Meanwhile, Liesa nearly cursed under her breath as she thought,
The order to pull weeds had come out of nowhere. But when Liesa saw the conflicted yet firm look on Sam's face, Liesa understood something important,
Left with no choice, Liesa gave in.
She thought to herself,
Liesa found the gardener and borrowed a weed trimmer. After a quick and messy lesson, she started clearing weeds in the back garden.
The Romano estate was enormous. People said Angus Romano's father had bought the property the day Angus was born.
Over the years, the estate had only grown larger. The backyard alone stretched farther than Liesa wanted to imagine.
By the time Liesa finished clearing a huge section of weeds, hunger gnawed at her stomach. Her back ached so badly she could barely straighten up. Grass clippings clung to Liesa's sweater, leaving Liesa dusty and disheveled.
At that moment, Sam walked toward her.
Liesa immediately put on a polite smile. "It's finished, Mr. Summer," Liesa reported, trying to sound calm.
Sam studied Liesa for a moment.
"Thank you for your hard work, Dr. Valtieri," Sam said gently and checked the time.
"There are twenty minutes left before rehabilitation begins. Would Dr. Valtieri like to head to the therapy room now?" Sam asked politely.
Liesa froze for a split second.
Even Sam seemed a little guilty when he noticed the pause.
But Liesa quickly adjusted her expression.
"Mr. Summer," Liesa said politely, brushing grass from her sleeve, "meeting Angus like this would be terribly improper."
Liesa offered an apologetic smile. "May I change clothes first?"
"Of course, Dr. Valtieri." Sam stepped aside.
Liesa nodded and headed toward her room.
The moment Liesa closed the door behind her, Liesa's polite expression collapsed.
She thought,
Meanwhile, Angus Romano had just opened the surveillance feed after finishing the call with Sam.
The screen lit up.
The first thing Angus Romano saw was Liesa pulling off her clothes with bold, careless movements.
Angus briefly glanced at Sam standing nearby. The phone screen faced Angus alone, and Sam could only see the back.
When Sam noticed the glance, he asked politely, "Is something wrong, Mr. Romano?"
"Nothing," Angus replied calmly. He lowered his gaze back to the screen.
On the monitor, pieces of clothing fell one by one. Soon, Liesa stood in just her underwear.
Her waist was slim and elegant, perfectly balanced. The bra that remained framed her chest differently, revealing curves the sweater had hidden.
The Romano estate cameras were high-definition. Every movement was crisp, every shadow sharp.
Suddenly, the sweater on the floor rolled slightly. A small, round object slipped out and rolled under the bed.
"Oh, come on," Liesa muttered under her breath. She dropped to her knees, lowering herself as much as possible. Her arm stretched under the bed, trying to reach the object.
In that position, her hips lifted naturally, curves firm and balanced.
A strange, unreadable emotion flickered in Angus's eyes.
"Mr. Romano?" Sam asked, confused by Angus's stillness.
Angus lowered his gaze slightly. "It's almost time," he said quietly.
"I'll take you to the rehab room, Mr. Romano," Sam said, relieved that Angus no longer resisted.
Angus said nothing. Sam gave a faint smile and pushed Angus's wheelchair down the hallway toward the rehab room.
They reached the door at exactly 2:10 p.m. Angus glanced at his watch.
"Dr. Valtieri mentioned she needed to change. Being a little late is understandable. Perhaps we should wait a moment," Sam said quickly.
Sam thought,
Angus looked at Sam quietly. Sam opened his mouth, ready to speak for Liesa. Before he could, the door swung open. Liesa stood inside, calm and collected.
"Mr. Romano, please come in," Liesa said gently.
Angus's eyes flicked briefly to Liesa's chest, still rising slightly faster than normal. He said nothing and wheeled himself inside. Sam smiled politely at Liesa and closed the door behind him.
Liesa exhaled slowly, heart racing after sprinting down the hall.
She walked toward Angus with a professional smile. "Mr. Romano, would you like me to help you move to the sofa?"
Angus glanced at her. The memory of her rolling on the sofa flashed through his mind. "No need," he replied coolly.
Liesa paused, then sat across from him, maintaining her smile. "Alright," she said calmly. "Let me explain today's rehab plan. The first step is—"
Grrr. Her stomach interrupted her, loudly.
Liesa took a deep breath and looked sincerely at Angus. "Sorry. I didn't get to eat much lunch today."
A flicker of mockery crossed Angus's eyes. Without a word, he pressed a few buttons on the desk phone. Sam's voice came through. "Mr. Romano, did you need something?"
"Send some food over," Angus said coldly, pressing the red button to end the call.
Liesa forced an awkward smile.
Her thought didn't last long. Soon, she watched in silence as Angus ate gracefully, right in front of her.
He cut a piece of steak and chewed calmly, as if she didn't exist. Only after the last bite did he set his knife and fork down and finally look at her.
The rich smell of steak filled the room. Liesa thought bitterly,
"I'll give you one last chance," Angus said slowly. "Do you want to quit?"
"Of course not," Liesa replied with a stiff smile.
Angus let out a quiet scoff. "No salary. Endless work. Humiliation included," he said flatly. "And you still won't leave." His tone sharpened. "So," he continued, eyes cold, "who sent you?"
Liesa's smile twitched.