finally knew who Michael took after. He was just as arrogant as his mother. She thought. “It’s true that the Barkworths are rich, I have plenty of money too!” Her lip slightly curled. “You are overthinking it, Mrs. Barkworth. I’m not taking a single penny from your family, as is written plainly in the settlement a
This time, Rosie was truly furious. “Mindy, watch your words! Go back to your room now!” Mindy frowned, but she still disobeyed Rosie. She said to Ivanka sullenly, “Ivanka, I can say worse things, but I suppose you don’t need me to tell you more because you know it yourself. Now, you have two options.”Ivanka raised an eyebrow. “Go on.” Her nonchalant tone infuriated Mindy even more, but she believed that Ivanka would panic after hearing what she was about to tell her. “First, if you get a divorce, the Barkworths will cut ties with you completely. We won’t give you a single penny. Second…” “You may stop. I chose the first option.” Ivanka interrupted her without any hesitation. Mindy felt like she was going to spit blood. Ivanka sneered at her. She said gently to Rosie without giving Mindy another look, “Grandma, it’s getting late. I don’t intend to stay. Have an early night.” Rosie nodded in a hurry. “My dear child, stay safe on your way home.” “Ivanka, convene a press c
He rested his hands on her sides, while one of his hands was still grabbing her wrist.They were standing so close that they could feel each other’s breath.Ivanka had a panicked expression on her face. She struggled hard, but men were much stronger than women. The outcome was predictable. Ivanka gritted her teeth and said angrily, “Michael, what the hell are you doing? What are you and your family doing?” “What are we doing?” Michael’s voice was icy. He continued to glare sternly at her. It was as if he could not wait to choke her to death right then. “No matter what we have done, we could've never been as crazy as you! You asked me for a divorce at the party. Were you insane, Ivanka?” Ivanka snorted. She raised her head to look at him. However, as they were standing too close, she almost ended up kissing him on the tip of his nose. They both trembled a little. Ivanka hurriedly turned her head. She did not dare to get too close to him. She took a breath to calm herself d
Michael remained silent and walked toward the exit. Mindy immediately held Michael back. “Mic.” Michael stopped. “Is there anything else?” “Are you really going to divorce her?” Michael looked calm. “What happened today created a huge buzz. If I don’t divorce her, I will become a laughingstock. How am I going to talk business with clients in the future?” Mindy had a resentful expression on her face. “So, you’re going to give the project up.” Michael sneered. “And Jonah will reap the benefits.” Although Michael’s marriage had nothing to do with the project, he already had a bad reputation. People would question his capability and character if they discovered he was getting a divorce now. It was different for Jonah. He might be known as a womanizer, but he was still single. In Michael’s case, anyone could see that Chiara was the reason they got divorced. Cheating on your wife and being a womanizer as a single man were two entirely different things. Mindy gritted her
Ivanka stood up and looked at Michael, who was beside her. She smiled and said, “Goodbye, Mr. Barkworth.” Her goodbye sounded like she wished she would never see him again. Michael snorted. Michael did not look at her anymore and walked straight out the door. However, he stopped the moment he walked out the door. Ivanka almost hit his back. And as soon as she looked up, she saw Jonah leaning against the wall with his hands in his pants pockets. He was waiting for her. Ivanka’s eyes flickered with surprise. She thought. “What is he doing here?” Jonah smiled. “Mr. Barkworth, we meet again.” Michael’s expression grew darker. He stared coldly at him. “Mr. Sadler, careful not to get blown away in the tempest.” It was a warning. Jonah did not mind. “It’s okay. I’m strong.” Michael sneered. He turned around and left. Jonah shifted his gaze to Ivanka. He looked at her adoringly with a smile in his eyes. “Congratulations on being single again.” Ivanka’s eyes flickered
“Everything is about money! All they care about is money. Is money really that important? I wish the Barkworths could go bankrupt right now! Our lives were much happier when we didn’t have money! Your grandpa used to be a different man! But now… Oh, it all changed! Everything changed!” Resigned weariness flashed across Ivanka’s eyes. “Grandma…” “Oh, they even cost me such a good granddaughter-in-law. It makes me sad.” Ivanka smiled. “But Grandma, I’m still your granddaughter, aren’t I?” “That’s right! Yes, you’re my granddaughter! I don’t want them anymore!” Ivanka talked with Rosie a little longer to soothe her feelings before hanging up. She used to hear Grandma complain that the Barkworths had become so rich that their hearts and minds had changed. She had said several times that she wished the Barkworths were not so rich. So, next… Ivanka’s eyes flickered thoughtfully. Jonah turned his head and looked at her. “I suddenly crave for your roasted pork. Can I dine at
“Who would believe that he didn’t get any help?”The statement set off an uproar. Indeed, many people had been eliminated at this stage. Michael’s advancement as an outsider was suspicious in itself. Or maybe it was not just Doska. Many people had this suspicion; they just did not say it out loud.Once someone brought it up, it naturally led to the dam breaking, and a steady influx of skepticism started.“Yes. How long has an outsider been here? How was he able to find these herbs so precisely?”“Isn’t that so? I even saw Doska’s grandma take Michael out this morning to look for herbs. I hadn’t seen him before. Did he memorize it after just one turn? I don’t believe it.”“There’s something shady. He must be cheating. The Heroes Meeting would never tolerate cheating. They never need a hero who cheats.”“Get out of here. Disqualify him!”The noises continued. Under Doska’s lead, some people were agitated and said they wanted to disqualify Michael from the competition.Mdm.
“Yo, how dare you return with a handful of wild weeds?” Doska snorted lightly in mockery.Michael did not pay any attention and ignored him completely.He just handed over what he had in his hand straight to the referee.Seeing that he was being ignored, Doska immediately wanted to speak again, but the surrounding people talked him out of it.A few of the men scowled at Doska while grinning evilly. “Let’s watch. He’ll be embarrassed in a moment.”Doska also calmed down. The corners of his mouth curled in mockery.Obviously, he did not think Michael would be able to pass the first stage.Or rather, no one believed it but Ivanka.Even Anais added in her two cents and said with a look of regret, “I didn’t expect the first stage to be this. It looks like Michael is going to end at the first stage. What a pity.”Even Madam Wright was worried for him.Ivanka heard and did not comment on it. However, she still believed in Michael in her heart. The referee took over and conducted a
Ivanka was done with her mutiny. On the other side, Michael was moving fast on the mountain.In about ten minutes, he found about two dozen different herbs.It was a combination of luck and skill.On his way to look for other medicinal herbs, Michael also encountered Doska’s group.Surprisingly, Doska also had a dozen handfuls of herbs in his hand.But then again the others around him were empty-handed, it was plain to see.They probably knew that if they were spread out, there was a chance none of them would advance. Putting all their herbs in one person’s hands would be better. Micheal had no idea why they had picked Doska. He shook his head in slight confusion.When he saw that Michael was about to leave, Doska could not resist and spoke.“Stand still.”Michael did not want to pay any attention to it, but a man was already blocking the way.Michael stopped. He did not want to make a move for the moment.He looked at Doska. His gaze was chilling.“What do you want?”Do
Ivanka did not answer. She stared straight at the enclosure wall as if she had not heard anything.Anais was not annoyed. If Ivanka did not answer, she had others around her to do so.“It must be Michael. Who else could it be?”Anais smiled. It was a bright smile.She turned her head to look at Ivanka properly and said, “It’s because you’re with him that he’s not accepted by the community. If he was with me, the outcome would be much different. But you’re not willing to let go.”Ivanka did not say anything. In fact, the expression on her face did not change.She knew in her heart that Michael did not need to blend in or be accepted by the people here.All it took was Mdm. Wright’s acceptance.When she thought about this, Ivanka looked toward Mdm. Wright.Mdm. Wright gave her a reassuring look.Ivanka blinked and continued to look at the enclosure wall.Just like that, Anais was completely ignored.Originally, she wanted to be directly angry, but within the duration of an ey
When Mdm. Wright heard that, she asked in discomfort, “Why do you care? It’s none of my business.”Michael just smiled. Mdm. Wright had been distracted since she arrived here. She still cared about Doska in the end.He was her last remaining relative, after all. Mdm. Wright’s sons and daughters had died one after another, leaving behind only this one grandson. It would be a lie to say that she did not care.It was just all to keep her pride. By the grace of Mdm. Wright, he would let him off the hook once when he met Doska on the field. But if Doska repeatedly provoked him or tried to get in his way… Then he would not care who he was.With that, Michael tidied up and prepared to enter.Before he was about to go in, Michael looked toward Ivanka quickly.By that time, Ivanka had already stood very obediently next to Anais.When she saw Michael look over at her, Ivanka gave him a small smile.“Take care of yourself.”Michael had mouthed those words to her.Ivanka smiled. “B
“So, Mdm. Wright, even if we go back, Michael and I won’t forget you, nor will we forget this place.”Mdm. Wright’s body froze visibly.Ivanka spoke to her heart. She spoke to the most vulnerable, most profound part of her heart.To put it bluntly, the old lady was also afraid of being alone in her old age.Ivanka continued, “If conditions permit, we will come back to see you, or we can pick you up and take you out for a few days.”Mdm. Wright said nothing as she held back her tears.She was afraid that she would cry the moment she opened her mouth. Ivanka affectionately took Mdm. Wright’s hand. She looked at Mdm. Wright with eyes that twinkled like stars in the sky.“Mdm. Wright, give Michael and I a local name for this place.”“Alright…”Mdm. Wright could not hold back her tears any longer.The warm liquid dripped onto Ivanka’s arm. It was so warm that it felt like it was burning her skin.Ivanka took out a tissue and gently wiped away the tears off her beloved Mdm. Wrig
“The question struck my mind at this moment.” Michael did not trust Ivanka’s statement. When she asked him that question, she looked serious. She did not look like she asked it spontaneously; she seemed to have prepared it a long time ago. Michael thought about it carefully before answering her. “You’re serious, bold, smart, and beautiful.” Ivanka had many excellent qualities. Her beauty was unquestionable, yet it was the least worth mentioning. She nodded. After that, she looked up and stared at Michael. Her gaze was so razor-sharp as if she could pierce him through her gaze alone. She said, “I’m not some sort of a delicate, rich young lady. We’re currently facing a situation that is unfavorable to us. If we want to return to our homeland, it’s going to take more than your effort alone to get back, it’s going to take us all working together. Since you mention we’re a team, why can’t I contribute to our team?” Michael’s lips parted, but no words came out of his mouth.
Michael grabbed Ivanka’s hand and wanted to leave together. He could not bear to watch Ivanka suffer. But Ivanka stood motionlessly in place and stared at Anais. Meanwhile, Anais recovered from her shock and gave Ivanka a strange look. Then she asked skeptically, “Have you made up your mind? Are you sure you’re not kidding me?” Michael was about to answer her, but Ivanka interrupted, “Yes. I’m very certain about it. Can we register now?” Anais raised her head proudly. “Of course.” Right after she finished her sentence, she gave the registrar a look. The registrar naturally did not want to mess around with the troublemaker, so he instantly added Michael’s name to the list. After Michael’s name was added to the list, it was only then that Ivanka heaved a sigh of relief. She turned around and realized that Anais was staring at her. Ivanka was undaunted. She met her eyes. Anais moved her lips silently to say, “I’ll wait for you.” After that, she gave Ivanka a profound
The moment Candice saw Mandy, she instantly recalled the night Ivanka and Michael fell into the sea. She knew Mandy and Ferris were the main culprits behind it all. At that moment, Candice had the urge to tie them up and toss them into the sea so that they would sink underneath. It seemed to be the only way to get rid of her hatred toward the duo. Unfortunately, she could not take action just yet. Mandy moved in front of Candice and removed her sunglasses. Then, she raised her chin and asked the security guard, “What’s with all the noises?” The security guard listened to all her whims and said, “This mad woman is being so unreasonable and insists on entering the building. She said she’s the project director of the company.” Upon hearing this, Mandy looked like she finally noticed Candice’s presence. Without caring much less about the hatred and disgust in Candice’s eyes, Mandy cradled her mouth and pretended to look surprised while saying, “Oh, no! Aren’t you the project di