공유

Chapter 92

작가: Dream Fish
Even so, Angela kept one thing in mind—she knew that Nora wouldn't let things slide so easily. They were bound to find another excuse to stir up trouble, so she waited patiently.

She didn't expect it to happen so quickly.

"Ms. Graham, that gown cost two million dollars just to make. And yet you casually dismissed it? How am I supposed to explain this to the company?"

Nora stood with her arms crossed, her expression blank but her voice loud enough for everyone to hear.

Angela remained calm, seated at her desk, reviewing the submitted design drafts. Occasionally, she paused to give feedback.

"Nora, I hadn't planned on holding you accountable for this, but what are you doing now? Are you volunteering to take the blame?" Angela glanced at her with faint amusement, her tone as light as a feather.

Over the past few days, Angela had already looked into everything she needed to know. She couldn't fathom why Nora would still try to escalate things.

Nora froze, a fleeting panic flashing t
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  • Love and Devotion: No Longer His to Claim   Chapter 93

    Clara froze, confused by the sudden turn of events."Angela, what nonsense are you spouting? Are you out of my mind?" Nora snapped."Enough. Be quiet." Angela rubbed her temples. "You're giving me a headache."Without another word, Angela turned to her laptop, pulled up a video with a few swift clicks, and played it for everyone.The footage showed their former colleague, Rachel Carter—a petite woman often seen in a sunflower-patterned dress. She had a delicate and pleasant appearance.In the video, Rachel accidentally bumped into Clara in passing, causing a piece of clothing to fall to the ground. Rachel was quick to pick it up, glancing at it briefly before handing it back to Clara."Hey, look at this! Doesn't she have a small knife in her hand?" Alan's sharp eyes caught the detail immediately.His comment drew everyone's attention to the screen. He paused the video, zoomed in on the frame, and pointed. "Right here, see? That's a knife!"A murmur spread through the crowd as p

  • Love and Devotion: No Longer His to Claim   Chapter 94

    Nora's face was a kaleidoscope of emotions. Just moments ago, she had been vehemently defending herself, but now her mouth seemed glued shut, unable to form a single word.In the end, the matter escalated to Callum.Angela's proposed resolution was straightforward: terminate Nora's employment."This woman has nothing but ill intentions and is a constant source of trouble," Angela said coldly."I've already agreed to apologize, and you…""I don't accept it," Angela interrupted, her icy gaze cutting through Nora. "Someone as selfish as you, who is willing to jeopardize the company's interests for your own gain, is a liability. Keeping you around will only lead to bigger problems."Nora fell silent, instinctively looking to Stephen for help. He was the only one she could count on now."Mr. Snowden, Nora is under my supervision. I take responsibility for her actions," Stephen said, his voice hoarse and heavy."Then let her work at reception," Callum replied without looking up. "If

  • Love and Devotion: No Longer His to Claim   Chapter 95

    By the time they arrived at the hospital, Angela was trembling all over, unable to speak due to the pain."Acute appendicitis. It needs to be removed," the doctor said bluntly.Angela flinched, instinctively grabbing Dexter's large hand, her eyes filled with fear.Surgery? She was terrified of the pain."There's no other way. Leaving it untreated will hurt even more." Dexter sighed.It wasn't a major surgery, but Angela's fear was palpable. She was taken into the operating room and came out about three hours later. The night passed in a haze of antiseptic smells as she dozed on and off in the ward.Dexter stayed by her side the entire time, refusing to rest."What's going on with you and Angela? Are you two sleeping in separate rooms?" Fiona asked as she entered the room, scrutinizing Dexter.He froze for a moment."We've been arguing lately," he admitted. "She doesn't want to share a room with me."Fiona scoffed. "You're constantly seen with other women. No wonder she's fed

  • Love and Devotion: No Longer His to Claim   Chapter 96

    "Since you know your place, stop chasing after men who don't want you. Understand?" Fiona's voice cut through the tension as she entered the room, carrying several containers of food.Clad in a sharp business suit, Fiona exuded a cold and commanding presence that sent a chill through the room.Elena froze, her face stiff with embarrassment. "Aunt Fiona, I… I was just…""Dexter and Angela are a proper married couple. They have the right and duty to care for each other," Fiona said calmly, her expression unreadable. "As an outsider, a polite inquiry is more than enough. There's no need to go out of your way, and certainly no need to show up looking so elaborately dressed when Angela is sick and unwell."Elena's eyes reddened like a scolded child's. She stammered, "Aunt Fiona, you've misunderstood. I only think of Dexter as a close friend. I… I…"Halfway through, her voice faltered.Back when Dexter and Angela's relationship was on rocky ground, rumors about Elena and Dexter had cir

  • Love and Devotion: No Longer His to Claim   Chapter 97

    Angela was nearly choked by Fiona's words.Good grief, Fiona's way of thinking was way too bold."Mom, do you have to be this blunt? Could you at least pretend to say something comforting?" Angela said, caught between laughter and exasperation."What's the point of that?" Fiona replied, unbothered. "Feelings are what they are. If they're gone, they're gone. No use clinging to something that's already lost. Look at me and Dexter's father—we haven't spoken in over a year. The last time we exchanged words was during last year's Christmas dinner, when we said 'Merry Christmas.' And yet, here I am, living just fine."Fiona's tone carried the air of someone who had already planned out Angela's future. She spoke like a seasoned veteran of life's harsh realities."How can two people live under the same roof without any affection?" Angela forced a weak smile. The thought alone left her heart feeling heavy and dull.She had only ever loved one person in her life, only to be discarded like

  • Love and Devotion: No Longer His to Claim   Chapter 98

    Using her position, Talia had entered the room once occupied by the late Natalie, stolen valuables, and taken a few small antique vases from storage, hiding them beneath the floorboards in her room. The stolen items were discovered during the search, leaving no room for denial."She's the one, Dad," Fiona said coldly, her tone laced with anger.The servant, Talia, immediately showed fear, casting a quick, terrified glance at Fiona before lowering her head and trembling.Angela observed the scene, an uneasy feeling settling in her chest."Talia, you've worked here for over eight years. You're practically a veteran in this household. What made you do something so reckless?" Joseph asked with a heavy sigh.Talia, in her early 30s, had been working for the Bamford family alongside her husband, drawn by the generous benefits."Sir, I had no choice," Talia began, her voice breaking. "My son was diagnosed with acute leukemia. He needs money for treatment. I tried asking Madam Fiona for

  • Love and Devotion: No Longer His to Claim   Chapter 99

    Angela instinctively glanced at Fiona."Wrongdoings deserve punishment," Fiona said with a faintly grim expression, casting a cold look at the flustered Talia. "You have three days to recover all the stolen items. If not, don't expect me to show any leniency."Talia's tears flowed like a river. The stolen items had already been sold; how could she possibly get them back?"Fiona, isn't this too harsh? If her family had the money, would she have resorted to this? It's clear you have no intention of letting them off." Ursula's voice carried a cold edge, her growing frustration with Fiona evident."And if you were handling this, what would you do?" Fiona replied, her tone sharp yet faintly amused. She fixed her gaze on Ursula, her eyes unyielding. "Since you're so kind-hearted, why not pay for their medical expenses and redeem Natalie's valuables yourself?"Ursula's expression darkened, and she retorted coolly, "What does this have to do with me?"She had only come to watch the drama

  • Love and Devotion: No Longer His to Claim   Chapter 100

    "You've all seen the rules," Angela began, her sharp, unwavering gaze sweeping across the room. "Mr. Snowden has only given us two days. This time, we must shine for ourselves! Are you confident you can do that?"The 20 people in the room exchanged hesitant glances, but none dared to voice absolute confidence.They were still haunted by the oppression they had endured under Nora's leadership.Seeing the bowed heads of her team, Angela felt a wave of frustration but tempered it with an understanding of their struggles."Angela, we do want to win for Division One, but Division Two has more than 80 people, and we're only a quarter of their size. Plus…""Plus what?" Angela interrupted before Clara could finish. "Numbers don't matter if you've got the right people. So what if they have more people? Only one in eight of their members might make it. For us, it's one in every two. What's there to fear?"Her fierce gaze swept across the room, and after a brief pause, she declared boldly,

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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

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