Michael was already driving to Barkworth’s Group. He was indifferent toward Theodore’s affair.Theodore was insignificant to him, and he had no intention of taking any action against him.If Evan were in the passenger seat, he would probably have noticed that Michael was... in a good mood.Time passed quickly todayWhen he reached his desk, to his surprise, he felt alert and decided to continue working.However, when he saw his computer, images of Ivanka sitting in front of it and focusing on cracking the secrets of Barkworth’s Group, surfaced in his mind.She was able to handle the levels of security so effortlessly. He knew that as long as she was determined to crack them, no one could stop her.Twenty levels might be just a simple game for her; she did not even need to exert much effort.How much more had Ivanka still hidden from him?!He could not fully comprehend his emotions when he found out she was Black-eyed Susan.He used to think she was worthless, greedy, and ruth
Rebecca awkwardly cleared her throat silently.“I’m sorry for losing my composure earlier. I know I shouldn’t have...” Despite feeling guilty, she could not help but speak up again. “But Iv, you’re such a good person. I hate the thought of seeing you get bullied. I wanted to give you a heads-up, but honestly, considering how awesome you are, I don’t think I even need to bother.”Ivanka smiled and nodded, “I understand, Rebecca. You don’t need to explain.”When Rebecca heard this, she grinned and nodded. “I know. Well, just take a look at these files whenever you have time. Let me know if you need anything.”Ivanka then replied, “Okay.”They exchanged a few more words before Rebecca left.After Rebecca left, Ivanka stared at the closed door for a while before returning to work.Time flew by in the blink of an eye for Ivanka in the afternoon.Over the next week, Ivanka visited Rosie three times. She took pictures and sent them to Michael as proof each time. She did not keep track
Ivanka pursed her lips silently. Sandy shook her head again. “Our case is different from theirs. Hanson grew up with us. Our families are very close. Besides, no one would have wanted this to happen. I believe Aunt Emeralda won’t do that to us.” Anna sighed. “Still, I’m worried about it. Logically speaking, Aunt Emeralda won’t do that to us.” Anna looked down after finishing speaking. She still felt guilty for everything she accused of Ivanka that day. Emeralda cared about Hanson more than Anna did. After all, Hanson was her son. Anna grew increasingly worried. Meanwhile, Ivanka was calm. “Regarding the incident that day, it was my fault. It’s normal even if Aunt Emeralda blames and complains about me. Ann, don’t overthink it. Sometimes, we just have to bear the consequences.” Sandy frowned. “We’re friends. Anna, you feel guilty because you treat Hanson as your friend. Iv and Hanson are the ones who decide whether they want to get into a relationship. Since he refused to g
Emeralda knew Hanson had a crush on Ivanka since high school. After Emeralda learned about it, she gave her consent to have the two of them get together. After all, they were a good match for each other. Unfortunately, it did not happen that way. Emeralda sighed silently. Ivanka sighed. She turned to Emerald and saw her smiling gently. Emeralda did not look as cool as she usually did. A hint of guilt and complication grew stronger in Ivanka’s eyes. “Aunt Emeralda, you know my current situation. I’m no longer a match for Hanson.” Emeralda’s eyes flickered with some emotions. She subconsciously turned to Ivanka. “We don’t mind about it.” Ivanka was a little stunned. Both Anna and Sandy looked slightly puzzled. Even though the trio was close with Hanson, they had little contact with his family. Hence, the trio did not know his parents well. Emeralda obviously did not mind that Ivanka was a divorced woman. As long as they were willing, they consented to Ivanka to be togethe
Ivanka’s eyes flashed with guilt. “Ms. Emeralda. Sorry. I was the one who caused the trouble, yet you have to bear the consequences on my behalf. Unfortunately, I’m truly at my wits’ end. I’m worried that he’ll become agitated again if I tell him all this.” Anna sighed. “She’s right. Based on Hanson’s condition, he can’t afford to be agitated again. On the other hand, if this continues, he’ll find out the truth eventually. I hope he’s mentally prepared for this and won’t collapse after knowing about it in the future.” Sandy pursed her lips. After sipping some orange juice, she could not help but say resignedly, “Hanson is truly a loyal man. He has been in love with Iv for so many years, and his love for her has never changed. If he opens another window, he will learn that there’s a woman whose love runs as deep as his and has always been very fond of him.” Emeralda was a little surprised. When she saw Sandy turning to Anna, Emeralda rested her gaze on Anna in puzzlement. Anna cou
“Alright. I’ll keep this sense of boundaries.” Ivanka nodded in agreement. After they chatted for some time, Emeralda felt pity for Ivanka. She pitied Ivanka for being a divorced woman and regretted that she had no feelings for Hanson. Nonetheless, after finding out about Sandy’s love life, Emeralda felt relieved. Emeralda was very satisfied with the trio. She was happy with any of them becoming her daughter-in-law. It was a pity that she did not have two sons. If not, she would have had both Sandy and Anna to be her daughters-in-law. After they chatted, Emeralda said with a smile, “Alright. That’s all for now. I need to return to the company. Thank you for helping Hanson. I’ll treat you to a meal some day.” “Ms. Emeralda, you’re welcome. Hanson is our good friend. We grew up together.” Sandy was easygoing. Hence, she seldom offended people with her words. Meanwhile, Ivanka needed to keep a distance from them while Anna was shy. Emeralda smiled. After they exchanged som
Theodore recovered his senses. He looked away and turned to the attendees. “I believe everyone knows why I had Iv come over today.” The audience was silent. Their silence meant assent. Ivanka sat on her seat calmly and silently. Despite his reluctance, Theodore continued, “Barkworth’s Group informed me that they would start the new project with our company after three days. Iv will be in charge of the project. Staff under the project will follow Iv’s instruction without qualms.” Ivanka raised an eyebrow. She understood his hidden malicious intent. Theodore did this so that when she made a mistake, everyone would realize her incapability. By then, he would have someone to take over her. Or perhaps, someone would intentionally cause havoc and make Ivanka bear all the consequences. Theodore had planned well this time. Thomas chuckled. “I naturally have no qualms with this. Speaking of which, Ivanka is just the person in charge while Mr. Barkworth has the final say in the
Ivanka raised an eyebrow in silence. The audience also wondered why Ivanka had to be there to hear about it. Since Theodore had made up his mind, they did not protect. They let him do as he wished. After all, Ivanka was also part of the Lane’s family. She was not an outsider. It was only normal and inevitable for her to know the outcome of the meeting. Everyone knew Thomas sided with Ivanka. Ivanka had just made a name for herself in the company, and she instantly became a hit. It was likely that she would take over Lane’s Group in the future. After all, her father was the former president of the company. Everyone stood by and watched the show. No one put her in a spot. Those who had sided with Theodore started to switch sides. Theodore had feared this. He was on the verge of losing their support. While waiting, Theodore asked calmly, “Do you have any suggestions for this?” “Based on the current situation, we can only go one step at a time. If you already have a
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