Downstairs, the household staff exchanged sympathetic glances with Sophia. But she didn’t mind—if this had been the original Sophia, she would’ve been devastated. As it was, without any emotional attachment to Scott Henry, she found the whole scene laughably absurd—a ridiculous play rather than something to take to heart.
Scott Livinus’s tall figure approached, filling the wide hallway with an imposing presence.
His powerful aura silenced everyone in an instant, and even Olivia, sensing the tension, clutched Scott Henry’s arm tightly, feeling an instinctive sense of danger.
Scott Livinus surveyed the mess scattered around, his gaze finally settling coldly on Andrea’s face.
“Sister-in-law.”
“Oh! Uncle…” Andrea forced a laugh, her tone strained.
His lips curved into a mocking smile. “You’re right—this is the Scott family’s house. So… what exactly does it have to do with you?”
His words were frosty and indifferent, and Andrea blinked, caught off-guard. For a moment, she was speechless.
His blunt response was like a slap across her face—brutal and unyielding.
“Uncle, but… but this house does belong to—”
She trailed off. Of course, claiming any share in the estate would look like she was eyeing the family inheritance, but admitting she had no claim would contradict her own words.
Livinus’s smile vanished. “Sister-in-law, you should remember that your position here is no different from Sophia’s.”
While Andrea held the title of sister-in-law, Scott Livinus was the true head of the family. He held little regard even for his brothers, let alone their spouses, and she wasn’t about to contradict him.
Scott Livinus’s gaze shifted to Scott Henry, his tone as cool and impersonal as if he were addressing a subordinate. “if you continue to let your scandals spread and impact the company’s stock price, you’ll have no reason to return to the office.”
Scott Henry froze, unable to utter a single word.
He watched as Scott Livinus turned and walked away.
After that, no one dared to continue the scene. Not long after, Andrea’s husband, Scott Livinus’s brother, returned and pulled her aside.
“Let’s go! We’re family—there’s no need to make things so ugly.”
Olivia paled. “Uncle…”
He gave her a dismissive glance. “You’re not married to him yet, so keep your visits here to a minimum.”
With that, he ushered everyone out.
Sophia glanced at her phone and then closed her live-stream app.
Yes, she had been live-streaming the entire episode. Since things had escalated to this point, she might as well take the reins. Scott Henry’s infidelity was an undeniable fact, and by exposing it herself, she’d taken the first strike. Following Aaron’s advice, Sophia knew that in today’s world, online opinion often influenced real-world judgments. In this way, she was giving herself an advantage for the divorce.
Still, something puzzled her. Why had Scott’s brother’s attitude suddenly shifted, as though he didn’t want her to leave? His change in demeanor was strange, to say the least.
Meanwhile, Olivia hadn’t even left Scott’s residence when she received a call from her agent.
“What? A live-stream?” Olivia’s face turned pale. “Sophia was live-streaming? How is that possible? Then I…”
Her agent nearly shattered the phone in frustration. “Olivia! I told you to keep a low profile! Are you out of your mind? You’ve been recorded acting like a shrew, and everyone can see it. You knew Henry hadn’t finalized his divorce, so why did you go after his wife? Kicking her out? Even I think you’re too arrogant! Imagine what the public will say.”
Olivia’s agent was a renowned manager with a roster of A-list clients, and Olivia was easily the least notable among them. Her path had been carefully crafted through controversial publicity stunts designed to keep her in the spotlight. Although she had no standout achievements, her name was at least recognizable. Facing her agent’s fury, Olivia didn’t dare to argue.
She opened her phone and saw that clips from the live stream had already been edited into short videos and were circulating online, especially the parts where she demanded that Sophia be thrown out. Her attitude came across as shockingly malicious.
The internet had erupted again, with people accusing her of being a mistress, branding her as overly arrogant, and calling her the most brazen mistress in history.
“This is a disaster!” Olivia cried, clinging to Scott Henry. “What are we going to do? It’s all that Sophia’s fault!”
Scott Henry was at his wit’s end. His scandals had already impacted the board’s opinion of him, and Olivia’s antics weren’t helping.
“You didn’t have to try to throw her out!”
Olivia froze, then retorted tearfully, “You didn’t stop me, did you?”
“I…”
Scott Henry let out a long sigh, falling into silence.
It was past ten, and the house had grown quiet as everyone else went to bed. Only Scott Livinus’s study remained lit.
Though Sophia usually went to bed early to stick to her wellness routine, tonight was different. After some hesitation, she brewed a cup of herbal tea and knocked on the study door.
Scott glanced at the door, the corners of his mouth twitching into a barely-there smile. “Come in.”
Sophia let out a nervous laugh as she entered, setting the tea down in front of him. “Try this! I brewed this health tea, especially for you.”
Scott gazed at the cup, his eyes intense but saying nothing.
He took a sip. The taste of traditional herbs was softened by a hint of floral notes, giving it a light and refreshing taste. The blend of herbs and flowers, though seemingly at odds, combined into a surprisingly harmonious aroma.
After drinking, Scott felt a pleasant warmth spread through his stomach, easing his focus after a long evening of work.
Setting down the cup, he leaned back in his chair, a hint of amusement playing on his lips. “So? Go on.”
Sophia chuckled awkwardly. “First off, thank you for recommending Lawyer Aaron. He’s incredibly capable…”
“Enough.” Scott’s gaze was sharp. “I know him better than you do.”
Sophia nodded, taking a deep breath before asking, “I wanted to ask if there’s anything related to me that’s come up. Why was Scott’s brother… your brother acting so differently tonight?”
Scott remained silent for a long moment, tapping his fingers lightly on his desk.
“What are you thinking?” Sophia asked.
Scott looked up, his gaze penetrating. “I was thinking whether this tea is good enough for me to tell you what’s going on.”
Sophia blinked, realizing she’d guessed correctly. Something was indeed happening behind the scenes.
After a pause, Scott reached into a drawer, pulled out a file, and tossed it onto the desk. Sophia picked it up, her eyes widening as she read through it. It was a development report for a traditional medicine ointment for treating hemorrhoids, detailing the formulation and trial phases. However, the clinical trials had encountered some side effects, preventing the product from reaching the market.
She stayed quiet, absorbing the implications. Launching a new medication wasn’t like developing a skincare product—it was much more complex. While a cosmetic line could go from concept to store shelves in a matter of months, drug development was a grueling process. It could take years, requiring extensive clinical testing. Any mistake could render millions in funding completely wasted.
But…
“This formula—it’s from the Smith family, isn’t it?” Sophia asked, frowning.
Scott didn’t deny it. “It’s a project managed by Livinus’s brother, and there have been some issues. Since the Smith family no longer has anyone left in the business…”
He was indirectly implying that they were counting on her, Sophia, to figure out the problem.
Sophia paused, nodding. “Thank you for telling me.”
Scott lifted his cup with a slight smile. “All thanks to the tea.”
Sophia gave a small smile, amused that even Scott could crack a joke once in a while. She turned to leave, but just as she reached the door, Scott’s voice stopped her.
“Sophia, you do know that Lycopus lucidus and goji berries are commonly used as aphrodisiacs in traditional medicine?”
Sophia froze, stammering, “Oh, don’t misunderstand! Lycopus lucidus and goji berries are just complementary herbs. There are others, too. This tea is meant to help with late-night work sessions, that’s all!”
Scott’s eyes glinted with a mix of amusement and intrigue. “Of course.”
And with that, he closed the door.
Sophia stood there, eyebrows knitted. Had he misunderstood? As a practitioner of traditional medicine, her first instinct with tea, food, or even water was always health and wellness! This was just a regular wellness tea… ideal for those who stayed up late, nothing more!
