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
“There’s a truck behind us, Sandy! Roll down the window and tell it to back off!” Ivanka remained surprisingly calm in the face of danger.Sandy, though flustered, maintained her composure. She swiftly rolled down the window to warn the approaching vehicle.The oncoming truck was massive. The truck behind them had already sensed trouble. It attempted to reverse before Sandy could signal it.But it was too slow!Sandy’s complexion paled. “Iv, what do we do?! The truck in front is closing in, and the one behind us is too slow!”Ivanka pursed her lips and floored the gas pedal. While Sandy screamed, she steered quickly and drifted the car as it changed direction.She had reacted quickly, but there were still vehicles ahead and behind them, not to mention the dangerous road conditions.The truck driver seized the opportunity and accelerated!At the next moment, a deafening crash echoed.“Ahh!!” Sandy screamed in anguish.Their car was struck. Their rear end hung precariously over
It was silent in the office. Michael handled some documents at his office desk. The next moment, he heard his door being thrown open. Bam! Evan barged in. Michael frowned and looked up. His frown deepened when he saw it was Evan. Evan always had a good sense of boundaries. Something must have happened for him to do so today. While Michael was still in his thoughts, Evan cried out anxiously, “Mr. Barkworth, something has happened to Ms. Lane!” Michael’s heart clenched tightly. “Which one?” “Ms. Ivanka had an accident. Her car fell into a deep pit!” As if he had been struck by lightning, Michael got up in a flash. “Where is she now?!” ... Ivanka was sleeping inside the ward in the hospital. On the surface, she did not seem to have suffered any injury. However, there were countless abrasions on her body, and one of her ribs was broken. Sandy and Anna sat before Ivanka’s bed. Their eyes were filled with worry. Sandy’s face was filled with tears. She cried non
The duo turned to the door. Two tall men entered. They looked solemn. Sandy stopped sobbing. “Michael. Evan. Why are you here?”Michael ignored Sandy. He quickly strode over to Ivanka’s side. He pursed his lips and frowned when he saw her sleeping on the bed. Both Sandy and Anna had a very bad impression of Michael. Evan knew the entire story, so he hurriedly said, “We’ve learned about the accident and have informed the police. They would investigate the matter.” Finally, Sandy stopped looking so sour. She turned to them and asked, “What did the police say about the accident?” Evan was momentarily stunned before saying, “The two drivers have escaped, but there’s an arrest warrant for them.” Sandy’s expectant gaze immediately darkened. “They attempted murder! They must be Iv’s enemies! Could they be…” As Sandy was saying this, her expression changed slightly. Anna grabbed her hand. It was clear to see that Anna tried to stop Sandy from revealing the truth. They alre
Xander thought. “How could Michael give up such an excellent wife? He’ll regret it in the future!”If not for Michael still caring for Ivanka, Michael could not have possibly sought Xander’s help to examine her injury. Michael frowned and ignored Xander’s gaze. He said in a deep voice, “Did she suffer any brain trauma? Will she suffer any after-effects?” “No. She’ll be fine as long as she rests well. Since this is an attempted murder, it’s best to protect her well. If not, the culprits might come after her again in the hospital.” Michael’s frown deepened. No one knew what he had in his mind. He seemed to grow increasingly frustrated. Meanwhile, Sandy and Anna looked troubled. Anna said, “I’ll have someone protect her.” The Baldwin family was quite a powerful family. “Everyone, out.” After Michael said that, he pulled out a chair and sat before Ivanka’s bed. He looked particularly regal. It was as if he was pure-blooded royalty. Sandy frowned. “What are you doing? I’l
“I deserve everything that’s happening to me now. But please don’t involve my family in my mistakes…” Ethan clasped his hands together and sincerely begged everyone to spare his family. Ivanka spared him a brief glance before turning off her cell phone. Although she was helping herself to some meat, Michael could see how she felt at the moment. “Why don’t we…” Michael asked for her opinion. But before he finished speaking, Ivanka interrupted him. “Now that he’s released a video like that, if I continue to hold him accountable, I’d be the one in the wrong.” Michael immediately replied, “I can step in—” “You? It’s better if you don’t. Everyone knows your relationship with me now.” Before Michael could finish his sentence, Ivanka immediately interrupted him. Although they were not officially remarried, Michael often went out with her. If anyone else were to see this, what difference did it make? Michael understood, but he really could not bear to see Ivanka getting bulli
After they finished taking pictures, Ivanka greeted everyone politely. “After finishing your meal, go home early. It’s snowing, so drive safely. Bye…” Ivanka subconsciously reminded them. She belatedly realized she had been acting as though she was really an idol. Nonetheless, she treated them with sincerity. She had not done this for Michael’s sake. She did this mostly for the sake of the innocent, inexperienced young ladies who had yet entered the society. These young ladies raised their phones warily and asked, “Could we take a picture together?” They were so worried that their invitation would be turned down, so much so that when they talked, they almost bit the skin off their lips. Ivanka could not bear to reject them. It had not been easy for her to finally reach the private room. Michael teased her, “Our celebrity finally arrived. It looks like you’d best wear shades wherever you go in the future.” Ivanka glared at him and said gruffly, “Stop teasing me.” She paused
After that, Ivanka politely bowed to the people who had been watching the drama in the main hall. She smiled at them. “Sorry for making a fool of ourselves. We encountered two tricksters who wanted to eat the meals for free by calling themselves the friends of the restaurant owners. It happened that I know the restaurant owner, so we easily uncovered their tricks.” By saying that, Ivanka was able to save the hot pot restaurant’s and the Barkworth family’s reputation. Her statement could result in a win-win situation, and the reason was acceptable. Ivanka continued, “Sorry for causing a stir and affecting your dining mood. I’ll foot the bill for everyone who dined on the first floor. How does that sound?” She was not trying to curry favor with the people or to show off her wealth. She simply did not want the people to hate the wealthy. One could not deny that this method worked. Right after Ivanka made her statement, the crowd thanked her. The commotion was no more than ju
The young lady did not know what to do, so she turned to the restaurant manager. The restaurant manager nodded in approval. It was only then that the young lady left the restaurant. Before she left, she glared at Coco. Coco glared back at the young lady and pointed at her viciously. Coco shouted, “Come back! I’m not done with you yet! Who permitted you to leave now?!” The young lady’s body shivered a little. Still, she gnashed her teeth and left. Ivanka watched the young lady’s back as she drifted away. Ivanka stood in Coco’s way because she did not want Coco to chase after the young lady. Ivanka did not want to make a big deal out of the situation. Otherwise, the Barkworth family would be the one who suffered disgrace. After all, Coco stayed in the Barkworth family’s mansion, and everyone knew that Rosie doted on her. If it continued, Ivanka was worried about Rosie’s later years… Ivanka rubbed her temples in resignation. It looked like she needed to resolve the issue as
The restaurant manager thought for a moment before saying, “Ms. Fishbourne, the restaurant has its own rules. Only three types of VIPs could reserve our private rooms while the rest could only enjoy normal seats. I have reasons to believe that our front desk told you the same when you called. We may not have empty seats now, but we’ll have one shortly after.” Coco recalled the situation and remembered that it was exactly like what the restaurant manager had mentioned. So what? Things have changed these days. Coco was no longer an ordinary woman. Her words could even move the earth. With that thought in her mind, Coco chuckled. She kept her tyranny and mockery to herself before locking her little finger with the young lady’s at the front desk. The young lady at the front desk looked down at her finger before glancing at the restaurant manager helplessly. The restaurant manager himself, too, was caught in trouble, so he could not do anything else to defend the young lady. C
Little did Coco know that her behavior was no more like a clown in the crowd’s eyes. Ivanka felt disgusted. Although she could not put herself in Coco’s shoes, she could understand the thoughts of a sensitive person. Ivanka could sympathize with a sensitive and cowardly person. But she could not find herself sympathizing with Coco. Coco’s low self-esteem should not be the reason for her to behave like a crook. Michael, on the other hand, already finished discussing with the restaurant manager and entering the private room. Ivanka lagged behind him. She had no intention of entertaining Coco, much less inviting her to eat together. No doubt that the private room was able to accommodate four people. But based on their relationship, Ivanka thought she had been kind enough to not find fault in Coco, much less eating together. Meanwhile, Coco continued to argue with the restaurant manager. She argued until her face reddened. Although the restaurant manager already made hims
The temperature was above freezing point, so the snowflakes melted before they even reached the ground. The trees were covered in snow. At a glance, they looked like a blanket of pristine snow. The big trees looked as if they had been covered in snow-white new clothes. Ivanka was a little surprised at such a scenery. Even though she often went for business trips in the north and had experienced snow, skied, and various other experiences, it was a rare sight to experience snow in their city. Instead of snow, they looked more like an ice sheet. The snow there was different from the cities in the north. They easily fell on their hair. In just a while, their hair turned snowy white. Ivanka took out her phone and took a photo. Then she shared it with her friends in her WhatsApp group. Meanwhile, Michael took photos of Ivanka. Michael hardly posted anything on Twitter. After a moment, he uploaded a photo of Ivanka taking photos of the scenery.The caption was: Experiencing
Michael glanced at Ivanka.Ivanka kept her eyes lowered and focused on nothing in particular. Both of them tacitly agreed not to bring it up.“Let’s go out to eat,” Michael said. Ivanka agreed without hesitation.If they got ready and left at this time, they would be just in time for lunch.She went upstairs to freshen up. Michael did not rush her. He just smiled, as if he was telling her to take her time.Ivanka felt a little embarrassed and touched the tip of her nose. Truthfully, she was the one in a hurry because she was the one starving.Five minutes later, she came back down.She had changed into a long black down coat that reached her ankles. It was practical and warm.But the weather was still unbearably cold. This winter was harsher than usual.“Let’s go.” She rubbed her hands together and looked at Michael.Michael was on his phone. He was smiling and looked relaxed. With just a glance, Ivanka could tell he was probably making a reservation.Their long-standing
Ivanka slept in the next day. By the time she woke up, the sun was already streaming through the window, casting light across her bed and face.In a way, the sunlight had forced her awake.She frowned slightly before slowly opening her eyes. The brightness left spots in her vision, so she instinctively raised a hand to shield herself before getting out of bed.It was already past 10 a.m.She had no idea how she managed to sleep so much, especially after napping all afternoon the day before.Then again, maybe she was just that exhausted. So much had been going on lately.Fortunately, it was Saturday, so she did not have to go to the office.That was probably why her internal clock had not woken her at seven as usual.Come to think of it, her body’s internal clock was quite accommodating.On workdays, no matter how tired she was, she always woke up at seven sharp. But on weekends, that never happened. She could sleep in as much as she wanted, which was pretty great.She lay in