Simon called on a few participants. However, most of the answers he received were vague and filled with empty cliches.His expression gradually darkened with disappointment, and the atmosphere in the hall grew tense.Just then, Elena stood up on her own and said confidently, "Mr. Rutherford, in my opinion, design is my life." Her words were vague, sounding somewhat impressive but lacking clear substance. However, Simon only paused momentarily before giving her a faint nod.Then, he pointed at Angela, signaling for her to share her thoughts.Everyone's gaze landed on her, including Dexter, who was sitting front and center in the first row.Angela was slightly taken aback but quickly composed herself. She stood up confidently and said, "I believe design is about turning challenging circumstances into something beautiful, better, and meaningful; it's about finding the beauty in life even in the toughest of times." Her description was concise yet carried a depth that left room for
Angela's expression darkened instantly.Why did Elena always have to be so persistent? And what was with her comment? She and Alan weren't even sharing the same cookie!Angela didn't bother responding. She simply took a bite of the cookie without even turning around."Ms. Graham, I grabbed some extra pastries from the refreshments table. Would you like to try some?" Elena chimed in again. "Just ignore her. She's not worth it," Angela said to Alan.Dexter sneered coldly, his gaze piercing even though Angela's back was turned to him. Everything about her seemed to annoy him.Alan and the rest of the team watched as the scene unfolded, their curiosity piqued.Was Dexter angry, or perhaps jealous? But it didn't seem like it.His gaze was so intense it felt like it could burn a hole through her.The group couldn't help but recall the rumors about Angela and Dexter not getting along—it seemed they were true.Initially, they thought that as long as he was the man Angela chose,
Clara took a more direct approach. She grabbed Angela's shoulder and said, "Angela, men are nothing but hot air. Just treat him like air and let him go! You've got us who've been through thick and thin with you! We're better than those men!""Angela, we'll take you out someday to have fun with some male models!" someone else boldly chimed in.Angela couldn't help but feel amused.Her spirits were much lighter now.When the classes finally ended, Fiona was waiting for Angela outside the venue. She said she wanted to take her to Bamford Manor for dinner.Joseph had already prepared a table full of Angela's favorite dishes. "Come, Angie. You've been working so hard for the past few days. You need to feed and replenish yourself! Look at those dark circles under your eyes. Have you been staying up late again? You're young. You can't torture your body like that. It's terrible for your health, do you understand?"Joseph enthusiastically piled food onto her plate until it was overflowing
Angela mentally slapped herself when she came to her senses. She thought something was wrong with her and that she had completely lost her mind by succumbing to lust."Either we share the bed, or you sleep on the couch!" Dexter said coldly.He felt even more displeased when he recalled what happened earlier in the day.Angela was utterly exasperated by his shamelessness.She reluctantly climbed off the bed and curled up on the couch after a fierce internal struggle.She felt that it was better than sharing a bed with that obnoxious man.Dexter still couldn't fall asleep in the dead of the night.Angela seemed exhausted and was already snoring softly on the couch.He couldn't fully harden his heart in the end. He got up and carried her back to bed and resigned himself to spending the night on the couch instead.He had ended up catching a cold by morning.He sneezed multiple times during breakfast.Joseph was out exercising, and Fiona had left the house early. That left only t
Simon unexpectedly stepped off the stage and began walking toward Elena.She felt an inexplicable sense of nervousness and silently scolded herself for it. Wasn't this supposed to be a solemn moment?"Ms. Graham, congratulations." The unfamiliar words rang in her ears like an explosion.Elena immediately froze in place. She was already halfway out of her seat, preparing to shake Simon's hand!Everybody was stunned, casting unbelievable glances toward Angela sitting beside Erica.How could this be possible? She was only an obscure and unremarkable designer!What had she done to deserve such honor?Angela herself was equally surprised. She had assumed the top scorer would be Elena.She had even been preparing to seek advice on where she had fallen short so she could improve in the future moments ago."Ms. Graham?" Simon smiled warmly. Angela quickly got to her feet and followed him to the stage.The distance was short, but she felt like an eternity.All eyes were on her. She h
Angela was stunned."Congratulations." Dexter walked over from the side and handed her the trophy.For once, his gaze wasn't icy and distant. There was even a faint glimmer of admiration in his eyes."Thank you." Angela's tone was distant yet courteous.The awards ceremony was over."Angela, you should treat us to dinner! I vote for a seafood platter! I'm going to eat lobster!" Alan carried his black messenger bag across his back and darted around Angela like an excited child.Clara shot him a disdainful look. "Can you calm down? This isn't Division One of the Design Department. Don't embarrass Angela!"Angela simply laughed it off. "It's fine. I'm in a good mood today. Seafood platter's on me!"The crowd cheered, and the air buzzed with joy."You bumpkins, you're acting like you've never had a seafood platter before." Nora sneered suddenly.She had been trailing behind them. Everyone was so happy that they didn't notice her."Wow, what's your deal? Why do you always have to
"Stand straight!" Dexter suddenly barked in a low voice from the side.Fortunately, the people they brought along were senior executives from the company. They were all insiders.Otherwise, he couldn't imagine what the people might say about him if they saw his wife in such a drunken state."Who are you?" Angela glared at him irritably."Mom, you should come with me. I'll take you to meet my colleagues, and we can have dinner together." She grabbed Fiona's arm affectionately and tried to lead her to the private room."This is completely inappropriate!" Fiona was slightly displeased as she tried to wake the intoxicated young lady."Ah, Madam Fiona! You're here too! Please come in! Thanks to you, we successfully joined Bamford Co. Otherwise, we'd have made fools of ourselves!"Clara seemed muddled too.She was usually the discerning one. However, she was just as drunk as Angela at this moment."Madam Fiona, please come in! We've been talking about you!" Alan walked out.It seem
Fiona was in a relatively good mood today. She thought it might be a good time to impart some wisdom on managing subordinates."Mom, you're too tense." Angela wobbled to sit up as she mumbled, "I understand your determination to carve out a space for yourself in a male-dominated world, and I know how tough a business world can be. But honestly, most people are only here for a living. They work hard only for a better life."They want a comfortable work environment and good relationships with others too. Their enthusiasm for work can take a big hit if you're too strict or unfeeling. It's important to have passion and love for our work, especially in the design field. It'll dry up our inspiration without these."Angela finished her heartfelt speech and gasped for breath as if she had run a marathon.Fiona was momentarily stunned. The words she had prepared to say suddenly caught in her throat."Mom, everyone knows how capable you are at work. You might find that sometimes things get
The doubt in Harvey's eyes vanished, replaced entirely by admiration and praise. "I didn't expect that you would have such an opportunity. I'm looking forward to it.""I won't let you down."...After Harvey left, Angela asked everyone to start buying leather again. She then held a meeting with the factory employees, urging them to work overtime and stay focused on their goals."It's impossible to finish the order. We put in so much effort, but everything ended up in ashes. Is this deal still on?""That's right. There was a big fire just now, and everyone is still panicking. How can we stay positive?""Ms. Graham is ridiculous. Does she think we're all magicians?"While Angela spoke on stage, the workers below whispered, visibly dissatisfied. Noticing this, Clara waited for Angela to pause and then informed her about their comments.Angela offered a faint smile, having fully anticipated this. It was simply a part of human nature. As she prepared to speak again, she began wit
By this time, the media had caught wind of the news and quickly gathered at the factory to capture photos. Angela took it upon herself to release a public notice detailing the incident's causes and consequences, as well as the disciplinary actions taken against those involved and the measures being implemented to support the injured.Fortunately, she acted swiftly by arriving promptly to assess the situation. She communicated clearly to the public, took responsibility for her mistakes, and committed to rebuilding the warehouse while enhancing management regulations. Her fast response effectively cut the backlash she faced by at least half.The following morning, the senior executives of Graham Group began to arrive one by one, greeted by the sight of the warehouse in ruins. They were shocked by the strange odor in the air and saw Angela efficiently directing the team in a well-organized response to the aftermath of the disaster."Ms. Graham, are you alright?" Wilbert, the head o
"Why didn't I notice you worked so hard before?" Dexter joked, enjoying a delicious dessert in the hospital.While he remained relaxed, Angela was overwhelmed by anxiety. With just five days until the deadline, they had only managed to complete 60% of the production."I never really had the opportunity to be busy before," Angela replied casually, setting her phone aside. She then rubbed her face hard, trying to dispel the fatigue that lingered.She felt unusually irritable and uneasy today, as though something was about to happen. Ultimately, she attributed it to the uncomfortable hospital bed.Outside the window, a gentle night breeze blew, making the curtains dance around. Angela awoke to her racing thoughts and sat up in bed. Just then, her phone rang. It was Clara calling. "Ms. Graham, our factory is on fire."The simple sentence shocked Angela, leaving her numb. "What's going on?"As soon as she posed the question, she tossed aside the quilt and instantly got out of bed. S
Andrew's fury was palpable. "Nonsense! You didn't even acknowledge my contribution to the company!""Didn't the company reward you appropriately? Your salary and stock dividends are the highest besides Bill's, not counting those bribes you received. "Mr. Graham, there are things I'm aware of but won't mention for the sake of your dignity. Please don't create a scene unless you want to lose what's left of your reputation."As Angela confronted Andrew, she went from seeming quiet to confident. She could even tackle problems with a sense of humor.Andrew's anger continued to grow. The harder he fought, the more he felt defeated."Uncle Andrew, Angela has been merciful. If you know what's best, leave now. If you refuse, I can take you." Zack, who had been observing the situation with amusement, chimed in.Angela remarked, "Ask Joanne to send Mr. Graham out. If he creates trouble again, don't intervene. There's no point in giving him more chances since he's being unreasonable."Afte
Angela couldn't shake off her concern for Dexter. After all, he had been injured because of her. How could she not feel anxious about it?The doctor arrived promptly and conducted a thorough checkup on Dexter. He concluded that Dexter's injury was acting up again, leading to poor blood circulation. He needed to go to the hospital for medication and injections. Angela went with him. Meanwhile, Zack stayed home to wait for Joanne."Mr. Bamford, it's best for you to stay in the hospital. Given your current health condition, it's not advisable..." the doctor advised worriedly.The nurse had assisted Dexter in changing into a hospital gown. He propped against the bed, visibly uncomfortable due to the lack of support behind him. Noticing his discomfort, Angela quickly fetched a pillow and offered him a box of tissues to wipe the cold sweat beading on his forehead. Dexter glanced at her intensely and remained silent."You should consider staying here for the next few days. There's no
The abrupt ringing of the phone shattered the stillness in the room, startling everyone present. Andrew answered impatiently, "Who is it?"On the other end of the line, Angela replied with a smirk, "It's me, Mr. Graham. The deadline I set has passed, and I still haven't heard back from you. I've asked someone to clear the COO's office for the department of supervision, which was previously cramped in the executive office."Andrew was furious. "How dare you!""Did I not inform you ahead of time? Oh, by the way, it seems you didn't select any of the options I proposed, so I've decided to take matters into my own hands. "There's a small company in Cetol that opened a few years ago. If you're okay with it, you can start working there. I've sent all the relevant information to you via email."In a moment of frustration, Andrew hurled his phone away before Angela could complete her sentence. All his life, he had enjoyed success at Graham Group, always managing to get what he desired.
Angela grabbed a glass of hot milk and went upstairs, where she noticed the study door was slightly open. She could hear Dexter's voice from inside."What would I need you for if you can't locate him?""Surely you can find either Gideon Lawson or Austin Howard, can't you?" "You're so useless."Angela stood frozen, struck by his words. She couldn't help but wonder what his intentions were and if he was helping her find them.Her mentor, Gideon, and her senior, Austin, were the two people who had once cared about her the most. Yet, she hadn't seen them in many years.She was stunned. After a moment of contemplation, she quietly turned and walked away. It struck her how little she truly knew about Dexter.She couldn't fathom how he could act in such a way, considering he was known to be a cold-hearted man. Yet, in that critical moment, he had even jumped and saved her from possible death.Angela's thoughts were chaotic. She even wondered if Dexter had been possessed.Someone kno
Angela looked at her phone and saw a photo of herself exiting the hospital. She had no idea who had shared the post, but the headline read, "Leaving Her Biological Father to Fend for Himself: Is This a Failure of the Law or a Moral Decline?"The content was very straightforward. It detailed that Angela ignored her critically ill father in the hospital, leaving him alone to fend for himself. In conclusion, her behavior was outrageous.Angela nonchalantly scrolled through the content and read through the unpleasant comments. She smiled faintly and handed the phone back to Fiona."I'm feeling a bit hungry. Shall we eat, Madam Fiona?" she asked as she headed to the kitchen for cutlery, but Fiona stopped her."Are you sure you don't need any assistance? At the very least, please try to manage the negative news. Graham Group's PR is truly rubbish," Fiona remarked.Angela snorted coldly. "The PR department works for Andrew, so they won't support me. I'm still handling it slowly. Don't
As Francis spoke, his gaze shifted from Bill to Angela. It was as if he were assessing them, contemplating his next move.Others followed suit. For a moment, Angela and Zack were celebrated as the perfect children, as if no one could be better.Zack's face flushed with embarrassment as he stumbled over his words. In contrast, Angela remained silent throughout, maintaining a perfect smile on her flawless features.She glanced at her watch calmly. "I appreciate your kind words, but I need to get back to work. The project with MK Corporation is crucial for Graham Group, and I can't afford to waste time here."She said it so bluntly that it shocked everyone."Angela, how could you consider this a waste of time? You're aware of Bill's current situation. What if something goes wrong with him again—""I've hired the best doctors, and they'll be here soon to take over. I care more about my dad's health than you do. I know your concerns too, but I suggest you don't waste your efforts."A