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
“You don’t mind, do you?” Rosie did not ask that aloud.Rosie could not bring herself to ask her, nor could she force herself to say that cheekily.Ivanka simply smiled. “Grandma, I remember this dish being your favorite.”With that, she served Rosie some food.She completely avoided talking about Michael.Rosie breathed a sigh of relief and nodded with a smile. “Yes, yes, Iv, you should eat too! I made sure they prepared plenty of your favorite dishes today!”Rosie reciprocated by serving Ivanka some food. They chatted and laughed. Michael was completely ignored. The atmosphere was so warm that Michael seemed like an outsider.Michael, surprisingly, seemed accustomed to this atmosphere and did not feel uncomfortable at all. He even found himself feeling hungry.However, due to Michael’s presence, Ivanka did not plan to stay much longer. She smiled at Rosie and said, “Grandma, I’ve been here for quite a while today, and there’s still some work I need to handle. I’ll come to see
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