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Chapter 451
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Love and Devotion: No Longer His to Claim Chapter 452
Dexter stared at Angela's departing figure until it completely disappeared. Only after what felt like an eternity did he manage to recover, if only barely, from her cutting words.At the end of the day, Angela merely wanted to snap him out of it. She wanted to make him treat himself better and stop him from neglecting his own well-being.To him, she had already become an open book. If not for what she had said by his bedside a few days ago when she thought he was still unconscious, Dexter might have really believed her indifference.But even so, what could it change? The two of them were ultimately strangers now. A suffocating sense of pain and frustration welled up within Dexter, one he couldn't describe.Angela trudged out of the hospital, making her way toward Austin's car.He, too, preferred larger vehicles. The dark gray SUV parked by the roadside under the night sky was like a lurking beast."What's wrong?" Austin leaned against the car door, calmly studying her gloomy expr
Love and Devotion: No Longer His to Claim Chapter 453
It seemed that Erwin had chosen to live here for the convenience of commuting.When Angela and Austin arrived at the door, the latter punched in the passcode directly.Angela was taken aback. "We're just going to go in like this? Mr. Mack isn't home. We really shouldn't be doing this, should we?"Austin said indifferently, "It doesn't matter. He lives alone, and he's probably out for his morning exercise. He won't be back for a while."Sure enough, Austin's words were proven true the second they stepped inside.It was a two-bedroom unit, decorated in black, white, and gray tones. The space looked quite large, but the living room was rather empty, as only a regular couch and a round coffee table occupied the space.There wasn't even a television. The whole place gave off the vibe of a bachelor's home.After a quick tour, Austin led Angela into the kitchen, which was even more barren—not even a bag of salt could be found.Erwin's favorite food was oven-baked barbecue ribs, suppos
Love and Devotion: No Longer His to Claim Chapter 454
Erwin ultimately couldn't resist the temptation of good food and decided to give Angela's pork ribs a try.Right after he took a bite, his expression subtly changed. His pupils slightly dilated, as if he were surprised."This is nothing special," he muttered gruffly, yet he continued eating at a leisurely pace that was also somewhat hurried.In just over ten minutes, he had already devoured half of the ribs.Angela discreetly observed him, thinking that her first step had been a success. At the very least, he was willing to eat the food she made, which was already a significant change.After the meal, she didn't linger. Using the excuse that she had matters to attend to at Graham Group, she left earlier than planned."What exactly are you trying to do by bringing her here?" Patting his full belly, Erwin shot Austin a glare.Austin shrugged. "You saw it yourself—nothing at all. We just wanted to have a meal with you. In her final days, Ms. Lawson also ate Angela's cooking for a w
Love and Devotion: No Longer His to Claim Chapter 455
"I'm about to go on a blind date with Dexter. I heard that you two are already divorced. You wouldn't still be clinging to some unrealistic fantasy about him, would you? A woman as old and… scandal-ridden as you is simply not worthy of a man like him."Jennifer had originally intended to call Angela "old and ugly," but the word "ugly" simply didn't suit Angela at all. She couldn't bring herself to tell such an obvious lie."Does Ursula know you came to me?" Angela smiled faintly. "Just a few days ago, she was looking to work with me and have us design looks for the artists in her company. You all have a major awards ceremony coming up soon, don't you?""What are you trying to say?" Jennifer frowned slightly.Angela let out a light chuckle. "I'm saying that I could easily tell Ursula that her brainless niece has offended me, and I don't feel like working with her anymore. That means no more custom gowns or luxury jewelry for her. Simple as that."Angela spoke in a calm tone, not sh
Love and Devotion: No Longer His to Claim Chapter 456
Nonetheless, Jennifer wasn't satisfied with just leaving a good impression on Dexter—she had other plans. Following Ursula's directions, she arrived at Dexter's hospital room.Since Fiona was busy with work, she had specially hired a professional caregiver to take care of Dexter's daily needs around the clock.After a few days, the bandages on his head had been removed. There was nothing hiding his handsome face from view now. Though there were still scratches on the side of his face, they gave him a more rugged and resolute look, which made him just as attractive as before.Jennifer peeked through the gap in the door and caught sight of Dexter's sharply defined side profile. He was looking down at his tablet, seemingly busy with work.Despite being injured, he remained fully dedicated to his work. Jennifer was impressed, and her view of him improved even more.She knocked on the door and, after receiving permission, walked in quietly, hoping to leave a gentle and considerate firs
Love and Devotion: No Longer His to Claim Chapter 457
There was something about Jennifer's gaze that was so clear and sincere that it made it impossible to look away.Dexter smirked absentmindedly. "You seem to know quite a lot. So what? What does it have to do with you?""You deserve better, Mr. Bamford." There was a hint of nervousness in her voice as Jennifer tentatively suggested, "I took clinical medicine as part of my studies abroad and have a deep understanding of patient care. If you don't mind, Mr. Bamford, I could—""Does this hospital have no staff?" Dexter interrupted impatiently, his tone direct. "What exactly do you want? You have three seconds to answer.""Mr. Bamford, to be honest, I fell for you at first sight a year ago, at Mr. Bamford Senior's birthday banquet. I thought time would help me forget these feelings since you were a married man back then."But even after a year, my feelings haven't faded. On the contrary, they've only grown stronger. Mr. Bamford, can't you give me a chance?"Jennifer was left with no c
Love and Devotion: No Longer His to Claim Chapter 458
"Forget it." Dexter took a deep breath. "Do as you please."…On the third morning, Angela went to the company with Austin."I've already announced the matter in the company's group chat. We'll go straight to the meeting, and the handover ceremony will be livestreamed." Austin spoke in a calm voice, as if he were discussing something trivial.Angela, however, was taken aback. "I'm going straight to the meeting? There'll be a handover ceremony?"Why was it so abrupt?She knew that since Genevieve had just passed away, they couldn't hold a grand ceremony, but this was too sudden. She hadn't been informed in advance, meaning she'd had no chance to prepare mentally!"What, are you scared?" Austin raised an eyebrow, a hint of amusement flickering in his eyes.Scared? Not exactly. It was just unexpected."Don't worry." He opened the car door and stepped out. "I'll be with you the whole time. You don't need to pay attention to anyone else."Angela wasn't particularly afraid. She had
Love and Devotion: No Longer His to Claim Chapter 459
Angela's decisiveness in handling matters was commendable, but that didn't change the fact that she was merely a so-called CEO parachuted in through connections.Since Genevieve had faith in her, Erwin was willing to show some courtesy for Genevieve's sake and give Angela a chance to prove herself.If Angela truly was capable, he was willing to let things be. However, if she weren't up to par, he would have every reason to make her step down.He was simply nipping a potential problem in the bud."Mr. Mack, that wouldn't be right." Austin suddenly stood up, staring disapprovingly at Erwin.Erwin chuckled. "Why not? Didn't Ms. Graham make those statements herself?"At that moment, Angela had already guessed his intentions. She slowly got up, signaling Austin to stay calm.Then, she confidently declared, "I can promise that I will establish a new set of effective company regulations, increase quarterly revenue by at least half of the previous quarter, and as for employee salaries a
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Love and Devotion: No Longer His to Claim Chapter 510
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
Love and Devotion: No Longer His to Claim Chapter 509
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
Love and Devotion: No Longer His to Claim Chapter 508
"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
Love and Devotion: No Longer His to Claim Chapter 507
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
Love and Devotion: No Longer His to Claim Chapter 506
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
Love and Devotion: No Longer His to Claim Chapter 505
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
Love and Devotion: No Longer His to Claim Chapter 504
"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
Love and Devotion: No Longer His to Claim Chapter 503
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
Love and Devotion: No Longer His to Claim Chapter 502
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
