“What the hell! Iv may be your girlfriend, but I’m your childhood friend! We practically grew up together! You only have eyes for her. What about me?! Ever since Iv became your girlfriend, you’ve been showing favoritism! You used to at least hide it well, but now, you don’t even bother pretending! Hanson, don’t you think you’re in the wrong here?”Anna burst into laughter. Even Ivanka could not help but chuckle.Hanson cleared his throat and smiled wryly. “You always say the most surprising things.”“Seriously?! You really weren’t keeping us in your mind at all?! We both pulled an all-nighter last night and didn’t even get a wink of sleep. We rushed to see you as soon as we got off the plane today! We should just break ties with your sorry *ss!”Anna’s eyes flickered. Sandy sure was a quick-witted lady!With that said, they would not have to wait much longer.Hanson obviously caught on. He looked at the two of them with surprise. “How long has it been since you two rested?”Ivan
Sandy quickly looked up. Hanson’s expression had turned serious. His gaze was fixed on the Barkworth family’s Twitter post.Flustered, she handed her phone to Ivanka. Ivanka lowered her head to read it. In just a glance, two sentences caught her attention. Her expression subtly changed as well.Anna, on the other hand, speechlessly held her phone.Hanson did not bother looking at Anna and Sandy. He gazed concernedly at Ivanka. “Iv, you were the one at the scene that day?!”Ivanka’s eyes flickered as she remained silent.The Barkworth family had already made the situation very clear. There was no use for her to refute it.Hanson grabbed her hand. “How are you now? Why didn’t you tell me? You haven’t fully recovered, have you? Why did you come to visit me, anyway? You even came up with such a lame excuse!”He had sensed something was off when he heard what Sandy said earlier. He felt something off when Ivanka did not show up recently. He had never seen Sandy so busy before.Now,
The posted recordings included some that Ivanka provided and others that the Barkworth family discovered themselves.Ivanka was surprised to see them. She did not expect Michael to have gathered evidence even against the person who pushed her into the water during the Springvale banquet.She pursed her lips and said, “Michael really is resourceful.”Hanson instinctively glanced at Ivanka. He felt somewhat concerned. “Iv, are you...”Sandy and Anna also looked at her. Ivanka looked back at them strangely. “Why are you all staring at me?”Hanson sighed. “Nothing.”Anna chuckled. “Hanson is afraid you might have a change of heart about Michael. After all, he protected you and helped you solve the case.”Ivanka snorted coldly, “You’re giving me too much credit.”Hanson frowned. “Don’t say that.”Ivanka smiled wordlessly. She was sure Michael deemed her worthless. She knew that this time, the Barkworth family just wanted to expose the Lane family’s true nature to more people.Afte
Ivanka twitched her lips and ignored her.Sandy could not help but laugh out loud as she continued to read the comments, “Oh damn! That’s so vivid! Iv, if that day really comes, you’ll have to slap him hard! Make him kneel and beg for you. Did he think wooing his wife back was that easy?! Hahaha!”“Enough already.” It was starting to get on Ivanka’s nerves.Michael would never try to coax her back.She found this whole thing laughable.Sandy, on the other hand, was smiling. “I didn’t do anything wrong, okay? I’m just telling the truth. Haven’t you noticed how much more attentive Michael has been to you lately? He used to ignore you. But now, he’s here protecting you himself.”“He has his reasons.” Ivanka smiled sarcastically. She would rather believe that Jonah was sincere to her than think Michael had feelings for her. Even if he was willing to help her, it was for Rosie.She had already seen through it. She would not be as naive as before. She would not let anyone trample on h
As Sandy spoke, her gaze turned cynical.Ivanka turned to look at her. She parted her lips to speak, but she was unsure of what to say.In fact, she knew that Sandy’s father was the reason behind Sandy’s remarks.Sandy sneered, “But hey, it’s all good. We just have to be a bit more careful from now on. If the worst comes...”Her eyes lit up and confused Ivanka.Sandy chuckled, “All men are dogs. Iv, how about we skip the whole marriage thing? We’ll adopt one or two kids and raise them together. I think we’d be pretty darn happy!”Ivanka chuckled. “You sure do have some wild ideas.”“What’s wrong with that? It’d be great!! If I spot some cute guy in the future, I can flirt with him. I’d still have you as my ride or die when I come back home! And if you see a handsome dude in the future, go for it too, haha! That’s living the dream, right?”Ivanka rubbed her temple in exasperation. “Oh, so you want to be a sl*t now?”“Come on, everyone’s got their needs! Even though I haven’t ex
Lyla was about to lose it. “Ugh, the Barkworth family has overdone it!”Theodore’s expression darkened. “How’s Chiara?”“She’s neither eating nor drinking. She’s totally ignoring me. I just checked Twitter. With what’s going on there, I decided to take her phone away.”“We have to retaliate after what the Barkworth family did!”“When you go to the police station, you know what to say, right? These matters have nothing to do with us, but the police will scrutinize you. Don’t let the pressure get to you. Don’t act all jittery. You’re not guilty of anything.”Theodore snorted coldly, “Nothing was ever related to our family. Why should I feel guilty? I’m just cooperating with the police. Besides, Chiara is not feeling well right now. Her mental condition isn’t good either. Maybe we should consider transferring her to another hospital.”“Transfer her to another hospital?”Lyla’s expression changed. However, she understood that Theodore’s words held a deeper meaning.Theodore snorted
Chiara frowned. “If you don’t hand over my phone, I won’t cooperate with this hospital transfer.”Lyla sighed helplessly. She opened her WhatsApp and tapped on the pictures her assistant had sent her. “Fine, take a look. But please remain calm. Whatever evidence the other party has won’t harm us. Your father is already on it.”Chiara did not listen to what Lyla said. She was already focused on the news on the phone.Her body trembled uncontrollably when she read the headlines. “Michael Barkworth!”A burst of anger erupted from her as she practically shouted the two words.Lyla immediately grabbed Chiara’s hand. “Chiara, calm down. Don’t get too agitated!”Chiara clutched her phone tightly as tears streamed down her face.She cried after learning the truth. After that, she did not cry or make a fuss. However, at that moment, she experienced another emotional outburst.“Why?! I wholeheartedly devote myself to him, yet why did he treat me like this? Is he really going to persona
It was a call from an unknown number. Chiara’s expression changed slightly. Lyla instantly grabbed her phone. “Let me answer the call. The assistant has settled the procedures for you. If the call is from the police, I can shrug them off. But remember that from now on, you need to act like a mentally ill patient.” Chiara nodded. “Got it.” Lyla nodded and answered the call. “Hi, I’m Chiara’s mother. May I know who’s speaking?” The person on the other end of the line paused for a moment before saying, “Hi, Mrs. Lane. I’m calling from the police department regarding some evidence provided by Barkworth’s Group. The police have started their investigation in this matter. So, we’ll need Ms. Lane’s cooperation during this period of time. May I know if she is around?” Lyla frowned and said, “Sorry, officer. My daughter has nothing to do with this. Besides, she’s mentally ill. I’m transferring her to another hospital. It’s not that we refuse to cooperate with you. With her current
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