"Besides, you remember what Stephen promised us. If we take Angela down, I'll become head of Division One. After that, we won't have to worry about a better future," Zion said in an icy voice. His demeanor now was worlds apart from his usual polite one. In the dark, his eyes gleamed with a cold light."Flora, you had a chance to deal with Alan earlier today, but you missed it. He's our biggest threat. We can't let him—""That's enough." Flora looked away.She wore a ring that had something hidden inside. If she pricked someone with it, the person would be poisoned in a way that caused dizziness and mental confusion for a few days. It wasn't lethal, but it would be enough to keep them from performing their best in the competition.Their mission was to sabotage the other eight designers so that none of them could compete properly.Yet earlier, when Alan tried to help her, Flora couldn't bring herself to go through with it. She was starting to question if it was worth sacrificing t
"Noah arranged it. I didn't expect you'd be asleep when I arrived. That bed was supposed to be mine, so if anyone should feel wronged, it's me." Dexter smirked, tilting his head. A hint of amusement danced around his lips.Angela seethed. She slipped into the walk-in closet and dressed in a hurry. Then, she hauled her suitcase to leave, but Dexter blocked her."If I come in and you go out, people might suspect we're on the rocks. It won't be good for either of our reputations," Dexter said. He held her wrist without much force, yet she couldn't shake free."I don't want to stay in the same suite as you. You annoy me!" She shot him a fierce look and wrenched her hand loose."Stay three days and I'll pay you 100 thousand," he said, flashing his money.Angela stopped in her tracks.The suite was big. There was even a smaller side room. In the worst case, she could sleep there."200 thousand," she countered coldly.Dexter arched an eyebrow. "Deal."…Since the competition was the
Dexter cleared his throat. "I'm hungry."Angela ignored him. She put on her headphones and slipped into the smaller room to study.He felt stifled, so he knocked on the door and called her out. "Come eat with me—I'll give you 100 thousand."That was easy money.Angela got into the MPV Trent had arranged while calculating how much she had made off Dexter in the past few days. It had to be at least 800 thousand by now.He really was loaded, like a walking money tree.The thought settled in her mind. She didn't bother guessing what was going on with him. As long as she got paid, she could handle pretending for a while.The restaurant was set up just for the two of them. There was a violinist and even a ballerina dancing gracefully. A small round table for four sat in a candlelit glow. The soft light made the vast dining hall feel like a dream, almost surreal."What on earth is this?" Angela muttered to herself. She couldn't figure out what Dexter was thinking.Once the servers pr
Zion frowned and was about to argue back. But seeing how pale Flora looked, he just swallowed his words. "Fine."Downstairs, everyone was gathered in the garden hall, where they were playing cards."Oh, everyone's here?" Zion said as he strolled over, trying to appear casual.Angela shot Alan a look.Alan raised an eyebrow, stood up, and walked up to Zion. "Hey, we're playing cards. Come join us." He was an outgoing guy who wore his heart on his sleeve, and everyone knew it.Thus, Zion didn't suspect anything. He naturally reached out to pat Alan on the shoulder.The tiny needle hidden in his ring was so discreet that a simple brush was all it took to get the job done.But when his hand was only a few inches away, Alan suddenly let out a yelp and fell flat on the floor.Seeing someone as tall as him drop so abruptly was quite a sight."What happened?" Angela asked.Alan stood up, grimacing. "I think something jabbed me."Zion's expression changed.A second later, Alan grabb
Zion let out a crazed laugh. With his face flushed from the toxin, he looked almost comical.He sneered in a mocking tone, "Angela? She slept her way up. She's got no real skills. You idiots fell for her sweet talk—ah!"Before he could finish, his face hit the muddy floor. The earthy smell filled his nose, nearly making him gag."How dare you insult her! I'll make you—""Enough." Angela raised a hand to stop Alan. "There's a security camera here. Lock him up in one of the rooms. I'll let Mr. Snowden know and have him decide what to do.""So are you going to compete in his place?" Alan asked.Everyone turned to Angela with hopeful looks, including Flora.Angela sighed. "Looks like I don't have a choice."Fortunately, she hadn't slacked off recently, so stepping in at the last minute didn't faze her.The next day, Angela calmly took Zion's spot in the competition. She drew seat number eight, which happened to be by the window.The theme for the first round of the competition ap
Dexter was speechless."Don't push your luck," he warned through clenched teeth.Angela ended up going downstairs, even if it was only because everyone else was there.The moment she showed up, they got to their feet. They were all smiling—they had clearly prepared beforehand."Angela, come on over. We have your favorite mango juice," Clara said, patting the seat next to her.Angela was about to join Clara, but Dexter pulled her down beside him instead.Clara smiled sheepishly, and the others pretended not to notice. They quickly started complimenting the food and drinks to lighten the mood.Angela soon relaxed as well, chatting and laughing with the others. She was in a great mood.Suddenly, Dexter placed a shrimp ball with wasabi sauce on her plate. It gleamed appetizingly, the kind she'd usually want to eat right away. But it was coming from him, which was a first.Angela's expression flickered, and she didn't pick it up.The others turned toward her."You don't like it?"
As they approached the gate of the castle-like manor, the parking lot was already bustling with luxury cars. It was evident that there were many people inside.Finn said with a faint but charming smile, "Let's go."He embodied all the qualities of a charismatic young man. He had a gentle demeanor that naturally drew people toward him, making them like him even more.Angela linked her arm with his in a relaxed manner as they strolled into the venue side by side.The banquet hall was grand and opulently decorated. Angela's eyes were drawn to the welcome poster at the entrance, which stood about two meters tall.The poster displayed beautiful photographs of the happy couple on their wedding day. The groom had striking features with black hair, green eyes, and fair skin, hinting at his mixed heritage. Standing next to him, the bride exuded grace and elegance.Finn introduced, "This is Julian Lare, a close friend I made while studying here."Arm in arm, the two of them entered the ve
Dexter's frustration was evident as he placed his hands on his hips and took a few quick strides before saying through gritted teeth, "She's also a friend of Julian's. Is there an issue with her wanting to congratulate him and his wife?"The banquet began shortly. Angela sat next to Dexter, silently checking her phone every now and then, hoping time would speed up.As the newlyweds made their rounds to toast everyone, Angela managed to force a smile."Well, well, well. If it isn't Angela. What a rare sight!" Julian remarked with a hint of genuine surprise in his tone, as if seeing her there was something out of the ordinary.After all, he had never seen Dexter bring her to any important events in the past few years."Congratulations on your marriage," Angela smiled faintly and said no more."Hello, Ms. Graham." At this moment, the bride reached out her hand first.Angela was a little surprised but still smiled and shook her hand, feeling that she had seen this woman somewhere be
Zack recalled that Angela had recently mentioned her official divorce from Dexter, stating that they were no longer married. He couldn't help but question why Dexter was there, attending to her with such care and attention.He scratched his head in confusion, unable to piece it all together. Finally, he blurted out, "Dexter, Angela and you... Aren't you two..."Dexter glanced at him. "What?"Zack asked directly, "You two are divorced, yet you still have feelings for her. Are you trying to win her back now?"Dexter was stunned, feeling slightly embarrassed.Zack sat down next to him with a silly smile. "It's alright, Dexter. We're family; you don't have to be shy. In the past, I thought it was fine if you divorced her, as I believed she didn't deserve you. "But I've come to realize that Angela is truly exceptional, and you barely measure up to her. If you're serious about winning her back, I can help you. What do you say?"Dexter boldly remarked, "What assistance can you offer?
"Ms. Graham, Mr. Bamford has dispatched 50 employees, and they've already started working," Clara said excitedly on the phone.Angela was taken aback upon hearing that Dexter had sent a team to assist her. However, despite the large number of people he'd sent, the factory equipment remained insufficient."Ms. Graham, Mr. Bamford has also sent us a batch of new equipment, which is currently being unloaded," Clara added, her voice brimming with emotion. She was overwhelmed with joy and was fighting back tears.Angela stood silently in the corridor, feeling dizzy. It felt surreal that Dexter had actually stepped in to assist her and resolved the pressing issue troubling her within mere minutes. How had he suddenly become so kind? Angela found herself utterly perplexed. She was lost in thought for a long time.At that moment, an overwhelming fatigue washed over her. She felt lightheaded, and her limbs were numb. An intense drowsiness began to set in."What's going on? You're not goi
"Have you finished your work?" Dexter asked casually. He removed his sunglasses and gazed at her quietly.At that moment, Angela had yet to even wipe the dust from her face. Exhausted from a sleepless night of work and battling her anxiety, she appeared far more haggard than Dexter."I have something I need to take care of first. Please allow me to go. You should return to the hospital first. I'll visit you as soon as I'm done, alright?" Angela's tone softened as she recalled his kindness.Her tone was like a man persuading his mistress to return to the home. Dexter had become the eager mistress, waiting for her arrival. Dexter inhaled deeply and got out of his car. He approached her and commanded, "Get down first."Angela rejected anxiously. "No. I have something urgent to take care of.""Your face is so dirty. Do you want to embarrass yourself by going out like that?" Dexter sneered.In an instant, a flicker of care appeared in the depths of his eyes.Last night, after she
The doubt in Harvey's eyes vanished, replaced entirely by admiration and praise. "I didn't expect that you would have such an opportunity. I'm looking forward to it.""I won't let you down."...After Harvey left, Angela asked everyone to start buying leather again. She then held a meeting with the factory employees, urging them to work overtime and stay focused on their goals."It's impossible to finish the order. We put in so much effort, but everything ended up in ashes. Is this deal still on?""That's right. There was a big fire just now, and everyone is still panicking. How can we stay positive?""Ms. Graham is ridiculous. Does she think we're all magicians?"While Angela spoke on stage, the workers below whispered, visibly dissatisfied. Noticing this, Clara waited for Angela to pause and then informed her about their comments.Angela offered a faint smile, having fully anticipated this. It was simply a part of human nature. As she prepared to speak again, she began wit
By this time, the media had caught wind of the news and quickly gathered at the factory to capture photos. Angela took it upon herself to release a public notice detailing the incident's causes and consequences, as well as the disciplinary actions taken against those involved and the measures being implemented to support the injured.Fortunately, she acted swiftly by arriving promptly to assess the situation. She communicated clearly to the public, took responsibility for her mistakes, and committed to rebuilding the warehouse while enhancing management regulations. Her fast response effectively cut the backlash she faced by at least half.The following morning, the senior executives of Graham Group began to arrive one by one, greeted by the sight of the warehouse in ruins. They were shocked by the strange odor in the air and saw Angela efficiently directing the team in a well-organized response to the aftermath of the disaster."Ms. Graham, are you alright?" Wilbert, the head o
"Why didn't I notice you worked so hard before?" Dexter joked, enjoying a delicious dessert in the hospital.While he remained relaxed, Angela was overwhelmed by anxiety. With just five days until the deadline, they had only managed to complete 60% of the production."I never really had the opportunity to be busy before," Angela replied casually, setting her phone aside. She then rubbed her face hard, trying to dispel the fatigue that lingered.She felt unusually irritable and uneasy today, as though something was about to happen. Ultimately, she attributed it to the uncomfortable hospital bed.Outside the window, a gentle night breeze blew, making the curtains dance around. Angela awoke to her racing thoughts and sat up in bed. Just then, her phone rang. It was Clara calling. "Ms. Graham, our factory is on fire."The simple sentence shocked Angela, leaving her numb. "What's going on?"As soon as she posed the question, she tossed aside the quilt and instantly got out of bed. S
Andrew's fury was palpable. "Nonsense! You didn't even acknowledge my contribution to the company!""Didn't the company reward you appropriately? Your salary and stock dividends are the highest besides Bill's, not counting those bribes you received. "Mr. Graham, there are things I'm aware of but won't mention for the sake of your dignity. Please don't create a scene unless you want to lose what's left of your reputation."As Angela confronted Andrew, she went from seeming quiet to confident. She could even tackle problems with a sense of humor.Andrew's anger continued to grow. The harder he fought, the more he felt defeated."Uncle Andrew, Angela has been merciful. If you know what's best, leave now. If you refuse, I can take you." Zack, who had been observing the situation with amusement, chimed in.Angela remarked, "Ask Joanne to send Mr. Graham out. If he creates trouble again, don't intervene. There's no point in giving him more chances since he's being unreasonable."Afte
Angela couldn't shake off her concern for Dexter. After all, he had been injured because of her. How could she not feel anxious about it?The doctor arrived promptly and conducted a thorough checkup on Dexter. He concluded that Dexter's injury was acting up again, leading to poor blood circulation. He needed to go to the hospital for medication and injections. Angela went with him. Meanwhile, Zack stayed home to wait for Joanne."Mr. Bamford, it's best for you to stay in the hospital. Given your current health condition, it's not advisable..." the doctor advised worriedly.The nurse had assisted Dexter in changing into a hospital gown. He propped against the bed, visibly uncomfortable due to the lack of support behind him. Noticing his discomfort, Angela quickly fetched a pillow and offered him a box of tissues to wipe the cold sweat beading on his forehead. Dexter glanced at her intensely and remained silent."You should consider staying here for the next few days. There's no
The abrupt ringing of the phone shattered the stillness in the room, startling everyone present. Andrew answered impatiently, "Who is it?"On the other end of the line, Angela replied with a smirk, "It's me, Mr. Graham. The deadline I set has passed, and I still haven't heard back from you. I've asked someone to clear the COO's office for the department of supervision, which was previously cramped in the executive office."Andrew was furious. "How dare you!""Did I not inform you ahead of time? Oh, by the way, it seems you didn't select any of the options I proposed, so I've decided to take matters into my own hands. "There's a small company in Cetol that opened a few years ago. If you're okay with it, you can start working there. I've sent all the relevant information to you via email."In a moment of frustration, Andrew hurled his phone away before Angela could complete her sentence. All his life, he had enjoyed success at Graham Group, always managing to get what he desired.