Love and Devotion No Longer His to Claim by Dream Fish

Chapter 343

Angela was the first to notice something was wrong. She hadn't even finished speaking when a sense of foreboding hit her. The moment the enormous crystal chandelier fell, she instinctively moved to evade it.

Alas, the chandelier was too large. Even after taking a few hurried steps away, she couldn't completely escape its range. A sharp fragment of the fixture slashed across her back, sending a searing pain through her body.

She staggered and fell to the ground with a muffled groan, but she instinctively suppressed her voice, trying her best not to appear too disheveled.

"Angela!" Several anxious voices rang out at the same time, while Dexter and Finn rushed toward the center of the stage almost simultaneously.

By then, all the other lights at the venue had been turned on, and the crowd erupted in shock.

Smelling the metallic tang of blood made Angela dizzy. Yet, her first thought was that she must not let this ruin the celebration.

"I'm fine!" Angela grasped Dexter's wrist. "Let's get off the stage first. Get Clara to take things from here. I... I still have to come out to present the awards later."

"Are you insane?" Finn's voice carried frustration. "You're injured. What's more important, your health or "

"My work is more important." Angela locked eyes with Finn. "Finn, everyone is watching. I can't afford another misstep."

"But you didn't cause this. Everyone saw what happened, and you're hurt." A look of concern crossed Finn's gaze, mixed with puzzlement.

people will respect me even more. My company needs this kind of recognition. Do you understand?" Angela's

frantic. "I don't

the stage immediately." Dexter added, "Who are you to her? Do you want her

face stiffened. He swallowed back his words, an overwhelming bitterness

he had no right anymore. He didn't even have

the others came over as

my wound treated. The rest of you

stunned gazes of everyone, she

the host to continue with the next

was escorted to the

had small glas's shards embedded in it. They had to be removed with tweezers before the wound could

for a while when

somehow, she was

anesthesia-a lot of it." She gritted her teeth. "It must be done quickly. I

"That might not

was getting impatient. Her back burned like it

back was several inches long, with a deep, bloody streak that

at Dexter with