Clara was quick, and within minutes, she used shorthand software to record the names of over 20 people."Stephanie Jones, Kenny Hall, Irene Glover… Many of you graduated from prestigious art schools with advanced degrees and likely have experience in numerous competitions. "In addition to preparing for the contest, I'll need you to help boost morale and ease everyone's nerves," Angela said, assigning tasks based on the list Clara had provided and the team's résumés.Her pace was brisk, and in mere minutes, she had outlined what each person would be working on over the next two weeks.Nora was dumbfounded.This was way too fast. They hadn't even fully packed up to leave yet."Alright, get moving now! We're short on hands, so each of you is a vital asset. Let's make the most of our time. If we finish by 11:30 am, we can all go grab lunch," Angela announced, glancing at her watch and issuing another directive.The company cafeteria served excellent food that was better than most r
"Ms. Graham, we know we were wrong. We shouldn't have been swayed by others. From now on, we'll follow you honestly and won't stray again." George spoke up, willing to swallow his pride for the group."Everyone needs to submit a written reflection by the end of the day. That's all. You're dismissed," Angela replied coolly, then went back to her tasks.The others were left looking at each other in confusion.Callum happened to be in the executive office today.Angela paused outside the office to gather her thoughts. Just as she was about to knock, the door opened, and a familiar face appeared. It was Finn.Angela wondered why he was here."Angela, come in," Finn greeted her with a gentle smile. "Are you looking for my brother?"Angela was taken aback. She had thought Finn was an orphan.Noticing her confusion, Finn explained with a chuckle, "Callum sponsored me and raised me from a young age."With that, the realization dawned on Angela. Now she understood why Callum had mentio
The noise drew Angela's attention, and she looked around in confusion before noticing the source of the sound was coming from the third floor.Standing up, she saw a thug on the third-floor corridor holding a woman dressed in black hostage. The man waved a dagger wildly, forcing the crowd to retreat in fear.Angela thought the woman being held hostage looked somewhat familiar."What's wrong?" Callum glanced at the commotion and commented casually, "The food's getting cold."Angela turned her gaze back to the table and saw that Finn had filled her plate with her favourite chicken skewers.Suddenly, louder screams erupted from the third floor, as if someone was trying to put an end to the chaos. Angela suppressed her unease, but the rest of her meal felt tasteless.After the meal, Callum left, and Finn suggested they go to the mall. It had been a while since they'd gone out, and with the weekend coming up, they could take it easy the next day.Angela agreed. She needed to buy some
With the maids and outsiders around, Fiona didn't want to air any personal issues."Are you okay?" Angela asked stiffly."I'm fine." Dexter averted his gaze, his expression cold with a palpable air of rejection.If he was fine, that was all that mattered. Angela stood quietly, lost in her thoughts. She planned to leave once Fiona was gone.Her mind drifted to the upcoming design competition. She intended to carve out time tomorrow for a livestream to create a new painting. Her growing fan base held potential, and she was considering expanding into product promotions to boost her career.Right now, every bit of progress counted if she wanted to reclaim what was rightfully hers.In the past, she would have been frantic with worry over Dexter. However, things were different now, and so was she."What are you standing there for? Didn't you hear me calling you?" Fiona scolded as she shot Angela a glare.Startled, Angela turned and saw Fiona holding a bag. She was still on a video ca
Angela nodded in acknowledgment."May," Dexter called out coldly.A middle-aged woman with a slightly plump build quickly appeared from the kitchen. "Mr. Bamford, is there something you need?""Get her something to eat," Dexter said coldly.The maid, May Weasley, was quick. In about 20 minutes, she returned with a bowl of pasta. There were also two small plates of side dishes—one with meat and the other with vegetables.Angela's stomach growled at the delicious aroma. She thanked May and began eating slowly.Her eating style was somewhat unrefined, akin to a hamster nibbling on food. While she wasn't particularly graceful, it was still pleasant enough to watch her eat.Dexter observed her closely. Inexplicably, his irritation seemed to ease to some extent.After finishing her meal, Angela stood up and said, "I have some things to take care of tonight. It should be fine if I come back tomorrow morning, right?"She had only been dealing with Fiona earlier, so whether she stayed
Angela fell silent. She'd thought he said he wouldn't be angry, yet here he was, doing just that.She fought back the anger rising in her chest and said coldly, "If there's nothing else, I'll leave." She grabbed her laptop, ready to leave the space that still carried his presence."Change the bandages!" Dexter snapped.At that moment, the maid carefully approached, holding a tray with his medication."I have a strong grip. I'm afraid it'll hurt you," Angela said."Just hurry up," Dexter replied. He unbuttoned his shirt, revealing a plain white undershirt, his muscular arms, and a glimpse of his chest and abs.Angela's gaze lingered for a moment, and she found herself unable to look away.However, his injury was severe. This was the first time she had seen a wound so deep.As she removed the bandages, her hands trembled. Cleaning the blood around the wound was even harder with her shaking hands. Her hands wouldn't stop trembling as she applied the medicine, causing some of i
When Angela entered the CEO's office, Dexter was still tied up with work. He seemed to be in a meeting in the small conference room next door, and the atmosphere was so tense that she could feel it even through the door.Just as she was about to open the lunchbox she'd brought, she suddenly noticed a familiar figure—Elena."Hi, Ms. Graham, what a coincidence," Elena greeted with a bright smile."Are you here to deliver lunch too?" Angela asked.The large bags Elena was carrying seemed to hold a feast.Elena nodded. "I'm concerned about Dexter's health. If it weren't for him that day, I might have—""You can wait for him here. I'll leave," Angela said firmly, grabbing her bag to leave.After all, Dexter would still have his meal even without her.Just as she reached the underground parking garage, Dexter called her. His voice came through with irritation, as if he were angry. "What are you doing? Where's my food?"Angela sighed, took a moment to calm herself, and then pressed d
Angela slowly took out the meal she had brought, following the meal plan provided by Dexter's nutritionist. It consisted of a quinoa salad with roasted vegetables, grilled chicken breast with a light vinaigrette, steamed asparagus, and fresh tomato soup."Spoon and fork," Dexter said, extending his hand as if it were expected.Angela glanced at him, realizing he was seriously about to eat her food. She couldn't hold back anymore. "The food is cold. How about you heat it up before eating?"Dexter paused, staring at her. "Don't you have a brain? Why didn't you heat it up at the cafeteria before bringing it over?" His mood seemed to have soured, and his voice was sharper than usual.In the past, Angela would have immediately apologized and tried to smooth things over. But today, she slammed her spoon down onto the table, making a loud sound."Do I not have a brain? What about you?" she snapped, her frustration boiling over. "If you've got someone else bringing you food, why do you
Angela's voice was calm, but her words carried such weight that they stunned everyone present.The onlookers around them immediately began whispering and exchanging astonished glances.Could someone actually be standing up for them and fighting for their benefits? Could this person possibly be an angel?"You're talking nonsense. There's no such thing as compensation or overtime pay. I think you're just trying to stir up trouble." Nora shot Angela a cold glare. "Don't get too full of yourself. Don't think this is your territory."Bill quietly observed the exchange between the two women, not intervening. He looked troubled, as if he were deep in thought."Ah." Angela seemed to laugh in frustration. She looked at Nora with disbelief. "I didn't expect someone as lowly as you, a mere department head, to have taken over the duties of the HR and finance departments as well. Ms. Rutherford, you really are something.""Angela, stop slandering me," Nora snapped, her anger evident in her
Angela read attentively, and before she knew it, the morning had passed by in a flash.Her presence hadn't caused any ripples in the design department. Clearly, no one was paying her much attention.Angela didn't mind at all. On the third morning, she began packing up as soon as she arrived at the company, looking ready to resign.Some people whispered behind her back, and others rushed to inform Nora, but none of it slowed her down as she packed.When Nora emerged and saw her eager-to-leave demeanor, she felt a certain satisfaction."Hm, what's going on here? You've only been here for two days and already can't stand it? I thought Ms. Graham was supposed to be capable and impressive. "How come you couldn't even last two quiet days?" Nora's voice wasn't loud but clear enough for everyone nearby to hear.Angela didn't even spare her a glance, calmly replying, "Your company lacks sincerity. If that's the case, there's no point in continuing this collaboration."As she spoke, she
Moreover, Angela was the granddaughter of the one person Bill despised the most!"Angela, what do you think?" Bill asked with a forced smile, turning his gaze toward Angela.She was sipping from a bowl of mushroom soup, and she gave a faint smile at his question. "Dad, you can make your own decisions. Why ask me?"She gave him no regard at all.Bill's heart skipped a beat.This woman must have something else in mind."However, I'm doing quite well now. Mr. Snowden values me highly, and I'd like to continue working with him."While Bill pondered whether he should reject the collaboration, Angela spoke up with a smile, "Besides, I'm already married. My husband's family has plenty for me to take care of, so I'm not thinking of anything else."What's that supposed to mean?Bill was stirred."In the future, I'll be watching closely to see which of you two siblings is truly more capable. In our company, we've always prioritized skill," he said, laughing heartily.Angela smiled as
"He'll definitely come to show how much he values this cooperation," Angela said, touching up her lipstick before stepping out of the car.They arrived at 6:50 pm, just ten minutes before the scheduled time, but the private room was already full, with 11 people seated. Bill was among them, and he'd even brought Zack—clearly showing how much he cared about this cooperation."Angie, you're finally here! We've been waiting for a while. What would you like to eat?" Zack greeted her as soon as he saw her."Zack, quickly show them to their seats," Bill spoke up.Angela greeted the people from Graham Group and then noticed Nora sitting among them. Her lips twitched slightly. Did Bill still not realize what kind of person his newly hired head of the design department was?"Ms. Graham, long time no see. I heard you were kidnapped by some criminals overseas. How are you? I hope you weren't hurt?" Nora stood up with a smile that was anything but warm.Her words were veiled in concern,
Nora was caught off guard. She collapsed to the floor, her head slamming into the ground, and blood began oozing out.Zion was beyond furious. He was enraged not only at her betrayal but also at himself for failing to see her true nature sooner.Angela had told him to bring Nora out, saying they were going to watch a good show. At first, he dismissed it as one of Angela's schemes, but he never imagined it..."Stephen, Stephen, listen to me, I swear, I was just using him. From the beginning, the only person I've ever loved is you!" Nora, no longer concerned with defending herself, hurried after Stephen as he turned to leave."We have nothing to do with each other anymore," Stephen said coldly, his gaze full of disgust as he looked down at her.He left the private room, his heart heavy with disgust, and saw Angela and Dexter standing nearby."Are you satisfied after watching me make a fool of myself?" Stephen shot a cold glance at Angela, preparing to walk away."Mr. Turner, how c
The room was empty except for Zion, who was engrossed in a video game on the large screen."You're here. Take a seat. My friends left earlier. They had something to do," Zion said without looking up, his focus completely on the game.Nora sneered at his carefree behavior. "All you ever do is play games. Don't you think it's time you got a job? You can't rely on others forever, can you?"To Nora, Zion was nothing more than a lapdog who made money for her to spend. Now that he couldn't even do that, he was of no use to her.But he was handsome. He was a true pretty boy and was easy on the eyes."Alright, I get it," Zion said, setting the controller down and turning off the game.He walked over and sat before Nora, wrapping his arms around her.Nora frowned, feeling irritated. "You stink, so don't touch me.""Come on, we haven't been close in days. Let me kiss you," Zion said, taking advantage of the moment. He pulled her into an embrace, his lips moving closer to hers. "I gave
Fiona raised an eyebrow and shot Callum a disdainful look."I've already had someone handle this. It won't be necessary...""No need," Fiona interrupted, walking over to Angela. "My daughter-in-law is involved in a public scandal, and as her mother-in-law, of course, I need to step in. You can leave this to me."With that, she pulled Angela away."Hey, what are you doing? He's my boss!" Angela tried to pull her hand back, turning to give Callum an apologetic smile.But Fiona's grip was unyielding, and no matter how much Angela struggled, she couldn't break free.She was forcibly dragged out and shoved into a car."Where are we going?" Angela was utterly confused."To have some fun." Fiona took a deep breath. "Just treat it as keeping me company. I haven't been out for a stroll in three years, six months, and twelve days."Angela was at a loss for words.Damn, she suddenly felt an unexpected twinge of sympathy for this miserable woman.After spending most of the day out, they
Angela was in an excellent mood today. Even the breeze on her way to the office felt refreshing. However, upon arriving at the company, she noticed something was off. People looked at her with a mix of sympathy and strange expressions."What's going on?" Angela called Clara over.Clara appeared a bit uncomfortable, hesitating for some time before saying, "Ms. Graham, rumors are going around that you were kidnapped in Montivale by some thugs for days, and... And those men... You know..."Angela's mind went blank for a moment, the ringing in her ears growing louder. Who would be vile enough to spread such disgusting rumors? Didn't they have any shame for creating such trouble for her?"Go back to your work," Angela said coldly. "No, come with me to the PR department."The two of them made their way to the PR department head's office. As they reached the door, they could hear voices from inside."How should we handle this? Ms. Graham is one of our company's rising stars. She hel
A bold thought flashed through Bill's mind. It would be perfect If he could secure this contract.It would help dispel the rumors about his rift with Angela and bring enormous benefits to the company."Hello, Mr. Jameson. Good afternoon. Oh, you want me to visit tomorrow for an on-site evaluation, right? Let me think about it."Angela answered the phone, but before she could say anything more, Bill snatched the phone from her and hung up."What are you doing?" Angela snapped. "Give it back! I've been trying to get an appointment with Mr. Jameson for ages. I'm really interested in working with him!"Seeing her flustered expression, Bill was convinced she wasn't faking it. The idea he had grew stronger."Look," he said. "Since you're looking for a partner, why not just choose Graham Group? Why bother with outsiders? What's wrong with you?""No," Angela replied immediately, without hesitation. Mr. Jameson is the best fit. I can't choose you. People would think I'm using my position