“Where to?” Sophia asked.
“Back to the Scott residence. I can take a cab home.”
“Get in,” Scott Livinus said, leaning out of the car window.
With a sigh, Sophia resigned herself to his command and got in.
The Scott home wasn’t far. When they arrived, Livinus went straight to his study. Not wanting to draw attention, Sophia lingered a bit before going in. She changed into her house shoes and was about to head inside when Aunt Lizzy, who was cleaning, suddenly smirked and said, “Miss Smith, I just mopped the floor—you can’t go in.”
Sophia looked at the floor and frowned. “The floor’s already dry.”
Livinus had just walked through without leaving a mark. What was Aunt Lizzy’s problem?
Aunt Lizzy’s smile was taunting. “The floor may be dry, but no shoes allowed.”
“Oh? And who made that rule?”
“I did! Got a problem with that?” Aunt Lizzy replied, her expression smug and self-satisfied.
Sophia stared at her, then wordlessly removed her shoes.
Aunt Lizzy glanced down at Sophia’s stockings and sneered. “Socks aren’t allowed either! You’ll have to take them off too, Miss Smith—wouldn’t want you dirtying up the floor.”
It was clear Aunt Lizzy was intentionally making things difficult. Being close to Andrea, she’d always been somewhat distant with Sophia, but never openly disrespectful. Now that Sophia was on the verge of divorce, it was as if Aunt Lizzy couldn’t wait to assert her dominance.
Sophia was wearing a red T-shirt and black skirt today, along with stockings as a precaution against wardrobe malfunctions. She stared at Aunt Lizzy for a moment, then smirked, taking off her stockings. Rolling them up, she tossed them into the nearby trash bin and said with a smile, “Aunt Lizzy, be a dear and throw those out for me, will you?”
Aunt Lizzy’s face twisted in anger. “Proud of yourself, aren’t you? You think you’re still the lady of this house? Soon enough, you’ll be out on the street. Let’s see how cocky you are then!”
Sophia met her gaze, feeling a mix of disgust and pity.
But some performances needed to be played out.
“Aunt Lizzy, you really think you’re some guard dog? I’ve heard your barking—now run along and save yourself while you still can because if I decide to make a scene, it won’t end well for you.”
With that, she walked away without a second glance.
—
The next morning, Sophia was up early, heading to her clinic to open up for the day.
Mornings in the summer were especially refreshing in the mountains, with fresh air scented by the surrounding tea fields, filling the air with a calming fragrance.
Stepping over the stone path to the entrance, she was surprised when, as soon as she unlocked the door, a few people rushed toward her.
Leading the group was Tina’s mother-in-law, who clutched Sophia’s arm, nearly kneeling in desperation.
“Dr. Smith! You have to save my daughter-in-law! Save my unborn grandchild!”
Sophia frowned. It was Tina’s mother-in-law. “Please, stand up. Tell me what happened.”
“It’s terrible, Doctor! Tina went to the hospital for a check-up, trying to get treatment to protect the baby, but the doctor did an ultrasound and said the baby’s development was delayed. They said there’s almost no chance to save it and advised her to prepare herself… They said, if it doesn’t improve, they may have to do a procedure to terminate the pregnancy.”
