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Chapter 490
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Love and Devotion: No Longer His to Claim Chapter 491
"Where are you going?" Just as Dexter and Jennifer were about to step out, they were blocked by Fiona, who had just returned.Dexter remained silent in the face of her knowing gaze. In that moment, he believed she could see right through him."Madam Fiona, we… We were just going to—""I wasn't talking to you." Fiona waved a dismissive hand, signaling for Jennifer to leave immediately.Jennifer glanced at Dexter. Seeing that he remained silent, she wasted no time in making herself scarce, disappearing in an instant. She was pretty good at reading the room and knew exactly when to stay and when to go."You still don't get it, do you? You have nothing to do with Angela anymore. If you show up like this, you'll only make her resent you more." Crossing her arms, Fiona gave Dexter an exasperated look.Dexter's gaze darkened. Avoiding her piercing stare, he stood there, looking a little lost.Unable to hold up under Fiona's unrelenting eyes, he finally cracked and denied it outright. "
Love and Devotion: No Longer His to Claim Chapter 492
"Not really. I can manage." Angela forced a smile, but because she was still unwell, it ended up looking incredibly weary."Well, since that's the case, you should go rest now. Our company will send someone over to discuss the details with you tomorrow morning."Standing up, Fiona took Angela's hand and began leading her outside. Angela stiffened and tried to resist, but she couldn't break free from Fiona's firm hold.Fiona drove her back to Villa Heights, making the trip with familiar ease.By the time they arrived, the doctor, whom Fiona had arranged for Angela earlier, was already there, ready to give the latter a simple checkup. After giving her new medication, the doctor also gave her a week-long dietary plan to follow."I'm really fine. It's a minor sickness—nothing serious."Angela felt warmth in her heart but couldn't shake her worries. She couldn't stop thinking about the various matters in the company.Despite the calm and poised facade she had been putting on recently
Love and Devotion: No Longer His to Claim Chapter 493
Jennifer sat there, clearly bored, but she knew her role today was to act as a catalyst to ease the tension between the two main characters.However, from her keen observations, she was sure Ingrid harbored ill will, not toward them, but solely toward Angela.For instance, Ingrid had told them that Angela hadn't been in the office since she had left for a personal matter yesterday, suggesting she was probably tied up with something important.On the surface, it sounded harmless. But upon closer consideration, it was a veiled jab, implying Angela was neglecting her work and disrespecting Dexter.That one sentence was enough for Jennifer to sniff out the subtle hostility Ingrid harbored toward Angela.After thinking for a moment, she picked up her phone, opened Horizon's live stream account, and casually said to Dexter, "Mr. Bamford, they've also done live commerce sales here."Her tone was neutral, as if she were merely stating a fact, but Erwin and Ingrid stiffened instantly upon
Love and Devotion: No Longer His to Claim Chapter 494
Ingrid's face immediately turned pale. She quickly got up. "Mr. Bamford, the two of us merely voiced our personal opinions. Ms. Graham is the company's real decision-maker. I'll go get her right away."She knew better than anyone else that if she and Erwin messed up this meeting, everyone else would shift the blame onto them, especially Angela. They couldn't afford to be humiliated in front of that wretched woman again.Ingrid had to make three calls in a row before Angela finally answered."Hello?" A languid, melodious female voice came through the line.Ingrid immediately barked, "Angela, come to the company right now. There's something you need to handle.""Oh? Really?" At that moment, Angela had just finished stretching. While she picked out a popular new movie to watch on TV, she had someone prepare some fruits and snacks. She planned to enjoy a relaxing morning.Upon hearing what Ingrid said, Angela immediately presumed that the former probably couldn't handle Dexter and ne
Love and Devotion: No Longer His to Claim Chapter 495
Erwin thought Jennifer was incredibly discourteous. He and Ingrid had clearly treated them politely and shown them respect the whole time. When had they ever been rude?"Indeed," Dexter replied calmly. "In that case, we should just go."With that, he stood up, as if about to leave.Ingrid quickly stopped them, awkwardly saying, "Please wait for a moment. Ms. Graham is on her way. She is much more professional than we are—""Oh? But weren't you just implying that Ms. Graham is irresponsible and doesn't take the company seriously?" Jennifer smiled mischievously, her gaze filled with mockery.She was blatantly using Dexter's power to intimidate them. No matter how reckless she was, as long as she didn't directly challenge Angela, Dexter would never say anything.Jennifer's face shifted between pale and flushed, her expression stiffening. "That… That's not what I meant. Ms. Graham is highly principled. We naturally have full faith in her."Faith? As if! If it hadn't been for Angela,
Love and Devotion: No Longer His to Claim Chapter 496
"I've heard that you've been doing live commerce sales recently, Ms. Graham. How effective has it been?" Right then, a surprisingly familiar voice spoke up.It was Dexter. He was lazily leaning back in the armchair, his body slightly reclined. His gaze was intense as he stared straight at Angela, exuding an undeniable sense of pressure."It's showing some early results," Angela replied calmly. "Hasn't Bamford Co. hired celebrity hosts to do the same thing? You should understand the advantages of live commerce sales better than I do, Mr. Bamford."As she spoke, she suddenly noticed Jennifer's delicate, fair hand resting on Dexter's back. He didn't even seem against it.How laughable. As expected, he was just like any other man. A woman simply needed to beckon him over, and he would immediately fall for it.Men really couldn't be trusted."Ms. Graham, your words are rather pointed and sharp. Have I offended you in any way?" Dexter asked with a half smile. He cast her a glance befor
Love and Devotion: No Longer His to Claim Chapter 497
Angela, feeling irritated, was planning to make an excuse to leave and let Austin accompany the two lovebirds instead.But before she could speak, Jennifer cut off her escape route. "Ms. Graham, you're free right now, right? Surely, you won't avoid us just because of your past relationship with Mr. Bamford?"Angela suddenly sensed something was off with Jennifer.The latter had been provoking her all day, with each sentence she uttered carrying double meanings and her gaze flickering to Angela's face more often than not.Suddenly, an idea occurred to Angela. Could it be that Jennifer was doing this on purpose? Was she helping Dexter test her?Otherwise, even if Jennifer was attractive, how could someone like her, whose abilities were average at best and who lacked intelligence, possibly catch Dexter's eye?At that thought, Angela's irritation eased considerably. In a way, this could be a good thing."Ms. Graham?" Jennifer waved her hand in front of her. "What are you thinking ab
Love and Devotion: No Longer His to Claim Chapter 498
At least Dexter was responding promptly to Jennifer.As he spoke, he unconsciously glanced sideways at the person on the other side of the elevator, only to see Angela with her head lowered, seemingly unaware of what was happening on his side.His chest tightened instantly, as if a boulder was pressing down hard, making it hard for him to breathe.As a ding sounded, the elevator doors opened. Angela was the first to step out, her high heels clacking sharply against the floor as she walked away at a rapid pace.Austin followed closely behind, keeping up with her pace. The two of them, one in front and one behind, looked like a couple in the midst of a fight.Angela was genuinely upset. If she could help it, she wanted more than anyone to endure it quietly without revealing a hint of her true emotions.But in that moment, the self-control she had always prided herself on felt like a joke.She couldn't deny that she still cared. It stung to see someone else standing beside Dexter.
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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
