Today, Scott Livinus drove himself home after dropping off Dr. John and Uncle Jack.
Sophia had been working through the night, and just as she thought she could finally sleep, she found herself too restless. Though her eyelids drooped, she felt listless rather than sleepy.
Being young had its perks—even after pulling an all-nighter, she didn’t look too worse for wear. Still, her body felt drained, as though all her energy had been sucked out, leaving her utterly exhausted.
From the rearview mirror, Scott glanced at her discreetly, thinking over what Mr. James had mentioned.
Could Mrs. James truly have been cured by Sophia? Even Dr. John and Uncle Jack hadn’t been able to resolve the issue, yet in just one night, she had managed to save her. According to Uncle Jack, Mrs. James was not only recovering but could already speak again. Under Sophia’s care, she was regaining her strength—showing none of the effects typical of a seven-day hemorrhage.
Scott found it perplexing.
He’d asked Felix to look into Sophia’s background. Although she came from a family with a tradition in medicine, she had shown little interest in it from a young age and had never displayed any relevant skills. If she had, even superficially, her in-laws, Andrea and her husband, would not have treated her so poorly.
Something didn’t add up.
Yet Livinus Scott couldn’t put his finger on exactly what was amiss.
The black sedan glided through the winding roads, reaching the Scott family home just as Scott Henry came out, carrying a black leather bag.
Yawning, Sophia climbed out of the car, catching Scott Henry’s glare as he scrutinized her with a disapproving frown.
“Sophia, you didn’t come home again last night?” he accused.
She glanced at him, too tired to even muster a fight, and replied with a lazy tone, “Oh? You’re actually home for breakfast, dear husband? Didn’t feel like spending the night with your mistress?”
Scott Henry’s face turned red, and he barked in frustration, “My affairs are none of your business! But you—out all night, still wearing yesterday’s clothes… Don’t tell me you were out with some random man! If I catch you, you’re done!”
Suddenly, the car window rolled down.
Scott Henry looked over.
Sitting in the driver’s seat with a cold expression was none other than Scott Livinus.
Scott Henry froze, stunned. “Uncle? What… why are you with Sophia so early?”
Scott Livinus glanced at him indifferently, his voice low. “Business.”
“What kind of business?” Scott Henry pressed, but before he could ask more, the window rolled up, and the sedan sped off, leaving him standing there, sputtering in the exhaust fumes.
Andrea came outside and, upon seeing Sophia, shot her a disapproving look.
“Sophia, Scott Livinus is your husband’s uncle. No matter how restless your heart may be, you shouldn’t go after people so close to home!”
“Thanks for the concern,” Sophia said, stifling a yawn. “But what am I supposed to do? My husband rarely comes home, and here I am, a lonely wife with nothing to keep me warm. Of course, I have to find something to occupy myself with.”
“You…” Andrea’s lips turned a deep shade of purple with rage. She sneered, “Let me tell you, Sophia if I catch even a hint of evidence that you’re cheating, you’re out on the street!”
Sophia had heard enough of this threat by now. Smiling, she waved her hand dismissively. “Fine, I’m ready whenever you are.”
“Don’t think Scott Livinus is a good person!” Andrea snapped, noticing the brief hesitation in Sophia’s gaze.
Andrea smirked, feeling triumphant. “Being with him will only lead you to ruin! Men like him are incapable of affection.”
Sophia chuckled. “Alright, I’ll pass along your warning. Thank you for the advice. If he truly is like that, then I suppose your family really does share the same bloodline through and through.”
With that, she walked off without a second glance.
—
Sophia slept deeply, waking up to find it was already three in the afternoon. She called the James family to check on Mrs. James and learned that her condition had improved significantly—she could sit up, speak, had a good appetite, and was even laughing more. Mr. James was thrilled, bringing their child back from their grandparents’ home. Mrs. James, having narrowly escaped death and reunited with her child, was in high spirits, her entire demeanor transformed.
Sophia instructed Mr. James to obtain powdered red ginseng, placenta powder, and other nourishing herbs for Mrs. James. If all went well, a few more doses would bring about a complete recovery; afterward, all she’d need was some routine treatment to restore her vitality.
“Dr. Sophia,” Mr. James asked respectfully, “I wanted to know, how long will these herbs keep her condition stable?”
Rubbing her eyes, Sophia yawned and chuckled, “How long? Roughly…”
“Yes?” Mr. James gripped the phone, anxiously waiting for her answer.
After all, the initial scare had been enough to shake him. If this illness were to flare up periodically like a cold, it would be disastrous.
Sophia laughed. “Roughly a lifetime.”
“What?” Mr. James’s eyes widened in delight over the phone. “Are you serious?”
“Yes, once she completes the course of herbs I’ve prescribed, Mrs. James won’t experience this condition again,” Sophia confirmed confidently.
If she wasn’t capable of ensuring lifelong recovery for such an illness, would she even be qualified to call herself a doctor? Expecting a patient to return every few days with a recurring issue and constantly paying for treatment would be laughable.
That evening, Sophia went downstairs for dinner, only for the housekeeper to look at her in surprise.
“Ma’am, you’re not going out today?”
Sophia was puzzled. “Why? What’s today?”
“Today’s Valentine’s Day, ma’am. Everyone’s out celebrating. As for Mr. Henry…” Realizing Scott Henry was probably off with his mistress, the housekeeper quickly added, “Spending the day alone isn’t so bad, honestly.”
Sophia just shrugged, unfazed.
She couldn’t believe Valentine’s Day had come so quickly. Time flew.
Opening her social media feed, she scrolled through it halfheartedly. Most people there were unfamiliar to her.
Then, a message notification popped up.
She clicked it to see a photo of Olivia in Scott Henry’s arms, both looking disheveled, as if they’d just come from a rendezvous. Olivia was wearing his white dress shirt, and a few buttons were undone to reveal a hint of cleavage, which made the whole image suggestive.
Sophia yawned, her expression unchanging. She saved the photo without a word.
Suddenly, the door opened, and Scott Livinus walked in, dressed in a black short-sleeve shirt.
The housekeeper quickly served the food, not daring to say a word.
“What do you want as a gift?” Scott Livinus asked out of the blue.
For a moment, Sophia was stunned, wondering if he meant a Valentine’s gift. Had he somehow found out about that night? Couldn’t be… Wasn’t there still that Miss Maggie?
Scott gave her a sidelong glance as he sliced his steak. “The contract with Mr. James has been signed. It’s thanks to your help. Ask for whatever you want—money, a gift, whatever it is. As long as it’s within my means, I’ll make it happen.”
Sophia relaxed, dismissing her initial worries, and was about to decline when she suddenly thought of her clinic.
Her predecessor hadn’t been involved in the clinic’s operations and didn’t know where to source medicinal herbs. She had been stressing over this, and now here was the perfect opportunity sitting right in front of her—the CEO of Scott Group, a company that dealt in herbs and fragrances, owed her a favor. How could she pass it up?
