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Chapter 80
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Love and Devotion: No Longer His to Claim Chapter 81
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
Love and Devotion: No Longer His to Claim Chapter 82
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
Love and Devotion: No Longer His to Claim Chapter 83
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
Love and Devotion: No Longer His to Claim Chapter 84
"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
Love and Devotion: No Longer His to Claim Chapter 85
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
Love and Devotion: No Longer His to Claim Chapter 86
Joseph spoke bluntly without a trace of hesitation."Dad, I'm home all day without much to do. Since I can't contribute much to the business, why not let me take on this role? Fiona carries the heavy responsibility of managing the company's PR department. I'd hate to see her overworked." Ursula smiled as she spoke on her behalf.Her voice was gentle and soothing like a warm breeze.Angela felt an inexplicable sense of discomfort.Fiona would be even more marginalized with no place in the family if Ursula were truly put in charge."Grandpa, Mom can easily manage such a massive PR department. It'll be no challenge for her to manage the household. She's experienced, after all. Aunt Ursula is accustomed to a life of leisure. I think it's best to let her live her life that way," Angela said.Fiona was slightly stunned as she cast a puzzled glance at her.Angela's expression remained unreadable when their eyes met. She silently urged her to advocate for herself.This was certainly no
Love and Devotion: No Longer His to Claim Chapter 87
Angela ran into Ursula at the entrance after finishing work that afternoon.Ursula was waiting for her there on purpose. "Angela, let's not beat around the bush. I want control of the household. I'll help you in return if you help me. You know Fiona better than anyone. She's cold-hearted and unfeeling by nature. She's made your life hell over the years. You surely haven't forgotten your suffering, have you?"Angela had to admit that Ursula was impressive at times.She had a knack for hitting where it hurt the most.Angela felt a surge of pressure rising in her throat as a wave of discomfort rose within her, but she kept silent."I've never understood why Fiona treated you like that back then. You may not be the most capable daughter-in-law, but you've been good to her son. Everyone can see that. She shouldn't constantly be targeting you even for her son's sake. Doesn't it make you feel indignant?" Ursula fixed her gaze intently on Angela. Her words were deliberate and unwavering.
Love and Devotion: No Longer His to Claim Chapter 88
Angela pressed her fingers to her forehead. "Are you two serious? We're outside our company, and this is my car. If anyone's out of place here, you two are the ones who showed up uninvited."Ursula and Dexter fell silent.The authority over the household affairs eventually went to Fiona.Joseph decided to let Fiona try her hand at it for a while.Ursula could help her out when the time came.They could work together to manage the Bamford family's domestic matters.Angela had played a significant role in this decision.After all, she had never asked Joseph for favors or made unreasonable demands.It seemed he wanted to give Fiona a chance. He even gave her advice during dinner.Ursula surprisingly had not shown a hint of displeasure despite being passed over.…According to their arrangement, Simon and Angela were about to have dinner at a renowned seven-star hotel in Eldmere City.Angela chose to wear a customized cocktail dress from her company's collection to show her res
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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
