Meanwhile, Sophia was sitting at home, staring at the bloodstain on her underwear.
Her period had arrived.
Feeling slightly unwell, she realized she had no sanitary pads left at home and no nearby convenience stores. Helplessly, she called Livinus.
Livinus was in the middle of a meeting. He absentmindedly answered the call and accidentally hit the speakerphone button. Before he could switch it off, Sophia’s voice came through loud and clear:
“Livinus, when are you coming home? Can you bring me some sanitary pads?”
Sanitary pads…
Pads…
The room fell into a deafening silence.
Even the usually composed and aloof Livinus felt his face flush faintly.
The gathered executives, awaiting his next instructions, wore a variety of expressions: awkward coughs, pressed lips, stifled laughter, and overly serious faces.
Secretary Joanna nudged Felix, who maintained a stoic demeanor, staring straight ahead as if nothing had happened.
Sensing the silence, Sophia hesitated and asked, “Livinus? What’s wrong?”
A sinking feeling crept over her.
After a brief pause, Livinus’s low, slightly unnatural voice replied, “I’m in a meeting.”
“Oh?” She shrugged it off. “Just pick some up on your way home.”
Moments later, she received a message: **“I had it on speakerphone just now.”**
Sophia gasped, mortified. She had merely asked him to buy sanitary pads, but now everyone at Scott Corporation knew!
The story spread quickly among the employees. Rumors of the incident painted Livinus as a considerate and rare kind of man—one willing to buy sanitary pads for his girlfriend.
Some employees, eager to ingratiate themselves, discreetly noted Sophia’s menstrual cycle, planning to send her wellness products in the future.
—
Embarrassed yet resolute, Livinus refused to send his secretary to handle the task. That evening, he drove home, stopping at a convenience store along the way.
The night-shift clerk watched as a tall, handsome man in a tailored suit and sunglasses entered the store.
The clerk hesitated briefly, wondering if this mysterious figure might be a robber.
“Sir, can I help you find something?”
Livinus’s stoic silence led the clerk to assume he might be visually impaired. They gently touched his arm.
“Sir, what are you looking for? I can help.”
Realizing their misunderstanding, Livinus decided it would save him the trouble of further interaction.
“I need some sanitary products,” he said flatly.
The clerk paused briefly before smiling and handing him two packs. “Do you need night use or day use? Extra-long or regular? Tampons or pads?”
Livinus frowned. This was the first time he’d encountered so many options.
“What’s the difference?”
The clerk patiently explained, “Night use is longer for nighttime protection, day use is shorter, tampons are inserted internally, and pads are the regular kind that stick to underwear…”
“Enough!” he interrupted, his expression strained. “Just give me one of each.”
“Alright!”
As he checked out, the store, now busy with a line of curious customers, watched as the dashing “blind man” bought an array of sanitary products.
When he left, one clerk sighed wistfully, “He’s so handsome. It’s a shame he’s blind. Otherwise, I’d have asked for his account.”
“You can forget it!” a colleague teased. “He has a girlfriend! You’ll just have to envy her!”
**“What am I even jealous of? Just a blind man…”**
—
Livinus returned carrying a bag of sanitary pads.
Sophia was stretching her legs in the house. When she saw him, she smiled and asked, “You’re back?”
Livinus sighed, tossed the bag of sanitary pads in front of her, and said in a low voice:
“Sophia, I’ve never been so embarrassed in my entire life!”
Sophia found it amusing and asked, “Why did you put it on speaker?”
“My hand slipped.”
“How was I supposed to know you were in a meeting?” Moments earlier, Joanna had texted her, saying that the entire company now knew about the CEO’s girlfriend’s period. Sophia was left speechless and resolved not to make their relationship public—otherwise, she would die of embarrassment.
Livinus, having already lost face, didn’t say much more. Instead, he searched online for health tips for women during menstruation and reminded her:
“Don’t eat raw or cold foods, avoid radishes, don’t get angry, and make sure to get enough sleep!”
Sophia couldn’t help laughing. “Did you forget I’m a doctor?” She then gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and said softly, “Thank you, Mr. Scott.”
Livinus smiled, pulled her onto his lap, and while they couldn’t do much else, a little kissing and cuddling were still allowed.
—
Andrea was taken to the hospital for treatment. The doctor said they needed to perform a biopsy to determine whether the tumor was benign or malignant. If benign, a minor surgery could resolve it quickly, but if malignant, further surgery would be required.
Naturally, Andrea was in a terrible mood. When she was upset, she would start scolding people, frequently blaming Richard for causing her illness. Her harsh words rained down on him like a storm. Richard couldn’t tolerate it and stormed out, not returning home for several days.
