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Chapter 207
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Love and Devotion: No Longer His to Claim Chapter 208
Luckily, the snake looked like it was about to slither right over her hiking boots.At that moment, Dexter's voice rang out. "Angela! Angela!"His voice was urgent, filled with anxiety.Angela wanted to curse out loud. She was doomed!Thankfully, the snake quickly slithered away, leaving no trace behind.The relieved Angela momentarily forgot everything else and bolted toward Dexter.She ran the 100 feet like she was being chased by a monster."What happened to you?" Dexter immediately noticed her pale face and grabbed her wrist.Angela's legs felt like jelly. She glanced behind her, still feeling as if something was following her."There… T-There was… a snake…" she stammered, unable to form a complete sentence. "Let's go now!"Dexter's face darkened. "You saw a snake? Did it hurt you? Did it bite you?"Angela shook her head frantically. "No, it didn't. Let's just go quickly. Please, carry me… My legs feel like jelly…"By the end, her voice took on a tearful tone.Dexter h
Love and Devotion: No Longer His to Claim Chapter 209
Before the server could finish speaking, Angela hastily waved her hands. "Take it away! Take it away!"She didn't dare look at the tray, convinced it was the same creature she had encountered earlier.It was too terrifying. This was the classic case of once bitten, twice shy."What's up with you? You came back from the hike acting all jumpy. Should I find someone to perform an exorcism on you?" Fiona joked.Angela was still panicking and breathing heavily, and her face was as pale as a sheet."Drink some water to calm your nerves," Dexter said, handing her a cup of warm water.Angela didn't think twice before grabbing the cup and gulping it down. Only after she was done did she finally feel her racing heart slow down.This was too much for her. She didn't have much of an appetite for the rest of the meal.Back home, Angela collapsed onto her bed, feeling like she had been through a day of pure torment.That night, she lay in bed, tossing and turning, unable to sleep.Dexter c
Love and Devotion: No Longer His to Claim Chapter 210
But that same person was now…Dexter let out a deep sigh.At that moment, a sharp scream pierced the air.It seemed to come from Angela's room.Dexter jumped up in a hurry, but Joanne was a step ahead of him, unlocking Angela's door with a key."You can leave," Dexter ordered firmly.That was right—Joanne was one of his people.At the moment, only he and Angela remained in the spacious room. Angela sat there, staring into space with terror in her eyes as if she had just woken from a nightmare."Are you alright?" Dexter moved closer, sitting beside her and gently holding her arm reassuringly.Grabbing his hand tightly, Angela began to sob in a low voice. She had just dreamed of snakes. For a moment, she thought she was still the person she had been one or two years ago.As time passed, the fear within her gradually faded, and only then did she realize what she was doing."Sorry." She hastily pulled her hand away. "That was inappropriate. Please leave, Mr. Bamford."The sudde
Love and Devotion: No Longer His to Claim Chapter 211
Zack's smile gradually stiffened, and he lowered his head, not daring to meet Angela's gaze."Where are you hurt?" With a light sigh, Angela then asked, "Why is he here?"Zack snuck a glance at Angela, Looking embarrassed, he said, "I'm not hurt too bad… It's just that I was so close to being beaten to death that I had no choice but to call Dexter to come save me."Angela was at a loss for words.Great. Zack was making less sense the more he spoke—he must have gotten hit too hard in the head."He's pretty badly injured. Don't blame him. He was just trying to stand up for you," Dexter suddenly said.Given his tall stature, he blocked most of the light as he stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, making the entire room feel more cramped.Angela simply nodded indifferently, not intending to say much.Dexter seemed like he wanted to say something, but seeing that she remained silent, he only gave Zack a few words of advice and told him to take care of himself before leaving
Love and Devotion: No Longer His to Claim Chapter 212
When Angela arrived at the company, she planned to head straight up but was unexpectedly stopped at the front desk."May I ask who you are here to see? Do you have an appointment?" The receptionist was a pretty young woman, likely in her early 20s and freshly graduated from college.Not wanting to make things difficult for her, Angela simply said, "I'm Angela Graham."The receptionist looked utterly confused. "I don't know you. Please show your employee ID, or if you have an appointment with someone, you can ask them to call me."It was the morning rush hour for the employees as they were all swiping their cards to enter. Seeing Angela being held up alone, many passing employees cast curious glances in her direction."Who is she? She's rather good-looking, but why is she being stopped?""Who knows? Maybe she's waiting for someone.""Did you hear? Our company's getting a new CEO today. It's too bad we low-level employees won't even get to see what they look like."With people co
Love and Devotion: No Longer His to Claim Chapter 213
Unexpectedly, Angela's casual remarks left Logan at a loss for how to respond.If he were to insist on firing the receptionist now, it would seem like he was the one at fault.Losing against Angela after his first move left him feeling bitter, though he kept his expression neutral."Ms. Graham, you're too kind to the employees. Well then, let's head in. Oh, what an unfortunate coincidence—the CEO's personal elevator is out of service today, so we'll have to squeeze in with the other employees. I'm sure you won't mind, right?"Logan put on a fake smile, his entire demeanor unwelcoming.Angela's smile remained unchanged as she replied lightly, "Of course not, Mr. Chapman."With that, she stepped into the company lobby first, and Logan quickly followed.This was the time the elevators were used the most during the day.Out of the ten elevators, six were out of order, leaving only four functioning. The waiting areas in front of them were packed, with employees glancing anxiously at
Love and Devotion: No Longer His to Claim Chapter 214
"Ms. Graham, you can't do that. You need to maintain a distance from the employees so they will respect you," Logan said, furrowing his brows and lowering his voice in a reminder.Angela glanced at him sideways. "Do you think the employees respect you?"Logan choked on his words, momentarily speechless.The joy on the employees's faces was genuine. They exchanged glances, all finding it a bit surreal.Of course, some speculated that this was just a clever tactic from their new boss to make them work even more tirelessly for her all so she could enjoy a comfortable life at the top.But honestly, who cared? All they wanted was to work happily and earn a living. It was fine by them. If today's first bit of emotional validation came from the upper management, they'd take it.At that moment, two elevators arrived at their floor."Ms. Graham, you should go up first. Everyone is waiting for you," Logan urged again.But Angela remained unmoved, smiling as she said, "Everyone, please go
Love and Devotion: No Longer His to Claim Chapter 215
The head of the operations and logistics department was Sean Graham, Andrew's son, whom Andrew had personally promoted through nepotism. Sean's monthly salary was 30 thousand dollars. However, he did nothing but exploit the system, while his two vice heads worked tirelessly day and night.Angela had gotten all of this information from the documents Dexter had given her.She had conducted her own investigation, but it wasn't nearly as detailed. Dexter had even uncovered the hidden arrangement for Sean's salary—it was split, with 10 thousand deposited into his account and 20 thousand paid in cash.Sean was absent that day. He had been out drinking the night before and was too hungover to wake up in the morning, so his subordinate attended the meeting in his place.Andrew, aware that his son was absent, asked, "Why are you looking for the head of the operations and logistics department?"Angela spoke in a steady, serious tone, "There are ten elevators in the company building. This
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Love and Devotion: No Longer His to Claim Chapter 525
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
Love and Devotion: No Longer His to Claim Chapter 524
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
Love and Devotion: No Longer His to Claim Chapter 523
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
Love and Devotion: No Longer His to Claim Chapter 522
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
Love and Devotion: No Longer His to Claim Chapter 521
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
Love and Devotion: No Longer His to Claim Chapter 520
"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
Love and Devotion: No Longer His to Claim Chapter 519
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
Love and Devotion: No Longer His to Claim Chapter 518
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
Love and Devotion: No Longer His to Claim Chapter 517
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
