Kevin's face fell instantly, and he stammered in response, "If I have to answer, then yes, I'm your bootlicker." "Is it because you can't do anything without me that you'd go to such lengths to help me?" "Ivy, it's not like that!" He was eager to explain. "I just want to help you." "Any form of help from you is nothing but nauseating theatrics to me." Ivy ruthlessly tore away his insincere façade. "Kevin, please stop and disappear from my world. Otherwise, I'll accept interviews with the media and reveal every single thing you've done. I know your Alter family is in contact with the Smith family, hoping for a union." Kevin was taken aback, even though he knew that Ivy would eventually find out about it. The truth hitting him at this moment made him feel uneasy. "Ivy, I didn't have a choice. My dad promised me that as long as I brought Alter Group back to life, he wouldn't interfere in my affairs anymore." "Ha!" Ivy coldly laughed at his naïveté. Ignoring his endless explanations, she sternly asked, "If the Smith family knows that you're hopelessly in love with me, do you think they'll still want to form an alliance with your family?" "Ivy, are you threatening me?" Kevin thought he had heard it wrong, his tone filled with disbelief, unable to imagine that the woman he loved would treat him like this. "Kevin, if I catch you meddling in my affairs again, I will expose your relentless pursuit of me to the media, and I believe they will be very interested in the scandalous love affair between a powerful tycoon's heir and a doctor from a rival family." Kevin fell silent, realizing that Ivy was serious. Ivy added, "I've already informed your father about this. You better behave yourself." With that, she hung up the phone. Before Kevin could fully react to Ivy's threat, he received a call from his father, Bob Alter. "Kevin, have you lost your mind?" Bob Alter erupted with angry words. Originally, it wasn't worth Bob Alter's furious reaction, but the text message from Ivy was infuriating. ‘Chairman Alter, your son has been interfering too much in my family matters. Didn't you do an excellent job separating us back then? Why? Are you getting old and can't stop him now?’‘Please, Chairman Alter, make Kevin leave my world as soon as possible. Otherwise, I'll expose what happened years ago to the media and let the people of City A see the true colors of the Alter family.’ Bob Alter was at a meeting when he read Ivy's two messages, and they angered him so much that he smashed his computer on the spot. He had lived for more than half a century and had faced many challenges. Apart from being tormented by Kevin, this was the first time someone had trampled on his dignity. Moreover, it was someone he had always looked down on. "I've already instructed people to cut off your contact with Jones' family. Do you think Ivy is stupid? Even the cleverest person like her knows how to avoid this family. You're still trying to please them, Kevin. I sent you abroad for further studies, not for you to act this way!" “I just thought that, you know, it's better to resolve old grievances than to carry them." "Resolve old grievances?" Bob Alter sneered. “You see, Kevin, it's been quite a few years since you've become the President of Alter Group. People both inside and outside the company have been saying that you lack experience. In a few days, I'll assign a new vice president to the company headquarters to oversee all the company's affairs. You'll just need to sign documents." Kevin asked with a knot in his throat, "Dad, are you trying to sideline me?" "Kevin, I only have you as my son. In the future, Alter Group will still be in your hands. I just want this new vice president to teach you a lesson about what a true leader should be. Indecisiveness, hesitation, and being immersed in a foolish love will only harm you." After speaking his mind, Bob Alter hung up. Bob Alter's assistant tried to comfort him, "Chairman, the young master is just too kind-hearted, and over the years, he has somewhat fallen into unrequited love with Dr. Jones. It has become an obsession for him." "Kind-heartedness will only harm him!" Bob Alter walked back and forth in the room, agitated. "Remaining silent in love will only make him weaker! When it comes down to it, it's Cato who is most like me. That boy, in just a few years, has not only survived my relentless pursuit, but has also established DT Investment from scratch, becoming my formidable opponent. The drive and spirit in his bones have completely inherited my traits." The assistant understood very well that his chairman's sudden praise of Cato was only to express his frustration with Kevin's shortcomings. The chairman still deeply resented Kevin, which was why he couldn't continue the conversation. "After the new vice president joins, he will make sure the young master improves." "Let's hope it works."After dealing with his son's matters, the Alter family faced another issue: a scandal involving their future daughter-in-law. The media outlets associated with the DT Investment faction suddenly published all of Dr. Tanya's diagnostic analysis for Lily, headlining their articles with phrases like, "Tanya's medical skills are trash!" and "Tanya plays with people's lives!" Dr. Tanya received the news while waiting for Kevin to return home. Now, her home was surrounded by reporters, and the driver, who had just tried to bring Kevin into the residential area, saw that things were getting out of hand and quickly turned the car around and left. Tanya was trapped in her home, unable to leave. Her assistant suggested calling the police, but she refused. She believed that involving the police would only make matters worse and leave her unable to turn the situation in her favor. After hanging up her assistant's call, Tanya slammed her hand on the table. She was convinced that Ivy was behind this. With rage in her heart, she called Ivy, "Ivy, what do you mean by this?" At the same time, Ivy had just finished her rounds and was preparing to leave for the day. She had no knowledge of the online events taking place. When she received Tanya's call, she was momentarily stunned. However, Ivy quickly realized what was happening and checked the trending topics. Indeed, she saw two trending topics, "Tanya's medical skills are trash!" and "Tanya plays with people's lives!" taking the first and second positions on the trending charts. ***