A Very Exclusive Engagement(51)
Their discussion was getting a little more animated. Liam searched the room for Ariella and Scarlet, but he didn’t see them or the security they’d hired. He might have to intervene on this situation himself. Francesca’s drink would have to wait.
As Liam got closer to them, he could hear what they were saying a little better. They were trying to speak quietly, but their passions were getting the best of them. At least, Angelica’s were. Hayden was always very calm and collected.
“I find it laughable that people seem to think you were behind this whole thing,” Hayden said. “As though the peroxide-bleached brain cells you have left could plan something more intricate than what kind of shoes to wear with what outfit.”
A flush of anger rose to Angelica’s cheeks. Her eyes narrowed at Hayden. She didn’t notice Liam approaching them because she was so focused on their argument. “You think you’re so smart, Hayden, but I’m not going to fall for your tricks. Is calling me a dumb blonde the best you’ve got? I expected better of you. All men see is what women want them to see. The hair and the makeup and the clothes blind you to the truth. But don’t let appearances fool you. We may have the same hair color, but I’m not sweet and pliable like your precious Lucy. I earned my place at the company. It wasn’t because my stepfather owned the network.”
Liam expected Hayden to take offense at the insults Angelica was levying at his fiancée, but it didn’t seem to faze him. “Yes,” he agreed, “but Lucy has something you’ll never have no matter how hard you work or how many people you trample.”
Angelica nearly snorted with contempt. “And what’s that? The love of a man like you?”
“Nope. Her daddy’s undying affection. She’s the beautiful little girl he always wanted. The one he raised as his own. He bought her ponies and went to her ballet recitals. He got her a convertible on her sixteenth birthday. I bet it breaks his heart that he’ll be in jail and can’t walk Lucy down the aisle when we get married.”
Angelica stiffened beside him, but she brushed off his words with a shrug of indifference. “So what? Her stepfather spoiled her. Am I supposed to be jealous of her for that?”
“No. But you might be jealous because he didn’t have to bribe people to keep Lucy a secret. He wasn’t embarrassed of her.”
“I don’t know what you’re insinuating,” she said slowly, although the tone of her voice said otherwise. It was cold and flat, issuing a silent warning to Hayden.
It made Liam wonder what they were really talking about. He’d heard that Lucy and Angelica hadn’t gotten along, but Lucy had left ANS to work with Hayden before he took over. He certainly didn’t know anything about Angelica’s past or her family. Why did Lucy’s relationship with Graham make Angelica so angry?
Hayden really seemed to know how to push her buttons. Was he rattling her cage for amusement or was he trying to get her to make a mistake? Liam turned to his left and spied the wedding videographer, a field cameraman from ANS. Perfect. He waived the man over.
“I want you to very quietly, subtly, record their conversation. She can’t know you’re taping them.”
The camera man worked on ANS investigations and undercover stings, so he was likely more comfortable doing this than taping greetings for the bride and groom. He eased into the crowd, coming up from behind Angelica, partially hidden by the towering wedding cake beside them.
Liam watched Hayden’s gaze fall on the video camera for an instant, then back to Angelica. They both knew this was their chance to catch her at something when she didn’t expect it.
“Admit it, Angelica. All this hacking business had nothing to do with presidential scandals or career-launching headlines. It was just a high-profile distraction to get what you were really after. The truth is that you were trying to ruin him. Getting your revenge, at last.”
Liam held his breath, waiting to see where this conversation might go when she thought no one else was watching.
“That’s a ridiculous, unfounded accusation. Graham was a lousy boss with questionable ethics, but he was hardly a blip on my radar. I’ve got better things to do with my time than try to ruin someone like him. In time, they always ruin themselves.”
“It’s interesting you would say that. But I’ve got a stack of pictures that say otherwise. Pictures of you modified to remove your fancy hairdo and contact lenses. It made me think of something Rowena Tate told me. She mentioned that you reminded her of a troubled, unstable girl at her private school. The girl had always gloated about her rich father, but he never showed up for parent weekends. He just mailed a check.”