She said nothing, but her eyes clearly gave the answer. The temperature in the ward plummeted. Michael’s gaze got sharper as he studied Ivanka’s face.But his strong presence had no effect on Ivanka. She just stared at him in confusion and said, “Mr. Barkworth, you can leave if there’s nothing going on.”Michael scoffed. After all this waiting, he still stayed by her side, so did she just tell him to go without even offering him thanks?For the sake of his dignity, he would never be with this woman again!He got up right away and left. Sandy and Anna rushed in as soon as he left. Sandy broke down in tears the moment she saw that Ivanka had woken up.“Iv! You’re finally awake!”Sandy hurried over and held Ivanka’s hand. She took a seat where Michael had just been and gave Ivanka a guilty look.Ivanka’s lips curled into a small smile. “Idiot. Why are you crying? I’m doing okay, aren’t I?”She already knew almost everything about her situation. Tears fell from Sandy’s ey
Anna and Sandy were momentarily stunned. They quickly grew incredulous.Sandy snorted. “I bet he’s here for your project. Even now, he won’t leave you alone. He’s insane!”Ivanka’s eyes flickered with doubt.Anna, however, spoke hesitantly. “I still think Michael may have developed feelings for you.”Sandy was speechless.She pursed her lips. Anna’s train of thought struck her as odd.Ivanka chuckled lightly. She did not believe it at all.Anna could not help but speak softly. “Not long after you were taken to the hospital, Michael came. He seemed really worried. He even specifically asked Xander over to treat you. Xander only left after he confirmed that you were fine. Then, Michael kicked us all out and stayed by your bedside alone for six hours.”Ivanka did not expect to hear that.She had not expected Michael to stay for so long. He had truly gone all out for the project.After hesitating for a moment, Anna said, “During then, Chiara came to see you, but she almost immedi
Three days passed. Michael never came to see Ivanka again.It was as if he was sulking.Ivanka remained unperturbed. She completely ignored him.Michael suddenly could not hold it back anymore.Just as Ivanka was about to rest, her ward door suddenly swung open.She opened her eyes and instinctively thought Anna and Sandy had come to her with some urgent matters.After all, they had been keeping Hanson in the dark. Since she and Hanson were in the same hospital, they had to be careful.Hanson could see neither Ivanka nor Sandy.So, Sandy had been staying in the ward with Ivanka.When she saw that Michael had entered, she frowned slightly.She looked at him in silent indifference.Michael ignored her expression and sat down beside her. He asked calmly, “How are you feeling?”Surprised, Ivanka stared at him. She was slightly taken aback.Had Michael lost his mind?He was asking about her well-being!Last time, she was still suspecting his motives… Well, there was a tiny po
“Iv, my uncle’s here to see you. We’re coming in.”Michael frowned as Ivanka glanced at him indifferently before answering, “Come in.”The door opened.Sandy came in with a smile, but when she spotted Michael, her smile froze. She thought. “What is Michael doing here again? What’s wrong with him?”Besides, she had just been gone for a while. Why was he already here? Had he been waiting for her to leave?If Anna could hear Sandy’s thoughts, she would undoubtedly retort unhesitatingly.“Does Michael need to hide from you? He would simply send you away, right?”Thomas held a fruit basket with a smile on his face. His smile momentarily froze before he caught himself. “Oh, Mr. Barkworth, what a coincidence to see you here,” Thomas said with masterful lightness.Michael glanced at Thomas and said, “I didn’t expect to see you here, Mr. Thomas.”Thomas was widely known in the industry. Michael had even considered poaching him, but once he knew about his relationship with Ivanka’s fath
Why did she seem so indifferent and sometimes resentful when he came to see her?Did she not know how to feel touched?Since Thomas entered, Ivanka had not even spared him another glance. She kept engaging with Thomas and Sandy in conversation and laughter.She completely ignored him as if he were invisible.Thomas noticed the awkward atmosphere in the room and turned to Michael. He still wore his gentle smile.“Mr. Barkworth, what a surprise to see you here today.”He implied that he was supposed to be too busy to be showing up here.Michael replied indifferently, “I had some free time today.”While they were cold to Michael, he was still physically present.It would be too much to blatantly ignore him.Sandy found the situation a little awkward. After a brief pause, she smiled and said, “Um... I should go out for a walk.”Ivanka nodded in response.Three people remained in the room.Ivanka instinctively glanced at Michael. She was silent, her expression seemed to convey
His voice was almost a whisper.However, Ivanka still caught the underlying sarcasm in his words. She was about to open her mouth and drive him out, but the presence of Thomas made her hesitate. If she said it, Michael’s dignity would suffer a blow. He might cause trouble for her later. She did not desire that.After a pause, she said softly, “I’m afraid I can’t agree to cooperate with you. Besides, given our relationship, we should avoid arousing gossip.”Michael frowned silently.Sensing Ivanka’s gaze on him, Thomas understood immediately. “Mr. Barkworth, Iv, I rushed here today when I heard about what happened. Seeing that you’re okay now, I feel relieved. Take care of yourself. I’ll come by to see you again tomorrow.”Ivanka shook her head and smiled. “There’s no need to trouble yourself, Mr. Thomas. I’m perfectly fine. I’ll be back at the company in no time.”Thomas sighed but knew it was not the time to stay any longer. He nodded and smiled. “Then, I’ll take my leave. I’ll
Ivanka looked at him strangely. “What exactly are you getting at?”Unable to break free from his grip, Ivanka gave up struggling.Michael took a deep breath as he tried to control his emotions.However, his silence exasperated Ivanka.What was he up to?After a moment of silence, he spoke in a deep voice, “I won’t get engaged to her.”Ivanka’s eyes widened in surprise. “You’re not getting engaged anymore?”That piqued her interest. Anything that did not bode well for Chiara intrigued her.Michael pursed his lips. “If everything you’ve said is true, I will give you the result you deserve.”Ivanka chuckled. She looked at him and said with ease, “So, you no longer think I’m a vain and purposeful person?”Michael furrowed his brows. There seemed to be a hint of mixed emotions on his cold face.After a pause, he spoke in a deep voice, “I hope you’re not that kind of person.”“Tsk.” Ivanka chuckled. It seemed like he still believed she was that kind of person.Michael’s expres
Ivanka answered the phone with slightly narrowed eyes.“What’s the matter?”Belle immediately responded. “Ms. Ivanka, she’s making moves again!”Ivanka pursed her lips silently. She waited for Belle to elaborate.Belle took a deep breath and hurriedly continued. “Today, I overheard her talking on the phone with Madam Lyla. She said she refuses to accept failure and wants to take further action. I know that you’re hospitalized, so I suspect they’re planning to target you again!”Over the past few days, with Ivanka hospitalized, Chiara had visited along with Theodore and his wife. They had all been very caring. They seemed like her own parents and showed genuine care for her.“Do you know what they’re planning to do?” Ivanka’s voice remained calm.Admiration flashed in Belle’s eyes. Ivanka always remained composed in times of crisis, a quality she possessed in abundance compared to Chiara.In the past, when she was working with Chiara, Chiara always portrayed herself as a compose
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