This was the first piece of positive feedback Angela had heard all day, and it felt like a warm current flowing into her heart.Her nose tingled, and her eyes began to sting with tears. "Thank you, Mr. Snowden."Callum watched her trembling eyelashes with a glint of interest in his eyes."Mr. Snowden, do you have any words for this exceptional designer standing next to you?" Benton asked with a smile as he handed the microphone to Callum.The latter took the mic with an indifferent air but then dropped a bombshell that left the room stunned. "Ms. Graham is incredibly talented. If she were to join DawnStar Co., it would be an immense honor for us."Angela was in shock. She couldn't believe her ears. This was beyond surprising!"I'd be honored," she blurted out without thinking. "To work for DawnStar Co., even as a junior designer starting from scratch, would be an honor."Her voice trembled. She was deeply grateful.Callum shot a half-smile at Dexter in the audience before turni
If Angela could get a divorce, that would be a huge relief. Three joys all at once. It was definitely worth celebrating."Fine, let's get a divorce!"Dexter's mind buzzed. The feeling of losing control over his prey flooded his mind.But what had he just said? How could he agree to this so easily?"Alright, don't go back on your words!" Angela's heart raced with excitement.She called the butler, Winston Hendrix, out. "Draft the divorce papers immediately. I don't want anything—just a clean break!""You're that eager? You want to go running to Callum so badly?" Dexter ground his teeth. His voice was cold and filled with venom.If this had been before, his tone and demeanor would have made her believe he still had feelings for her. She would have been ecstatic.But now, looking at his grim and chilling face, Angela felt nothing but weariness deep inside."Think whatever you want." Scoffing, she sat down on the couch and offered him a casual smile. "Mr. Bamford, don't tell me yo
Angela said calmly, "As long as we sign the divorce papers and get the divorce certificate, you and I will part ways cleanly."With your generosity, I trust you won't use the Graham family to manipulate me or threaten me again. I hope we can sever all ties, ideally never to cross paths again."She continued, "I would be grateful for your magnanimity then, Mr. Bamford.""Mr. Bamford, our subsidiary will be going public next year. If the divorce agreement is made public, it could harm your and the company's image," Winston interjected.Dexter's expression changed slightly. But before he could respond, Angela took over the conversation."I can sign a non-disclosure agreement for three years. During that time, I will keep our divorce private. I'll cooperate with you in front of Grandpa as well, but you'll need to pay me a certain amount."What a perfect solution.Dexter, livid with anger, laughed mockingly. "You really thought this through, Angela. How come I never noticed how eloqu
Angela looked around but didn't spot Dexter anywhere."I'm here for a divorce," she said with a grin.The woman was shocked. She had never seen someone so carefree about a divorce, let alone dressed up in such a flamboyant way.Dexter arrived half an hour late. Angela only stood up when she saw him. Luckily, he had already arranged for their private service that morning.His expression wasn't a happy one, and seeing her dressed so brightly only fueled his anger."Angela, are you already looking for your next man before the divorce is even finalized?" He sneered coldly. His words were sharp like knives."Yes," Angela replied with a laugh. "After all, I can't live without men."Dexter fumed.The divorce process took quite some time, with staff members repeatedly asking if they were really sure about it. After all, the two of them looked like a movie star couple.Angela patiently explained again and again.When the process was finally over, she felt an immense sense of relief.
Judy was increasingly anxious.She had already told her friends that they were going to have a party here. If Angela kicked her out, it would be a huge embarrassment.Moreover, the house was truly beautiful. It was an enchanting castle-like villa built over a decade ago, fulfilling every romantic fantasy a woman could have.This was also a trophy from her victory over her rival. That sense of spiritual pleasure couldn't be matched by any other form of happiness.She needed to calm Angela down first."Angela, why don't we do this? We could live here together, as a family, all under one roof. Then, we can bring your sister back from abroad, and we'll all live happily together. Doesn't that sound better?"Judy had a 20-year-old daughter, Noelle Graham, who was studying abroad. She came back only once a year. Compared to her useless son, Noelle was the true apple of her and Bill's eye."No way," Angela replied without hesitation. She pointed toward the door. "Get out. Now."Judy's
Bill's face paled at once.Right. He wasn't just afraid of Tyler. He was also terrified of Dexter."What sort of play are you two putting on?" Dexter's voice was calm.He was tall, with an imposing presence that seemed to shrink the spacious living room the moment he stepped inside.Bill's face twisted in panic as he instinctively glanced at Judy. He looked as if he wanted to hide behind her."Dexter, y-you should have let us know you were coming." Judy's smile was strained as she fumbled for words.Dexter casually sat down on the couch. "Can't I come? This is Angie's house. As her husband, I'm likely more entitled to be here than either of you."Bill's face turned as pale as a sheet.This didn't make sense! Wasn't Dexter the one who had always looked down on Angela and was eager to cut her loose?"Yes, yes, of course." Judy's forced grin widened as she wrung her hands. She struggled to find something to say.At that moment, the friends Judy had invited for a house tour arriv
Angela spent the afternoon bonding with her new pets. She set up cozy spots for them by the large floor-to-ceiling windows in the living room. In no time, the once-silent house came alive with warmth and activity.That evening, rain began to patter against the windows. Angela ordered takeout and prepared steak for herself, reveling in the small joy of solitude.On Monday, she reported to DawnStar Co. for her first day.The HR personnel led her to the design department on the 23rd floor.As soon as Angela stepped inside, she was stunned by the size of the space. The entire floor, around 5,000 square feet, was filled with the design department's offices."Hi, I'm Nora Rutherford, the head of the design department." A stylish woman in professional attire walked over, her high heels clicking with each step. She extended a friendly hand to Angela.Behind her, the design department staff watched Angela curiously.Angela returned the gesture with a polite smile. "Nice to meet you, Ms.
After work, Nora arrived at a café near the company. A woman was already waiting for her."Nora, over here!" A young woman waved her hand.Nora walked in confidently with her high heels clicking on the floor. Her every step exuded elegance."Shelly, what brings you by today?" she asked, pulling out a chair. Nora was Shelly's cousin.Noticing Elena sitting next to her, Nora froze for a second. Why was Elena here too?"Ms. Ruthford," Elena greeted, extending her hand.Nora quickly composed herself, smiling as she shook Elena's hand."Nora, I heard Angela's joined your company. How's she doing?" Shelly went straight to the point.Nora raised an eyebrow. "She's just a regular team member. She only started today. I haven't seen Mr. Snowden paying much attention to her. She seems pretty down-to-earth, but honestly, she doesn't look all that innocent."The thought of Angela's stunning, makeup-free face made Nora feel a twinge of annoyance.On her way out of the office that day, she'
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