Love and Devotion No Longer His to Claim (Angela and Dexter)

What the heck was Mia saying?

"I just feel bad since he saved my life before. If I don't accept his kindness, wouldn't that make me seem ungrateful? I want to repay him, but every time I have that thought, I feel like I'm being presumptuous. It's frustrating enough as it is, so stop spouting nonsense."

Angela let out a frustrated sigh. She wished she could just set things straight with Dexter, lay everything out, and make a clean break.

"If you truly wanted to sever ties with him, you would have done so long ago. Otherwise, why would you still be waiting around?" Mia said calmly, as if she had seen right through her.

Angela frowned deeply, her thoughts a mess.

"What do you mean by that? What should I do then?" She remained silent for a long time, feeling like she had encountered a difficult problem.

"He loves you, and you have feelings for him. It's a good thing—a happy thing. Why make it so complicated? Or are you still holding a grudge for the way he treated you in the past?" Mia looked at her with a questioning expression.

Having spent so much time with Angela, Mia knew she was a strong and capable woman who could handle any challenge with ease. Yet, when it came to this, Angela was completely lost.

"Maybe." Angela sighed heavily.

She had an inkling of her feelings, but she refused to confront them, let alone revisit the past, since she'd faced her biggest struggle back then.

"Are you afraid of getting hurt again?" Mia's voice turned soft and soothing. Angela scoffed. "Me? Afraid? I'm great and powerful-why would I be afraid?"

Mia just looked at her without saying a word. Angela's expression shifted several times before she finally fell silent.

Mia had seen right through her. Angela was indeed afraid-afraid that the moment she opened her heart to Dexter again, she would be utterly exposed.

After all, she had such a humiliating past, filled with scorn and torment from Dexter and the people around him.

Back then she had been so deeply in love that she hadn't thought much of what they had done. But now, all she thought was that her past self had been utterly foolish. fo

She didn't want to let love turn her into that weak and pathetic person again. She didn't want to lose everything she had fought so hard to regain.

Staring at her, Mia said softly, "He's changed. And you're no longer the person you used to be. Haven't you realized that?"

Taking a deep breath, Angela shook her head. She still didn't want to take the risk. She didn't want to upend who she was now. What was the use of a man's love?

By continuously bettering herself and living for her own freedom, she would

always have people mesmerized by her brilliance.

...

"Hey, what are you thinking about? Mom's talking to you." Dexter waved a hand in front of Angela's face, his tone laced with curiosity.

Angela snapped back to reality, only to realize that the setting had shifted—Mia

was no longer there, and in her place were Dexter and Fiona.

Dexter's handsome face loomed closer to her, looking as if there were big question marks floating above his head.

"Sorry, I zoned out. What were you saying?" Angela rolled her eyes at him, straightened up in her seat, and took a sip of the milk in front of her.

Fiona repeated herself, "In a fewnoveldrama

days, Natalie is celebrating her

birthday. She specifically asked for of us to handle the

the tyro

arrangements for the birthday banquet. What do you think?"

Angela nearly choked on her milk. "What? She wants us to organize her birthday

banquet? What is she thinking? Isn't she afraid we'll ruin it?"

"I suspect she has an ulterior motive," Fiona said.