Love and Devotion No Longer His to Claim by Dream Fish

Chapter 423
Austin was surprised by Angela's directness.
After all, in the past, Bill and Judy had kicked her out of her home more than once. Despite being a wealthy socialite, she had
ended up being a waitress and washing dishes in a restaurant just to make a living, even becoming the subject of ridicule.
At that time, she had never even considered defying her family. She had accepted every word they said without hesitation. Her
compliance had been so extreme.
But at the very least, she'd still had a tiny spark of ambition. Otherwise, Genevieve wouldn't have chosen her as her last mentee.
When they arrived at the top-floor office, Clara was already waiting outside. Seeing Angela approach, she quickly stepped
forward and handed her an acquisition contract.
Angela introduced Clara to Austin before taking the contract and leading both of them into the office. She asked Clara to take
care of Austin while she focused intently on reviewing the document.
Austin sat on the couch, quietly watching her. It was still before eight o'clock, but she was already busy while the company's

employees hadn't started their workday.
"Ms. Graham, Verena Luxe wants us to offer an additional three million. Otherwise, they'll raise the price and sell to someone
else..." Clara reported hesitantly.
Angela didn't even look up. "No. At most, we'll add another one million. Tell them that. If they agree, sign the contract. If not, just
walk away. Their company is not our only choice."
Clara nodded, took the contract, and walked out.
Angela was just about to share her recent achievements with Austin when another knock on the office door interrupted her. One
thing led to another, and before she knew it, she had been busy for over half an hour.
She tried to speed things up, but despite her efforts, Austin was still left waiting. It was already lunchtime by the time she had
finally dealt with all the tedious matters.
Feeling a bit frustrated, Angela could only suggest taking Austin to the cafeteria for a meal.

He readily agreed, and there was a subtle change in the way he looked at her.
"I didn't expect you to really have changed so much," he said with a hint of admiration.
Angela's heart soared with joy. Praise from someone close to her meant more than countless compliments from others.

"Really? Actually, when I first took over the company, I faced all kinds of challenges. Not only did my dad refuse to support me
but he also put up obstacles at every turn. I was determined not to back down. I pushed forward alone, relentless and
unwavering.
"Surprisingly, the people who once stood in my way were nothing more than
bullies preying on the weak. I pushed through the challenges, and now they've all become my loyal subordinates."
As she spoke about the past, the smile on Angela's face took on a hint of nostalgia. "Austin, Dexter... has actually changed too."
"Shut up!" Before she could finish, Austin suddenly cut her off angrily.
"You invited me here today to show me your company, but in fact, this is all about him, isn't it? You want to tell me he's changed
and that he doesn't bully you anymore?"
Angela was left speechless. It was clear that that tactic hadn't worked.
That night, she returned home
feeling dejected. She sat in the garage for nearly two hours, her mind in turmoil. At that moment, it
felt as if she were being torn apart, her heart on the verge of shattering into countless pieces.
After everything they had experienced together, her relationship with Dexter had finally deepened. She was beginning to let go of
her hold on the past and open up to the idea of truly accepting him.
If only Austin had come back a few days earlier, maybe she wouldn't have been caught in this dilemma. But things had already
come to this. There was nothing she could do.
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