Deanna's gaze turned frosty as she heard the children's words and looked towards Leticia.
Leticia, noticing Deanna's stare, wore an innocent smile and giggled, "Deanna's back."
Deanna did not respond immediately.
She softly told the children, "Go upstairs and do your homework. Leave this to mommy to handle."
"We're not going upstairs; we want to stay here to protect mommy," Gregory clung to Deanna's leg in refusal.
Chloe also nodded, her voice milky as she said, "Yes, we want to protect mommy."
Hearing this warmed Deanna's heart, but she insisted that the children leave.
She didn't know if she would end up arguing with Leticia and didn't want the children to hear any unpleasant words.
Eventually, the children couldn't outstubborn Deanna and were taken upstairs by Sam.
Now, only Deanna and Leticia were left in the living room.
Deanna approached Leticia, her eyebrows slightly furrowed, "I wonder what Miss Walsh is doing here today?"
"Just came to visit you. I didn't expect you and Lance would go out," Leticia said with a sisterly smile.
However, Deanna wasn't buying it.
Her patience had worn thin with Leticia's repeated intrusions and she sternly said, "There's no one else here now, Miss Walsh. Are you sure you still want to put on an act for me?"
At that, Leticia's expression froze.
She stared at Deanna, the anger she had been suppressing boiling over.
Especially when she remembered how her attempts to get close to Deanna had been thwarted by this woman, her jealousy became unbearable.
"You're right, there's no one else here. I don't need to act with you."
Leticia's true face emerged as she stood up from the sofa and stepped towards Deanna.
Seeing this, Deanna's delicate eyebrows knitted together tightly, "What are you trying to do?"
"Don't worry, I won't lay a hand on you. I just want to see how thick your skin is, shamelessly clinging to Lance like that."
Leticia stopped in front of Deanna, her face full of disdain, "I heard you had a fiancé five years ago, but on the eve of your engagement, you messed around with another man outside and gave birth to those two bastards..."
Before she could finish, a crisp slap sounded in the living room.
Deanna stared at Leticia with a frosty warning, "Keep your mouth clean, or I won't mind teaching you how to speak!"
Leticia tilted her head, covering her face, her eyes dark and sinister.
She suddenly turned back, her gaze as if ready to devour Deanna.
"You dare hit me?!"
"Why wouldn't I?"
Deanna countered strongly.
Leticia was furious, ranting uncontrollably, "You shameless woman! No wonder your fiancé left you; even your mother died because of you. Yet you act as if nothing happened, giving birth to children whose father is unknown. What tricks did you use on Lance for him to be so devoted to you, even willing to be a stepfather to those bastards?"
"I'm telling you, I will not let you deceive Lance. You're not worthy of him. I'll tell him all about this. The worst part is you trying to seduce my cousin with those kids in tow. Shameless!"
Hearing these unbearable words made Deanna's face indescribable.
She stared coldly at Leticia like looking at a mad dog.
After Leticia finished her rant, panting heavily, her pretty cheeks twisted in anger.
Deanna narrowed her eyes mysteriously, "Done yelling?"
"No, you b- Ah!"
Leticia hadn't finished speaking when she screamed.
Her other cheek visibly swelled up.
Deanna shook her somewhat numb hand, looking at Leticia's symmetrical cheeks with satisfaction.
Leticia was about to explode.
"Deanna!"
"I told you, if you can't keep your mouth clean, I don't mind helping you clean it."
Deanna looked over coldly, her eyes sharp and commanding.
Leticia had never seen such a sharp side of Deanna and couldn't help but feel a bit scared.
But soon, her anger overwhelmed that fear as she gritted her teeth, "Do you think I'm wrong? If it weren't for your shamelessness and unknown tricks that charmed Lance, given his status, would he fancy a flirtatious woman like you who had children out of wedlock? Even my cousin is infatuated with you. Can you say you didn't use any tricks?"
Hearing this, Deanna just wanted to laugh.
Seeing the smile on her face made Leticia even more irritated.
"What are you laughing at?"
"I laugh at your blindness and dirty soul."
Deanna looked over arrogantly and continued, "Firstly, I have no feelings for your cousin. Secondly, whether I'm worthy of Lance or not isn't your concern. The children are Lance's. If I'm not worthy, who else will be? You?"