Gritting her teeth, Mia spat, "Zayn, if you have even a shred of conscience left, let me leave and stay out of our lives!""It isn't like that. It's not…" Zayn was in visible agony as he was accused by the woman he loved.His face contorted in pain, but at this moment, there was nothing he could do except offer meaningless words in his defense."Ha!" Angela let out a cold laugh, her eyes filled with mockery as she looked at this spineless excuse of a man. "Are you a child? Don't tell me you're still holding on to your mother's apron strings."You're just a mama's boy who only knows how to obey his mother. Mia must have committed some serious sins in her past life to be stuck with a pathetic excuse of a man like you in this one. I feel embarrassed on your behalf!"Zayn flinched as if Angela's words had physically hurt him. He abruptly stood up, his eyes filled with desperation. "Angela, please don't say that. You have to help me—I truly care for her. I'll take responsibility as a
"How can there be such a shameless family in this world? I'm so annoyed!" Gritting her teeth, Angela cursed indignantly.Dexter looked a little resigned. "Some of Zayn's actions may seem irrational, but given the circumstances, it makes sense. After all, he isn't that young anymore, and having a baby didn't come easy for him…""Mia went through so much pain to give birth to that baby." Angela shot him a glare."You know, if you ever have a baby, you'll probably be an extremely protective mother," Dexter remarked, feeling both exasperated and amused.As soon as he said that, both of them froze.Angela felt a strange tightness in her chest, and for the first time, she didn't retort.Right then, the sound of Leo crying came from the guest room. Angela rubbed her face, quickly composing herself before rushing toward the sound."What happened?" She stepped inside.Mia didn't look too good. "I just fed him."Angela took Leo in her arms, gently cradled him, and rocked him to soothe h
"Mrs. Jewell, what's the meaning of this?" Angela rolled down her car window, crossing her arms as she looked at the middle-aged woman who was adamantly trying to argue her way inside to see her grandson.Hearing Angela's voice, Florence turned around. The moment their eyes met, her face twisted with anger."Angela, tell this man to get out of my way! I want to see my grandson! Who does he think he is to stop me?"Her voice was so sharp and grating that it was irritating to hear.Frowning in distaste, Angela instinctively backed off. "Oh, so you're here to see your grandson? I almost thought you came here to start a fight."I mean, look at you—you stormed here empty-handed and with this aggressive attitude. Anyone would misunderstand. Next time, why don't you bring a little something as a gesture of goodwill?""This is my family's matter. It has nothing to do with you, you insolent woman! Mind your own business!" Florence was so furious she was practically smoking from the ears.
"Mia, I'm so sorry. It's all my fault. I made you suffer. I deserve to die—I really do!" At least Zayn was admitting fault properly, like a spineless fool with no fight left.Angela watched the scene unfold from the third-floor balcony, feeling a bit melancholic.Love and marriage were indeed two very different things. Back then, the love between the two had been so strong that it could make anyone envious. Yet, it was nothing but a complete mess now.Maybe it was true that marriage was love's final resting place."What's on your mind?" Dexter suddenly appeared and walked over, stopping right behind her.He was holding two glasses of red wine. It was as if he knew she was in a bad mood and had come to help her relax."Don't you think it'd be great if people could just date without ever getting married?" Angela blurted out without a second thought.Dexter was momentarily stunned. "Sure, I'm fine with that. Whatever you want."Angela almost choked on her wine. After a long pause,
Had Angela fallen for Dexter once again? Was she still as powerless against him as before?No, this couldn't happen.Angela took a deep breath. "Dexter, I have more important things to do, and I love myself the most."She would always love herself, her freedom, and everything she truly wanted to love."I don't want to go back to who I used to be, and I won't give up anything for you. I admit that my heart is wavering because of you, but I—""Then that's more than enough!" Dexter only heard what he wanted to hear, quickly pulling her closer into his embrace. "As long as you have feelings for me, that's all that matters. This is great!"His voice was deep and filled with exhilaration. It was as though he'd conquered the entire world.He was holding her so tightly that she could barely breathe. It rendered her unable to say a single word."Angela, don't be a coward. What's the harm in giving me a chance?" Suddenly letting her go, Dexter stared straight into her eyes while forcing
Dexter hastily grabbed Angela's wrist. The once arrogant, self-important man who'd never cared for anyone his entire life was now showing rare humility. "Alright, alright. You're the boss, okay?"At the moment, he was a man with a touch of arrogance, a hint of resignation, and an awkward charm.Angela's heartbeat showed no signs of slowing down, and a hint of joy crept out from the bottom of her heart.Damn it. Had she really fallen for him?"Just get lost for now!" As soon as the words left her mouth, she froze, feeling instantly awkward.She had meant to tell him to step aside.Dexter looked stunned, a hint of hurt crossing his gaze. He had no choice but to step back resignedly, but his gaze never left her as he watched every flicker of emotion in her expression.Angela instinctively turned away, avoiding his piercing stare. Her mind was a mess—she felt trapped in a giant net and felt at a loss.Just then, she caught sight of Mia heading back in without that scumbag Zayn with
Mia was right. What was Angela afraid of?She'd already won against Dexter once. In this relationship, the tides had long since turned in her favor. If she wanted, she could cut ties with him at any moment. If anyone should be worried, it was Dexter."Is that so?" she asked.Mia sighed helplessly. "It depends. Do you want a loyal partner who will stay by your side forever, give you his whole heart, and even lay down his life for you? Or do you prefer fleeting romances from the dazzling world outside?"Angela quickly waved her hands, looking a little embarrassed. "Stop it. Don't talk nonsense. I may let my eyes wander, but I'll never cross the line."…Meanwhile, Dexter and Zayn were also trying to find comfort in each other's company.Dexter had grabbed two bottles of beer on his way down. At the moment, they were in Zayn's car, clinking bottles from time to time.Slumped like a wilted flower, Zayn had been grumbling nonstop about his miserable life ever since Dexter had gotten
Zayn chuckled. "You might as well try. Desperate times call for desperate measures. No matter how formidable Angela is, she's still a woman. Wasn't she once head over heels for you? It's just that afterward…"…That night, the grand villa was eerily quiet.Dexter paced back and forth outside Angela's room for a long time. He wanted to knock, or maybe just push the door open and go in, but he hesitated every time.With a crack, the door suddenly swung open from the inside.Angela, drowsy with sleep, covered her mouth as she yawned, holding an empty glass in her other hand. She looked like she was heading out to get some water.Their eyes met, and she jolted in surprise. The glass slipped from her hand, about to hit theground, when Dexter swiftly reached out and caught it smoothly."What the heck are you doing here?" In a flash, Angela was wide awake, her expression a blend of wariness and bewilderment.Dexter instinctively avoided her gaze. Without another word, he turned and wa
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!"
However, Angela appeared nonchalant. She was experienced in public speaking, having frequently delivered speeches at the company and even gained a following of admirers. To her, a speech at a homecoming didn't seem like anything particularly impressive.Sure enough, the first speaker was the nephew of Westbridge High School's principal. As a newcomer with little experience, he was supported by a group of backers, and his speech was passionately and eloquently written. However, his slightly hoarse voice and trembling hands made it clear to everyone just how nervous he really was."Just a rookie. Nothing special." Angela leaned back in her seat absentmindedly. She was clearly unimpressed.Dexter wasn't interested either. Every so often, he glanced toward a seat ahead of him as if something had caught his attention.Angela was curious. He was typically the one intriguing others and was always calm and distant. She wondered why he was suddenly so distracted.Following his gaze, her
Felix was frustrated.Once Angela stepped out of the living room, she found Cecilia waiting for her in the courtyard. Angela barely had any interactions with her. Despite Cecilia's cheerful demeanor, she was actually just as scheming as Ursula. This made it hard for Angela to feel any fondness toward her. "Cecilia, is there something you need?" Angela asked with a smile as she approached. Cecilia casually grabbed Angela's arm and led her for a walk around the courtyard. "Angela, our school is celebrating its homecoming event next week, and many famous alumni will be attending. Could you come too? Think of it as a chance to make some new friends."Angela was momentarily stunned. Cecilia was currently at high school. If Angela remembered correctly, her school was Westbridge High School. The school had a long history of producing talented individuals, including exceptionally gifted graduates like Dexter and Mateo. "It wouldn't be very appropriate for me to attend, would it
Angela was stunned and looked at Dexter in astonishment. Then, she instinctively glanced at Joseph, who was seated at the head of the table.Joseph frowned, looking helpless. "Dexter, what do you mean by that?" Ursula asked with a displeased expression, staring at him intently. Her gaze carried a hint of provocation. Joseph exclaimed impatiently, "Enough! Ursula, all of you should head back for now."Ursula frowned, wanting to say something but ultimately holding back."Grandpa, Grandma, we'll be leaving first then." Mateo picked up his tablet and stood up, his expression calm and gentle.Angela gazed over at him. Among Mateo, Trevor, and Dexter, Mateo appeared the gentlest. He wore gold-rimmed glasses and a white suit, radiating a unique warmth and elegance that suggested sophistication even without him needing to speak. He was strong-willed and never compromised on the path his parents had arranged for him. If it weren't for Dexter being naturally gifted in business leader
Angela smiled faintly. "What are you doing this for? You're Dexter's uncle. As long as he's around, you'll never face any difficulties. "Wouldn't it be better to just enjoy a carefree life of luxury? Why insist on making a mess of the company and ruining whatever goodwill others still have for you?"Felix suddenly froze as a sudden realization struck him. "Are you saying... this was all that brat Dexter's idea?"Angela spread her hands casually. "I never said that. Don't make things up."Felix glared at her and turned to leave. He directly went to find Dexter. He even went straight to Bamford Manor to inform Natalie and Joseph about Angela's actions and complain about her.Before the workday ended, Angela received a call from Natalie asking her to return. She was reluctant to go back, knowing she would likely be scolded. Yet, now that the issue was exposed, backing down without a fight was simply not her way.Upon arriving at Bamford Manor, she noticed that everyone, including M
"But you still continue to hire your distant relatives for important positions. If something goes wrong, who will be responsible for it?" Angela asked.If it had been in the past, she might have tolerated it. But these past two days, she'd been in a foul mood and naturally had no patience for this shameless scoundrel.Felix was stunned, looking at her in disbelief. "How... how can you talk to me like that? After all, I'm technically your uncle."Angela didn't even lift her head as she replied impatiently, "Go ask Dexter or Madam Fiona how I dealt with my own biological father. As for you, you're just an uncle. Do you really think I'd care?"She paused for a moment, then slowly raised her head and said in a leisurely tone, "To be honest, I've had enough of you for a long time. If you're willing to keep your head down and behave yourself, I won't go out of my way to make things difficult for you. "But if you insist on being ignorant and desperate for attention, then don't blame me