“What was I expecting?” Sophia countered with a question of her own.
Before she could say more, the people in the room noticed them. Liam stood up and waved.
“Livinus—oh, and Sophia?”
Some people in the room were unfamiliar to Sophia but appeared to be Scott Livinus’s friends. When they saw her, they were visibly surprised.
“And who’s this beauty?” Jude glanced at Sophia. Though he was playing cards, his eyes never left her.
The men in the room discreetly assessed Sophia. Their curiosity was understandable; after all, this was the first time Scott Livinus had ever brought a woman into his circle of friends. They had all known each other since childhood and often hung out during their school years. Back then, while most of them already had girlfriends, dating wasn’t a challenge for men of their stature. The women they liked were easy to win over, often with money, and breakups were equally straightforward as long as compensation was adequate. Dating was effortless.
Among them, Scott Livinus was the one with the best prospects, yet he had never brought a woman around.
They used to tease him, speculating whether his overseas trips had changed his preferences.
Sophia smiled faintly. “My name is Sophia.”
“Dr. Smith! Have a seat here!” Tony said, grinning.
Opposite him, Theoc looked puzzled. “Wait, you know her?”
“You know her too!” Tony laughed. “Scott Henry’s wife. Don’t tell me you’ve never seen her before.”
Theofroze, staring at Sophia in shock. He had indeed seen Scott Henry’s wife before, but she had left little impression on him. Though she was beautiful, her presence was subdued, and her aura wasn’t strong—hardly memorable. Yet now, after some time apart, her demeanor had changed significantly. Still, wasn’t Scott Henry in the middle of a messy divorce? The drama between the mistress and the wife had been trending online, even becoming gossip within their circle.
Theo continued to stare at Sophia, his surprise evident.
There was no doubt—Sophia was stunning. Her flawless features could easily rival those of celebrities, and she was far more attractive than Olivia.
“How blind is Scott Henry? Leaving such a gorgeous woman for Olivia, who got her position through shady deals?”
Theo’s words were blunt, prompting laughter from Scott Richard.
“You just don’t get it. A homegrown flower may be beautiful, but a wildflower has its own allure. No matter how lovely the home flower, the wildflower is more tempting!”
Theo raised an eyebrow, finding Scott Henry’s behavior increasingly baffling.
After a moment, Theo suddenly glanced at Scott Livinus, finally realizing that Livinus had brought his nephew’s wife here.
The others chuckled quietly as Tony teased, “Figured it out now? Watch your words!”
Theo froze, his expression awkward. How was he supposed to anticipate this situation?
But was Scott Livinus serious about this? Otherwise, within their tight-knit circle, such a rumor spreading could be damaging.
—
Throughout the entire interaction, Sophia maintained a composed smile, ensuring her expression remained natural.
She reminded herself that feeling like a gorilla under observation was probably just her imagination.
Theo asked cautiously, “Miss Sophia, where did you and Livinus come from? I just called him earlier, and he said he wouldn’t be coming. Now he’s here.”
Sophia curved her lips slightly. “The bar.”
“Really?” Theo chuckled. “He told us he had work, but it turns out he was out clubbing with a beauty?”
Scott Livinus didn’t respond. Jude stood up to give him his seat. Livinus took off his jacket, sat down, and began shuffling the cards with practiced ease.
Sophia felt a bit bored. A few other women, likely girlfriends of the men present, stood nearby.
These women were attentive, feeding the men fruit or offering them drinks, treating them like noblemen lounging in leisure.
Sophia, on the other hand, sat still, not moving an inch.
The women began chatting about makeup and fashion. One of them asked Sophia, “How much do you spend on clothes each month?”
Sophia thought for a moment and answered truthfully, “Zero dollars, I think.”
“…” The answer stunned everyone. The women didn’t believe her. “That’s impossible!”
“Really,” Sophia said with a small smile. “I don’t enjoy shopping for clothes, nor do I like cluttering my space with unnecessary things. If I buy clothes, I’ll end up throwing them away later. It’s better not to buy them at all.”
“…”
The women exchanged glances, clearly finding Sophia eccentric.
In truth, Sophia genuinely didn’t enjoy shopping. Perhaps it was due to her rigorous medical training in her past life. Every moment was devoted to studying medicine or dealing with rare and complicated cases. She had little time for leisure, let alone shopping. When minimalism became trendy among young people, she realized she already embodied that lifestyle. She didn’t buy things, had no desire for possessions, and rotated through just a few high-quality items.
She had grown used to it and saw no issue with it.
After all, a simple T-shirt and shorts could remain timeless for decades.
Another woman asked, “Where do you go for skincare treatments?”
“I don’t do treatments.”
“That’s impossible! Your skin is so flawless—smooth, radiant, and healthy!”
The women found Sophia unique. Her posture was straight, her figure curvaceous, and her skin glowed with health. Compared to women obsessed with extreme dieting, Sophia stood out in a class of her own.
Sophia smiled and said earnestly, “I study traditional medicine and prioritize wellness. Take care of your body, sleep on time, and exercise moderately to keep your blood flowing. That’s better than any skincare product.”
She had unintentionally spoken a harsh truth.
The women looked at her as if she were an alien.
It was their first time meeting a young woman who talked about wellness as though it were second nature. Who could actually manage that? They tried wellness teas for a few days before forgetting about them, stayed up late every night, and spent thousands on high-end skincare products. Yet their skin wasn’t as good as Sophia’s.
“Impossible! What time do you sleep at night?”
“Recently, it’s been later—around 11 PM. When I’m free, I usually sleep by 9:30 PM.”
“And what time do you wake up?”
Sophia thought for a moment. “Around 6 AM. I usually align my wake-up time with the season. I get up when there’s enough energy in the atmosphere.”
