But Khloe-she had dashed forward without a second thought.
She was someone willing to step into danger to protect the weak, someone who wouldn’t stay silent in the face of injustice… how could such a person ever choose to bully others?
Over the years, Khloe’s selflessness and understanding toward him had shown Trey something important: some people are simply born without the desire to climb over others. Her pride was innate, but it manifested in action, in lifting obstacles rather than stepping on others to rise above them.
“Do you really trust Khloe that much?” Angela’s voice snapped him back, tinged with shock. She stood abruptly, eyes fixed on him, trembling slightly.
“So now you think I’m speaking ill of her? Slandering your… love?”
“Here we go again,” Trey murmured, a touch of helplessness in his voice. “I’m only judging rationally based on what I know of her. It isn’t like you’re saying.”
“Men can’t judge women clearly when their hearts are involved,” Angela said coldly, turning her face away. Her eyes glistened with unshed tears, and she hid her face briefly as if to hide her emotions.
Trey felt a pang in his chest. “Angela, you know that I would never fall for Khloe!”
He hadn’t thought there was anything unusual in his feelings for Khloe. But hearing Angela say it aloud, his chest tightened with a strange, unnameable weight.
“Really? Then why is she acting like this toward you? Ignoring the company, leaving at will, and you still let her?” Angela pressed on. “You wait for her messages, speak up for her at every turn, and what does she do? Just go to her reunion, carefree and happy!”
Every word hit Trey like a knife. It was true-he had always treated Khloe fairly, never taken advantage of her, yet here she was, teasing him at a critical moment for the company.
Perhaps Angela was right. Perhaps he had misjudged Khloe.
Angela didn’t wait for him to respond. She picked up her laptop and retreated to the study.
After a moment, Trey followed. He found her leaning over the desk, crying quietly.
“I’m sorry… it’s my fault,” he whispered.
Seeing her so vulnerable, his heart ached. Angela had always been the one carrying the weight-bearing the pressure of her parents, marrying secretly to bear his child.
By any measure, she had suffered more than Khloe. Now, she was handling the mess Khloe had left behind without complaint. They were truly partners in life.
“Angela, once we get through this, once everything’s stable, I’ll convince my family-my parents, my grandmother-to accept you,” Trey murmured, holding her close. He gently wiped her tears and softly reminded her of their shared promise.
Trey’s grandfather had left a will that barred Angela from entering the family estate.
All of the Fox family’s assets had been entrusted to Trey’s grandmother for safekeeping. If their relationship became public, she could transfer all of the Fox family’s assets to a foundation. Trey and the rest of the family would lose everything.
So he had to work harder-get Fox Group listed, gain more capital and authority. Only then could he secure his position, outmaneuver the family’s objections, and wait for the right moment when his grandmother’s grip loosened with age.
Angela listened, sensing the sincerity in his words. Gradually, a small smile returned to her face.
“Trey… don’t let me down, okay?”
“Okay.”
Trey nodded firmly, cupping Angela’s face and pressing his lips to hers. But even with his eyes closed, Khloe’s face flashed before him.
His body trembled. He quickly pulled away from Angela, momentarily at a loss.
“What’s wrong?” Angela asked, anxiety threading her voice as she studied his unsettled expression.
“Nothing… it’s just-tomorrow there’s an important project meeting. Khloe’s in charge.”2
He turned his head away, avoiding her gaze. Any project under Khloe’s name could not proceed without her personally overseeing it. No one else’s involvement would suffice.
And tomorrow, with their client coming in, if Khloe weren’t present, things could easily go awry. The company couldn’t afford another blunder.
“I’ve looked over the project-it’s a key one. The data analysis isn’t complicated. I can handle it,” Angela said, a small smile of pride tugging at her lips as she opened her laptop to show him her prepared plan.
Trey scanned it quickly, eyebrows lifting in surprise. “You did all of this yourself?”
He hadn’t expected her to take to it so naturally, despite never having formally handled these tasks. Her data analysis was meticulous, even rivaling Khloe’s work.
Trey’s alma mater was prestigious, with a top-tier finance program. Angela’s position as a lecturer there already marked her as a standout in her field. To become a finance professor, one normally started as a teaching assistant, gradually advancing.
But after dating Trey, Angela had faced endless obstacles from his grandfather, forcing her to give up further study. For years, her focus had been entirely on raising their child, leaving Khloe to steal the spotlight.
Now Angela was reclaiming her place. Whether as wife or as the lady boss of Fox Group, it was hers. She would not allow Khloe to touch it again.
“Mhm. It’s not hard. If Khloe can do it, so can I-maybe even better.” Angela rose, wrapping her arms around Trey’s lean waist.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.