“How long does it take to fix it?”The technicians did not dare to say anything. Only the leader wiped his sweat and confessed, “The other party just cracked the code and did not continue to dig deeper. There was no intention to destroy it. It was as if they were just coming in for a stroll.”Michael did not say a single word. His bony hand tapped lightly on the table. However, everyone was uncomfortable like they were sitting on pins and needles.The irregular tapping kept their hearts pounding non-stop. It was like their hearts would pop out the next minute and they would die. Michael’s icy face did not have a hint of a smile. His eyes were icy and dark. No one dared to peek.The next moment, he suddenly laughed.That light voice made everyone want to jump to their deaths. That feeling was just too torturous. “Give me a time frame on how long it will take to fix it.”“Tonight. We’ll try to fix it by tonight!”“Try?” Michael sneered.The technicians were on the verge of
This person… was truly an expert!Michael took half a day to crack this, but all he could see was this message.Evan was at a loss for words. When Michael started working again, Evan did not take his eyes off the computer at that moment and kept staring at the screen.Meanwhile, the person that Michael was frantically searching for was carrying a plate of fruit salad while sitting on the sofa. She was enjoying the food while watching TV.It was like she did not even remember anything she had done in the afternoon.A sudden ring from her phone diverted her attention.Sandy: [Dear, shall we go out shopping tomorrow?]Ivanka: [Tsk, are you not afraid that I’ll get hurt this time?Sandy: [Hahaha, I’m not afraid anymore. You’ve recovered very well now. Besides, Aren’t I helping you avoid it now? Don’t forget that Hanson is off tomorrow. You’ll be able to get rid of him if you come out on a date with me in advance].Ivanka instantly reacted. She replied in a hurry.Ivanka: [You’r
“Theodore!!!” Lyla’s chest was heaving from anger. “You. Are you trying to piss me off?”Theodore was not in the mood to continue this. He took a breath and said coldly, “I’m going to stay in the company tonight. So calm down. Remember to accompany Chiara.”After saying that, Theodore left. He did not care about how much Lyle ranted and fussed. Theodore did not turn back and walked determinedly away.At that moment, Lyla felt their marriage coming to an end.But… Theodore had taken all of her savings. What was she to do? …The next day, Ivanka then followed the agreed time and arrived at Sandy’s downstairs at eight.Sandy yawned and walked downstairs. One hand still covered her mouth as if she was a bit tired. “Goodness, Ivanka, how are you on time at 8 a.m. as promised? I’m still in my dream playing poker with a hottie!”Ivanka scoffed. “You’re a lady, behave.”“I’m telling the truth! That hottie is the most handsome star I’ve ever seen! I wonder if this is a prophetic dream
Ivanka withdrew her gaze, “No. You should check out what you want to buy.” The two spoke because of Michael, and Ivanka did not want to cross paths with her too much anymore. That was right. The person accompanying a girl, standing in front and listening to a guide introduce the underwear, was Tanya Cullen. Tanya was no longer paying attention to the guide. Instead, she looked at Ivanka. When she saw Ivanka and Sandy being led to the east corner by another guide, she stepped forward. “What a coincidence, Ms. Ivanka.” Ivanka slowly turned her head and saw Tanya looking at her with a smile. She also smiled slightly. “Ms. Tanya.” If Tanya did not talk to her, she would not take the initiative to greet her. But now, she could not be rude. Besides, there was never any bad blood between the two of them. Ivanka only wanted to keep her boundaries because of Michael. Sandy’s gaze was also on Tanya. Envy crossed her eyes.Tanya had been on screen before. She had seen her sever
She stopped hesitating and started introducing the products without ever seemingly pausing to breathe.Sandy could not help but feel that the saleswoman was extremely competent. She easily qualified for a promotion to store manager.Sandy bought six sets in one go.As they left, she kept praising the saleswoman for her excellent oratory skills.Ivanka could not help but chuckle. “It’s a big brand’s store, after all. Of course they would have more outstanding staff.”Sandy could not help but nod and smile. “Haha, true.”“But then again, what’s the deal with that woman? Does she see you as a love rival?”After all, the relationship between Tanya and Ivanka, and Michael… was a bit complicated.At this moment, they were already walking on the street. Although there were crowds on the street, Sandy spoke in a low voice without naming anyone.Ivanka’s gaze flickered thoughtfully as she recalled Tanya’s friendly demeanor just now. She spoke in a low voice, “She might be trying to tes
“Huh? Then why did you say hello to her just now?”Ashley was Tanya’s friend for several years. She was simple-minded but also a bit of a scatterbrain.Over the years, she had relied on Tanya’s support, and Tanya had protected her quite well. Troublemakers were often deterred due to Tanya’s influence.However, despite being by Tanya’s side for so long, her intelligence had not improved much.She was stubborn but pure-hearted.Tanya just smiled. “I simply admire her and want to have a meal with her.”“Huh? Admire? But isn’t that still wanting to be friends? But you can’t be friends. Why would you invite her to dinner then?”Tanya sighed wearily. “All right, let’s keep shopping. We’ll grab something to eat later. What do you feel like eating?”Ashley was completely confused. “Bestie, I really don’t understand what’s going on. Can you just tell me what you’re thinking?”“Nothing. I just want to get to know her. Can you understand that?”Ashley understood. “Oh... I see! You just
“In the next couple of days? Every time you say that, I feel like you’re lying again.”Rosie’s voice sounded weary and mournful.Ivanka said resignedly, “Of course not, Grandma. I’m not lying to you!”“Then do you have time tonight? Would you like to come and have dinner with me? They won’t be home. It’ll just be the two of us.”Rosie’s voice sounded particularly pitiful. She seemed afraid Ivanka would disagree.If they were talking face-to-face, Ivanka might even see her throwing puppy eyes at her.Naturally, Ivanka could not bear to see her like this. So, she smiled and said, “Sure, I’ll come over tonight to accompany you.”“Really? You’re not lying, are you?”Ivanka chuckled. “Grandma, when have I ever lied to you?”With no one else around, she felt it was okay to go have dinner and chat with Rosie. She had not wanted to do so in the past because not all members of the Barkworth family liked her.“Great!” Rosie instantly became ecstatic, then continued. “I will stay home t
“Haha, okay. I’ll be waiting for you then,” Rosie said enthusiastically. Especially after just having a good nap, she seemed even more energetic.They chatted away and exchanged words as if they were truly family. There was nothing awkward between them.They laughed and talked. Before they knew it, it was already time for dinner.“Mdm. Barkworth, Ms. Ivanka, dinner is ready. Shall we serve the food?”Rosie looked a bit surprised. “It’s already this hour? Yes, please serve the food.”“Yes, ma’am.”Rosie got up with a smile. She was still holding Ivanka’s hand as they walked.However, just as the two of them finished washing their hands and came out, they suddenly noticed the open door of the mansion.When Ivanka and Rosie both looked over and saw Michael standing there, their smiles froze on their faces.Michael raised an eyebrow slightly. “Am I not welcome here?”Ivanka’s gaze showed a hint of surprise.In the past, if she and Rosie had such expressions, his expression would
“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