Why did it suddenly become so terrifying?Why did he change so drastically?Had he perhaps sensed something, or learned the truth, or was he trying to find out something from her?Amid Anna’s unease, Hanson opened his mouth. “About Iv...”Upon hearing this, Anna’s heart skipped a beat.Just as she focused intently to hear more, Hanson suddenly stopped talking.Anna was puzzled.She looked at Hanson with confusion. “What’s wrong with you?”“Nothing.” Hanson lowered his head again. He pursed his lips and fell silent.His condition could not be any worse. Anyone could see that he was no longer the cheerful guy he used to be.Anna could not bear it anymore. She instinctively stepped closer to Hanson and took a deep breath before saying, “Will you please pull yourself together? Is love really that important?”Hanson chuckled softly. “Ann, you haven’t experienced liking someone for as long as I have. The sense of insecurity of losing someone is really tough to bear. Maybe someday
Hanson’s gaze flickered with confusion. There was a strange look in Anna’s eyes.He pursed his lips and stayed silent, but he looked at her with a slightly puzzled gaze.Anna could not help but sigh inwardly. Then, she spoke again.“I’ve liked someone for as long as you’ve liked Iv. It may be even longer.”Hanson was surprised. “You...”For so many years? She had liked someone for so many years? But how come he did not know?Based on what Anna said, this guy must be someone they had known for a long time.But he had never noticed Anna getting close to any guy.Just as he was pondering this, Anna suddenly spoke again, “And, I often have to witness his deep affection for that girl. His love for her is no less than mine for him. I not only have to hide my feelings but also witness his pain, love, and suffer just as deeply. It’s the same for me.”Hanson’s expression seemed to change again.He clearly saw the affection in Anna’s eyes, and her gaze was directed at him.In an insta
Hanson frowned. After pondering for a while, he still had some doubts.Was Anna trying to make him give up on Ivanka by saying those misleading words?After all, over the years, he never...Just as the thought crossed his mind, his expression froze momentarily.He recalled a night three years ago when they were out together, and Anna got drunk.She had clung to his hand and was giggling foolishly.She kept talking to him and her gaze fixed on him.At the time, he did not think much of it. However, thinking back to her behavior that night and her actions over the years...Perhaps, if he had been more observant, he would have noticed some clues.At that moment, he suddenly did not know what to say.However, Anna herself knew that love was the most uncontrollable thing.Since he loved Ivanka, he would never be with her. Anna was well aware of that, so she tactfully never brought it up.Perhaps she had brought it up today just to talk some sense into him?Hanson lowered his ey
Anna shook her head and tried to control her emotions.“No, it’s not your fault.”Her voice choked slightly as she spoke.Today…She had finally voiced the feelings she had hidden for ten years. She never imagined that her confession would come out in such a subtle yet revealing way.Neither of them acknowledged it directly, but the current situation was already clear.Anna took a shallow breath. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have acted like this.”Hanson quickly shook his head. “No, it’s my fault. I shouldn’t have caused you any negative emotions today.”Anna shook her head and sighed softly. “It’s not your fault. It’s just that sometimes, love is uncontrollable. I know you like Iv, but I couldn’t control my feelings. I didn’t mean for it to happen.”This time, Anna was more straightforward. She had not explicitly said it earlier because she felt embarrassed.But since he already knew it, there was no point hiding it anymore.Although she felt like something was missing by confes
Hanson did not know what to say.He was tongue-tied.Anna tried to smile, but it looked more like a bitter smile.“I should go. I shouldn’t bother you any longer.” As Anna said that, she walked toward the door.Hanson’s expression changed slightly. “Ann.”Anna halted, but she did not turn around.Hanson stared at her slender back and said, “I’m sorry.”For all these years, he had been clueless, yet he still inadvertently hurt her. They had been close friends since childhood. He never expected it to end up like this.Now…Perhaps the one leading the most carefree life would be Sandy.Hanson lowered his gaze. His eyes were filled with envy.Anna just smiled. Her voice tinged with bitterness as she said, “If it weren’t for the current situation, I wouldn’t have told you anything. You don’t need to feel any psychological burden towards me. Hanson, I’m fine. What you really need to think about is your relationship with Iv. Don’t put her in a difficult position, and most important
A while ago, many women had tried to approach Elio.His aloofness had forced them to back down. He even yelled at some of them.When Ivanka appeared, Elio surprised everyone by letting her sit opposite him. They even chatted amicably. Seeing that, many women could not hold back their jealousy.Ever since, those who fancied Elio could only visit the pub and watch him from afar.But who would have thought that Ivanka was so close with him? They were hanging out with each other again!Many women were incredibly jealous!Upon seeing them together, one of the women commented on the situation, and another immediately seconded her.“Isn’t that Ivanka? They’re definitely involved with each other!”The third woman, who was blond, took out a cigarette and lit it. After breathing out a puff of smoke, she said flatly, “Look at you. You’re embarrassing. Don’t you know what Elio is like? That woman has cheated on him so many times, with one man after another. Be patient. Perhaps, one day, it
Ivanka remained on the couch.If someone else had heard what Elio had said, they would have left already.But Ivanka would not.She was not in a hurry to say anything. All she did was gaze at the man before her.HerElio, on the other hand, was running out of patience. “If there’s nothing else you want to ask of me, you may leave now.”Ivanka did not move still. Instead she said calmly, “My father didn’t want you to tell me. He didn’t want me to seek revenge and wished that I would spend the rest of my day in peace and happiness.”Elio said nothing and furrowed his brows slightly.Ivanka’s lips curled into a faint smile. “I have known that my father’s death definitely had something to do with Theodore and his family. Of course I’m going to take revenge on them.”“This is none of my business.” Elio did not even spare her a glance. He had already gotten up impatiently.Ivanka immediately stood up to stop him and said with a calm expression. “Pardon me for being blunt. And I’m sor
After leaving the pub, Ivanka was not in a hurry to head home.As she felt the breeze caressing her cheeks, she suddenly was not in the mood to drive.She recalled the memories she shared with her father before his death, and the look in her eyes became increasingly dazed.Hence, she started wandering around the places near the underground parking lot.Vehicles filled the roads, and the lights were dazzling. Occasionally, she could hear noises from some clubs. Music was playing on the streets.But the music they played did not capture her interest like the one they played a while ago.She did not like the song, so she walked toward an alley.There was no one else in the alleyway, and it was a little dark. After walking further into the alley for a while, the street lights could no longer reach this place. It was pitch black, and the only source of light was the moon. Ivanka relied on it to watch her steps.Besides, such a quiet spot was rare in the hustle and bustle of the city
Ivanka frowned deeply. Michael was in a horrible state. He had been poisoned and suffered gunshots. He had a strong tolerance to medicine and pain. But it was his mental condition that caused him to fall into this state. Not being fully recovered also added to the burden. Ivanka gave him a white pill which she had formulated by herself. After that, she had the security guard carry Michael into her car. Then, she sent him to the hospital. They arrived at the emergency department. Xavier had finished attending to his patients. When he walked out of his office, he saw Michael being carried into the hospital. He then saw Ivanka beside Michael. Xavier frowned. His expression became tense, and he asked solemnly, “What’s happened to him?” “He’s weak and had previously been poisoned. Since you’re around, you can look after him.” Ivanka summarized Michael’s condition. After hearing Ivanka’s brief explanation, Xavier gave Michael a checklist and put him on a drip. After that,
Since Jonah had come to this and Ivanka was not an ungrateful person, she nodded and gave her word. “Jonah, I’ll give this my all. Don’t worry. As long as it’s within my ability, I’ll help you.” Jonah had to be bound to the wheelchair at the moment. Since Ivanka had shared a similar experience when she took over Lane’s Group back then, she naturally figured out how wolfish and greedy his adversaries would be. Jonah was injured because of her. She swore to give her all to save him from whatever crisis he was facing. Jonah took advantage of this and asked, “What time are you coming tomorrow? I’ll have my assistant get ready.” Ivanka thought for a moment. “Tomorrow afternoon.” She needed to manage her company affairs during the first half of the day. Jonah was content upon hearing her answer. “Good. I’ll wait for you tomorrow.” “Okay.” Ivanka nodded before hanging up. When she returned to her office, she did not expect to see Michael sitting on the couch. She nearly jum
There was only one possibility. Ivanka was calling somebody else. Michael wondered who could strike up such a long conversation with her. Sandy and Ivan had returned to the country. Ivanka’s besties were around her. Even if Ivanka deliberately approached Chiara, she could not possibly have so much to chat with Chiara. If Ivanka’s phone call was business related, there was no need to chat this long. Michael eliminated the possible reasons one by one. In the end, he thought of Jonah. Michael’s expression instantly turned as dark as thunderclouds. His gaze was dull and cold. Evan noticed it. He also saw the call record on Michael’s phone. Evan quickly persuaded Michael, “Mr. Barkworth, Ms. Lane could be tied up with her work, so she couldn’t answer your call. We could go to her workplace now.” Michael said nothing. He gave a cold glance at Evan. Evan got a shock. The next second, Michael turned around and left his office. Looking at Michael’s fading silhouette, Evan wi
It was why Ivanka still came for Jonah in spite of her unpleasant experience with Margaret in the hospital last time. Jonah had been injured because of Ivanka. She came for him only. The other people did not matter to her. Jonah’s heart sank upon hearing her words. His expression tensed up. He could imagine the indifferent look on Ivanka’s face right at that moment. She had that expression on her face simply because he was never really important to her. Jonah was upset precisely because of her indifference to him. He wanted to say something to her but did not know how to begin. He was also not in the position to say that. It did not take long before Ivanka’s gentle but rather indifferent voice rang in his ears, “Jonah, don’t worry. I’ll treat your legs until they recover. Don’t run into any conflicts with your mom because of me.” Her words pulled Jonah’s wandering mind back into the present moment. He felt a heavy weight on his heart. “Iv, I trust you. You don’t need to
Margaret became frustrated and grabbed Ivanka. She could not understand why Ivanka was fine while Jonah ended up in such a bad situation after the accident.Then, Jonah defended Ivanka. There was also all the talk about Ivanka’s treatment. Margaret was curious to see what kind of miracle medicine Ivanka could develop.In the end, Ivanka’s treatment did not work. Moreover, her relationship with Jonah, which had finally started to improve, was once again ruined because of Ivanka.Jonah scoffed. “Mom, I’m not an eight-year-old anymore. You’re saying all this because you want me to go along with your plans for an arranged date, right?”Margaret had not expected Jonah to guess her thoughts. She was about to insist on her point when Jonah spoke first. With a mocking smile, he said sarcastically, “Do you think anyone would date someone like me?”He had a point. But Laura might be one such person.However, Margaret did not like her. She would do anything to keep Laura from becoming her d
“That’s because you want him to fall in love with you!” Margaret snapped.Ivanka chuckled softly. Her tone was edged with sarcasm. “Love? Does it really matter that much?”Margaret felt humiliated and furious. She pointed a finger at Ivanka’s face with a hostile expression. “If it doesn’t matter, why are you doing all this? Stop pretending, Ivanka!”Ivanka let out a bitter laugh. “Pretending? What am I pretending for? Is being divorced a crime? Margaret, you’re a woman too. How would you feel if someone accused you like this?”She hoped Margaret would take a moment to reflect. After all, she was Jonah’s mother, and Ivanka did not want their conflict to escalate.But Margaret was unmoved. Her glare turned colder, sharper, and filled with hatred.“You think I’ll just let this go?” Margaret said sharply. “If it weren’t for you, Jonah wouldn’t be in this mess! I meant every word I said, and nothing will change that.”To her, Ivanka was nothing more than someone scheming to use Jonah
“Ivanka,” Margaret took a deep breath while trying to compose herself. When she looked at Ivanka again, her expression was calm. She said, “I don’t know how deep Jonah’s feelings for you run. What I fear most is that once he becomes fixated on you, that’s it. When he falls for someone, his heart won’t make room for anyone else. In that way, he’s just like his father.”Ivanka’s gaze wavered. She bit her lip and was unsure of what to say.“I beg you, don’t hurt Jonah anymore!” Margaret’s voice carried a note of desperation.Ivanka’s expression turned extremely complicated.There was a time when Jonah came to her only to use her. Back then, they were both using each other. It made things simple.But later, Jonah unexpectedly started talking about marriage. Perhaps it was to provoke Michael, or perhaps he simply wanted to keep her close because she was useful to him.At some point, though, it seemed Jonah had become serious about her. She could not pinpoint when it happened. Perhaps
Jonah frowned in clear disagreement, but he stayed silent. Ivanka’s confident smile reassured him and made him trust her.Eventually, he let go of her wrist.Ivanka noticed Margaret putting on her shoes. She quickly followed, stepping outside just as Margaret was about to get into her car“Margaret,” she called out.Margaret frowned slightly and stood still.Since Jonah had not come out with Ivanka, she decided she could spare a moment to speak with her.She turned and looked at Ivanka coldly.Ivanka softened her tone. “Let’s take a walk.”Margaret did not respond, but her silence was enough of an agreement.They walked slowly around the edge of the mansion. The surrounding area was all part of the Sadler family estate.Margaret suppressed her anger and glanced at Ivanka before speaking in a composed tone, “Alright. What do you want to say?”Ivanka met her gaze briefly before looking ahead and said, “Do you know what will happen if Jonah’s coughing continues?”Margaret’s he
Margaret glared at Ivanka and scoffed, “If there’s an issue, I’ll get another doctor to handle it. It’ll be anyone but you, Ivanka. Haven’t I made myself clear enough? I’ve told you this before.”She hated how Ivanka ignored her warnings and kept coming back to visit Jonah time and again. What if Jonah got too close to her and ended up ruining his reputation? If Jonah had not been here, Margaret would have been even harsher.Ivanka frowned as she met Margaret’s sharp gaze. “I’ve never tried to get close to Jonah like that. We’re just friends. I know I’m not good enough for him, so I’ve never even thought about it.”“You might not have, but he has!” Margaret snapped, raising her voice.“Mom!” Jonah’s expression darkened.Jonah was usually calm and polite. This was the first time Ivanka saw him looking so upset and was about to lose his temper.Ivanka’s eyes flickered with hesitation. She was unsure of what to say.Explaining Jonah’s coughing would do no good. Margaret would not