The IT department staff could not help discussing this matter among themselves.“Is Mr. Barkworth using some kind of strategy? Why didn’t he intercept the hacker? Why pry on their identity?”The person who said that was a young man. Despite being in his twenties, he was one of the best hackers in the country. He had a gentlemanly demeanor. Wearing a pair of gold-rimmed glasses, he was the type who would attract attention from girls.Just as he spoke, a man with a rough voice immediately refuted him. “That’s impossible. Are we really going to let the hacker steal our top-secret data?”The young man frowned slightly. He stared at the man and said in a deep voice, “But you know how skilled Mr. Barkworth is, and he isn’t stopping the hacker. I meant to say that he might have a plan. Perhaps he will find some clues on their identity when they get carried away.”Listening to their conversation, the others could not help nodding. “Yeah, that’s possible.”Just as they were discussing, Iv
An hour passed.Just as Ivanka continued to crack the security system unobstructed, her doorbell suddenly rang.Ivanka froze, surprised. She immediately tapped on the keyboard to secure her position within the security system before getting up and walking to the door.She was still astonished that someone would visit her so late at night.In fact, she was reluctant to open the door. Could it be Hanson?Ivanka had chatted with him for a bit earlier that day. She was not particularly enthusiastic throughout the conversation and only responded to him sporadically.However, when she walked over to the door and saw that the visitor was Michael, she pulled a long face.Panicked, she immediately rushed back to her computer and made a few clicks. After returning to the desktop, she turned off the screen.The doorbell was still ringing. Ivanka eventually returned to the doorstep and opened the door.“Why are you here so late at night?Ivanka was still a little surprised that Michael d
Michael laughed in cold fury. Ivanka was really something!Seeing him like that, a hesitant look flickered in Ivanka’s eyes.After all, she had just hacked his company to access its sensitive data. Besides, he might not believe her.With that in mind, she could only say, “Theodore has wronged me greatly. He killed my father. Her daughter ruined my marriage. His whole family is wicked and amoral. I ought to take revenge. With each layer of security I crack, Theodore pays me a hundred million. If I fail, I don’t have to compensate him.”Michael was speechless.He looked at Ivanka wordlessly.When he heard the part about her ruined marriage, he felt tightness in his chest for some reason.She was earning two billion dollars with ease.Given her skill, she could get it done in one day.Yet, she chose to do it over a few days because she intended to keep Theodore waiting.At that moment, Ivanka was stealing the most important data in Michael’s company. Oddly enough, when he found
Ivanka scoffed disdainfully as her gaze turned icy cold.After seeing the proof of the transaction, she continued hacking. She was already ignoring Michael, who was beside her.On the other hand, Michael was surprised by how casually he could interact with Ivanka at the moment.In the past, whenever they interacted with each other, they could never sit down and have a calm conversation. Even though they were not presently talking to each other, their interaction felt calm and peaceful.Meanwhile, everyone in the technical department of Barkworth’s Group was confused. The burly man from before was dumbfounded. “What the f*ck? They’re already up to the eighteenth level! Why isn’t Mr. Barkworth letting us fight back?!”The man with golden-rimmed glasses seemed perplexed, too. He then said, “Mr. Barkworth isn’t even getting involved. He instructed us not to interfere either. There might be some hidden motive behind his decision.”The other people were glued to the computer scre
“You think you know everything! The Three Musketeers are like top dogs worldwide. Barkworth Group’s hacking skills may be impressive, but the Three Musketeers are much better!” Lyla was unconvinced. “Do you think the Three Musketeers can disrupt Barkworth’s Group’s status?”“Of course!” Theodore retorted disdainfully. “You think the Three Musketeers are just amateurs?”“But...!”“We did it! We cracked it! Next up is the twentieth level!” Theodore cut her off as he eagerly looked at the evidence Ivanka sent them. Simultaneously, he texted happily, [I’ll send you the money right away!]He instructed his subordinates to transfer the money. Lyla felt close to collapsing.“You still owe them five billion dollars?! How are you going to get that back later?!”Theodore replied nonchalantly, “Hey, are you implying that my shares won’t make money in the future?”Lyla was at a loss for words.She felt something was off, but she could not help but ask, “Is it really the last level?”
If Michael left it to her, Ivanka would have been able to save time and effort.Even so, she ignored him and messaged Theodore’s message on the computer.Black-eyed Susan: [Failed]It was a concise message. She did not even use punctuation.At that moment, Michael felt slightly sorry for Theodore.After all, twenty billion dollars just went down the drain like that.When Theodore, who had been waiting all night, suddenly received a message, he exclaimed, “She did it!”Although Lyla had been scolding Theodore and thinking he got tricked, at that moment, her heart filled with anticipation. She quickly went over to check out Theodore’s phone.However, it was not the message they were looking for.Theodore was completely dumbfounded. Lyla reacted faster than him. She instantly cried out angrily and stomped on his foot fiercely.“So, this is your idea of success?! She did this purposely at the final level! Theodore, you’re an idiot! How did I end up marrying an idiot like you!”L
When Theodore saw Lyla typing on his phone, he dashed over and tried to snatch his phone back.“You’re crazy! Give me back my phone now!”Lyla clutched the phone tightly. She retorted, “Who’s the crazy one here?! Why can’t you ask for your money back if she can’t deliver? That’s twenty billion dollars! With all the debt you have now, our house will be gone! Theodore, you’ve been a shareholder for a long time. Did you just help others make money? Is earning twenty billion dollars really that easy? How many freakin’ years did it take you to rake in this little cash?!”Theodore frowned and rebuked angrily, “That’s because I didn’t have that much share before! Nor did I have my current status. Haven’t I made bank multiple times this year? Lyla, you must not act rashly! Maybe she just wants to stall me. She’ll eventually agree to crack it for me!”Lyla felt frustrated and said furiously, “In the end, she clearly didn’t want to offend the Barkworth’s Group. She knew when to fold. She jus
Michael quickly returned to his senses and said with a frown, “Nothing.”He stood up abruptly.At that moment, he needed to stay calm.He said in a deep voice, “Don’t forget what you promised me.”Ivanka nodded slightly. “Yeah, got it. I’ll visit Grandma twenty times. Even if you don’t remind me, I’ll still do it.”Without saying anything further, Michael turned and walked out.Ivanka had grown accustomed to Michael’s sudden comings and goings. When she heard the door shut behind her, she stood up and lazily stretched.She picked up her phone, took a shower, and then returned to the bedroom to lie down.She blocked Theodore when she saw him continuously messaging her.Asking for twenty billion dollars was already lenient on her part.However... this was not the end. It was just a temporary advantage for her. She would redouble her efforts to reclaim the company and ensure the Lane family’s failure.Meanwhile, Theodore could not sleep all night.He stayed up all night only t
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