Angela's voice was calm, but her words carried such weight that they stunned everyone present.The onlookers around them immediately began whispering and exchanging astonished glances.Could someone actually be standing up for them and fighting for their benefits? Could this person possibly be an angel?"You're talking nonsense. There's no such thing as compensation or overtime pay. I think you're just trying to stir up trouble." Nora shot Angela a cold glare. "Don't get too full of yourself. Don't think this is your territory."Bill quietly observed the exchange between the two women, not intervening. He looked troubled, as if he were deep in thought."Ah." Angela seemed to laugh in frustration. She looked at Nora with disbelief. "I didn't expect someone as lowly as you, a mere department head, to have taken over the duties of the HR and finance departments as well. Ms. Rutherford, you really are something.""Angela, stop slandering me," Nora snapped, her anger evident in her
Angela frowned and said, "Then go by yourself. I won't join you."It was absurd. She still had nightmares about the last incident and couldn't stomach the thought of dining with someone as abnormal as Trevor."Grandma's been unwell, and Grandpa wants everyone to show support. Just think of it as a casual meal," Dexter said, his tone softening.Angela sighed. "Nope.""A hundred-thousand-dollar reward," Dexter said, placing his hands on his hips and pacing the living room. He knew he had no choice but to dangle money in front of her again. Angela didn't refuse immediately. Instead, she replied, "Let me be clear—if Natalie or that fool steps out of line, I'm leaving. Immediately."Dexter's gaze was heavy with mixed emotions. After a pause, he nodded. The irony of their relationship wasn't lost on him—it felt like a business arrangement."By the way..." Angela hesitated, something clearly on her mind. "What?" Dexter prompted."Nothing.""You're holding back, and it's annoying.
The night breeze drifted lazily through the air, carrying the delicate, heady scent of blooming flowers. Trevor chose not to turn on the lights, letting the soft glow from the window bathe the room in a muted luminescence. Pulling out his phone, he began to watch the surveillance footage. The video showed the brief moments of his clash with Angela before Dexter's men subdued him and took her. He had kept this recording for days, the thought of erasing it never crossing his mind. Trevor had known of Dexter's existence since childhood. Dexter had always been exceptional, a benchmark his mother never failed to remind him of—stay driven and work hard to keep up with Dexter. Driven by this, Trevor had spent years observing Dexter in secret. He studied his every move, mimicked his actions, and analyzed his successes—all in the hope of one day surpassing him. Dexter was undeniably remarkable, a fact Trevor begrudgingly accepted.Recently, Trevor's observations had uncovered something
"Forget it. Let's eat. Our whole family is finally together, so let's embrace the joy of this moment," Natalie said with a forced smile as she sat down."Mom, why didn't you tell me sooner about having such an outstanding grandson? Cecilia and Lionel could've recognized him as a family earlier." Ursula smiled after noticing Natalie's expressions.Natalie beamed at Ursula's comment and remarked, "Trevor is indeed exceptional. Cecilia, he's your elder brother."Cecilia greeted him warmly, her politeness impeccable. Trevor, ever humble, engaged her with light jokes, creating an atmosphere of genuine harmony during their first interaction as siblings.But Ursula, ever the instigator, turned her attention to Angela. "Angela, why so quiet? Are you still upset? The past is behind us. We're family—shouldn't you be a little more understanding?"Angela met her gaze, calm but firm. "You didn't live through it, so you can't possibly understand the pain. If Trevor had pushed you to the brink o
"Angela, I'm truly sorry," Trevor said, bowing deeply. Then, without a word of warning, he spread his arms wide, leaned back, and let himself fall from the rooftop.The crowd was stunned into silence, and Natalie, overcome by the shock, fainted on the spot.Angela stood frozen, equally in disbelief. While others might have known about the safety air cushion below, few would have remained so calm. Trevor's actions were completely irrational, like a madman's reckless stunt.…In the ward, Trevor's vital signs had stabilized, and he slowly opened his eyes."Trevor, are you alright? How do you feel?" Natalie asked, her voice trembling as she wiped her tears and gently caressed his face. He didn't respond, his gaze shifting to the others around him.Angela took her place at the back of the room, knowing it was only a matter of time before he would call out to her. As expected, he did. "Angela."Trevor's voice was hoarse, his body weak, but a spark of hope was in his eyes."Have I
That day, the entire Bamford family gathered, and Mateo was invited to join via video call to witness the occasion in the Bamford Manor's memorial hall.Angela had never met Mateo before, but after seeing him on the video call, she couldn't help but find him handsome. Whispering to Dexter, she remarked, "Mateo is gentle and elegant—he has the air of a doctor."Dexter snorted. "You're spot on. He is a doctor, and a skilled surgeon at that. But don't get any ideas. He's cold and impossible to win over."Angela blinked, baffled by the unnecessary warning."Let's begin now that everyone's here. Angela, as Dexter's wife, you should be the first to pay your respects," Natalie ordered coldly. Irritated, Angela glanced at Joseph for support, but he merely sighed and gestured for her to comply. She felt trapped.Joseph had always been soft on Natalie, rarely challenging her demands. Now, he seemed powerless to intervene.Taking the flower offered by the butler, Angela felt the strong fr
Trevor seemed like a completely different person. Angela couldn't shake the feeling that his impeccable behavior was part of a larger conspiracy.Natalie wiped her tears and said, "Trevor, my poor grandson. You've found your family, but you can't truly be part of it. It breaks my heart to see you suffer outside."The atmosphere in the memorial hall was notably tense, with everyone casting varied glances at the two.After leaving the memorial hall, Angela eagerly asked Dexter how he had managed to make the photo frame fall and break without anyone noticing."Take a guess," Dexter replied, his smile smug and mysterious. Angela gave him a flat look. "Aren't you afraid that Great-Grandpa will haunt you for this?"Dexter chuckled and stopped walking. "Haunt me? Please. I'm so impressive that he'd probably be too busy admiring me to hold a grudge." Angela rolled her eyes, irritated by his boundless narcissism.Dexter finally explained, "I had someone break the fake photo frame befo
Angela assumed it was Finn at the door—he had mentioned wanting to come over for a barbecue. Instead, the household staff returned with someone she least wanted to see. "Why are you here? You're not welcome. Get out!" Angela's fury ignited the moment she saw him approach. Her expression turned icy, and if not for the presence of others, she might have resorted to more than just words. "Angela, relax. I'm only here to deliver gifts from Grandpa and Grandma," Trevor said, his arms laden with bags of luxury fruits and supplements."I don't want them. Leave now. Don't make me repeat myself!" Angela snapped, rising to her feet as though prepared to throw him out herself. "Angela, I've apologized already," Trevor said, feigning remorse. "I just got discharged today, and I'm still not feeling well. Do you really want to push me away like this?"Angela felt her temper flare. She couldn't believe how much he had changed—or perhaps how much more shameless he'd become."I'm sorry for wha
Good looks really did have their perks. Frederick's face, paired with a seemingly sincere attitude, managed to soften the tide of criticism in the live stream chat once he started speaking.Some viewers even began defending him, saying things like, "With a face like that, no wonder people go crazy for him and would even be willing to risk it all."While Frederick was still giving his public apology, Austin handed Angela his phone, showing her the live stream chat.Angela casually used her nameplate to shield the screen from view, then glanced down to scan the comments."What were those two rich women thinking? How did they fall for some baby-faced young man who probably hasn't even grown a single chest hair? Can he even satisfy anyone? I'm way better than him.""Why hasn't a classy sugar mama picked me up yet? I'm so good-looking that I'm charmed by my own reflection.""Frederick is definitely hot. These salty guys in the comments are just bitter. They always trash-talk women who
Meanwhile, in the live stream chatroom, someone commented, "Damn, she's got such presence now. She even looks different somehow.""You can question her personal life, but don't you dare question her looks. That face is a masterpiece—like God's magnum opus.""She's just exuding power now. No wonder she used to be with a big shot."At that moment, Dexter was sitting quietly in a conference room adjacent to the venue of the press conference, watching the live stream on his phone.Royce looked puzzled. "Mr. Bamford, you're literally next door. Why not just go over and watch it live?"Dexter had a faint, unreadable smile on his lips. He was completely focused on the live stream comments and didn't even hear Royce's question.It seemed as though people still liked him and Angela as a couple.That was great."Mr. Bamford? Mr. Bamford?" Royce waved his hand in front of Dexter. "Should we head inside to watch?""Where?" Dexter's smile dropped instantly, his face turning cold.The conf
To avoid any long-term repercussions from Frederick's scandal, Angela decided to put an end to it once and for all.She arranged for the PR department to hold a press conference, where she would personally represent the company and address the situation in public."Are you serious? You're actually going to do it yourself? Isn't that a little unnecessary?" Ingrid was surprised when she heard Angela's plan. "We can handle this ourselves. There's no need for you to make an appearance."Ingrid had a hunch about Angela's reasoning. Angela was currently the talk of the town, with discussions about her wherever she went.If she appeared in the public eye to bear the brunt of the criticism or insults, it would take much of the pressure off Horizon.It was a calculated risk."There's no need to dissuade me." Angela added indifferently while packing up her things, "I've already made up my mind. If I can't take responsibility for something like this, then what kind of CEO am I? What kind of
These old-fashioned, narrow-minded fossils! When would they finally evolve some new brain cells?Angela kept that thought to herself, forcing down a sigh. Just as another board member was about to voice their doubts again, Ingrid stood up."I support Ms. Graham's proposal." With a voice full of resolve, she made her point and made sure it stuck."Ms. Graham's capabilities are evident to all of us. I trust she can balance her health and responsibilities, and I have full confidence in her sharp insight and sound judgment."She has a keener sense of market trends and consumer demand than most people here. And if this policy is implemented, it will undoubtedly elevate our company's image and increase public goodwill—a form of hidden capital that's hard to quantify."Without using grand words or fanfare, she expressed herself calmly, but her energy and passion were impossible to miss.Angela was honestly taken aback. She hadn't expected Ingrid to speak up for her at such a crucial m
With Angela already feeling incredibly unwell, this naturally was the last straw for her."Yes, I am pregnant, and I'm indeed experiencing morning sickness, but I haven't let it interfere with my work. So why should I be criticized for it?"She was pretty composed as she calmly yet firmly directed her powerful question at the board member who had expressed his displeasure.The man scratched his bald head awkwardly."Ms. Graham, since you're unwell, you should hand over your responsibilities to the COO for the time being and go home to rest. It's only natural for women to take time off during pregnancy. As such, someone else should temporarily fill your position."Oh, heck no. This was a disguised attempt at a coup if she had ever heard one.If she showed weakness now—if she gave in to this veiled attempt to push her out—then what hope would any other pregnant employee in the company have?"Tell me, has my existence inconvenienced you personally in any way?" Her brow raised, she
"Currently, people online are speculating that you'll get back together with Mr. Bamford and that he still has feelings for you and is trying to win you back," Joanne added bluntly, conveying her thoughts just as she had been asked to.Angela was so speechless that she nearly choked on her water.She grabbed her phone to check out the trending topics herself. She'd been so busy lately—rushing around nonstop, working through even her worst morning sickness—that she hadn't had time to keep up with the gossip.A comment read, "Gotta hand it to her—she's seriously badass. We watched her go from a discarded wife to a business mogul, and now she's involved with a hot young guy.""Right? I think she made the right call by getting a divorce. Sure, Dexter's rich and handsome, but Angela's not hurting for cash. Staring at the same face every day? Anyone would get tired of that.""But does Dexter still have feelings for her or what? Why is he always showing up wherever she is? The paparazzi
With a sorrowful gaze, Frederick looked at Angela, clearly trying to tug at her heartstrings."Ms. Graham, I had no choice… If I hadn't done that, I would've been tormented to death…" While begging for mercy, he tried to inch closer to Angela and reach for her hand."Get lost." Before Angela could speak, Dexter snapped coldly, swatting Frederick's hand away.Frederick was then escorted out.The gossip at the company only grew more outrageous after that. Some even claimed Angela had gone too far, so much so that even her ex-husband, Dexter, couldn't bear to watch any longer and personally stepped in to handle the problem.Ingrid came to see Angela. "Ms. Graham, how would you like to handle this?"Unexpectedly, she wasn't as emotional as usual, and her eyes no longer held their usual hostility as she faced Angela.Raising an eyebrow, Angela asked instead of answering, "What can you do?" "Fire Frederick, release a formal apology, appease public opinion with some customer incentiv
Angela instinctively wanted to avoid it, but she told herself she couldn't back down. After a brief pause, she nodded firmly. "Austin, this baby is mine. I'll do everything I can to protect the baby."Austin was momentarily stunned. After a long silence, he finally said, "If you've already made up your mind..."But halfway through, he suddenly stood up. He placed his hands on his hips and paced around the office.It was clear he couldn't bring himself to accept the reality. He was visibly upset. "You could have another baby anytime. Why are you so hung up on this one? You still can't let go of him, can you?""That's right," Angela answered without hesitation, speaking her mind bluntly.Both of them froze for a moment.Austin frowned deeply. He stared at her for a long time, a trace of self-mockery flashing in his eyes. He already knew the answer. Why had he even bothered to ask? "Austin, stop pushing me. This baby is my bottom line. As long as I have the baby, I can keep myse
Angela asked, "Who is your current partner? Do you know who spread this rumor?"Frederick scratched his head, looking completely at a loss. "Ms. Serrano and I are in a normal relationship. As for who dug up my past, I really have no idea. I swear I'm innocent."Kara Serrano was an A-list celebrity. Though she was already 40, she was known in the entertainment world for her youthful appearance. Her skin was flawless and radiant—the kind that countless people envied.Angela wondered if she could also date a fresh graduate when she turned 40. She could take good care of herself and make a lot of money. She would be more than willing to spend lavishly on a young boyfriend.Dexter cleared his throat again, giving her a resentful look tinged with anger. It was as if he could see right through her and knew what she was thinking. Angela suddenly felt guilty for no reason and quickly looked away.But to Austin, who caught that brief exchange of glances, it looked like a sign that the two