She was never his. He had been deceiving himself all along. Since the last time Anna talked to him, he had become much more clear-headed. He had been resisting the urge to reach out to Ivanka. He wanted to see if Ivanka held any feelings for him and if Anna was mistaken about it. As long as Ivanka reached out to him, he could be sure that things were not as he imagined. However, Ivanka had never once taken the initiative to reach out to him. Their relationship had even become somewhat strained. These past few days had been incredibly difficult for him. He was beginning to consider letting go. But he really could not bear to. After seeing this news, he knew it was finally time to let go. While thinking about that, Hanson instinctively took a deep breath before dialing Ivanka’s number. Ivanka, on the other hand, had already adjusted her mindset and was preparing to work for a while. Suddenly, she saw Hanson’s incoming call. She knew immediately why Hanson was callin
Ivanka’s gaze flickered with realization. She knew that Hanson had seen the trending topic.At that moment, he must be feeling very upset.However, she did not know how to tell him.If she explained, it would give him hope, but not explaining would be irresponsible.Just as Ivanka was struggling with how to handle it, Hanson suddenly said in a solemn tone, “Actually, I know. From the very beginning, when you agreed to be with me, it was because you were afraid I wouldn’t wake up.”Ivanka’s expression seemed surprised. “Hanson, you...”Hanson could not help but let out a chuckle, but if she listened carefully, she could hear the desolation in it.“Iv, actually, I had thought about that at that time, but because I loved you too much, I kept deceiving myself. I thought that as long as I didn’t say it out loud, as long as I didn’t think about it further, your wanting to be with me was real.”Ivanka pursed her lips. She was once again not sure what to say, but she also knew that sin
“Hanson, you really don’t have to do this. You don’t need to watch over me.” Ivanka finally spoke. “You need to live your own life, live for yourself, otherwise, you’re not really living.”She wanted to say that if he kept watching over her, his own life would be meaningless.However, she was afraid that saying so would make Hanson misunderstand.Yet, even though she did not say it, Hanson still misunderstood. His breath seemed to tremble. He struggled to speak, “Are you unwilling to even give me the chance to be friends? Iv, I won’t pester you. We will be just like before.”Ivanka’s expression turned concerned. “That’s not what I meant. You misunderstood. We can still be friends. You’ve always been a friend and brother to me. What I meant is that you don’t need to watch over me anymore. It’s too tiring.”Hanson breathed a sigh of relief. Being able to maintain a friendship was already enough for him.But when it came to watching over her, he would not stop. Ivanka was the most i
She pursed her lips silently.Hanson knew it was time to end the conversation. He chuckled. “All right, Iv, I won’t keep you any longer. I hope you won’t avoid me like the plague in the future, and I hope you’ll occasionally reach out to me. Let’s meet up for a meal sometime. Trust me, I’ll keep my feelings in check and remain clear-headed.”Ivanka looked conflicted. She replied, “Okay, I might be busy with work for a while. Once I’m done with that, we can meet up.”“Great, I’ll be waiting for you.” Hanson smiled. “Go ahead and get busy. Bye.”“Bye.” Ivanka replied without further hesitation and hung up the phone.However, after putting down her phone, she appeared doubtful and conflicted.How should she handle things with Hanson from now on?After hesitating for a moment, Ivanka opened WhatsApp and messaged in the group chat with Anna and Sandy.Ivanka: Hanson just called me. He talked things out with me. He knew that I didn’t really mean it when I agreed to date him.Anna: W
As Ivanka was in the elevator, she noticed the peculiar gazes from the other people in the elevator.Every single person was staring at her.Even though she tried to ignore it, she could not shake off the feeling that something was wrong. Looking at the surrounding faces, she softly asked, “Why are you all looking at me like this?”She began to wonder if there was something on her face or clothes that was drawing attention.Some people, upon hearing her question, quickly averted their gaze.However, there were others who remained silent and continued staring at Ivanka.And some people could not help but speak up, “Ms. Ivanka, are you and Mr. Barkworth rekindling the flame?” Ivanka’s eyes flickered with realization. So, was it because of the trending topic on Twitter?She simply calmly replied, “No.”She answered firmly and decisively.She had no intention of developing any relationship with Michael.The people in the elevator unconsciously turned their gazes back to Ivanka.
Amidst the various expressions of the crowd, Ivanka no longer dwelled on those thoughts. She briskly walked along the path cleared by everyone.At the moment, she only wanted to know what Michael was up to again!Along the way, Ivanka felt the piercing gaze of those people, as if they were daggers.She did not need to look to know that these were the looks from some of the girls.When she reached the company’s entrance, Ivanka’s gaze froze. Her expression turned sour!That scoundrel!No wonder these employees were still there!That was because the path was blocked. No one dared to disrupt it!Underneath the steps, every surface was covered with roses, a sea of red. In the center stood a man dressed in a black suit.Surrounding him were more roses, arranged to spell out the words “To my beloved.”How tacky and nauseating!Yet unbelievably, it was enough to make many girls envious to the point of tears.When Michael spotted Ivanka, he turned to her and said softly, “You’re fi
When Michael spoke to Ivanka, he seemed very gentle. He took the extra step of doing so many things for her.He gave people the impression that he was a warm and caring man, so much so that he deceived many people into thinking that he was an extremely gentle person.However, just now, Michael’s words were laced with razorblades. Even though it was a casual remark, it conveyed a sense of hostility.Even the aura he emitted was much more intense than before.“If you like it, I can give you this kind of romance every day in the future.” Michael looked at her softly. It was as if Ivanka was already his wife.The girls envied her so much!They thought. “How could Mr. Barkworth be so tender? How could he be so gentle? How come we don’t receive such treatment? Oh!”They were so envious of Ivanka!Ivanka frowned. With so many people watching, she did not know how many had already started recording, and people from the press were among them. If this continued, it would be a disaster.
Someone immediately refuted. “Isn’t it common? Mr. Barkworth is at the courting stage. Since Ms. Lane doesn’t want to get back together, of course she will throw a fit.”Everyone discussed among themselves as they watched Michael and Ivanka leave.Someone suddenly pointed out the problem at hand.“Oh my God, look at the roses on the floor. Now that they have left, what about… us?”The others were arguing among themselves earlier on. They quickly came to their senses.Sh*t!The roses were still left all over the floor. How were they going to get out?They could step on the stairs at the company entrance, but what about other places?What if they accidentally stepped on the roses, which was Michael’s gift, and he went berserk?At that point, no one else was in the mood to gossip about him and Ivanka. They just wanted to leave the company and go home.They could gossip at home!…Meanwhile, Michael had strong-armed Ivanka into the car. The moment the car door shut, she immedia
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