Angela and Clara occasionally secretly visited each floor of the company building to observe which departments were operating with the least concerns. In a short span of time, Angela accomplished a lot, the most important of which was developing a comprehensive understanding of the company's operations.Yet, there was troubling news. Andrew had been hospitalized once more. His supporters had been swayed by Angela, and despite his best efforts to change their minds, he had been unsuccessful. This stress had exacerbated his condition, landing him in the hospital. This time, Angela wasn't involved and had no plans to visit him.Dexter hadn't brought up Zayn's engagement in the last few days, leading Angela to believe he had forgotten about it. She decided to take the opportunity to enjoy a leisurely Saturday, intending to sleep until she woke up in her own time. She spent the majority of the day at home, engrossed in her favorite series. It turned out to be one of the most rejuve
Angela lowered her head, feeling curious about what kind of person Mia was. As they approached the Jewell residence, they heard people giving their congratulations in the distance. When they reached the entrance, there was a large crowd of guests. It appeared that many people were more curious than she was."Did you know that the fiancée is a horse trainer who has recently launched an equestrian club?""Really? The Jewell family is regarded as a prestigious family. How could a Jewell marry someone like her?""Could it be that they're getting engaged because she's already pregnant? So the family has no choice but to accept her?"Occasionally, a few speculative voices emerged from the crowd. Though they weren't particularly loud, Angela could hear them distinctly.In the banquet hall, many guests chatted in groups. With only a few friends in that social circle, Angela felt fine being alone. She quietly nibbled on snacks away from the crowd, planning to leave early.Out of the blu
"Ms. Spencer, you're flattering me," Angela replied calmly, though she felt a bit surprised.She wasn't sure if she was imagining things, but it seemed like Mia was paying extra attention to her. Ever since Mia had arrived, her eyes had been on Angela."I'm not. I heard you just inherited your family's business, and that's truly impressive." Mia praised again, her voice ringing out so that everyone nearby could hear.If she wanted to connect with Angela, she could have been more subtle. Angela wondered why Mia didn't choose Bella, who was standing next to her. She suppressed her suspicion and quickly changed the subject.After the newly engaged couple had moved on to toast elsewhere, Bella turned to Angela. "Did you two know each other before? It seems like she's quite interested in you.""No, we haven't met before," Angela replied, feeling confused as well.She found the party long and boring, so she told Dexter and escaped to the back garden. She found a secluded spot next to
The commotion outside abruptly ceased, and everyone turned their heads in astonishment as Angela stepped forward from the back."Well, if it isn't the legendary Mrs. Bamford? What's this? Instead of staying quietly in your corner, you've decided to meddle in other people's business?"The woman speaking was someone Angela recognized—Olivia Quimby, who used to tag along with Elena. She had striking features, was dressed head to toe in high-end brands, and exuded the air of a wealthy heiress.Beside her stood two other women Angela didn't know, but their expression mirrored hers—haughty, arrogant, and dismissive of everyone else."That's right. I am meddling," Angela said coolly, pulling out her phone and aiming the camera at Olivia's face. "If you don't come to your senses, Ms. Quimby, I'll capture this ugly side of yours and project it on the big screen for everyone to see."Olivia's face darkened instantly. She glared at Angela, her eyes brimming with fury."You! You dare threate
"Mia, are you okay?"Zayn arrived in a hurry, bringing people with him. He anxiously checked Mia from head to toe, only relaxing once he confirmed she wasn't hurt."They went too far. Don't worry; I won't let them off the hook," Zayn said, clenching his jaw in anger. Angela had no interest in listening to the two of them pour their hearts out and quickly walked away.As she stepped outside the banquet hall, she ran into Dexter. He took one look at her and immediately noticed something was off. His gaze darkened."Where were you? What happened?"Angela lowered her voice. "It doesn't feel right to stay here for too long. I'm leaving."Before Dexter could say anything, Zayn and Mia had already caught up with them.Zayn reached out and grabbed Angela's wrist. "Angela, you really helped us out just now. You can't just leave like this. Dexter, take her inside—she hasn't even had dinner yet."His enthusiasm matched Mia's. What were these two up to?Angela sighed inwardly. She had n
Angela pressed her lips together, making no comment. At that moment, one of the maids stepped forward."Ms. Graham, Mrs. Jewell Senior would like to see you. Would you please come with me?"The maid carried herself with utter professionalism and had a polite smile on her face. She seemed more like a head housekeeper than an ordinary maid.Angela frowned slightly. "Mrs. Jewell Senior?"The maid nodded.Layla Anderson, Zayn's paternal grandmother, had always been a fan of Sue's designs. Angela wondered if she had perhaps begun to suspect something.Angela's brows knitted together, but she didn't refuse.She, too, wanted to know whether Layla was doing well.Following the maid upstairs, she made several turns through the grand house before arriving at Layla's study.Downstairs, the banquet hall was still lively, but up here, the atmosphere was completely different.Layla sat by the floor-to-ceiling windows, quietly reading. The spacious study was so silent that even a pin drop w
Angela was already feeling irritated and had no patience to deal with Mia."I'm fine. I'm leaving. Ms. Spencer, don't follow me."But Mia grabbed her wrist. "Ms. Graham, if there's something bothering you, you can talk to me. This is the Jewell residence; if there's anything I can help with, I—""Ms. Spencer, you're overestimating yourself."Angela pulled her hand back, her gaze sharp."Instead of spending time trying to make friends, you should focus on improving yourself. Otherwise, even if you had a hundred friends, the people who look down on you still won't see you any differently."Her words were blunt, cutting straight through Mia's intentions and laying them bare for all to see.Mia's face paled. "I—I wasn't… I just thought, since you helped me, I—""I helped you?" Angela let out a cold chuckle."Or did you guide me into helping you? Who can really say? Tell me, as the hostess of the banquet, how did you just happen to end up in the back garden, where Olivia and her gr
Dexter stared at Angela's face for a long moment before speaking."You've been looking down these past couple of days. Is something on your mind?"Angela stared off into space, lost in her thoughts.He waved a hand in front of her eyes. "Are you okay?"Angela jolted back to reality, meeting Dexter's deep, dark gaze. Her heart trembled for a second before she quickly averted her eyes."I'm fine. I'm going to bed. Do as you please."That night, the bedroom was pitch-black. Angela tossed and turned for a long time before finally drifting into sleep."Angie… Angie…"Half-conscious, she seemed to hear someone calling her name. She opened her eyes and saw a familiar figure before her.She immediately sat up and bowed slightly. "Mr. Lawson."Henry was in his 50s. His expression was solemn, and he exuded an undeniable air of authority."Do you regret it now?" he asked, a cold sneer on his lips. His sharp gaze pierced straight through her, as if searching the depths of her soul.Ang
When Angela woke up, the room was utterly silent. She felt like she was being held in someone's embrace, a weight pressing on her chest, making her uncomfortable. "You're up?" Dexter's deep voice, filled with satisfaction, came from right beside her.Angela froze. She instinctively wanted to turn and sit up, but she was firmly held in his strong arms, unable to move. "I... I'm a little thirsty. I want to get some water." She avoided looking at his face. Her voice carried a hint of unease. "Hmm." Dexter stood up and turned away from her to pour a glass of water.He wore only black boxer briefs, showcasing his impressive physique. It was simply mesmerizing. His broad shoulders, trim waist, defined abs, and long legs were striking. But the most captivating feature was his face with sharp features, a chiseled jawline, and icy eyes that exuded indifference. He was absolutely stunning.Angela couldn't shake off the wild memories of last night and suddenly realized how much she h
"You're just getting back? Have you eaten yet? What's going on?" Fiona looked at Angela, surprised to see her return with such a heavy heart. Angela forced a faint smile and shook her head before heading upstairs. After shutting herself in her room, she didn't do anything. She didn't shower or change her clothes. She simply lay there, motionless, for two hours.A little past eleven, Angela heard a door open in the adjacent room. It must be Dexter coming back. She quickly got out of bed, kicking off her high heels and slipping into quieter slippers before stepping out. From the slightly ajar door, she could already smell the faint scent of alcohol. Dexter had been drinking. Without hesitation, she barged in. Before he could react, she switched off the lights and pushed him onto the bed.Dexter was startled. Instinctively, he tried to push her away. But the moment he realized it was her, he stopped moving. In the darkness, he looked at her intensely, feeling puzzled. He a
Austin was surprised by Angela's directness.After all, in the past, Bill and Judy had kicked her out of her home more than once. Despite being a wealthy socialite, she had ended up being a waitress and washing dishes in a restaurant just to make a living, even becoming the subject of ridicule. At that time, she had never even considered defying her family. She had accepted every word they said without hesitation. Her compliance had been so extreme.But at the very least, she'd still had a tiny spark of ambition. Otherwise, Genevieve wouldn't have chosen her as her last mentee.When they arrived at the top-floor office, Clara was already waiting outside. Seeing Angela approach, she quickly stepped forward and handed her an acquisition contract. Angela introduced Clara to Austin before taking the contract and leading both of them into the office. She asked Clara to take care of Austin while she focused intently on reviewing the document. Austin sat on the couch, quietly watc
Angela told Mia about what had happened earlier, hoping to get her opinion.Mia, who already felt that her life was complicated enough, found herself caught in a dilemma at this moment. "Angela, your situation is really tough. Just when Mr. Bamford is being the best to you, Austin suddenly showed up. It's really tricky," Mia said, holding Leo in her arms and furrowing her brows in thought.Angela collapsed onto the couch, staring at the ceiling in deep thought. If she agreed to break up with Dexter, he would be utterly heartbroken. Their relationship would be irreparably damaged. In fact, it might be even worse. Dexter's pride would prevent them from ever crossing paths again.After all, he was the one being abandoned. To him, it was the greatest humiliation.Yet, if she didn't break up with him, she would miss her last chance to see Genevieve. When it came to life and death, everything else should be secondary. She was conflicted, but it felt like she was gradually leaning to
Angela's eyes turned red, but her face became deathly pale. She stood there for a long time without saying a word. Austin said gently, "Calm down first. This is also the reason I came back this time."She asked emotionally, "Where is Ms. Lawson? I want to see her."She hadn't seen Genevieve for years. Back then, Genevieve and Austin had strongly advised her not to marry Dexter, but she had refused to listen. This led to a rift between them, and the two left in anger, never contacting her again.Austin looked at her intently. "You can see her, but… you have to agree to one condition."Angela was stunned. "What's it? Just say it."She had absolute trust in Austin. He would never force her into something unreasonable, let alone make her do anything against her morals. "Cut all ties with Dexter," he replied firmly.Angela almost nodded instinctively, but her mind suddenly went blank in chaos. She stared blankly at Austin, who was distant and cold. She frowned. "Austin, why?""Y
Angela was taken aback when her thoughts escaped her lips. She froze and gave an awkward chuckle. "Well… um... no matter how handsome they are, they're nothing compared to you. You're way more attractive. You're..."Dexter was visibly upset and glared at her. "Shut up! Stop going to places like that in the future!"Angela pouted but had no choice. She could only agree for now to calm his anger. Afterward, the two of them headed to Azure Club together. They arrived half an hour earlier than scheduled. Yet, to their surprise, Austin was already there, casually sipping his drink in the booth.He wore a black shirt and radiated an understated allure. The gold-rimmed glasses lent a touch of intellect to his sophisticated presence, while his graceful and composed movements further enhanced his charm. Just by sitting there, he attracted countless glances from other patrons. Some bold women even walked up to ask for his number, only to be met with a cold, piercing gaze that sent the
Dexter frowned instinctively.Angela's phone wasn't locked, and a message from someone named "Drifting Cloud" appeared on the screen. "Let's meet tomorrow at 6:00 pm in Azure Club."After seeing the location, Dexter instantly became nervous. Without hesitation, he picked up the phone and tapped into the message. Sure enough, "Drifting Cloud" was none other than Austin. Of all places, why did he have to choose Azure Club? There was no way Dexter would allow Angela to go there.Angela had become quite fond of handsome men. Whenever she saw a good-looking guy on the street, she would keep glancing at him. A couple of times, her colleagues had taken her to Azure Club to see the escorts. Ever since, she'd been obsessed, always looking for an excuse to go back. If it weren't for the fact that Callum owned the place, Dexter would've already bought out that indecent establishment and shut it down.But the one asking her out was Austin, someone she'd been eager to see for a long time
That kind of personality, combined with Austin's good looks and talent, made countless women flock to him. Yet, no one had ever seen him get particularly close to anyone. Even with Angela, he'd always been distant, rarely showing any warmth. Because of this, Angela had always felt a little intimidated around him and had never dared to get too close. But today, he'd taken the initiative to add her.She wondered if she should send him a message. Since he'd already made the first move, she figured she should at least show some sincerity in return.Suddenly, someone knocked on her door. Angela was shocked, then let out a sigh. The only person who'd come at this hour was Dexter. She wondered why he always appeared in the middle of the night instead of just going to bed like a normal person.Feeling helpless, she opened the door, ready to confront him. However, she found Dexter standing there with a thermometer in his mouth, looking sick and pitiful. "I'm having a fever," he said
Dexter took a deep breath and stared straight into Angela's eyes. "Do you think I need your damn money?"A rebellious thought suddenly popped into Angela's mind. "You might not need the money, but plenty of others do, like that tall, muscular male escort at Azure Club.""You have no sincerity at all! I went out of my way to help you with such a big favor," Dexter snapped before yanking the car door open and stepping out, slamming it shut with a loud bang.Angela was puzzled by the way he mistreated his cherished car. She hurried out as well. Hearing her footsteps, Dexter slowed down, adopting an effortlessly cool demeanor. He thought she was chasing after him. However, after a few moments of silence, he sensed something was off. He turned his head and was furious by what he saw. Angela had settled into the driver's seat and was following him at a relaxed pace, giving off the vibe of a commanding CEO. Dexter, already fuming, finally lost it. He strode toward her. "Get out!"