Felix swallowed nervously.
Scott Livinus also frowned and said, “Remember, we’re law-abiding businesspeople; we must act discreetly!”
Joanna was taken aback and swallowed her words, feeling as if his words made him sound more dangerous than she was.
“Sir, everything you asked us to investigate and arrange has been completed. The Will family’s business is already in a shambles. No matter what Will Christian tries, that venture is a lost cause!”
Scott Livinus curled his lips coldly. “Will Christian is trying to raise funds to save his company by selling off some of his shares. He’s clever, though. Even though the Will family’s business is worthless now, they still hold some licenses that are hard to obtain. Some companies may still be willing to invest. If he succeeds, he could keep a part of his business alive. Even if he ends up with nothing, as long as he maintains his status as a manager, the Will family’s reputation will remain intact, allowing him to marry off his daughter and secure her future. But the problem is, Miss Maggie isn’t as clever as she thinks.”
Felix nodded in agreement. “Mr. Scott, do you think Will Christian is aware of this?”
“How could he not be?” Scott Livinus stared at the bustling cityscape below in silence.
Just then, the intercom rang, and Joanna picked up. “Mr. Scott, Miss Maggie is here and wants to know if you’ve made a decision.”
Felix frowned. “Is she getting desperate? The Will family must really be struggling.”
But Scott Livinus wasn’t in the least bit hurried. With an indifferent expression, he said, “Tell her I’m busy and have no time to see her.”
Joanna understood immediately. Miss Maggie assumed she had the upper hand and believed she could threaten Scott Livinus, thinking he’d be desperate and come to her first. But Scott Livinus wasn’t in a rush, and his inaction would undoubtedly unsettle Miss Maggie, making her lose her patience. The more Scott kept his door closed, the more anxious she’d become.
When someone grows desperate, they tend to make reckless moves or reveal their hand.
Scott Livinus was like a gambler, unafraid to push. He intended to provoke Miss Maggie into losing her composure.
Joanna delivered the message, and on the other end, Miss Maggie became frantic:
“No time to see me? Did you tell him it’s me? Impossible! I have leverage over him! You…”
“Our boss said he’s busy.”
“Impossible. Let me speak to him…”
“The boss is occupied, Miss Maggie. Feel free to take your leave.”
With that, Joanna hung up.
On the other end, Miss Maggie indeed panicked. What was Scott Livinus thinking? She had put herself out there, and yet he wasn’t worried. What was he planning? Did he already have a countermeasure, or did he simply not care?
It couldn’t be! Miss Maggie looked around anxiously, suddenly wondering if Scott Livinus had sent someone to deal with her.
With that thought, she gritted her teeth and made a decision.
—
After Joanna left the room, she exchanged a look with Felix and asked in a low voice, “What’s going on with Mr. Scott? He’s been so distracted today.”
“Obviously, it’s a matter of the heart,” Felix replied solemnly.
“A matter of the heart? Who could Mr. Scott be in love with? Don’t tell me it’s Miss Ella?”
“She’s his niece! What does this have to do with Ella?” Felix rolled his eyes. “Your imagination is something else; you must be reading too many forbidden novels.”
Joanna’s eyes flashed indignantly, and she huffed, “Then who do you think it is?”
“Of course, it’s Sophia! Don’t you think Mr. Scott’s relationship with Miss Smith is a bit unusual?”
“Sophia?” Although Joanna had noticed he treated Sophia differently and had fantasized about the two, she felt that the relationship was impossible to pursue. As a nephew-in-law and an uncle, it would be scandalous in the Scott family. “I just hope Mr. Scott doesn’t go down that path. If he does, it’ll be incredibly difficult for him. The Scott family would never allow it.”
Felix sighed. Joanna didn’t understand that when Scott Livinus decided on something, no one—neither rules nor family expectations—could stop him.
He only behaved traditionally because he hadn’t yet met the right person.
“Who knows.”
Joanna rolled her eyes. “And you were saying I read too many forbidden novels! Isn’t an uncle and niece-in-law just as forbidden?”
Felix tapped her head lightly with a file, chuckling. “Forbidden, my foot! Don’t you think a man like Mr. Scott is incredibly dashing?”
“Dashing? Of course! Mr. Scott is the most handsome man in the world… when he’s swiping his card!” Joanna laughed, holding her head.
—
Recently, Sophia had been diligently preparing medicine for Tony and Clara.
Though, as a doctor, she treated every patient equally, she couldn’t ignore how deeply some couples longed to have children. For those who struggled with infertility after years of trying, not being able to conceive could be truly heartbreaking.
For those who voluntarily chose a child-free lifestyle, it was one thing, but for Tony and Clara, who had been trying for over a decade, the odds of conception were slim.
Although Sophia was helping them with her secret formula and carefully adjusting their health, she was very serious about it, wanting to avoid disappointing them.
It was the best time in Clara’s cycle to take the medicine, and with any luck, this would yield results. Otherwise, each month would be an agonizing wait for them.
Thus, Sophia handled their treatment with utmost dedication.
Just as she was contemplating, Chloe called and laughed, “Sophia, come out with me tonight!”
