Ivanka looked at the photos in stunned silence. She felt a myriad of emotions swirling inside her, but she could not articulate any of them.Suki sighed softly. “When I stumbled upon this, I was quite shocked too. You’ve been in the dark about your mother all these years, and I thought this might be of some help to you.”Ivanka had never seen her parents’ marriage certificate or divorce papers.Despite her best efforts over the years, this had been intentionally obscured. She could not find any traces at all.She did not expect Suki to find these photos.It was possible that the person behind the cover-up was not aware of the existence of these photos.Suki gazed at Ivanka, who had a solemn expression, and sighed softly. “For now, these are the only leads I could uncover. Your father’s affairs remain a mystery.”Ivanka’s eyes flickered thoughtfully. “It’s not exactly a mystery. Jonah gave me some leads regarding my father.”Suki looked surprised. “What leads?”Ivanka’s lashes
Suki sighed wearily. “Yes, he might lie to you for his own interests. He may be leading you into a trap.”Ivanka sneered. “Forget it, let’s put this matter aside for now. I’ll take my time to investigate it.”She had never seen her mother before. Although her obsession with her mother ran deep, at the moment, there were many things she needed to do. She needed to investigate all of it.Suki nodded. “All right.”Ivanka said, “It’s getting late. I’ll head back now. You should get some rest.”Suki watched as Ivanka stood up. She quickly followed suit to see her off.After Ivanka went home, she kept staring at the printed old photos.... The next day, Tanya was having a meal with her friend Maeve in a private room.Maeve noticed that Tanya was distracted. Tanya was pushing around her food with her fork and not eating much. Maeve asked with puzzlement, “What’s going on with you?”Tanya snapped out of her thoughts. “Nothing.”Maeve set down her spoon. She stared at Tanya and said
“Is Ivanka’s plot against Michael very serious?”Tanya looked at her with an indifferent expression. “Barkworth’s Group’s secrets have been stolen several times. Does that sound serious to you?”“Oh my goodness!” Maeve exclaimed, “So Ivanka really is Black-eyed Susan!”“She’s so amazing!” Maeve thought to herself.If it were not for Tanya being present, she might have blurted it out.Black-eyed Susan had always been her idol. She had such advanced hacking skills. How could she not admire her?Seeing Tanya’s silence, Maeve naturally understood what was on her mind. She said, “Since you’re already certain that Ivanka is planning something against Michael, and you’ve liked Michael for so long, how can you allow Ivanka to keep doing that?”As she said that, Maeve felt somewhat speechless. “I’m thinking, Michael is such a clever person, he shouldn’t be deceived by Ivanka, right? Could it be that he’s planning to outsmart Ivanka and those behind her, and take them down once and for al
These words tugged at Tanya’s heartstrings. She pondered momentarily and said somberly, “I’ll consider it.”When Tanya said this, Maeve knew that she had decided to take action.But Maeve could not predict what Tanya was going to do exactly.In the next second, Tanya’s phone started ringing.Maeve looked over reflexively and saw that the caller was Chiara.A strange emotion gleamed in her eyes, and she looked away. She remained seated, picked up her cutlery, and kept eating.Tanya answered the call wordlessly. Before she said anything, Chiara’s voice rang through the speaker. “Ms. Cullen, you must have seen the message I sent you. Have you fact-checked it?”Tanya said calmly, “And what are you up to?”Chiara chuckled. “I want to help you, of course.”Tanya furrowed her brows and said nothing.But Chiara went on with a chuckle. “You know what I’d done in the past, so I lost my chance with Michael. Now, I just want to stop Ivanka from hurting him.”Tanya remained silent, as if
“Okay,” Tanya said. The two of them continued eating. Maeve kept trying to start a conversation, but Tanya was absent-minded the entire time and only replied once in a while. Maeve could not help thinking that perhaps she would make a move soon. Tanya had always been proud and aloof in the past, but she was willing to take drastic actions for a man she liked.Maeve sighed.“It is what it is.” She thought. After they finished eating, they walked around in the streets until the time for the meetup came around. They rushed to the location that Chiara had told them.…Two days later, when Ivanka was about to go on breaks, her phone suddenly started ringing. She recognized the number.Confusion glimmered in her eyes, and she answered the call.“Ms. Cullen.”“Ms. Lane, you know my number?” Tanya sounded surprised.Ivanka did not answer her question. She continued calmly, “Ms. Cullen, do you need anything from me?”“Are you free later? Let’s have lunch together.”Ivanka froze. S
Of course, Tanya did not intend to learn more. The question was perfunctory, and she simply wanted to start a topic with it.She nodded in reply. Seeing how calm and distant Ivanka was, Tanya knew that she was drawing boundaries between them and did not plan to make friends.Certainly, it would be awkward if they became friends.Everyone knew that she fancied Michael, and that Ivanka was his ex-wife. Also, the both of them were still involved with each other.Tanya suppressed the conflicting emotions in her heart. She looked at Ivanka and said, “Actually, I asked you over because I just wanted to chat. We won’t talk about work, so you don’t have to be so guarded.”Ivanka raised her brows. “Ms. Cullen, I trust that you won’t cross the line when it comes to business. I never intend to keep my guard up in front of you.”She did not know what Tanya wanted to do, but she did not trust her in the slightest. Naturally, she would be wary of her.Tanya sighed resignedly. “I actually just
Ivanka sat with her back facing that door’s direction, so she did not see the newly arrived customers. Meanwhile, Tanya kept her head down, as if she was pondering over something.Neither of them had noticed the two figures at the door.But those two people spotted Tanya and Ivanka seated opposite each other right away.Ivan was amused. He pointed to them. “Look who I’ve just seen?”Michael pressed his lips together. Naturally, he had seen what Ivan saw.Ivan smiled. “Why don’t we share a table with them?”Michael immediately frowned. He disliked butting in on the women’s conversation. It was ungentlemanly.But even with this thought in mind, he did not move. His instinct obeyed his desire, as if waited for Ivan to talk him into it.Ivan was speechless. He forced a faint smile. Michael always managed to drive him speechless. Ignoring his friend, Ivan made a beeline in Tanya and Ivanka’s direction.“Hey, what a coincidence. I didn’t think we’d run into each other here?”Ivan
When Ivan noticed Michael sulking again, he immediately said, “Why are you two here? I never saw you interacting with each other before. Are you going to collaborate?”A strange emotion glimmered in Tanya’s eyes, and she smiled. “If so, I would’ve booked a private room. I used to stay in another city, so I didn’t have a chance to talk to Ms. Lane. I admire her very much.”After all, Tanya was the heiress of the Cullen family. The Cullens’ influence could even rival that of Barkworth’s Group. Like Michael, she was the future head of the family. Therefore when she spoke, she would place herself in a higher position and put the other party down.She said she admired Ivanka. It did not mean that Tanya liked her and wanted to be her friend. Tanya was not buttering her up. She was patronizing Ivanka.Her status and influence allowed her to do this. As she spoke, her every word and expression had not implied that she was putting Ivanka down. She was composed and at ease.Ivanka smiled fa
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