Episode:09

Author P.O.V.

Ivanka gets dressed to treat herself to a fancy meal at an expensive Mediterranean Restaurant with her other close friend Sonia.

Sonia is an opera singer and has been running back and forth to NYC for work. They talk a lot on the phone. This is their first time hanging out since everything went down with Jared and Keisha and Ivanka's family. Sonia was never a fan of Jared, unlike Claire. Sonia always thought Ivanka could do better and, especially with someone, she could not keep her hands off. Someone that was extremely good-looking, not just cute.

The ladies met at the restaurant, ate and had a great time catching up while having too much to drink.

Before she leaves, she hears the waitresses discussing how Michael is there on a date. He only brings women here to dump them.

After saying goodbye to Sonia and taking a seat at the bar to wait for her car service to go back to her hotel, Ivanka watched a lady cuss attorney Michael Ambruso out and then pour wine on top of his head. The lady storms off as attorney Michael Ambruso stands up, speechless and starts to apologize to everyone for disturbing their meal.

"Wow! That was intense and painful to look at! Here let me help you clean up, and I guess I should thank you for that comedy relief break. I needed a good laugh from the drama that has been my life lately." remarked Ivanka, walking over to Michael and starting to help dry him off.

"Really! Well, laughing at others' pain, how insensitive. I am surrounded by heartless, beautiful women. Damn my luck! Why is life always so cruel to me?" mocked Michael, pretending to look like he was about to cry. They are both attracted to each other. The sparks are clearly flying, as Ivanka wipes his face off.

"Well, I guess I will take heartless and beautiful over certified crazy any day. Two compliments in one day, wow! You really know how to make a girl feel special. An here I thought you were just impressed with your clever, witty tongue after I gave your staff such a memorable tongue-lashing earlier." replied Ivanka with a devilish smirk as she offered him more napkins.

"What the fuck? Don't.... tell me! You are Ivanka Marie Harris?" asked Michael, shaking his head in disbelief.

"Hello! I am, and I have had too much to drink already tonight, as well as one wild day. No, thanks to your office." confessed Ivanka, giggling at him.

"I am sorry about that. I mean .... I really am..." uttered Michael, wanting to kick himself again for not watching his new hire more closely. Michael was a good judge of character and knew she wasn't crazy instantly. Also, something about her was sweet and innocent. Something about her made him want to protect her from the world and spend countless nights wrapped up between her curvy brown legs.

"It's cool!! Besides, I decided it's time to go offensive and stop just doing damage control after they attack me for no reason. I need to give my family a real reason to leave me alone. Since my silence and withdrawal from their lives wasn't appreciated enough. I want you to help me do it and, as a matter of fact. I think we can help each other and have a lot of fun doing it." revealed Ivanka, taking his hand in hers and looking deep into his eyes, and it was as if time had stopped for a minute between the two of them.

"What? ....What?...I...I..I.... Have a seat and have a drink with me. Explain pretty lady. I hope I don't regret this." responded Michael as he waved the waitress back over to his table.

"Sure! I think I would really like that as well." commented Ivanka, taking a seat and ordering another glass of wine as the waitress cleared the table. Michael ordered another glass of brandy.

Ivanka promptly explains to Michael that she knows him and his brother, Emmanuel, have been behind the blocking of expansion, and they have been stealing clients left and right from the Brooks' family construction company.

She informs him that she clearly remembers suffering through a lot of family dinners with them complaining about him and his family targeting them for no reason and them losing business as Jared's ex- fiancée. They are each other's biggest competitors.

They share a couple of drinks. Then, Ivanka asks Michael if he would be interested in helping her get a house from the Brooks family in exchange for not contacting the Compliant Board.

Michael, intrigued, promises to give her an answer on the matter by the end of the business day tomorrow, and they go their separate ways.