LOGINShare
Chapter 452
Related chapters
Love and Devotion: No Longer His to Claim Chapter 453
It seemed that Erwin had chosen to live here for the convenience of commuting.When Angela and Austin arrived at the door, the latter punched in the passcode directly.Angela was taken aback. "We're just going to go in like this? Mr. Mack isn't home. We really shouldn't be doing this, should we?"Austin said indifferently, "It doesn't matter. He lives alone, and he's probably out for his morning exercise. He won't be back for a while."Sure enough, Austin's words were proven true the second they stepped inside.It was a two-bedroom unit, decorated in black, white, and gray tones. The space looked quite large, but the living room was rather empty, as only a regular couch and a round coffee table occupied the space.There wasn't even a television. The whole place gave off the vibe of a bachelor's home.After a quick tour, Austin led Angela into the kitchen, which was even more barren—not even a bag of salt could be found.Erwin's favorite food was oven-baked barbecue ribs, suppos
Love and Devotion: No Longer His to Claim Chapter 454
Erwin ultimately couldn't resist the temptation of good food and decided to give Angela's pork ribs a try.Right after he took a bite, his expression subtly changed. His pupils slightly dilated, as if he were surprised."This is nothing special," he muttered gruffly, yet he continued eating at a leisurely pace that was also somewhat hurried.In just over ten minutes, he had already devoured half of the ribs.Angela discreetly observed him, thinking that her first step had been a success. At the very least, he was willing to eat the food she made, which was already a significant change.After the meal, she didn't linger. Using the excuse that she had matters to attend to at Graham Group, she left earlier than planned."What exactly are you trying to do by bringing her here?" Patting his full belly, Erwin shot Austin a glare.Austin shrugged. "You saw it yourself—nothing at all. We just wanted to have a meal with you. In her final days, Ms. Lawson also ate Angela's cooking for a w
Love and Devotion: No Longer His to Claim Chapter 455
"I'm about to go on a blind date with Dexter. I heard that you two are already divorced. You wouldn't still be clinging to some unrealistic fantasy about him, would you? A woman as old and… scandal-ridden as you is simply not worthy of a man like him."Jennifer had originally intended to call Angela "old and ugly," but the word "ugly" simply didn't suit Angela at all. She couldn't bring herself to tell such an obvious lie."Does Ursula know you came to me?" Angela smiled faintly. "Just a few days ago, she was looking to work with me and have us design looks for the artists in her company. You all have a major awards ceremony coming up soon, don't you?""What are you trying to say?" Jennifer frowned slightly.Angela let out a light chuckle. "I'm saying that I could easily tell Ursula that her brainless niece has offended me, and I don't feel like working with her anymore. That means no more custom gowns or luxury jewelry for her. Simple as that."Angela spoke in a calm tone, not sh
Love and Devotion: No Longer His to Claim Chapter 456
Nonetheless, Jennifer wasn't satisfied with just leaving a good impression on Dexter—she had other plans. Following Ursula's directions, she arrived at Dexter's hospital room.Since Fiona was busy with work, she had specially hired a professional caregiver to take care of Dexter's daily needs around the clock.After a few days, the bandages on his head had been removed. There was nothing hiding his handsome face from view now. Though there were still scratches on the side of his face, they gave him a more rugged and resolute look, which made him just as attractive as before.Jennifer peeked through the gap in the door and caught sight of Dexter's sharply defined side profile. He was looking down at his tablet, seemingly busy with work.Despite being injured, he remained fully dedicated to his work. Jennifer was impressed, and her view of him improved even more.She knocked on the door and, after receiving permission, walked in quietly, hoping to leave a gentle and considerate firs
Love and Devotion: No Longer His to Claim Chapter 457
There was something about Jennifer's gaze that was so clear and sincere that it made it impossible to look away.Dexter smirked absentmindedly. "You seem to know quite a lot. So what? What does it have to do with you?""You deserve better, Mr. Bamford." There was a hint of nervousness in her voice as Jennifer tentatively suggested, "I took clinical medicine as part of my studies abroad and have a deep understanding of patient care. If you don't mind, Mr. Bamford, I could—""Does this hospital have no staff?" Dexter interrupted impatiently, his tone direct. "What exactly do you want? You have three seconds to answer.""Mr. Bamford, to be honest, I fell for you at first sight a year ago, at Mr. Bamford Senior's birthday banquet. I thought time would help me forget these feelings since you were a married man back then."But even after a year, my feelings haven't faded. On the contrary, they've only grown stronger. Mr. Bamford, can't you give me a chance?"Jennifer was left with no c
Love and Devotion: No Longer His to Claim Chapter 458
"Forget it." Dexter took a deep breath. "Do as you please."…On the third morning, Angela went to the company with Austin."I've already announced the matter in the company's group chat. We'll go straight to the meeting, and the handover ceremony will be livestreamed." Austin spoke in a calm voice, as if he were discussing something trivial.Angela, however, was taken aback. "I'm going straight to the meeting? There'll be a handover ceremony?"Why was it so abrupt?She knew that since Genevieve had just passed away, they couldn't hold a grand ceremony, but this was too sudden. She hadn't been informed in advance, meaning she'd had no chance to prepare mentally!"What, are you scared?" Austin raised an eyebrow, a hint of amusement flickering in his eyes.Scared? Not exactly. It was just unexpected."Don't worry." He opened the car door and stepped out. "I'll be with you the whole time. You don't need to pay attention to anyone else."Angela wasn't particularly afraid. She had
Love and Devotion: No Longer His to Claim Chapter 459
Angela's decisiveness in handling matters was commendable, but that didn't change the fact that she was merely a so-called CEO parachuted in through connections.Since Genevieve had faith in her, Erwin was willing to show some courtesy for Genevieve's sake and give Angela a chance to prove herself.If Angela truly was capable, he was willing to let things be. However, if she weren't up to par, he would have every reason to make her step down.He was simply nipping a potential problem in the bud."Mr. Mack, that wouldn't be right." Austin suddenly stood up, staring disapprovingly at Erwin.Erwin chuckled. "Why not? Didn't Ms. Graham make those statements herself?"At that moment, Angela had already guessed his intentions. She slowly got up, signaling Austin to stay calm.Then, she confidently declared, "I can promise that I will establish a new set of effective company regulations, increase quarterly revenue by at least half of the previous quarter, and as for employee salaries a
Love and Devotion: No Longer His to Claim Chapter 460
After downing two glasses of liquor, Angela turned her head, only to be startled by a face that was eerily familiar. Her hand trembled, nearly dropping the glass."Good evening, miss." One of the escorts greeted her with a youthful smile.Angela thought she was seeing things—this person, this face, looked exactly like an 18-year-old Dexter!She quickly stood up, regretting coming to this place. Zack must have lost his mind to come up with such a ridiculous stunt to tease her."Angie, what are you doing? Sit down for now." Seeing that things were going south, Zack grabbed Angela's arm. "If we leave now, these guys will get fined," he added, showing his supposed kindness."Tell them to leave." Angela frowned.Zack laughed it off, pulled Angela back to her seat, and waved his hand. The men immediately got the message, each grabbing a microphone and starting to sing."I'm a proper CEO of a company now. Drinking in a place like this is one thing, but I can't be doing this kind of stu
Latest chapter
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
