This was the first piece of positive feedback Angela had heard all day, and it felt like a warm current flowing into her heart.Her nose tingled, and her eyes began to sting with tears. "Thank you, Mr. Snowden."Callum watched her trembling eyelashes with a glint of interest in his eyes."Mr. Snowden, do you have any words for this exceptional designer standing next to you?" Benton asked with a smile as he handed the microphone to Callum.The latter took the mic with an indifferent air but then dropped a bombshell that left the room stunned. "Ms. Graham is incredibly talented. If she were to join DawnStar Co., it would be an immense honor for us."Angela was in shock. She couldn't believe her ears. This was beyond surprising!"I'd be honored," she blurted out without thinking. "To work for DawnStar Co., even as a junior designer starting from scratch, would be an honor."Her voice trembled. She was deeply grateful.Callum shot a half-smile at Dexter in the audience before turni
If Angela could get a divorce, that would be a huge relief. Three joys all at once. It was definitely worth celebrating."Fine, let's get a divorce!"Dexter's mind buzzed. The feeling of losing control over his prey flooded his mind.But what had he just said? How could he agree to this so easily?"Alright, don't go back on your words!" Angela's heart raced with excitement.She called the butler, Winston Hendrix, out. "Draft the divorce papers immediately. I don't want anything—just a clean break!""You're that eager? You want to go running to Callum so badly?" Dexter ground his teeth. His voice was cold and filled with venom.If this had been before, his tone and demeanor would have made her believe he still had feelings for her. She would have been ecstatic.But now, looking at his grim and chilling face, Angela felt nothing but weariness deep inside."Think whatever you want." Scoffing, she sat down on the couch and offered him a casual smile. "Mr. Bamford, don't tell me yo
Angela said calmly, "As long as we sign the divorce papers and get the divorce certificate, you and I will part ways cleanly."With your generosity, I trust you won't use the Graham family to manipulate me or threaten me again. I hope we can sever all ties, ideally never to cross paths again."She continued, "I would be grateful for your magnanimity then, Mr. Bamford.""Mr. Bamford, our subsidiary will be going public next year. If the divorce agreement is made public, it could harm your and the company's image," Winston interjected.Dexter's expression changed slightly. But before he could respond, Angela took over the conversation."I can sign a non-disclosure agreement for three years. During that time, I will keep our divorce private. I'll cooperate with you in front of Grandpa as well, but you'll need to pay me a certain amount."What a perfect solution.Dexter, livid with anger, laughed mockingly. "You really thought this through, Angela. How come I never noticed how eloqu
Angela looked around but didn't spot Dexter anywhere."I'm here for a divorce," she said with a grin.The woman was shocked. She had never seen someone so carefree about a divorce, let alone dressed up in such a flamboyant way.Dexter arrived half an hour late. Angela only stood up when she saw him. Luckily, he had already arranged for their private service that morning.His expression wasn't a happy one, and seeing her dressed so brightly only fueled his anger."Angela, are you already looking for your next man before the divorce is even finalized?" He sneered coldly. His words were sharp like knives."Yes," Angela replied with a laugh. "After all, I can't live without men."Dexter fumed.The divorce process took quite some time, with staff members repeatedly asking if they were really sure about it. After all, the two of them looked like a movie star couple.Angela patiently explained again and again.When the process was finally over, she felt an immense sense of relief.
Judy was increasingly anxious.She had already told her friends that they were going to have a party here. If Angela kicked her out, it would be a huge embarrassment.Moreover, the house was truly beautiful. It was an enchanting castle-like villa built over a decade ago, fulfilling every romantic fantasy a woman could have.This was also a trophy from her victory over her rival. That sense of spiritual pleasure couldn't be matched by any other form of happiness.She needed to calm Angela down first."Angela, why don't we do this? We could live here together, as a family, all under one roof. Then, we can bring your sister back from abroad, and we'll all live happily together. Doesn't that sound better?"Judy had a 20-year-old daughter, Noelle Graham, who was studying abroad. She came back only once a year. Compared to her useless son, Noelle was the true apple of her and Bill's eye."No way," Angela replied without hesitation. She pointed toward the door. "Get out. Now."Judy's
Bill's face paled at once.Right. He wasn't just afraid of Tyler. He was also terrified of Dexter."What sort of play are you two putting on?" Dexter's voice was calm.He was tall, with an imposing presence that seemed to shrink the spacious living room the moment he stepped inside.Bill's face twisted in panic as he instinctively glanced at Judy. He looked as if he wanted to hide behind her."Dexter, y-you should have let us know you were coming." Judy's smile was strained as she fumbled for words.Dexter casually sat down on the couch. "Can't I come? This is Angie's house. As her husband, I'm likely more entitled to be here than either of you."Bill's face turned as pale as a sheet.This didn't make sense! Wasn't Dexter the one who had always looked down on Angela and was eager to cut her loose?"Yes, yes, of course." Judy's forced grin widened as she wrung her hands. She struggled to find something to say.At that moment, the friends Judy had invited for a house tour arriv
Angela spent the afternoon bonding with her new pets. She set up cozy spots for them by the large floor-to-ceiling windows in the living room. In no time, the once-silent house came alive with warmth and activity.That evening, rain began to patter against the windows. Angela ordered takeout and prepared steak for herself, reveling in the small joy of solitude.On Monday, she reported to DawnStar Co. for her first day.The HR personnel led her to the design department on the 23rd floor.As soon as Angela stepped inside, she was stunned by the size of the space. The entire floor, around 5,000 square feet, was filled with the design department's offices."Hi, I'm Nora Rutherford, the head of the design department." A stylish woman in professional attire walked over, her high heels clicking with each step. She extended a friendly hand to Angela.Behind her, the design department staff watched Angela curiously.Angela returned the gesture with a polite smile. "Nice to meet you, Ms.
After work, Nora arrived at a café near the company. A woman was already waiting for her."Nora, over here!" A young woman waved her hand.Nora walked in confidently with her high heels clicking on the floor. Her every step exuded elegance."Shelly, what brings you by today?" she asked, pulling out a chair. Nora was Shelly's cousin.Noticing Elena sitting next to her, Nora froze for a second. Why was Elena here too?"Ms. Ruthford," Elena greeted, extending her hand.Nora quickly composed herself, smiling as she shook Elena's hand."Nora, I heard Angela's joined your company. How's she doing?" Shelly went straight to the point.Nora raised an eyebrow. "She's just a regular team member. She only started today. I haven't seen Mr. Snowden paying much attention to her. She seems pretty down-to-earth, but honestly, she doesn't look all that innocent."The thought of Angela's stunning, makeup-free face made Nora feel a twinge of annoyance.On her way out of the office that day, she'
Angela trembled violently as she stood frozen in place. Her already pale face instantly lost all color.Sure enough, what was meant to come would come, no matter how hard she tried to avoid it."Grandma, this has nothing to do with you." Dexter suddenly stepped forward in three quick strides, planting himself firmly in front of Angela. Every word he spoke was powerful and resolute.Angela was slightly stunned. His back was like an unbreakable wall—solid and unyielding.Natalie, however, was utterly shocked. She stared at Dexter in disbelief. "What do you mean by that? Isn't the child she's carrying yours? You two have only been divorced for a while. Don't tell me she already has someone else's—""Grandma!" Dexter cut her off sharply before she could say anything more offensive. "I said this has nothing to do with you."With that, he turned around, grabbed Angela's arm, and led her out the door. "Where do you want to go? I'll take you.""Home," Angela replied hoarsely. She looked
Dexter stood motionless outside the room for what felt like forever until Natalie approached with the help of Ursula."Dexter, is it true that that woman is pregnant? Is it your child? Is it a child of the Bamford family?" Natalie was unusually excited. There was even a hopeful glow in her once lifeless eyes.Dexter's mind was in chaos. He nodded vaguely, not wanting to say anything more.Alas, Natalie wouldn't stop asking questions, like whether Angela's previously poor health would make the pregnancy risky or who would get custody of the child now that the two of them were divorced."Grandma, you should go get some rest. We haven't even discussed all of this yet." Dexter finally couldn't take it anymore and gently persuaded her to leave.But just then, someone from Joseph's side came to call him. Dexter had no choice but to get Fiona to stay with Angela while he hurried off.Joseph had also heard about the pregnancy. In fact, the moment the result was confirmed, the news spread
"Why are you stammering like this? Are you even a man?" Fiona gave Dexter a disapproving smack on the back before bluntly revealing the truth. "Angela, you're pregnant."Angela was speechless. What did Fiona just say?She genuinely thought something was wrong with her ears. How could she have heard something so absurd? How could she possibly be pregnant? Hadn't she become infertile after her body had been exposed to something harmful?Even though Dexter had forced her to undergo treatment for a while, it shouldn't have worked that well.Angela's face shifted between pale and flushed a few times. After a minute or two, she finally came back to her senses. "Madam Fiona, are you joking?"She gave an incredulous laugh, suspecting that Fiona didn't want her to be just a friend anymore and wanted her to be her daughter-in-law instead.With a heavy sigh, Fiona pulled out a blood test report. Angela stiffly accepted the undeniable proof and gave it a quick scan, only to be instantly dumb
Joseph's eyes were filled with worry, as if he feared Angela would be left without support in the future.She was about to speak when she suddenly felt a wave of nausea rise in her stomach, causing her to nearly gag. She quickly got up and poured herself a glass of water, barely managing to suppress the discomfort.It seemed like her body hadn't fully recovered yet, as even a little fatigue made her feel unwell."Grandpa, I've been swamped with work recently. I have no energy to focus on anything else," Angela said with a bitter smile before letting out a long sigh.The weight on her shoulders was just too heavy, so heavy that she could barely catch her breath.Joseph looked at her meaningfully, a trace of regret and helplessness crossing his eyes.…It was past 11:00 pm when Angela finally went to the guest room after her conversation with Joseph.By then, she was already physically and mentally exhausted. She collapsed onto the bed and fell asleep as soon as her head hit the
Back when Angela and Dexter were still together, Joseph had clearly been biased toward them. Now that they were divorced, Joseph was still unable to let go of Angela. How could anyone tolerate that?"Grandma, Aunt Ursula, Grandpa treated Angela very well before. It's only right that she comes to visit him." Dexter's face showed no expression, but his tone was firm.Since he had spoken, Ursula stopped talking. She could sense something was off, but seeing the awkwardness between Dexter and Angela, it didn't really seem like anything was going on. Thinking it over, she decided to stay quiet.Natalie, however, wasn't so easy to deal with.Seeing that Dexter wasn't taking her side, she became annoyed and went straight inside, saying to Angela, "Alright, since you've already seen Joseph, you should go. He needs rest."Upon hearing this, Joseph immediately started coughing, his face turning pale.The exasperated Angela didn't respond to that. Instead, she immediately tried to calm Jose
Jennifer was rather frustrated. In theory, a man like Dexter, who was so charming and outstanding, should have easily won Angela over with all the effort he had put in to make her change her mind.Yet, the stubborn Angela acted like someone who had kicked a drug addiction. She merely observed from the sidelines, refusing to take the bait.Jennifer also believed that Dexter was being too laid-back about this. He was making her create minor issues for Angela, but he hadn't made any big moves himself. How could that work?"Mr. Bamford, if you ask me, you should get your family to help," Jennifer suggested. "I heard Ms. Graham is very close to your grandfather. If you involve him, she will definitely…"She didn't voice the rest of her thoughts.Dexter stared silently into space, as if lost in thought. He didn't say anything for a long time.Jennifer became anxious. "Mr. Bamford, you two have feelings for each other. You can't cut off contact. You need to show up in front of her occas
"You're out of luck. The elevator's to the right—please leave." Angela showed no courtesy as she outright told Jennifer to go. She couldn't be bothered to waste any more time on this drama queen."You…"Jennifer stood up abruptly, furious. "Angela, do you even hear yourself? I'm representing Bamford Co. Since you dare refuse me, does that mean you're not worried that this will anger Mr. Bamford?""Oh, I'm so scared!" Angela made an exaggerated face before smirking, making it clear she wasn't taking Jennifer seriously at all. "If you don't leave now, I'll have to call security.""Then I'll just have Mr. Bamford personally come here to talk to you." Jennifer sneered, waving her phone that had diamond studs on the back."Ms. Graham, you and Mr. Bamford have already gone your separate ways. I'm sure you don't want to have anything to do with him anymore, right? If he comes here to talk to you, your decision will change, won't it?"Angela remained indifferent, looking at Jennifer with
As a woman, Angela might not be the most perceptive in some areas, but when it came to matters of the heart, she knew what she was talking about.She could tell that Ingrid, despite her cold and distant demeanor, truly liked Austin. Otherwise, she wouldn't have come here and swallowed her pride for him.Angela wasn't petty. As long as things could be cleared up over time, she wouldn't hold onto grudges.…In the afternoon, she and Austin held a management meeting to analyze and summarize the recent live commerce project.At the end, they conducted a vote, and more than half of the people fully supported Angela's decision. The rest had no choice but to go along with the majority. With this, Angela had managed to establish herself in the company for the time being.The live commerce gradually fell into a rhythm, boosting sales several times over and bringing Horizon back into the spotlight with consumers.To maintain this momentum, Angela had the HR department hire a group of youn
It was just that Ingrid hadn't quite shifted her perspective yet.At the moment, Angela was wondering whether things could be resolved peacefully. If tensions could be eased, wouldn't that mean she would gain a highly capable ally? Why would she go out of her way to maximize animosity?"What a shame; I absolutely hate cream puffs." Unfortunately, Ingrid wasn't having any of it. She shot a disdainful glance at Angela and the cream puffs.Angela froze for a second. Then, shrugging it off, she simply opened the plastic bag and took a bite of a cream puff."Well, if you've got something to say, go ahead. I've got no time to waste on someone who doesn't appreciate cream puffs." She spoke righteously, as if anyone who disliked cream puffs didn't deserve her respect.Ingrid wore a look of complete bewilderment. She stared at Angela, wondering if she had changed overnight. What was going on today? Had everyone eaten some weird mushroom or something, making them act all weird?"My dad w