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
Sandy subconsciously nodded. “That’s right. I need to save up my energy so that I can appear before Iv as if nothing had happened!” Anna sighed and nodded. “That should be it! Take a rest now. I’ll keep you company.” “No need. I just had a minor injury. You don’t need to accompany me. You should accompany Hanson. Don’t let him get suspicious about our absence. Besides—” Sandy paused for a moment. “Based on Iv’s condition, she wouldn’t be able to visit him for some time. How are we going to hide this from Hanson?” Anna’s eyes flickered. Sandy seemed to have thought of something and said, “I got an idea!” Anna’s eyes lit up. “What is it?” “Tell him that the company sent me out of town on a business trip. The task given is a challenging one. Without Iv, I can’t handle it, so I dragged Iv with me.” “Hmm…” Anna hesitated. After giving it a thought, she nodded. “We don’t have a choice. But Iv hadn’t informed him of anything…” “You can explain to him that both of us left in
Michael said in a deep voice, “Cause Jonah some trouble.” Michael did not want to see that man again. Evan paused mid-stride and nodded. Meanwhile, Xander grinned wordlessly. Both Xander and Evan left the ward. Michael was left alone with Ivanka. In the past, Ivanka would appear uncomfortable whenever Michael appeared before her. She would try to stay away from him. However, this time, Ivanka was in a coma. While sleeping on the bed, she looked gentler than usual. Luckily, her fair and exquisite face was unscathed. Michael raised a hand and put it on her cheek. He could not help but rest his hand on her delicate and fair skin. The next moment, he recovered his senses. His expression instantly changed, and he immediately removed his hand. He frowned while staring at Ivanka coldly. “You were my wife…” His frown deepened, and he fell silent. His heart was full of complicated and inexplicable emotions. He was immensely frustrated. ... Meanwhile, at the Lan
But who would have expected Ivanka to be so lucky? She could survive a truck sandwich attempt on the dangerous road. She was very fortunate. Lyla gripped her phone tightly. “This is an unexpected situation. We can’t possibly contact the two drivers. We could only leave the matter be. You need to keep yourself in check. Don’t do anything outrageous and raise their suspicion.” Chiara nodded seriously. “How annoying! Since Ivanka is in the hospital, we need to visit her.” Right after she finished speaking, she received a message. Chiara subconsciously tapped to open the message. Upon reading the message, her face twisted into absolute savagery. “F*ck!” Lyla frowned. “What is it?” She turned to look at Chiara’s phone and read the WhatsApp message displayed on the screen. Belle: Ms. Chiara, Mr. Barkworth is inside Ms. Ivanka’s ward. Chiara gritted her teeth. “Why is Michael doing this? Why is he so involved with Ivanka? He even visits her when she is hospitalized. Why? Do
Michael turned. He was stunned to see his father. Jay seemed slightly taken aback. “I’m surprised that you came.” Michael looked away and ignored him. Jay went over to Ivanka’s bed. He sighed when he saw her weak appearance. “She only broke a rib after falling from such a height. She’s truly lucky.” “Lucky?” Michael’s eyes glinted in mockery. Puzzled, Jay turned to him. “Why?” Michael remained silent. Michael was aware that it was not Ivanka’s luck that had saved her life. Her sharp mind and driving abilities were the reason she survived today. Few young ladies could do what Ivanka did. She had not only chosen the safest method to ease the situation but had also protected her friend. Michael’s gaze turned complicated. He had always thought Ivanka to be an extremely scheming, vain, and selfish woman. However, when the accident happened, she was able to protect Sandy. Michael thought. “Is she the same Ivanka that I know?” After they divorced, she completely changed.
Chiara bit her bottom lip. Her face—deliberately made pale with makeup—turned even paler. She could never have imagined Michael saying something like that.The whole nation was aware that she and Michael were set to get engaged. When people saw her, they would butter her up and congratulate her, but Michael suddenly said that he would not get engaged to her. Would she end up like Ivanka and become everyone’s laughing stock?!What was Michael doing?!She was tempted to push the door open and demand answers, but the door kept her rage in place. She lacked the courage to even walk into the room.She was afraid that after she entered, Michael would just say, “You’re here just in time, I’ll tell you now so I won’t have to go tell you again.”With gritted teeth, Chiara tightened her grip on her bag and waited for Michael’s response to Jay. “I-Is he really sure?!” Then, she heard this. “I’m sure.”The answer was firm and delivered in a steady, determined voice.It was a heavy b
Ivanka nodded. What Rosie said was true. Rosie continued, “If Michael were the stranger, why are you resisting him and feeling helpless?” Ivanka was stunned. It was a fact. If a stranger courted her relentlessly, Ivanka would only find them annoying. But she would not resist them. Only she knew the reason she refused to accept them. But when it came to Michael, she treated him differently. From the bottom of her heart, she refused to give him a fair chance to court her. Was it because she was worried that her heart would move for him? Ivanka was startled by the thought. She shook her head as if trying to get that ridiculous thought out. When Rosie saw this, she chuckled. Ivanka was a smart woman. It was sufficient to say all that; too much would be meaningless. Rosie looked up at the moon. She could not help but sigh. “Tonight’s a beautiful moon night. Unfortunately, it’s time for me to go to bed.” After Rosie finished her sentence, she headed to her room. Ivanka
On the other hand, Ivanka had no idea her best friend had “betrayed” her. She helped Rosie into the bedroom. When they passed the garden, Rosie suggested walking inside it. Ivanka was too embarrassed to reject her. So, they came to the garden. The gardeners attended and trimmed the garden daily. It was naturally a sight to behold. There were many rare plants in the garden. Of course, there were also some rare herbal plants in the garden. Ivanka had planted them, and the herbal plants were flourishing. There was a botanical garden encircled within the garden. It contained the herbal plants used to nourish Rosie’s health. While they were walking along the path, the fragrance of flowers, the earthy smell of the soil, and the faint aroma of the herbal plants entered their nostrils. The fragrance lifted their spirits. On top of that, the fragrance could refresh one’s mind. Rosie felt more refreshed as she walked down the path in the garden. She grabbed Ivanka and shared
Within the blink of an eye, it was already 12 a.m.. Ivanka noticed that Rosie had been yawning but still refused to go to bed. Ivanka knew why. While they were chatting, Ivanka occasionally turned to Rosie. While Rosie was wiping off her basal tears, Ivanka and Michael exchanged glances. Ivanka sat beside Rosie and patted her hands gently. Rosie looked more alert, but her eyes were still a little blurry and appeared bloodshot. She had dark rings beneath her eyes. In spite of her exquisite makeup, her dark eye rings were still visible. Of course, it was only visible when Ivanka looked closer at her. Seeing this, Ivanka’s heart ached more for Rosie. Ivanka believed Rosie must have stayed up late or had insomnia when she and Michael went missing. Rosie wanted to receive first-hand information about the missing duo, but she was also worried that she would not be able to face reality. After struggling and battling with her inner conflicts for a month, Rosie’s health de
Speaking of which, this was Michael’s first time seeing Ivanka looking this helpless, and he found this a novelty. Whenever Rosie said things like that, Ivanka usually looked expressionless. She either looked calm, or she pretended to be deaf. Based on her unease and embarrassed look, did that mean her heart began to move for Michael? With that thought in his mind, Michael was eager to find out the answer. At that moment, they heard Candice’s voice. “Why are you staying outside? Did I come at a bad time? I thought I could have dinner immediately after I returned from work.” Ivanka and her group turned around and saw Candice standing not far away from them. She smiled as she looked at them. When Candice noticed Rosie’s teary eyes, she looked surprised and approached them. “Grandma has a sharp tongue, but she’s soft-hearted. She said the two of you were so cruel that you left her and a whole mess behind. She said she would teach you a lesson when you return.” While speaki
Everything had been fine just a moment ago.Why had she suddenly started to distance herself from him?It was probably true that a woman’s mind was unpredictable. Even a strong woman was no exception.Soon, they arrived at the Barkworth family’s mansion.Michael wanted to get out first and open the door for Ivanka, but she stopped him by tapping her soft hand on his shoulder.He looked down at her hand and then looked at her.“Don’t get out yet. I’ll grab a coat for you from inside and come back.”Michael wanted to refuse, but Ivanka had already exited the car.He watched her walk away. He then leaned back against the seat and felt a wave of relaxation.It felt as though he had finally found someone who had his back.He could not help but find it funny when he thought about it. He glanced at the spot where Ivanka had touched his hand and chuckled quietly.In the front seat, the driver felt so awkward about what he had just witnessed that he wished he could hide behind the st
The motorcycle approached them with no sign of slowing down.Michael’s expression turned grim. He quickly pulled Ivanka to the side and turned to shield her with his back.Ivanka felt a sudden spin. By the time she regained her balance, she found herself in Michael’s arms.His embrace was warm and strong. She could smell his familiar scent.It felt as if everything around them had slowed down.Then she heard the sound of water splashing on Michael. She pulled away from his embrace.Michael felt his arm grow light and stared at the empty space where she had been. He could still feel her warmth lingering.He shifted his gaze to Ivanka.Before she could speak, he quickly asked, “Are you okay? Did you get splashed?”She blinked and shook her head.“I’m fine. What about you?”He shook his head, but she did not buy it. She was sure the sound of the water splashing had been loud. There was no way he was not wet.Without hesitation, she grabbed his arm and turned him around.His b
Both Ivanka and Michael walked side by side as they maintained just the right distance between them. They looked great together, and their presence naturally attracted many gazes.It was worth mentioning that it was difficult to tell whether Michael did this on purpose or if it was just a coincidence.Both of them wore black trench coats that day. The styles were quite similar. This made them look even more like a couple in matching outfits.Ivanka’s wavy hair and red lips were striking. The beauty mark by her eye was the perfect finishing touch, which made her look stunning.Despite her beauty, Michael standing beside her did not go unnoticed either. He seemed to be a perfect complement to her.They looked like a perfect match.Ivanka noticed it but said nothing.Michael broke the silence and asked about Ferris and Mandy.“What are you going to do about Ferris and Mandy?”Ivanka did not answer right away.Michael continued, “Just having them arrested seems like getting off t
Mandy was rushed to the hospital.She fainted, but Ferris was not as fortunate.It seemed that he could not accept the fact that he had kicked his own child. He kept shaking his head and muttering, “This can’t be. How could this happen?”He looked like he was losing it.However, the law would not overlook his actions just because of his mental state.Ivanka had seen enough of their mess and was no longer interested in watching them tear each other apart. She asked the police to explain why they were there.“Mr. Clark, Ms. Ivanka has filed a report requesting a full investigation into the circumstances surrounding her fall into the water. Following our preliminary inquiry, both you and Ms. Mandy are now considered suspects. We are required to take you both in for further questioning.”Ferris did not respond. He was still unable to process what had just happened.The police followed protocol and arrested him.Ferris was led away with his hands cuffed. He was completely dazed.N
Still, Ferris kept quiet. However, the others in the room did not.A portly shareholder stood up, smacked his lips, and forced a flattering smile. “Isn’t it obvious? Ferris wants to take your place, Ms. Ivanka. Everyone can see it. He’s nothing but a complete traitor!”Once he spoke up, the rest quickly chimed in.“Yeah, he’s a traitor!”Ferris looked around the room. He already knew these people were untrustworthy, but he had not expected them to turn on him so easily.Ivanka, on the other hand, did not seem surprised.She had not taken any action on Ferris and Mandy because she wanted to watch the chaos unfold. These shareholders had sided with Ferris when she was gone, and they switched back just as quickly when she returned.Ferris was no fool. He knew that too. But the sense of isolation he felt at that moment drove him into despair.Still, he was not one to back down easily.He spat in the portly shareholder’s face.“And who the hell are you?” Ferris sneered. “You were