It's strange, Ivy thought to herself. Perhaps Ryan got a hangover from last night; did he drink alcohol? He's never taken Ivy along to meet clients before, so why now? Is he not afraid Ivy will mess things up and embarrass him? Or maybe Ryan wants to test Ivy's abilities in front of others? More accurately, he wants Ivy to entertain the client. That's it. If Ivy can't perform well, Ivy feels extremely embarrassed. The other day, Ivy boasted about her education level, and now if Ivy can't do anything, it'll seem like empty talk.The more she thought about it, the more peculiar it seemed. Ivy planned to confront him, but he had already hurried to the elevator, casually throwing a threatening remark over his shoulder."As our client is significant, if you're late, you'll bear full responsibility. You double the compensation for your contract breach."Ivy was taken aback. She wanted to retort to ease her frustration, but she restrained herself. Touching on money matters would be troubleso

Feeling exhausted! If she remained silent, Ryan would keep wearing that unpleasant expression forever. How could she possibly swallow her food in this mood? Ivy stabbed her fork into the shrimp salad, feeling disheartened as she spoke."We agreed not to discuss the child. And I'm not demanding any legal rights from you. So, there's no need for such an unpleasant reaction, ruining your whole image."His deep black eyes dimmed under the light. The thought of him being a terrible man is bothering me. Compared to Ivy, he felt utterly inferior. How could she confront every issue so boldly, without any fear or hesitation? How can she be so carefree and surprisingly optimistic? That night and the events that followed truly captivated him. He completely conquered his arrogant, unruly heart.Taking a reassuring breath, Ryan suddenly made a shocking declaration."I will take responsibility for the child."Ivy was chewing on the shrimp dish, shocked to the core. She spat out a mouthful of food s

"Are you okay?" Ivy trembled as she turned her head and saw the victim's face very close to hers. And to her astonishment, she recognized her boss, Ryan Blake's. Yes, it was him, with his eyes squinted, looking red and swollen. And his right arm doesn't seem to be doing well."Do you think you can do that and get away with it?" He whispered in a menacing tone, making Ivy shudder and break out in a cold sweat."It was self-defense; you were following me. Suddenly, from behind, I just""I just... How could you act so recklessly?""Why didn't you speak up, and why approach me stealthily? Clearly, you had malicious intent."Ivy growled, then grimaced as she felt the grip of this guy getting stronger and stronger."How dare you talk back like that? Where's your common sense? I already warned you to stay away from that machine. Are you deaf?" He argued to justify his action."What?" Ivy exclaimed, suddenly remembering the dangling earphone strap on her shoulder.The truth was just as he s

Ivy backed away from Ryan, keeping a considerable distance. She was too preoccupied to notice her bruised, aching wrist, as she was busy giving him a deadly glare. She had never met anyone like him."Are you still resisting?" he continued menacingly, refusing to back down. "Do you believe I can't make you regret it?"With that, he reached out to grab her hand, but Ivy quickly dodged. The more he tried to approach, the more defensive Ivy became.How strange! Did his eyes really see anything? With such decisive actions, who could believe such blatant lies?"This isn't right." The lawyer, who had been observing his persistent coercion, quickly intervened. "Forcing someone against their will is a violation of personal freedom."But Ryan was indifferent to the advice, stubbornly refusing to listen.There was no dealing with him; he was the epitome of obstinacy and arrogance. Ivy was equally stubborn and unyielding. Their struggle created an absurd spectacle under the night sky. Thankfully,

Mason had left long ago, yet Ivy showed no sign of moving from her spot.“How long do you plan to sit there sulking? It’s late at night, and you’re just sitting out here. Do you want people to call you crazy or say you’re sleepwalking? Why are you still sitting out there like that?" Ryan couldn’t take it anymore and started to taunt her when Ivy refused to budge. “Mason left a long time ago, and it’s getting cold. Are you planning to let me freeze out here? Don’t forget, I’m a patient. Think carefully; it’s not good to do something so cruel. If anything happens to me, disaster will befall you. Not just you, but your family and friends will be implicated as well.”Ryan’s mouth was as sharp as Ivy’s. They were a perfect match for each other, like a pot and its lid, destined to be enemies.It’s quite strange, though. He’s a man, but he gossips like a woman. It’s no wonder people don’t like him. Actually, Ryan talked a lot just to provoke her into getting angry. Ivy’s silence made him wor