Ivanka’s expression was particularly grim, while Michael’s was brooding as well. So many people had just seen Ivanka’s back, which made him furious!He quickly unwrapped Ivanka’s bandage and found that her wound was as she had described. It had already healed with new flesh and scabbed over. He carefully re-applied the bandage and did up her shirt.Ivanka remained silent as she was trying to control her emotions. However, those people’s intrusion today made it hard for her to control her anger.She took a deep breath and spoke coldly, “I seriously doubt whether you have any authority at all. Your subordinates’ proposals are worse than trash. They all want to settle scores with me just because I criticized them. Even when I brought you up to intimidate them, it didn’t work. Now that they’ve seen what we were doing, they would probably say that I got my position by sleeping with you.”Michael’s expression darkened a little more, but strangely, hearing Ivanka’s last sentence seemed to
“Iv, why aren’t you taking the food? You need to eat more, you’re too thin now.”Ivanka smiled. “I am eating, Grandma.”Rosie looked at her with concern and said resignedly, “You have to eat enough. Don’t skip meals just to maintain your figure. Besides, you’re slim enough! You need to eat more to put some weight back on!”Ivanka nodded with a smile. “Okay, I’ll eat more.”Ivanka was not underweight. It was quite standard. However, in Rosie’s eyes, she looked thin enough to make her worry.The dinner was quickly over. Samuel remained silent the whole time, but at the end of the dinner, he looked at Ivanka and sternly said, “Ms. Ivanka, come to my study later. There are some things I want to ask you about.”Samuel’s tone was harsh and authoritative. What he said to Ivanka sounded more like a command than a request.Moreover, he addressed Ivanka as “Ms. Ivanka,” indicating his attitude.Ivanka remained indifferent. It did not bother her, but before she could respond, Rosie glared
Besides, if she persuaded Rosie to let her follow Samuel to the study, Rosie would surely defend her again. Then, there would be another big argument between Rosie and Samuel.It was better for her to confront Samuel directly. Let Samuel vent his displeasure on her so that it would not affect Rosie and Samuel’s relationship.Michael’s mood seemed to lighten further. Ivanka’s sharp tongue, which was usually directed at him, was now aimed at Samuel. He was relieved someone was sharing the burden with him.Samuel gritted his teeth as his gaze shifted to Michael. His eyes were filled with displeasure and insinuation. They seemed to express something. “So, this is the woman you chose? This is the woman you want to protect?”Michael looked back at Samuel calmly. His gaze held the answer. “Weren’t you the one who chose her back then?”Samuel could not deny that.Samuel immediately turned his head away and broke eye contact.Back then, the marriage alliance simply seemed inevitable beca
Rosie’s expression was cold. She would not even look at him.Meanwhile, Ivanka and Michael turned to Rosie. Ivanka spoke up directly. “Are you okay?”She reached for Rosie’s wrist. Her fingertips casually felt her pulse.Rosie patted the back of Ivanka’s hand with her other hand. Her anger from before dissipated. She looked at Ivanka with affection and said, “I’m fine. Don’t worry about me.”Ivanka nodded slightly. She loosened her grip on Rosie’s wrist but did not let go. She smiled as she said, “Okay, that’s good.”Michael, on the other hand, looked at Rosie and asked, “Why is your heart acting up? You didn’t sleep well?”Rosie immediately shot a displeased glance at Samuel, who was already looking dejected beside her, and said irritably, “It’s all your grandfather’s fault!”Samuel suddenly felt extremely wronged, but he did not dare say a word to retort.At that moment, he was like a completely different person compared to his earlier aggressive self.Ivanka found it a litt
“Mr. Barkworth, we have a big problem!” Evan’s voice came through. It lacked its usual composure.Ivanka’s eyebrows twitched. She instinctively held her breath and paid attention.“What happened?” Michael’s magnetic voice remained calm.Evan seemed to regain some composure at Michael’s tone, but his nervousness was still evident as he spoke. “Our company secrets have been stolen!”Michael’s expression instantly turned icy. He said, “Look into it. Initiate the backup plan immediately.”“We’re already working on it, but the stolen information must have already been put to use.”Michael’s expression remained cold, but he did not say anything more.They had just left the old mansion and were at a crossroads. To the left led to the company, while the right led to Ivanka’s house.Michael chose to turn left without hesitation.Ivanka did not say anything. With Barkworth’s Group facing such a crisis, she would not demand him to take her home, especially since her car was the only tran
The technician was startled. His face turned pale. Why was Mr. Barkworth staring at him like that? Was he suspecting him?But he was innocent!However, before he defended himself, Evan had already walked over and said, “Give your seat to Ms. Lane.”The technician reacted out of reflex and quickly got up from his seat, even though he was still in a daze. Why did Evan ask him to give up his seat again?What was Ivanka going to do in front of the computer?With that in mind, everyone turned to Ivanka. In the next second, they saw her typing away on the keyboard.They all looked up out of reflex and saw strings and strings of white codes on the computer screen. It was a startling sight.Everyone in this office was an IT expert, and their skills were top-tier.But at that moment, when some of them saw the codes she wrote, they thought they might have wasted all those years studying and accomplished nothing. They could not even understand the codes, let alone fathom the speed at whic
Everyone’s eyes became even more conflicted. None of them spoke a word. They dared not discuss the possibility of Ivanka being Black-eyed Susan.Michael would end them.His relationship with Ivanka was complicated. Even if they had gotten a divorce, their lives were still entwined. It gave everyone the impression that they would get back together anytime soon, and Ivanka would be Mrs. Barkworth once again.Of course, the IT team already saw her as Mrs. Barkworth.As their thoughts wandered, Michael looked at them expressionlessly. “Keep maintaining the security system. If any issues arise, inform me right away.”Everyone quickly agreed. Michael glanced at Ivanka and left silently.Naturally, Ivanka would not stay behind. She followed him out of the room.They had spent more than three hours writing codes. The IT staff did not get bored during the wait. On the contrary, they were engrossed. Even if the codes confused them, they wanted to learn something new.After leaving the
When the two of them showed up together, all eyes in the restaurant fell on them. Some people already held up their phones. Everyone seemed surprised.They did not expect that they would run into Michael and Ivanka here!How lucky!Back then, these two often appeared on the TV screen, and they looked very close. Many thought that they were a match made in heaven. Even though they had split up, everyone still hoped they would get back together.Seeing them, the servers were astounded and ecstatic. They fought over the chance to serve Michael and Ivanka.The two of them picked a random table and sat down. They did not ask for a private room.They sat opposite each other. The server was holding a menu. Knowing that Ivanka would not order anything, Michael simply ordered a few dishes. The server was mesmerized by his charming, magnetic voice and thinking that her ovaries were about to explode.Ivanka pursed her lips. Out of the four items he had ordered, three were dishes she quite
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