Ivanka pursed her lips and spoke again. “Some say that Michael can’t let go of me. That’s why he brought me to Barkworth Group and gave me such great power. But others say that Michael doesn’t care about me at all, and he’s only doing this for you. There’s been a lot of debate over this.” “So, what’s the bet?” Seemingly amused, Rosie chuckled. “The stakes are money and various difficult tasks,” Ivanka’s eyes flickered slightly. “They say I...” Ivanka’s eyes momentarily glinted with sadness and helplessness. “Sometimes I wonder if I’m too much of a failure, or if I should never have had a past with Michael. Would they stop talking about me then? Sometimes, they say these things to my face...” A look of defeat flashed in Ivanka’s eyes. At that moment, Michael also received a message from Evan. Evan: [I didn’t know about this. I’ll have someone look into it now.] He put down his phone silently. Ivanka continued, “They say I’m just a trophy wife with no real ability, and th
Michael could not help but laugh. “Not a good idea?” Was this not what she wanted? Was this why she came today? Ivanka’s gaze fell on Michael’s face, but she did not seem embarrassed at all. Instead, she nodded naturally at him. “How could this be a good idea? How could you possibly stoop to pick nine hundred and ninety-nine roses for me? One or two roses might be manageable, but nine hundred and ninety-nine is terrifying.” Once again amused and angered by Ivanka, Michael gritted his teeth. “What’s so terrifying about it? It’s just nine hundred and ninety-nine roses. Consider it exercise. You brat, go do it now!” Ivanka lowered her head slightly and said nothing more. She came today for this reason. Since Michael dared to bully her, he had to face the consequences. Michael’s face grew increasingly darker, and he did not say a word or show any intention of moving. Seeing this, Rosie’s expression darkened. “What do you mean? Don’t want to go? Ivanka has been talked about
Michael shut down completely. He did not want to utter a single word. But Rosie’s attitude was clear. If he said no, she might push herself too hard and fall ill. Ivanka pretended to want to speak, but Rosie stopped her. “Ivanka, don’t talk. I just want to hear it from him!” With the last few words, Rosie’s gaze fell on Michael’s face again. Michael irritably tugged at his tie. Ivanka’s eyes flickered involuntarily when she saw this. She suddenly remembered how Michael looked when he loosened his tie in his office. At that moment, Ivanka quickly averted her gaze, as if she dared not look any longer. Then, she heard Michael’s annoyed and helpless voice. “I’ll go.” Ivanka immediately looked at Michael again. Her eyes were calm, but the sarcasm and the posture of a victor were all displayed, which made Michael’s face even darker and heavier. Rosie was satisfied. She took Ivanka by the hand and started walking out. As they passed by Michael, she grabbed his hand. “No dela
Michael naturally did not want to move, but he could not withstand the continuous pressure from Rosie. After Rosie repeated herself several times, Michael had no choice but to finally move. He slightly bent his tall frame and picked a rose with his slender fingers. Rosie’s mood instantly improved. She happily said, “Good job, grandson! Only nine hundred and ninety-eight more to go to complete the task,” leaving Michael speechless. Ivanka trembled with laughter while holding her phone, unable to control the smile on her lips. Rosie was so humorous, Ivanka almost burst into laughter. Helplessly, Michael continued picking. One, two, three, four... Time passed, and Michael kept picking. Although it was already dark, the lights lit up the entire backyard and clearly illuminated every part of the scenery. Ivanka felt a bit tired holding up her phone. After Michael had continuously picked about three hundred roses, there was not a single drop of sweat on him, and his breathi
Rosie was determined to stay. Ivanka had no choice but to help her sit down. So, the two of them sat together and watched Michael busily pick roses in the sea of flowers... Rosie’s smile grew a bit wider. “This is quite pleasant to watch.” Michael remained quiet. He lowered his gaze as a cold sneer flashed in his eyes. Since Ivanka wanted roses, he would give her roses. As Rosie and Ivanka chatted and waited, Michael finally picked enough roses. All this time, Rosie had been counting in his stead. For every ten roses, she would report the count. Despite her age, Rosie’s mind was not muddled at all. She was arguably sharper than most people. Ivanka was not surprised to see no sign of fatigue on Michael’s face. Firstly, this man always maintained his composure, and secondly, although he was busy every day, he never missed his fitness routine. His physique was excellent, and a task like this would not tire him at all. But Ivanka never thought that tiring him out wa
Ivanka’s eyes flickered slightly. She quickly nodded. “Okay, let’s eat first.” She had mentioned eating first earlier, but Rosie disagreed with everything. Ivanka was somewhat regretful. She was afraid that after she left, Rosie would not have the appetite to eat, so she directly helped the elderly lady inside. However, as she looked up, she saw Michael sitting at the dining table, looking composed. Ivanka was puzzled. Ivanka had expected Michael to have stormed off by now. But now, he was actually going to stay and eat? He must really be hungry. Ivanka felt that Michael’s will was not as strong as she thought. After washing her hands, she walked to the dining table and smiled at Michael as if she was very concerned. “You must be exhausted, huh? I thought you were in good physical shape, but it seems that I have overestimated you.” The worst thing one could do to a man was mock him for not being in good shape, and Ivanka did it on purpose! Michael’s expression instant
Rosie was afraid that Ivanka would not listen, so she dragged her to Michael’s front passenger seat. She opened the door and said, “Get in, brat.” Ivanka nodded cooperatively and got into the car. Then, she looked toward Rosie. “Grandma, you should go back soon.” Rosie smiled and nodded. “Well, I’ll watch you guys leave before I go in. Fasten your seatbelt.” Ivanka obediently strapped herself in. Rosie closed the car door behind her. She still had a soft smile on her lips. Why did she feel like these two kids were slowly moving in a good direction? Although her grandson was more obedient and never disobeyed her, today, he picked 999 roses. This was a lot, and he picked them all himself. It would not be that easy, even if she forced him to. Today, her grandson seemed to agree pretty quickly. Michael and Ivanka naturally had no idea what Rosie had on her mind. The moment the car door closed, Michael drove off. Rosie watched them for a while before going back with a smile
When no one responded. Samuel was even more certain that this was the truth. He gritted his teeth and said, “This bastard. Son of a bitch. How dare he!” No one dared to say anything. Each one of them stood aside peacefully while some went quietly to work. Samuel did not know what was going on. So, he picked up his phone and dialed Michael’s number. Before Michael could say anything, he shouted out angrily. “Brat, who told you to take my roses away? I planted the whole yard full of roses for your grandmother myself. Can’t you freaking buy your own roses? Besides, what are you doing destroying my roses? Do you have a lover? It’s not Valentine’s Day. Why are you picking my roses?!” Samuel was furious. His volume raised quite a bit when he talked. His tone was deafening. Only after he finished speaking, he did not hear any response from the other side. Michael did not seem to hear him at all. “Brat, didn’t you hear what I said?” Samuel said the words with a sullen face, and
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