“Who else can I trust if not you?”Ivanna pursed her lips silently. She lowered her head to examine the contract.The contract was a dozen pages of densely packed text.Ivanna breezed through it. She finished reading all the content in less than ten minutes.Watching her flip through the pages at such a speed, Jonah raised an eyebrow in admiration.Ivanka set the contract down and said calmly, “There are three loopholes.”Jonah narrowed his eyes. “Three?”“Yes.”Jonah squinted but remained silent. He waited for Ivanka to continue. This contract had been meticulously crafted by the elite members of his company’s legal department. To think it had three loopholes.As this project was very important to him, it was crucial to ensure the contract was flawless.He had brought it to Ivanka to review as a precautionary measure.Of course, there was another reason.If he did not find something for her to do, she would grow even more annoyed with him. By bringing her a work project,
Ivanka shook her head. “It’s just a small favor. No need to thank me.”Deep down, Ivanka felt like she owed it to Jonah. She had promised him that Lane’s Group would cooperate with him, but Michael had swooped in and snatched it away. Although there were circumstances beyond her control, the fact remained that she had failed to fulfill her promise.Many times, Ivanka thought about how to make it up to him.However, Jonah’s idea of compensation was different. He wanted to marry Ivanka.That was something she could never agree to.Jonah stared at Ivanka. Seeing her sitting on the sofa, she did not seem to have any interest in talking to him more than necessary.Jonah smiled and said, “If you’re busy right now, you don’t need to bother with those proposals. It’s unnecessary.”Ivanka shook her head. “When I make a promise, I intend to keep it. Besides, writing those proposals for you isn’t without its benefits. In the future, when Lane’s Group collaborates with Sadler’s Group, unde
At that point, he smiled gently at Ivanka. “Do you believe them?”His deep eyes continued to scrutinize her. Even as he confessed his feelings to Ivanka, he would not make her feel pressured in any way.That relaxed atmosphere was not something one could easily find fault with.However, Ivanka’s personality was such that she would not be pressured by Jonah, regardless of how he approached her.She just casually replied, “It has nothing to do with me, besides, it’s your freedom.”Jonah just smiled and did not continue discussing the topic. He looked at her and softly said, “I’m leaving. If you need anything, call me anytime.”Ivanka did not say anything.Ivanka closed the door as he walked away.She had taken a day off today.But it did not affect her work. She could still work from home.The day passed quickly and peacefully. However, that peaceful atmosphere was ruined when she returned to the office the next day.After entering the office building, Ivanka intended to head
“I can’t believe that actually happened!” The girl on the left wore a look of surprise. The girl on the right smiled. “See, the show is about to start. Chelsea has never been one to hold back, so she’s probably looking to make a scene today.”The girl on the left fell silent. She was already anticipating what Chelsea was going to do. They were also curious to see how Ivanka would handle the situation.It seemed that Ivanka’s rise to power had sparked dissatisfaction among many people.Many said she was overstepping her bounds and should be humbler given her position.Most people did not think she was working for the company’s benefit. They believed she was abusing her authority. She had not gained their trust.Amidst the discussions and stares of everyone present, Chelsea suddenly said in a cold tone, “Ivanka, after what you’ve done, are you happy now?”Ivanka remained calm. She looked at Chelsea with a hint of confusion in her eyes.“What are you trying to say?”“What am I try
The onlookers’ expressions changed as they heard that. A girl stepped forward and gently took hold of Chelsea’s hand and said in a soft voice, “Chelsea, please calm down. It’s not good for your reputation to say things like that in public.”Chelsea, who was consumed by rage, shook off her hand and sneered. She looked disdainfully at Ivanka as she continued.“If she could shamelessly do what she did, why couldn’t I talk about it? I’ve always been upright and honest. Why should I be afraid of damaging my reputation? I’ve never suffered such humiliation in all my years at this company! If what she did was right, I’d acknowledge it! I’m willing to improve myself if I’ve done something wrong. But she knows nothing and yet she’s here giving orders. Who can tolerate that? She’s turning the company into a mess. How can anyone work properly in this chaos?”Someone who wanted to curry favor with Ivanka immediately stepped forward. She frowned and said to Chelsea, “Chelsea, instead of making a
Michael’s furrowed brow instantly relaxed.The cold aura that surrounded him seemed to dissipate.All eyes were on Michael, with everyone eagerly anticipating what would happen next.Some thought it would be entertaining, while others found it captivating. After all, Michael was truly exceptional!Despite working in his company, encountering Mr. Barkworth was a rare occurrence indeed!If one were lucky, they might catch a glimpse of him during arrival or departure times, but his aloof demeanor deterred any attempts at closeness. He had always maintained a lofty distance. No one dared to approach him too closely, not even to say hello. He would simply walk away without acknowledging anyone.However, at the moment, seeing him appear willing to linger for Ivanka’s sake sparked excitement. Perhaps this was an opportunity to get a closer look at him!Oh, how perfect life would be if such moments became more common!Some people had already forgotten to see how Ivanka would refute Che
“Mr. Barkworth, Ms. Lane, it’s all my fault. I failed to keep my subordinates in line. But… I already told her to get her pay from the finance department. I did not expect her to cause a scene in the company. I’ll bear responsibility for her actions, Mr. Barkworth.”The manager had a regretful expression on his face. His voice was filled with remorse. “I will take responsibility for the impact she brought to the company. I’m willing to bear all the consequences…”The HR manager was genuinely sorry.Chelsea pulled a long face.She immediately looked over at Michael and said, “Mr. Barkworth, I want to report him. He fails to exercise fairness and plays favoritism. I was handling this situation according to protocol, yet I was fired in the end. I think he does not deserve to hold the position of the HR manager.”Ivanka’s thin brows were slightly furrowed.Obviously, she was annoyed by the ruckus.She turned to look at Michael and said calmly, “How are you going to handle this matte
Chelsea was still following Michael, but she dared not catch up to him. She did not want to give up, so she tailed him all the way to the elevator and saw him entering it with Ivanka.“Mr. Barkworth…” She still called after him stubbornly, as if Michael would open the door for her.At that moment, everyone stared at her with varied emotions in their eyes.The HR manager looked at her coldly and said in a solemn voice, I hope you’ll take responsibility for your actions today. Don’t make me waste my breath on you. You know what Mr. Barkworth will do.”With that, the manager did not spare her another look or wait for her response. He turned around and left right away. All around her, one of the employees who disliked Chelsea already began sneering. “Back then, I almost did not pass the interview because of you. If I must be fair and honest, you are certainly problematic. If you were to stay in Barkworth’s Group, you’d only ruin the company’s reputation. Some of my friends who didn’t
Ivanka did not pay him any mind and got into the car. If Michael dared to chase after her again, she would most definitely kick him out of the car! She would do what she said she would!Michael did not catch up, but he blocked her with his arms wide open. His stance was clear: You can leave. But over my dead body! Ivanka could not possibly drive over Michael. But it was not a problem for Michael to keep blocking her way. Plus, she had just politely rejected his parents. So, it was even more impossible for her to turn back. Ivanka ran out of patience. She held her forehead and frowned. Michael had already drained her last bit of patience. She never imagined that Michael would actually cling to her to such an extent! How would she put it? All her positivity had been drained clean! “Michael, your parents are still at home. Aren’t you afraid they’ll see and laugh at you? I know Grandpa and Grandma are standing by our side now. It’s not like you and I haven’t been in
Ivanka would neither accept the carrot nor the stick approach. Michael had no choice but to persuade her with reason and win her over with affection. Ivanka snorted. “Have you ever given me a chance to have a meal with you before this? As the saying goes, Rome wasn’t built in a day. It takes time for things to come to this state. Things might have passed for you but not for me!” Ivanka’s gaze was razor-sharp. Michael felt his heart clench up. At that moment, his throat was in so much pain that he did not know what else to say to her. Ivanka did not wait for his response. She pushed away his hand and headed out without hesitation. Michael did not stop her. Nonetheless, he went after her and followed behind her. Meanwhile, they heard the sound from the kitchen. Mindy prepared dinner in the kitchen, and Jay helped her out. They had heard their conversation. Out of courtesy, Ivanka went to the kitchen and greeted them. She said with a smile, “Uncle Jay, Aunt Mindy, I’m
Ivanka clenched her fists. Her gaze was filled with ferocity. She looked like she was really going to punch Michael. Michael noticed the anger in her eyes. But since the person was none other than Ivanka, he was willing to take the beating. He even took a step forward and held his head high. “Strike me if you want.” “You!” Ivanka glared at Michael. He truly annoyed her. She reminded herself to keep her composure. She sucked in a deep breath before saying, “Michael, I’ve treated you with respect. You’d better behave yourself.” Right after she finished the sentence, Ivanka left. Before she even took a step forward, Michael grabbed her. “My mom is preparing the dishes inside the kitchen. If you leave now, you’re not showing me any respect. Please stay around to have dinner. Even though we’re already divorced, and it’s impossible for us to get back together again, we’re still friends,” said Michael. Haha! He had been adamant. He was using the same approach to draw close
Mindy’s expression instantly darkened. “What’s with us being prejudiced against her? Had I ever targeted her when she married Michael from the beginning? “She knew how well Rosie had treated her. It’s her own fault for failing to bond with Mic. How could you blame us?” Mindy had always disliked Ivanka. She believed Samuel’s intervention had been the reason for their marriage. It was an arranged marriage. There was no need for the Barkworth’s family to have an arranged marriage. At the end of the day, it was all up to Samuel to choose the bride for Michael. Ever since Ivanka married Michael, aside from the deliberate arrangements, they had hardly shown up together as a couple in public. Mindy did not have any particularly hard feelings for Ivanka. She believed the two would live happily together after getting married. After they divorced, Mindy thought Michael could start all over again. But she did not expect to see their current relationship was no different from when they
It was Jay and Mindy. When Ivanka saw them, a thought came across her mind. She took out a syringe and inserted it into Michael’s arm to unmute him. Michael felt like he had been stung by a bee. It was as though he had been put in jail, only to be freed all of a sudden. Ivanka took away the syringe and gave him a glance with displeasure. “Get out of the car now. Your parents are here—” “Aren’t you entering the house?” Before Ivanka finished her sentence, Michael interrupted her. When he looked at her, his eyes were filled with sincerity and seriousness. But Ivanka rejected him coldly. “Quick! Get out of the car! I’m not joking with you. Get out now!” “Let’s go in together. After all, you’re already here. Are you worried about seeing them?” Michael was undaunted by her emotions and tone. Instead, he stretched out his hand to try to grab Ivanka. Nonetheless, she avoided him with ease. Meanwhile, Jay and Mindy saw them. They walked over to them. Mindy glanced at th
It was no wonder Jonah asked for so many details. All these were facts.Ivanka did not avoid answering his questions. She gave a light smile. “The longest will be half a year.”If the treatment was ineffective after half a year, she would go to Silvania with Vincent.After all, it was not just about her.Upon learning of Ivanka’s decision, Jonah smiled wryly. “Iv, I don’t think it’s an easy feat to treat my legs. How about you go and deal with your stuff first? You can always treat my legs afterward.”Ivanka initially planned to do it that way. But George, Florence, and Margaret had interrupted her plan.Since she had returned to Bostone, why was there a need to travel back and forth again?She might as well treat Jonah’s legs.Besides, Vincent had informed her that it would be highly uncertain whether they could still return to their home country after arriving at Silvania.Ivanka said, “No. I don’t want to make so many trips. I’ll treat your legs for half a year and see if i
It was not an overstatement to say Michael was crossing the line. Nonetheless, Ivanka could not just sit there and watch the two men get into a conflict. Hence, Ivanka pulled Michael to the side and glanced at him. “If you don’t want to be kicked out, you’d better wait here.” But Michael was undaunted by Jonah. Although Jonah had the power to rebuke him in his own territory, Michael refused to allow Jonah to get the upper hand. Ivanka saw the determination in Michael’s eyes. She was very worried that the two might get into a fight. She quickly pulled him back. “Stop making me worry about you. Just wait here! If you dare to come after me, I’ll…” Although she did not finish her sentence, her intention was clear enough. If Michael disobeyed her, she would make him a statue! Understanding this, Michael did not follow Ivanka. But when Jonah turned around and left, the provocation in his eyes was evident. Still, Michael listened to Ivanka. He did not want to offend her. He
Jonah narrowed his eyes while questioning Michael. Still, Michael did not respond to him. Ivanka pursed her lips. She looked displeased when she answered Jonah, “Jonah, there’s no need to speak so harshly. Do you still want me to treat your legs?” She had temporarily made Michael mute. She did that to stop Michael from talking endlessly about those things. Nonetheless, he had still insisted on coming along with her, only to end up being targeted by Jonah. Ivanka had no intention of making Michael mute in front of Jonah. Upon hearing Ivanka’s words, Jonah looked at where she currently stood. She stood in front of Michael. It looked like she was trying to protect him more. As the saying went, true love was portrayed in hard times. This saying was true indeed. It was true that Ivanka cared about Michael. Jonah said gently to Ivanka, “I want you to treat my legs, and I only speak harshly to specific people. I already showed him much respect when he barged into my terri
Michael remained resolute.Ivanka rolled her eyes. “Then stay stubborn. I’ll only fix it when you stop pushing me away.”After she was done speaking, she turned to leave.Michael followed.He even opened the passenger door and got in her car. He was determined to follow her.But Ivanka would not go easy on him.Once inside, she warned him coldly, “Not being able to speak is harder than you think. Follow if you want. Michael, are you sure about this?”Even after her warning, he kept staring straight ahead.She said nothing more and started the engine.Within half an hour, she arrived at Jonah’s mansion.Jonah came out to greet her personally. The moment Ivanka parked the car, Jonah immediately spotted Michael in the passenger seat.The sight of him stirred up bitterness in Jonah. Yet there was nothing he could do.Before Ivanka exited the car, she said to Michael, “Wait here.”Without glancing at him, she walked straight toward Jonah.Her attitude made Michael decide t