Liesa couldn't help but laugh at Nina's expression. She flashed a grin, her eyes sparkling. "What? You don't believe me?"
"Do you expect me to believe such nonsense?" Nina sneered. "You're shameless, lying like that just to cover your tracks."
Liesa shrugged casually. "If you don't believe me, I can't help it. But I can't exactly tell you everything to convince you I'm really Angus's girlfriend. I guess if you press me further, I'll just have to tell you his little preferences... like how he likes to play with ropes and can't stand doing that on the bed. Maybe I'll mention how he loves when I call him 'sir.' But, you know, that's about it."
Nina was left speechless.
Sam, who had been eavesdropping, was even more stunned.
Angus remained perfectly still, listening to things about himself he had no clue about. After a long pause, he finally spoke, his voice quiet but heavy.
"Liesa Valtieri."
Just those two words, but the weight behind them made Sam shiver. He straightened up, trying to act like he hadn't heard anything, but he leaned closer to the phone, his ear pressed against it, trying to catch every word.
Nina's mouth hung open for a moment, and then her anger flared. "Do you have no shame?" she spat. "You'd really talk about such private things? No wonder you're from a poor background. You talk and act so low—how could Angus ever like someone like you?"
Before she could finish, Sam saw Angus's expression darken again. He sighed inwardly, thinking,
Liesa couldn't help but smile softly. "Oh, I'm curious too. Why would Angus fall for someone like me—crude, poor, and lacking—while ignoring someone like you, Miss Swanson? Could it be because you're always poking your nose into things that aren't your business?"
Nina's face twisted. The words hit too close to home, and she felt exposed. It only made her angrier.
"What does it matter who Angus likes?" she snapped, her voice dripping with venom. "He's just a cripple. Why would I ever be interested in him? I only went to his house to see how pathetic he really was."
Liesa's expression darkened, her brow furrowing. "Miss Swanson," she said, her tone sharp.
Nina scoffed. "He is pathetic. He can't even walk anymore. He used to be so proud, but now he's nothing more than a useless man, too ashamed to leave his house. I can't believe he even showed up to Mr. Grayson's birthday party. Doesn't he worry about triggering some kind of PTSD with all those people around?"
Liesa's eyes flashed with irritation. "Miss Swanson, watch your words," she said firmly.
Nina laughed mockingly. "I would be respectful, but he doesn't deserve it. A cripple born to a woman who couldn't even get married without a man marrying into her family... What's there to respect about that?"
Sam's blood boiled. He clenched his fists, ready to storm out.
But before he could make a move, Angus's cold voice stopped him.
"Stay where you are."
Sam froze, his mouth open as if to speak. The moment he turned to face Angus's cold, unreadable expression, he swallowed his words. His lips pressed tight, and he spun around, angrily staring at his phone, as if it were Nina herself.
"Miss Swanson," Liesa said, her lips pressed together, her patience at its breaking point.
Nina smirked at Liesa's serious expression, recognizing the effect her words about Angus had on her. She pressed further, her voice dripping with mockery.
"What, did I upset you by talking about him? But he is a cripple, isn't he? A cripple who's about to lose everything. With Mr. Grayson around, there's no way he's getting a single penny from the Romano family. And when that happens, you'll be out there begging with him, won't you? I mean, you're really good at that, right?"
Slap!
The sound of Liesa's hand meeting Nina's cheek echoed through the room. Nina's head snapped to the side, and she turned back to Liesa, eyes wide with disbelief.
"You dare hit me?" Nina sputtered.
Liesa's expression was cool, almost bored. "You've got a filthy mouth. Shouldn't have said all that, right?" she said in a steady tone.
For a moment, Liesa had thought Nina was just ignorant—not malicious, just annoying. But now, with every word, she saw the venom in Nina. And she wasn't going to let her keep running her mouth without consequences.
Sam, who had been boiling with anger, felt oddly satisfied by the sound of the slap. It was a small moment of justice. But that feeling didn't last long. Nina's shrill voice pierced the air.
"Who do you think you are? You hit me? I'll kill you!" she screamed, her eyes wild with fury.