When Angela got home, she went straight to the bathroom for a shower. But every time she closed her eyes, she saw Dexter's reddened eyes.He was truly furious today.Angela felt a wave of irritation, but what worried her more was the thought of Dexter causing trouble for Finn.After all, Dexter never cared about reason. He only acted based on his mood."Mrs. Bamford, Madam Fiona is here." Donna's nervous voice came from outside the bathroom.Angela frowned. She hurriedly finished cleaning up, slipped into some loungewear, and rushed downstairs.Fiona was already there, her elegant face as cold as ice. Before Angela could say a word, Fiona slapped her hard across the face.The sound rang out loud and clear. Angela's head snapped to the side, and a sharp, stinging pain spread across her cheek."Angela, have I been too lenient with you? How dare you flirt with another man in broad daylight and humiliate Dexter in front of everyone?" Fiona's voice was frosty.Angela clenched her t
At that moment, the doctor walked in, carrying a medical tray. "Mr. Bamford Sr., there's no need to worry. Mr. Bamford will wake up soon. It's just a minor injury."Angela froze as the familiar voice reached her ears. Turning around, she was stunned to see Finn once again.What was he doing here?Fiona's face twisted in shock and anger. "Dad, why is he here?" Her words were laced with unmistakable questioning.Joseph was displeased. "Finn is the grandson of an old friend of mine, and he's exceptionally skilled in medicine. I invited him to assist."Seeing Joseph openly defend Finn, Fiona had no choice but to suppress her frustration. She replied in a forced, calm voice, "Our family has no shortage of excellent doctors. There's no need to—""Fiona," Joseph interrupted before she could finish. "If work is keeping you busy, you can leave. Angie and I can take care of Dexter from here." It was a thinly veiled dismissal. Fiona's expression froze. This wasn't the first time Joseph ha
Before Angela could respond, Cecilia suddenly exclaimed, "Oh my, Angela, what happened to your face? It's all red. Did someone slap you?"Angela had tried covering the handprint with foundation before coming here, but it hadn't done a thorough job.Meanwhile, the slap she had given Fiona earlier, though seemingly harsh, had barely left a mark."Fiona, this really isn't right. Angie may not come from a wealthy family, but she's a good girl. How could you treat her so harshly? Imagine how heartbroken her parents would be if they knew!"Ursula's outrage seemed genuine, as though she was standing up for Angela.At that moment, Joseph's expression darkened to a degree that felt almost palpable.Fiona stood silently, clearly in a precarious position. Yet, she refused to glance at Angela.She had indeed slapped Angela. She wasn't the type to bow her head or apologize to someone she deemed unworthy. Especially not when she had acted in Dexter's interest."Grandpa, you've misunderstood,
After Ursula and Cecilia left, Angela persuaded Joseph to rest. This left only her, Fiona, and Dexter in the room.Fiona sneered. "Well, you've shown a hint of wit today. That's a rare sight."Angela felt a wave of frustration lodge in her throat at one. Some things never changed."Why didn't you admit I slapped you just now?" Fiona's voice remained icy.Tired of standing, Angela pulled out a chair and sat down before replying calmly, "I fought back earlier, didn't I? If Grandpa asked about it later, it'd be hard to explain."The ongoing feud between her and Fiona was one thing, but Angela wasn't about to let herself become someone's pawn or a subject of ridicule."Angela, don't think that I'll start liking you just because you backed me up in front of Joseph. You know why he favors you. With your petty tricks, you'd better focus on keeping him happy. If he ever tires of you, that'll be the beginning of your divorce." Fiona's words were sharp.Angela rolled her eyes inwardly. "A
"Angela, I've brewed your favorite coffee. Would you like to have some?" Cecilia's voice was soft and warm, and her demeanor was that of an endearing young lady.Angela knew Cecilia had something to say, so she replied, "I'll skip the coffee. Just say what you need to say."The two descended the stairs together, looking no different from a pair of cousins-in-law engaged in casual conversation."Your patience amazes me, Angela. If Aunt Fiona treated me like that every day, I would've gone mad by now." Cecilia sighed. Her expression was a mix of helplessness and sympathy. "If only there were a way to change things, you'd be able to live more comfortably. Don't you agree?"Angela nodded slightly as she subtly led Cecilia toward the nearby poplar trees.She deliberately avoided the lawn, knowing Fiona might see them through the window and start feeling unnecessarily suspicious."Angela, you've always been so kind to me since you married Dexter. I know you're a good person, and I trul
Just then, a flurry of notifications started blaring from the screen.Someone had just sent her ten rockets. That was a donation worth around 100 thousand dollars on the streaming platform.Angela put down her paintbrush and glanced at the account that had sent her the gift. The username was "EternalStarlight". It sounded quite artistic."Shout out to EternalStarlight. Thank you," Angela said with a soft smile. She had seen other streamers acknowledge big spenders this way.…Meanwhile, at Bamford Manor, Zayn lounged on the couch, laughing heartily.Dexter cast him a side-eye, looking as though he was observing a lunatic.Zayn walked over to the bed. "Dexter, you've got to see this! My favorite streamer is live again. I just dropped over 100 grand on her, and she thanked me!""If 100 grand doesn't even get you a thank you, that money might as well be thrown away." Dexter couldn't be bothered to respond. He gave the screen only a quick, sideways glance.But just that one glance
Shelley boldly pulled a chair and sat down beside Angela. Resting her chin on her palm, she gazed at her with a half-smile.Elena, naturally, was right behind Shelley."Didn't expect you to have an interest in art, Ms. Graham," Elena commented with a smile as she sat on Angela's left.Elena wore a chic black-and-white ensemble that day. The buttons were made of lustrous pearls, catching the light in a subtle shine.The fitted, mermaid dress perfectly accentuated her figure, and her brown curls added to her striking femininity.Together, she and Shelley flanked Angela on both sides.Angela locked her phone and sighed inwardly."I didn't know you joined the competition too, Ms. Carrey," she replied casually as she looked at Elena. After all, she hadn't seen Elena at the competition when it had been first held.Shelley couldn't hide her smug smile. "Elena was specially invited by the organizers to participate online. A fool like you, who only knows how to work hard, can't be compa
"Fine!" Dexter shot Angela a cold glance before leaving.As soon as he left, Shelley immediately dropped the act."Angela, I really don't get why you even bothered showing up. You knew you'd be humiliated, yet you still came here. I've got to admit that you've got guts. It almost makes me respect you.""Alright, let's go. The ceremony's about to start." Elena tugged at Shelley's arm to stop her from saying anything further.Throughout it all, Angela remained calm and collected. She knew exactly what she was there for—the rest didn't matter to her."I heard the first prize is already decided. Apparently, the winner has some connection with Mr. Bamford, the organizer. She's trained under a famous designer," one whispered."Well, then we're just competing for the honorable mentions, I guess. At least we're all top designers at big companies. But what's Angela even doing here?""She's probably here to fill the numbers. Who knows what she's trying to do? How could a clueless housewif
"I can't believe you're still in the mood to drink here. Angela is heading to Otril tomorrow. Aren't you planning to go see her off?" Fiona expressed her disappointment as she attempted to pull Dexter up from the couch, only to realize she wasn't strong enough.She had no idea what was going through Dexter's head. For several days, he had been going out for drinks after work, as if alcohol was the only remedy for his pain. She had never seen him in such a state of decline. She couldn't believe this was the same Dexter who had once excelled in the business industry. He seemed like a hopeless romantic now.Dexter sneered impatiently. "What does it have to do with me? She's so cold-hearted. Do I have a say in her actions? She doesn't listen to me at all. I mean nothing to her!"Several people in the private room were a little surprised, including Zayn. They questioned the situation, recalling how Dexter had always remained indifferent to Angela. It appeared that their roles had sudd
Dexter's voice reflected heartache, disappointment, and helplessness.Angela felt intense pain in her heart. She looked up and briefly saw his red eyes before he turned and ran out the door. The door was wide open, and his scent faded away with the wind.She stayed like that for a while and took time to decide her next move. In the end, she decided not to dwell on it anymore. It was clear that she wasn't mistaken. Yet, her words were just a bit too harsh.He simply didn't understand her, nor did he need to. She felt complicated.…Angela spent almost a week in the hospital, and during that time, Joel visited once. When they finally sat down together, they engaged in an open conversation about the company's future plans. Their discussion flowed easily, and they completely avoided any mention of Bill. Angela and Joel enjoyed each other's company and realized that they had connected far later than they should have.Joel not only lifted the restrictions on Graham Group within the O
Those familiar with Dexter would recognize his tone immediately. It was clear that he was still in a bad mood. He didn't even want to open the door himself and insisted that others do it for him. To prevent Angela from being sad, Kerry quickly opened the door.Everyone noticed Dexter standing there, burdened with a heavy load and wearing a grim expression. "Mr. Bamford, you..." Kerry was taken aback.Dexter couldn't open the door because his hands were full of shopping bags. "I went to bring things for her," Dexter replied reluctantly, pushing past Kerry. Clara cast a questioning glance at Angela, her eyes silently inquiring about the situation at hand. Angela chose to ignore it. After being unjustly scolded, she was still angry, and she had no desire to engage with Dexter.After Dexter entered, he put everything on the coffee table and sat on the couch, appearing cold and unapproachable. No one said a word after that. "Perhaps we should leave first," Kerr
Dexter immediately rushed out, slamming the door. "What happened?" Fiona asked. Angela remained perplexed. "No idea. I only said my wound hurt. I didn't say anything else or offend him."She wondered if he had caught the alpha male syndrome. She hoped not—otherwise, Fiona would be in for a nightmare.After that, the doctor carefully examined her and assessed her wounds, explaining that her reactions were typical once the anesthetic wore off. He assured her that as long as she took her medication as prescribed and allowed herself adequate rest, there would be no cause for concern.Angela repeatedly thanked him. Despite the pain, she felt uplifted by her ability to control her fate and make a difference through hard work. She preferred to keep striving rather than seek others' approval through flattery.In the afternoon, Clara called to say that everyone wanted to visit her. They had bought gifts, and Clara hoped she wouldn't refuse them. Naturally, Angela would not decline. S
Dexter felt an overwhelming urge to rush in and carry Angela away. He considered that it would be better to pressure the Crawford family than to allow her to use this foolish approach.However, he still waited for her silently, knowing that she didn't want to be disturbed.Joel felt helpless. He wiped the blood from his nose and helped Angela up. "I promise you. Go and see a doctor now. Why are you so stubborn?"Angela's eyes sparkled with excitement, and her voice quivered with joy. "Thank you, thank you..."Before she finished speaking, she collapsed. Dexter quickly lifted her up. "Angela!"Fiona rushed over to assist, urging, "Quick! We need to get her to the hospital now!"…Dexter and Fiona waited anxiously outside the emergency department until the doctor reassured them that Angela's injuries were minor and mostly superficial. Meanwhile, Angela slept with an IV drip, unaware of their concern."Why did she keep pushing herself? It's like she's got some sort of superpower o
Angela clenched her jaw, her every move radiating intense hostility with every move, embodying the wrath of a vengeful queen. Joel was briefly distracted before receiving a strong punch to the nose. The metallic scent of blood overwhelmed him as he collapsed to the ground.Angela was astonished by what she saw.Joel struggled to stand. His nose was bleeding, making it hard for him to breathe. He felt dizzy and lost his initial fighting spirit. On the other hand, Angela was incredibly strong, seemingly pushing beyond her limits in a frenzied state.Then, the two fought again, resulting in an unexpected draw. Angela realized she couldn't compete with Joel for long, so she put all her strength into each attack. She noticed that Joel's strength was diminishing as he bled.A few minutes later, the standoff ended when Angela knocked Joel down with a punch. As he rose, blood streamed from his nose, distorting his vision and leaving him unable to continue the fight. The team arriv
Angela had already humbled herself significantly. Despite Joel's consistent indifference, he found it increasingly difficult to dismiss her completely. After all, those who came here were far from ordinary. In the end, he agreed. He would just treat it as a game to see if she was anything like Bill. Angela and Joel soon found themselves on the ring. Angela felt honored and bowed to Joel. Despite secretly looking down on her, Joel maintained a gentlemanly demeanor and smiled.After that, it was time for a heated exchange. Joel sarcastically said, "I'll draw the line somewhere and do my best not to hurt you."Angela smiled with determination, replying, "I'll give it my all until I defeat you." Joel frowned, wondering what this arrogant woman was planning. The battle began quickly. Joel was obviously different from the other contestants Angela went up against. He toyed with her, effortlessly neutralizing her attacks and waiting for her next move, like a cat playing with a mo
Jorina launched a powerful uppercut at Angela, but the latter anticipated the attack and swiftly evaded it. Then, she lowered her stance and delivered a decisive strike to Jorina's abdomen.Her strength was astonishing as well. It was truly unexpected. With another powerful strike, she forced Jorina back a few paces, causing her to lose her balance and crash to the ground. The audience was left in shock. Meanwhile, a hint of a smile graced Dexter's lips, and admiration sparkled in his eyes.In the first match, Angela won effortlessly. The second and third matches followed, and once again, she secured victory easily.She was stunned. When her opponent was knocked out in the third match, she gazed at her fist in disbelief. She couldn't believe that she possessed such strength. It was utterly shocking.The audience buzzed with excitement, captivated by her presence. "Wow, she's incredible! Not only is she stunning, but she's also an amazing fighter!" "Isn't that Angela? It's so
Not only did the male contestants boast impressive muscles, but even the female participants also showcased clearly defined physiques and strength. It appeared that Angela's muscles fell short in comparison."Could you please pass me a towel?" a female contestant requested Angela politely.This female contestant was notably larger, with shoulders that were one and a half times wider than Angela's. When she stood up, her shadow completely covered Angela, making the latter look particularly thin. Yet, she seemed completely oblivious to anything amiss, or perhaps she simply chose not to care, even if she did notice."I'm sorry. But I'm a contestant too, so I don't know where the towel is."After saying that, Angela sensed the gaze of those around her. Some expressions were a mix of shock; others hinted at disdain, while most radiated contempt. Yet, she felt self-satisfied and unfazed by their reactions. Despite her petite stature, she was proud of her hard-earned muscles and confi