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Chapter 280
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Love and Devotion: No Longer His to Claim Chapter 281
All Zack did was pull out his phone as quickly as he could. "Let me take some pictures first to commemorate this."He was undoubtedly bold beyond measure. But then again, as Angela's younger brother and Dexter's brother-in-law, he had every reason to be."Don't just stand there like fools! It's his birthday today—he won't come after us for this. If we don't take pictures now, we'll regret it later!" Zack had already snapped over a dozen shots and was still unsatisfied, so he urged everyone else to join in.Everyone quickly took out their phones and started taking photos and videos.Right now, the unfortunate Dexter and Angela were at a loss for words.Seriously? They were already in a miserable state, and now they were being laughed at, too?"Zack, you little punk! Just you wait!" Angela, supported by Dexter, struggled to stand up. She grabbed a massive lump of frosting and hurled it at Zack.As Zack couldn't dodge in time, he took it straight to the face. His once-handsome face
Love and Devotion: No Longer His to Claim Chapter 282
Unfortunately, back then, Dexter hadn't appreciated it at all. He'd only watched coldly from the sidelines, mocking Angela for doing unnecessary things.Now, she could only sigh at how the only constant in life was change.She could still make an effort to bring him happiness, but now it was out of gratitude, not love.After freshening up, everyone went back to looking like how they were before. They gathered for a proper meal, enjoying themselves until it was past 10:00 pm before gradually dispersing.Angela was completely exhausted by then. She dozed off in the passenger seat on the way home.Dexter drove quietly, occasionally glancing at her. The whole situation felt somewhat surreal to him.At this moment, all her earlier liveliness was gone. It was as if the wild and carefree person from before had never been Angela at all.When they arrived home, they each returned to their rooms.Fiona had already heard about how Angela had gone all out for her disappointing son's birthd
Love and Devotion: No Longer His to Claim Chapter 283
Clara's expression was equally grim. "He's indeed behind this, Ms. Graham. The thing is, that pregnant woman has some sort of relationship with him."Angela sucked in a sharp breath. She felt numb. Lately, it seemed like she was plagued by bad luck—it was just one crisis after another."What kind of relationship?" Angela paused before asking, though she had already guessed the answer.Clara pressed her lips together, her expression complicated. "That pregnant woman… It's rumored that the baby is his, so…""So, in order to cover it up, he deliberately fired her, leaving her with no options, which caused this whole mess to blow up?" Angela let out a cold laugh.Clara nodded helplessly, choosing silence as her answer.Angela didn't say much more as she took out her phone.The situation was escalating at an alarming speed, spreading like wildfire across major media platforms. Most notably, the pregnant woman, Rosanne Townsend, had gone live online to expose the incident.Even thoug
Love and Devotion: No Longer His to Claim Chapter 284
After speaking, Angela instructed someone to invite Rosanne over.Logan hesitated for just a moment before handing over his phone. "Have a look then, Ms. Graham. No matter what, I'm innocent. Do you remember when you first became CEO, and I swore my loyalty to you?"His words carried a deeper meaning.Angela ignored him. She swiftly navigated through his phone, checking his messages, contacts, and call history, and even using facial recognition to access his bank transaction records. There was nothing suspicious.Logan visibly relaxed when he saw Angela's skeptical expression. "See, Ms. Graham? I'm a model citizen of the 21st century. How could I possibly be involved with another man's wife?"Angela remained noncommittal as she handed the phone back. A delighted look crossed Logan's face, along with a palpable sense of relief.Angela stared directly into his eyes, then suddenly snatched the phone back and opened the settings.In the settings, she switched to the other user profi
Love and Devotion: No Longer His to Claim Chapter 285
Logan looked shocked. "Ms. Graham, isn't this something you should handle for me? I've been the head of the HR department at our company for years. If my reputation is ruined, won't the company suffer as well?"Right now, all you need to do is issue a public statement saying that everything was fabricated by Rosanne—that this was all just part of her scheme. The public won't believe her. They will definitely…"Before he could finish, a chill ran down his spine when he met Angela's piercing, icy gaze.She stared at him intently, her entire presence overwhelming, as if she could explode in anger at any moment.Angela scoffed. "Oh, you've really thought this through. No wonder you're so bold."With an awkward expression, Logan scratched his nose. "I'm just thinking about the company's best interests. I don't want your reputation to be affected, after all.""You shameless bastard! Do you dare swear that the child in my belly has nothing to do with you? You damn scumbag! I must have b
Love and Devotion: No Longer His to Claim Chapter 286
Rosanne bowed deeply. "I never expected you to stand up for me like this, or even let me take justice into my own hands and allow me to hit—"Just as she was speaking, Joanne abruptly coughed.Rosanne stopped mid-sentence. After a few seconds, she spoke again. "I don't have any other requests. All I hope is that I can come back to work. I need a job to support my child.""Alright," Angela agreed without hesitation. "What else?"She kept giving Rosanne a look, urging her to ask for money. This scumbag had hurt Rosanne so much—shouldn't she demand compensation?Rosanne looked at Angela in confusion, still not catching on.Angela had no choice but to spell it out. "Money is important. After all that you've been through, you should definitely ask for compensation."At this point, she couldn't be any clearer.Rosanne finally snapped to her senses and quickly said, "Yes, exactly! He has to compensate me for emotional distress! I should get at least two million dollars!"Angela smirk
Love and Devotion: No Longer His to Claim Chapter 287
Angela continued after a brief pause, "Why don't I transfer Logan to the operations and logistics department to fix toilets and pipes? From now on, he'll handle all the dirty and exhausting work. Someone like him doesn't deserve to be in a public-facing role." Zack was utterly stunned, his face filled with shock. He swallowed hard.Once again, he felt fortunate that he had made the right choice—thankfully, he had not switched sides."W-well… He definitely won't agree to that," Zack stammered. "That guy values his pride more than anything.""After what happened, his reputation is already in the gutter. He won't be able to find another job in Eldmere City for at least three months. Since he just bought a house and paid Rosanne a huge settlement, he's strapped for cash. He has no choice but to endure it for now."Angela popped another grape into her mouth.Fiona had bought these premium seedless grapes. Since they were particularly sweet, eating too many was a bit heavy on the pala
Love and Devotion: No Longer His to Claim Chapter 288
Wilbert was younger than Logan. His face still had a look of youthful inexperience, but his gaze was sharp and full of integrity."This can't be!" Logan trembled with rage. "Ms. Graham said I can remain with the company! She…"Mid-sentence, he suddenly froze.That was right. Staying with the company didn't necessarily mean keeping his role as head of the HR department.Wilbert slowly stood up. "You should go report to the operations and logistics department now. You might still be able to clock in on time and not lose your attendance bonus.""The operations and logistics department?" Logan's face darkened. "Ms. Graham is sending me to…"Wilbert answered, "To work as an entry-level employee, fixing the toilets for everyone. All the company's bathrooms are now your responsibility."You've actually done us a big favor—some people in the department are assigned to deliver water, and some fix elevators, but nobody wants to handle the toilets. They get clogged all the time and need to
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Love and Devotion: No Longer His to Claim Chapter 526
"Ms. Graham, is there any chance you and Mr. Bamford might get back together?""Ms. Graham, once your child is born, will you be raising them as a member of the Bamford family?"Good grief, what kind of questions were these?The press conference had completely flipped the script. Angela wasn't even supposed to be in the spotlight that day, so why was she the one getting bombarded with questions?She was close to showing her displeasure, but she held firm. She couldn't afford to lose composure now. One slip, and everything would fall apart.Taking a deep breath, she stood and addressed the crowd, mic in hand."Thank you for your interest in my personal life, but please allow me to maintain a touch of mystery. Horizon will continue to serve our customers. Thank you all for attending today's event. Goodbye."With that, she gave a polite smile and turned to leave.She was done. It was time to go.Several reporters tried to follow her, but Austin's people quickly stepped in to bloc
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
