Though there were some grudges between them, they all knew how it started.Ivanka knew Ivan would not actually harm Sandy.She and Suki kept walking forward.Seeing them getting farther away, Sandy suddenly felt anxious. “Come on, man! Can’t this wait? Iv and I have to go to dinner now! Didn’t you just say you were starving too?”Ivan snorted. “Relax! They haven’t gone far! Besides, Theodore is the one inviting Ivanka to dinner. He won’t urge her. So, what are you worried about?”Sandy snorted. “She’s my bestie, how can I not worry about her? Also…”At that, she shot Ivan a cold sneer. “Aren’t you and Michael best friends? Didn’t you volunteer to join Theodore for dinner for Michael’s sake? What now? How are you going to protect Iv if she walks too far away from you? Careful that Michael will settle scores with you about this later!”Ivan’s expression was already grim. After hearing what Sandy said, he was so furious that he could hardly catch his breath. In the next moment, he
Suki was instantly amused. “It’ll take time.”Sandy clenched her teeth and said, “It’s because Theodore and his family have really crossed the line. They treated human lives with such callousness. They did it all in the name of their interest! I can’t wait to expose them and let everyone know what kind of people they are! I hope they will be ashamed and get the legal punishment they deserve. I’m pissed that they managed to live worry-free for so long!”Sandy’s eyes were filled with rage. She wanted so badly to destroy Theodore and his family that instant.Suki nodded in agreement. “Don’t worry. They will never escape the law, and karma will get them soon.”Ivanka was sitting in the front passenger seat with a hint of a smile on her lips. Seeing that her best friend was concerned and furious on her behalf, Ivanka comforted her in a soft voice. “Don’t overthink it. I’ll make them suffer. At that point, they can’t do anything to me anymore.”“I know they can’t, but I worry that they
Ivan drove off immediately.Sandy rolled her eyes at the car as he drove away and said angrily, “What’s wrong with him today?”Ivanka pursed her lips and did not plan to say anything. Sometimes, the more she tried to mediate a situation, the more likely she would upset the people involved. She might as well let Sandy and Ivan sort this out themselves.“Let’s head in.” With that, Ivanka dragged Sandy and Suki into the restaurant.When they entered, Theodore and his family were already there. They all were pulling long faces. As it seemed, they must have had a discussion and argued about it.Seeing Ivanka and her friends, Theodore frowned slightly and immediately asked, “Mr. York isn’t coming?”Ivanka answered calmly. “He went to park the car. He’ll join us in a bit.”As she spoke, she pulled out a chair and sat down. Sandy and Suki settled in by her sides.They seemed to be protecting her. Ivanka felt a rush of warmth in her heart. Naturally, she knew that her friends did this o
Ivanka looked at Chiara with a hint of a mocking smile on her lips.“Do you think I heard her?”Chiara’s eyes widened. But she was not shocked. She was too furious to speak.Was there something wrong with Ivanka’s ears? How could she not hear Lyla?Earlier on, Chiara had simply reminded her to reply.But Ivanka dared to ask her a question instead. How could she be so shameless?Just as Chiara wanted to say something, Lyla quickly chuckled. It sounded like a reminder to her daughter.Deep down, Chiara was furious. But she gave a cold snort, suppressed her emotions, and fell silent.Lyla tried to channel some emotion into her speech, and she said to Ivanka with resignation, “Iv, don’t overthink it. I know that you need to consider this matter. But the situation is a little urgent. Why don’t we resolve this in private?”Theodore was pulling a long face the entire time. He remained in his seat without a word. He could not bring himself to beg for Ivanka’s mercy. He could only rely
At that moment, Theodore could not describe his anger in words.But he still chose to suppress his anger. Once the server came in, he immediately ordered some food and sent them away.He, his family, and his guests were the only people left in the private room.Their conversation was interrupted earlier on. Theodore had to bring back the topic, or lest this meeting would be a waste of time.Besides, even though there were so many people in the room, they formed only two sides.Ivan and Michael were best friends, so he naturally sided with Ivanka. Sandy and Suki would of course defend her as well.Therefore, there was no need for Theodore and his family to hide things from these people. Ivanka would tell them everything after this meeting, anyway.After a moment of hesitation, Chiara turned to Ivanka and could not help saying, “Iv, no matter what happened between us, we were relatives, and blood is thicker than water. What happened this time has caught us by surprise. We have bee
Lyla could not let this situation worsen. Besides, she ought to start the topic she wanted to discuss.If she could not clear their names, her family would not be able to execute their plan. She knew this. But everything should happen in order. Even if they did not bring up the subject, Ivanka eventually would.Lyla nudged Chiara’s foot under the table to remind her not to be impulsive.Back then, when their life was smooth sailing, Chiara could mask her emotions. However, ever since her family started facing a series of troubles, her temperament had changed drastically. She would have a meltdown every time something did not go her way.Lyla decided to lecture her daughter about this later.Inhaling deeply, Lyla looked at Ivanka again and said with concern, “Iv, the agreement will affect the fate of our whole clan. So we can’t do whatever you want us to do. But you mentioned that we hurt your father. That’s impossible!”There was mockery in Ivanka’s eyes. She said nothing. It was
Theodore’s expression changed. “Miss McNeil, that’s not true.”Sandy snorted coldly. She wanted to mock him, but eventually decided against it and stayed quiet.Suki did not even bother to look at Theodore and his family. She turned to Ivanka with a gentle look on her face. “Your father has already long passed. Sometimes it only upsets you to bring them up again. Iv, why don’t we let this go?”Theodore was alarmed.Since Ivanka had come to meet him, it showed that she indeed wanted to know more about Fernando, and Theodore had made the right bet. But if people around her kept telling her to let it go, she might just give up.As expected, Ivanka nodded in agreement. “You’re right. The more I know, the sadder I’ll get. I’ll only miss him more.”Theodore and his family paled slightly. Before they said anything, Suki immediately nodded with a smile. “Yes, just let it be, and don’t dwell on the past. Your father would want you to be happy.”“Yeah! He’d have been upset to see you like
Once again, the room was theirs.Ivanka’s patience had already worn out.Seeing that Lyla and Theodore kept refuting an irrefutable fact, she ignored them, picked up her cutlery, and started eating.Ivan was speechless and wondering how she managed to have an appetite after all this time. But he, too, began eating.Naturally, Sandy and Suki picked up their cutlery as well.They were here to grab a bite, after all.Theodore’s expression darkened. All this while, he never said it was okay for them to start eating.But they did that anyway, which was highly disrespectful. Did they not realize that they were in the middle of a discussion?Inhaling deeply, Theodore controlled his emotions and raised his glass at everyone else.“Since we’re already eating together, why don’t we have a drink too?”There was a polite smile on his lips. He acted like he was drinking with his business partners.But he did not expect that after he lifted his glass, only Lyla followed suit.The people
Egbert stormed off in fury, but Sandy’s rage had not cooled in the slightest. She even lashed out at Ivan. “You shouldn’t have stopped me just now! If I’d given him a good scolding, or even a beating, maybe it would’ve finally knocked some sense into him. Otherwise, he’ll keep coming back. He’s always trying to use me for his own purposes!”She was so angry she was practically grinding her teeth. Ivan pressed his lips together and let out a long sigh. “With the way you looked like you were ready to kill someone, what did you expect me to do? Just stand there and watch you commit murder?”He was really worried when he saw how Sandy was losing control. “What’s the point of that old b*stard still being alive anyway?” Sandy said coldly. If she could really get rid of that old man, she would do it so she could avenge her mother and let go of that grudge she had been holding on.Ivan shook his head and said in a low voice, “Then think about it, how hard did you work to get to where yo
Sandy exploded. “Eighty million? Why don’t you go rob a bank? Or better yet, see if that wrinkled old face of yours is worth anything as collateral!”Sandy was fuming.Egbert had not expected Sandy to be so vulgar. He turned back, enraged.His black eyes shot daggers like he could rip her apart on the spot. Sandy did not flinch. Instead, she lifted her chin and gave him a cold, mocking smile. “What? Are you so mad that you’re thinking about hitting me? Do you want me to remind you of the law? We have no legal ties anymore. If you so much as touch me, that’s assault. And let’s not forget, you barged into my workplace to cause a scene.”“Sandy, I don’t know what kind of twisted morals your birth mother and adoptive mother taught you, but just look at yourself now! Do you even resemble a proper human being?”Egbert was extremely disappointed in Sandy. The one thing Sandy hated most was when people brought up her birth mother and adoptive mother. Those two women were the most import
Egbert snapped at Sandy coldly. His gaze was pressing.However, that had no effect on Sandy. Her lips even curled into a mocking smile as she said, “I’m not one of your McNeil pets. That look, your words, they cannot intimidate me at all.”At the mention of “pets,” Egbert was so furious that he slammed his cane against the floor with a loud crack. “Listen to yourself! Is that any way for a lawyer to speak? Do you even understand the meaning of respect, decency, and manners? Is that how your mother raised you?”Sandy had been mean and harsh on purpose to kill whatever sliver of hope he held onto.Just as she wished, he was angered.Watching him lose his composure, Sandy even felt a flicker of satisfaction rise within her. Her mother and herself were thrown out and lived a tough life while her father stood by uselessly. Who else was to blame, if not this old man standing before her?“My mother raised me to be a decent person. She taught me never to push away what’s rightfully mine,
Thomas stated his purpose.Sandy’s reaction, however, was full of repulsion. She frowned. Even her tone was curt. “Uncle, I made it very clear about seeing him the last time we spoke. He never once considered me part of the McNeil family. If it weren’t for my mother taking me in, I wouldn’t be where I am today. Now that I’ve grown up and suddenly seem useful, he wants to claim me back? I was abandoned by the McNeil family the moment I was born. I’m not stupid enough to become a pawn for your family!”Sandy was furious.She had always treated Thomas with a certain courtesy, but at the moment, that line had clearly been crossed.Thomas, though only the messenger, could feel the weight of her resentment. “It may not be as bad as you think. If you won’t go, Dad will come find you himself.”That was the truth. Yet Sandy did not spare the old man a shred of respect. She scoffed. “He might be your dad, your head of the family, but he’s nothing to me. From the moment I was abandoned, th
Sandy was really surprised to see Ivanka. “When did you get back?”“Today,” Ivanka answered honestly.“You have quite a packed schedule for just one day.” Sandy teased her.When they had planned to take down Coco last time, Ivanka was not around. Then Michael returned. From what Sandy could tell, they were always either together or closely following each other.Ivanka did not respond to her teasing. “I’ll only be here for a day or two, then I would have to leave again.”Sandy was speechless. She rolled her eyes at Ivanka. “Are you going to become a full-time jet setter?”“She can’t help it,” Anna answered for Ivanka. Just as she finished saying that, Anna’s phone rang. It was another case to follow up on. She had to step away to take the call.Only Ivanka and Sandy remained in the office. “You look exhausted. If you keep going like this, I’m worried you’ll wear yourself out!” Sandy shook her head and expressed her concern for Ivanka. Ivanka chuckled. “I wouldn’t go that fa
When she heard what Anna said, Ivanka immediately teased. “Why, can’t I even come to the firm?”“Well, of course, you can come. You are an important partner; why can’t you come?” Anna laughed and looked at Ivanka, annoyed. Immediately after, she made a cup of tea for Ivanka.The tea was also of fine quality. She had bought it.Ivanka also remembered how she, Anna, and Sandy, the three of them, used to work hard together in the firm after she divorced Michael. Originally, she wanted to live on her own. However, one thing happened after another, and her plans got delayed. “I don’t see Sandy. Has she gone to handle cases?” Ivanka sipped a mouthful of tea, and immediately after, she asked Anna about Sandy’s whereabouts.Anna told Ivanka truthfully. “Sandy recently took over a very tricky case. She wants to make a not-guilty defense for that person. But the father of the deceased is the Groethe family, a rather prestigious family in Bostone. How could a commoner fight with a rich ki
But as time went on, things happened one after another. While they were in contact with each other, she also slowly understood Jonah’s personality.The most important thing was that Jonah was also honest with her later on.When Jonah mentioned this again, Ivanka could not help but scrutinize Jonah again.He was starting to become unhinged!“Jonah, you need to stabilize your emotions. Sometimes, when you feel impatient, you should just close your eyes and take a good rest. You should not have such emotions.”Ivanka spoke solemnly toward Jonah and advised him. When he saw Ivanka’s serious expression, Jonah instantly also realized that he had lost himself.Ivanka was not like Chiara, who could accept him losing control. If he lost control in front of Ivanka, it would affect Ivanka’s mood. That would make him courting death too! This would put a halt to all his opportunities!Jonah also realized this problem. He was very distressed. He could not even explain why his emotions had
When Ivanka said this, she pressed her hand on Jonah’s shoulder. There was no other meaning, she wanted Jonah to calm down.But this instead gave Jonah an opportunity. He grabbed Ivanka’s wrist. Then he tugged forward forcefully… Ivanka was caught off guard, and her whole body fell on top of him.He then took advantage of the situation and held Ivanka in his arms.The faint scent entered his nose, Jonah was intoxicated for a moment.But at that moment, he felt like he was waking up from a dream.Ivanka could not be so intimate with him. The sensations of touch and warmth in front of him were so real again. It was not an illusion, it was his compulsion!After realizing this, Jonah hurriedly pushed Ivanka away. He even more quickly apologized to Ivanka. “Iv, I’m sorry. I lost control. I didn’t mean to…”“I know.”Ivanka uttered softly, but her tone was cold.She knew. Neither did she blame him. But why was she using that tone, with that look on her face?“No, Iv. you’re blami
“Jonah, I don’t like you. I told you, I only see you as a friend. When I’m unwilling to do something, no amount of moral coercion would work on me.”Ivanka spoke up bluntly. She did not want Jonah to cling to something impossible.Jonah was silent.This was where Jonah and Michael were different.“Look, you still have so many things to do. By the time you remember me, we have already missed the best time. This time when you leave, did Michael go with you?” Jonah raised his eyes to meet Ivanka’s. He wanted to hear Ivanka’s answer from her mouth.Ivanka did not reply. But the look in her eyes already said it all.Her silence confirmed it all.Jonah felt that his heart grow incredibly heavy at the moment. He had a crazy thought: Was it true that if Michael died, Ivanka would be able to focus all her attention on him?However, he was an invalid and did not even have a chance to get close!“The way you treat Michael and the way you treat me has always been so different. I know. A