Silas stepped to the side, pulling his phone out. He immediately made a call.
Sam's face darkened, and he quickly signaled his men to stop him. But the call went through—Nina's voice crackled on the line.
"There's someone in my room—catch him!" The call ended abruptly.
Silas's grip tightened on the phone, and in one swift motion, he threw it to the floor, watching as it shattered into pieces.
Sam raised an eyebrow, his tone full of mockery. "You're in such a hurry... Did you really record company secrets on the sly?"
He gestured to the bodyguards, signaling them to keep an eye on Silas. Sam was already turning to leave, heading toward Liesa.
But Silas wasn't going to make it easy. With the bodyguards watching, he threw himself against the wall, causing a brief pause. In an instant, he broke free, slamming the door shut and locking it from the inside. Then, with surprising speed, he tossed the key out the window.
It all happened so quickly. By the time Sam and the others reached the door, it was already too late.
"Keep dealing with your secrets, Sam," Silas called out from the other side, his voice dripping with a mocking grin.
Sam, worried, immediately called Angus, but before the phone even connected, he felt his other pocket vibrating. He froze for a moment before remembering that Angus's phone was with him.
Glancing at Silas's calm demeanor, his concern for Liesa deepened. He gritted his teeth and pointed to the window, snapping at the bodyguards, "Smash it!"
Meanwhile, Nina, in the bathroom freshening up, paused when she saw Silas's call. She hesitated briefly, then sent her trusted man to check the room. She knew her face wouldn't hide her anxiety, so she sent a maid to inform Richard while slipping out through a side hall.
Her expression was serious as she moved quickly. Silas had mentioned before that his room held a secret capable of determining their fate. If anyone uncovered it, everything would be lost.
Though Nina didn't know the specifics of the secret, one thing was clear to her—after today, her future was tied to Silas's. She couldn't let anyone expose that secret.
In the main hall, Angus continued to converse with the elderly members of the Romano family, his fingers drumming on the armrest of his wheelchair.
He was silently counting the minutes. Liesa had been gone for ten minutes, Silas for eight, and Nina had been in the bathroom for two—everything was still under control.
One of the elderly Romano members frowned. "Angus, running your own company is fine, but you can't just ignore the Romano family business. You can't let it fall into the hands of outsiders, can you?"
Angus chuckled lightly, his attention still divided between the conversation and the ticking clock.
Back in Silas's room, Liesa had been searching frantically for what felt like hours. The room was a mess now, her desperation growing by the minute. Finally, abandoning any pretense of order, she began tossing things aside.
As she moved through the chaos, she noticed cameras and unfamiliar equipment. Realization hit her—she was being recorded.
Thankfully, Silas's paranoia had kept him from connecting the system to the police, so she didn't have to worry about getting caught.
After several unsuccessful attempts to find the secret, she slumped onto the couch, exhausted.
She briefly considered lying on the floor to search more thoroughly, but the sight of the equipment gave her pause. One wrong move, and she could end up with footage that might ruin everything.
Liesa's breath quickened as she heard the hurried footsteps approaching the room. Her instincts kicked in, and she rushed to the door, locking it just in time.
Moments later, the sound of a twisting doorknob echoed from the other side.
Nina's frustration was evident as she struggled with the door. "Get the spare key," she snapped, her voice sharp. "And don't let anyone know about this."
Liesa's heart pounded. The last thing she wanted was to face Nina right now.
But she couldn't just hide—she had a mission to finish. Clearing Angus's resentment was her goal here. She forced herself to focus, shaking off her instinct to run.
Outside, Nina's impatience was palpable as she barked at her man to hurry. Liesa couldn't afford to waste another second.
Her eyes darted around the room, landing on the sofa she had just sat on. She hadn't expected Silas to hide anything so obvious, but there was no harm in checking. She flipped the cushions over, and her gaze fell on a small, hidden box beneath.
With a frustrated exhale, she grabbed it and slammed it to the ground.
The box cracked open, its contents spilling out just as the door burst open. Nina stood in the doorway, her expression cold and dangerous.
Liesa instinctively wrapped the object in her arms, her heart racing. It was large enough that Nina immediately saw it. "You again," Nina snarled. "What did you steal? Show me."
"There's nothing in it. This is mine," Liesa said, her voice steady despite the pounding in her chest. She clutched the object tighter, her eyes flicking nervously toward the door, calculating her next move.
Nina saw right through her, her lips curling into a wicked grin. She signaled to her men to close the door behind her, trapping Liesa inside.
The odds had shifted—four or five of Nina's large men were in the room now, while Liesa was alone. Strength was no longer in her favor.
"Give me that," Nina demanded, taking a step forward. "Then, Miss Valtieri, please have a seat. I have a few things to discuss with you."
Liesa's heart skipped a beat. Forgetting all about keeping her cool, she dashed around the room like a trapped animal, the object pressed tightly against her chest.
She wouldn't let go, not without a fight. But as the men closed in on her, she realized just how little room she had left to maneuver. She was cornered.
Liesa's heart hammered in her chest as the men closed in, her mind racing.
The thought twisted her stomach into knots. Angus's resentment would never fade, and she had no idea how to calm him down.
Desperation surged through her. With a quick, reckless move, she hurled the box to the ground and stomped on the object with her heels, shattering it into pieces.
Nina flinched back in shock, her face contorting with rage. Liesa smirked, her voice dripping with defiance. "Even if I break it, you won't get it!"
"You're really asking for it, breaking Silas's stuff…" Nina gritted her teeth, stalking closer, her anger radiating off her.
Meanwhile, Sam had just rushed out through the window.
Angus, realizing that Nina had been gone far too long, scowled and left the hall. He ran into Sam on his way out, and without a word, they both headed for the back hall.
As they made their way down the corridor, Silas saw his opportunity. With the bodyguards distracted, he bolted from the room where he'd been confined, making a beeline for his bedroom.
The moment he reached the door, he collided with Angus and Sam, both of whom had just arrived. Nina emerged from the room, freezing when she saw them. "What's going on? Why is everyone here? The front hall's going to be empty soon. You should all head back."
Silas's tension melted away in an instant. With a relieved sigh, he grabbed Nina's hand, grateful for her assistance.
Nina shot him a pleased glance, secretly proud of how easily she'd manipulated the situation.
Angus's eyes narrowed, his voice cold as ice. "Where's Liesa?"
Nina blinked innocently, feigning confusion. "I don't know. Isn't she at the party?"