Liam chuckled and replied, “I’m setting the odds at three months or more!”
— “10k on less than three months. What’s the payout?”
— “Wait, I’m late! What’s this betting about?”
Liam posted a laughing emoji. “1:3 odds. No cap. Place your bets!”
Messages flooded in as everyone gave their amounts. Some bet two months, others one, and a few even said seven days. Most doubted Sophia could hold out long, given Livinus’s cunning.
After all, if he could aim for the stars, what was chasing a woman in comparison?
—
After the meal, while Livinus went to get the car, Liam grinned and pulled Sophia aside.
“Dr. Smith?” he said in a deliberately annoying tone, smiling slyly.
Sophia raised an eyebrow. “If you’ve got something to say, spit it out. You’re giving me goosebumps.”
“Right, of course! We’re practically family, right? You’re my sister’s good friend, so we’re like one big family!”
Sophia gave him a sidelong glance, sensing he had some scheme in mind.
Pulling her aside when Livinus wasn’t around was unlike Liam’s usual style. His mischievous grin clearly meant trouble.
“What’s up? Too embarrassed to discuss your issue with Livinus and want me to check for you?” Sophia frowned, giving him a once-over. “I’ll tell you now—if it’s serious, you should see a doctor. Judging by your face, there’s nothing major, but…”
“Hey! No way! I’m perfectly healthy, thank you very much!” Liam retorted, then added, “Fine, I’ll be honest. I want to propose a collaboration.”
“Collaboration?”
“Yeah, there’s a lucrative opportunity right in front of us. Dr. Smith, the question is, are you willing to grab it?”
Seeing her skeptical expression, Liam hurried to reassure her. “I swear it’s nothing bad for you!”
“What’s the deal?”
Liam paused, carefully choosing his words. “Here’s the thing. Our friend group likes to joke around, and back when I was dating, Livinus always bet I wouldn’t last a month with anyone. He even set up betting pools in our group chats! Of course, I couldn’t let him win, so I tried to last longer every time. But somehow, I always ended up breaking up before the month was over. Every time, he’d rake in millions from the bets without lifting a finger. It was infuriating!
“I’ve always suspected he was scheming behind my back, and I’ve been dying to turn the tables on him. But he’s never had a woman in his life—until now. Finally, he’s chasing you…”
Sophia coughed lightly. “Keep it low-key.”
Liam grinned from ear to ear. “Dr. Smith, how can this stay low-key? You’re now a goddess in our circle. Everyone wants tips on how you managed to make Boss Livinus chase after you! Anyway, here’s the deal: if you hold out for three months without accepting his pursuit, we get to split 4.2 million! We split it evenly!”
“4.2 million? That much?”
“Exactly!” Liam said, smiling brightly. “So, Dr. Smith, what do you think? You don’t need to do anything except keep him hanging. Let him taste rejection for once.”
Sophia frowned. How could she possibly agree to such a scheme? Was she someone who’d sell out for money?
She glared at Liam before reaching out her hand. “Deal!”
As soon as she got into the car, Livinus’s low voice came from the driver’s seat. ” Liam suggested a partnership, offering to split half the betting money with you?”
“…”
Sophia suspected he had planted a listening device on her. “How did you figure that out?”
Livinus chuckled softly, tapping his fingers on the steering wheel. “After so many years of friendship, if I couldn’t see through him, I’d be useless.”
“You’re right. He said if I held out for three months, he’d split millions with me.”
“You agreed?”
A simple question, yet the way he said it carried an undeniable edge.
Sophia smiled faintly. “Of course. I thought, why not? I don’t have to do anything and still get 2.1 million. It’s easy money.”
Livinus gripped the steering wheel tightly. After a brief silence, he turned toward her, his gaze sharp and teasing.
They were so close their lips nearly touched.
Just when Sophia thought he might kiss her, his next words made her pause.
“I’ll give you 2.1 million,” he said.
“Huh?”
“Right now. Be with me.”
With that, he started the car, his expression as calm as if discussing the weather. As he drove, he added, “Sure, in the short term, it looks like I’m losing money.
But if we get together and keep it a secret from Liam for three months, we’ll tell him later. By then, you’ll get his 2.1 million too. That’s 4.2 million for you, and for me, giving money to my own woman is just moving it from one pocket to another. In the end, I’m not losing anything—I’m gaining.”
