"Do you know how to ride?" Mia asked, gesturing toward the stable in the distance. "I can find you a gentle horse and walk you around a few times. I promise you'll love it once you get the hang of it."Horses roamed the stable—some munching on feed, some snorting, while others kicked up dust as they pranced.Angela's attention drifted to a group of socialites gathered outside the stable, picking out horses. Among them, she recognized Shelley. She stood arm-in-arm with Elena, pointing at the different horses in the stable.Shelley's voice was loud as she complained that one horse was too fat and another's coat too dull. Meanwhile, Elena remained quiet and composed, though she occasionally glanced back at Angela, her expression unreadable."Just find me one that isn't too spirited. I'm not much of a rider," Angela said.In truth, she was being modest. Growing up, she'd watched Tyler and Marie ride with ease and had picked up a lot just by observing.Angela had even gone riding with
Mia remained unfazed. "I could have one of our staff assist you, Ms. Rutherford. They're more specialized than I am and can provide better service."Shelley scoffed and stepped forward. "Absolutely not. Those lowly staff could never compare to you. Not that you're anything special either, but… you are a professional horse trainer."You're the only horse trainer in Eldmere City who's somehow managed to get engaged to the scion of a wealthy family. Are your staff aiming that high too?"Shelley had always been sharp-tongued—expecting kindness from her was a lost cause.Angela's expression hardened. "Don't push your luck, Ms. Rutherford. Maybe you should look in the mirror and ask yourself if you're any better."Shelley's smile faltered, but she quickly recovered. "Isn't that a little uncalled for, Ms. Graham? I don't understand why you'd lower yourself to befriend a mere horse trainer. And let's not forget—you didn't exactly come from much either."You only got where you are by bein
"Did Ms. Graham and Ms. Spencer get on someone's wrong side somehow? I don't understand why some people just have to be so confrontational. Don't they know that they should at least have basic respect toward others?"The people around them whispered among each other, criticizing Shelley for being inconsiderate and lacking in manners.Shelley winced slightly in embarrassment. She stammered with an awkward expression, "I-I didn't mean it that way! I'm blunt with my words, but I never looked down on them. If I did, why would I even come here?""Need I remind you that you just ordered me to lead your horse, saying that menial work like this is fitting for a lowly horse trainer like me? We've long moved past the master-slave dynamic in society. Don't you understand that everyone is equal in the modern world?" Mia questioned.Her voice was calm and indifferent, yet it carried an inexplicable authority that made everyone feel uneasy.Shelley was at a loss for words, and her face turned a
Zayn quickly went along with what Mia said to calm her down. "Alright, alright. Don't be mad. Let's take our time to figure this out."Angela walked alone to the golf course beside the horse track to clear her mind.She was in an awful mood. Watching those people subtly and openly bully Mia made her feel like she was looking at an alternate version of herself in a parallel world.If she hadn't come to her senses and had continued to be Dexter's devoted follower, then there would have been one more poor soul getting bullied here."What's wrong?" A familiar male voice suddenly came from behind her.Speak of the devil—it was Dexter.His tall, lean figure cast a shadow over her and shielded her from the sunlight completely.Angela turned to look at him. With the sunlight illuminating his back, he appeared exceptionally handsome. His deep-set, smoldering eyes were particularly captivating. Given his good looks, it was no wonder there was always a group of women chasing after him wher
Shelley was at the front of the group. Her horse was much taller than the others. It gave off an imposing presence.She turned her head and lifted her chin in Angela's direction to taunt her.Angela, however, simply averted her gaze indifferently. She didn't even bother to spare Shelley so much as a glance.As soon as the whistle blew, Shelley shouted, "Giddy up!"Her riding posture was textbook perfect. She leaned slightly forward, her gaze sharp and focused, every muscle in her body tense. She clamped her legs tightly against the horse's belly, coordinating her reins with the occasional whip. In less than a minute, she had already pulled ahead by half a lap.The race was only five laps long, so it would be over quickly.At this moment, Angela had no intention of stealing the spotlight. She planned to take it easy and just enjoy the ride. It was clear that Shelley was determined to win first place today.But just as Charcoal carried her through the second lap, he suddenly bec
As soon as Dexter finished speaking, Charcoal suddenly let out a long, pained neigh. His front hooves reared up, and he nearly threw Angela off.A wave of dizziness hit her, and she couldn't hold on. She swayed precariously on the horse's back.At that critical moment, Dexter didn't hesitate. He lunged forward and grabbed Angela. They both fell onto the grassy land and tumbled on the ground for more than 30 feet.Angela was absolutely stunned. She only knew that she had fallen into a solid and warm embrace before the world spun violently the next second. Her mind was nothing but a chaotic mess."Angela!" Dexter's anxious cry rang beside her ears.The half-conscious Angela slowly opened her eyes and met his gaze. Dexter's eyes were filled with deep concern. His reddened eyes were a clear indication of how worried he was.A scrape ran along the side of his face. The wound was obvious and jarring to look at."You… How are you?" A complicated mix of emotions surged within Angela. Sh
Zayn fell into deep thought and suddenly recalled that when Angela had first mounted Charcoal, everything had been fine. Then, Charcoal had gone berserk out of nowhere. It was highly likely that something had suddenly provoked him."Our horses are generally chosen for their gentle temperament, and they are trained daily by professional horse trainers. They wouldn't just go mad for no reason," Mia said, furrowing her brows.She then added, "If anything happens to them, I won't be able to forgive myself even if I die a hundred times over."She lowered her head in shame. No matter what, the incident had happened at her club. She wouldn't be spared from blame.Suddenly, Elena stood up and said coldly, "Ms. Spencer, you'd better hurry up with your investigation. This concerns the safety of the Bamford family's heir. If anything happens to Dexter, the Bamford family will not let this go easily. "At that point, it won't just be you. You'll drag the Jewell family down with you as well."
"Dexter saved me," Angela said with a serious expression after a brief silence. "The whole thing had happened suddenly, and no one could have predicted it. But Dexter and I will only hold the person responsible accountable. I believe this has nothing to do with Mia.""What do you mean by that?" Elena frowned and stared right back at Angela questioningly.Angela felt an overwhelming sense of disgust. She felt both irritated and incensed.Right now, Dexter was still inside receiving treatment. Elena was an outsider, yet she had the audacity to nitpick and criticize. Who did she think she was?"What I mean is that we will investigate and uncover the truth. Until everything is clear, Ms. Carrey, it would be best if you remained silent," Angela said bluntly.Elena didn't expect to be rightfully put in her place in front of so many people. Her face darkened with anger as she retorted coldly, "If it hadn't been for you, Dexter wouldn't have gotten hurt today. You really are a—""I d
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.