Tony grinned and said:
“How am I silly? I’m just happy! When my child is born, I’ll bring Dr. Smith some celebration candies!”
The child was barely the size of a mango seed, and he was already this excited. How would he act when the baby was actually born?
Sophia suspected that by then, he might bring enough candies to fill a truck.
The thought amused her.
Still, she was genuinely happy for them.
“Make sure Clara comes to my place in the next few days. I’ll take her pulse,” Sophia said.
“Alright!” Tony responded, squinting as he smiled.
For him, having Sophia take ‘s pulse Clara was a blessing! In his eyes, Sophia was a miracle worker. Even her casual remarks were pearls of wisdom to him.
Tony’s cheerful demeanor forced Sophia to open her clinic. The number tokens she handed out in the morning had already been taken, and patients were waiting eagerly.
—
This was Scott Livinus’s first visit to this area. The surroundings were filled with tea fields and wild, desolate mountains. Only Sophia’s family lived on this hillside.
Her house looked somewhat shabby, but the lighting was good, and it was tidily arranged, giving a cozy and welcoming feel.
Had she grown up here? Her childhood must have been a joyful one, running around the mountain, weaving through tea fields, and living close to nature. It was the perfect gift for a child.
As Scott Livinus walked a few steps, he noticed that Sophia’s yard had piles of sand and unplanted vegetation. She was likely planning to landscape the yard. But being as busy as she was, did she even have time to plant flowers?
If he remembered correctly, she had been returning late every night for the past few days.
“What do you think? Dr. Smith’s place is not bad, right? The house might be run-down, but the scenery is great, and the air is fresh. It’s a perfect place to maintain one’s health,” Tony commented with a sigh.
Scott Livinus said nothing, lost in thought.
Tony glanced at him and couldn’t help but chuckle.
Scott Livinus, dressed in a tailored suit, looked completely out of place in this setting. It was as though his mere presence imposed an invisible pressure on everyone around him.
While his dominance served him well in the business world, would it be an advantage in matters of the heart?
“Livinus,” Tony began, “where do you think Sophia will live after her divorce?”
After the divorce, Sophia would naturally return here.
“She would probably come back here. But living alone in such an isolated place—is that safe? With so many criminals around these days, what if someone breaks in?”
Scott Livinus’s brows furrowed slightly, though he remained expressionless.
Tony sighed, “The other day, Chloe and Clara were discussing setting Sophia up with someone.”
“A matchmaker?”
“Yes. After all, it’s not her fault she ended up with a jerk like Scott Henry. Someone as beautiful as Sophia, even if she’s divorced and childless, will have no trouble finding someone.”
Tony noticed Scott Livinus’s face darken a shade. Suddenly, Scott Livinus spoke, “Tony, Mr. Louis is back.”
“What?!” Tony almost exploded.
“I heard that he hasn’t had a girlfriend all these years. Who do you think he’s waiting for?”
The words hit Tony like a punch to the gut. He retorted furiously:
“Who is he waiting for?! I’ve been married to Clara for years; does he still want to dig up the past?”
Mr. Louis had been Clara’s childhood friend. Back then, everyone was innocent, and Louis hadn’t confessed his feelings. Tony seized the opportunity, courting Clara until she was his. Later, Louis left for abroad and hadn’t returned until now.
Tony fumed, “Who are you even helping here? Stay out of my business with Clara!”
Scott Livinus snorted, “Fine. Then you stay out of Sophia’s business!”
“You—!” Tony paused, finally realizing that Scott Livinus was angry. With a laugh, he teased, “If you don’t want people setting Dr. Smith up, why don’t you take the initiative?”
A brick flew out of nowhere, narrowly missing Tony’s head.
“Goodness! Men really are ruthless—Scott Livinus, you’re too much!”
—
To Sophia’s surprise, Scott Livinus had someone deliver her lunch at noon. It wasn’t just any meal but a meticulously prepared American bento box. The wooden box was divided into four compartments with a balanced selection of dishes. Below was a layer of chicken soup, brimming with nutrients.
While Sophia valued a healthy lifestyle, her hectic schedule often left her little time to eat properly.
This was probably the most satisfying lunch she had had since her clinic opened.
Patients waiting in line couldn’t help teasing her when they saw the meal.
“Dr. Smith, that man who came earlier—is he your boyfriend?”
Sophia froze and quickly shook her head. “No, he’s not.”
“Come on, I think he is!”
Laughter broke out among the patients as they playfully bantered with her about Scott Livinus.
“Dr. Smith, stop denying it. I saw him looking around your yard for ages. A man of his stature wouldn’t waste his time unless he had feelings for you.”
The crowd chimed in agreement.
“And he even brought you lunch!”
Sophia paused. She hadn’t planned to overanalyze the gesture, but the patients’ words forced her to confront it.
Why had Scott Livinus brought her lunch?
Given their personalities, neither she nor Scott Livinus were the type to waste time on unrelated matters. If he had gone out of his way to do this, there had to be a reason.
This wasn’t the only strange thing he’d done recently.
Just a few days ago, for instance, he had taken the time to teach someone golf. A man like him wouldn’t bother unless there was a purpose.
So, what exactly did he want?
—
By the time Sophia returned to the Scott household at past ten that evening, Scott Richard was sitting on the sofa with a dark expression.
When he saw her enter, he rose and exchanged a glance with Andrea before awkwardly smiling, “Sophia, why are you back so late?”
“Do you need something?”
“It’s nothing major,” Scott Richard replied, his smile strained.
His life had been miserable lately. Due to an incorrect prescription, his research project had gone off track, resulting in significant losses. If he didn’t correct the formula soon and Scott Livinus got wind of it, the consequences would be severe.
Given Scott Livinus’s ruthless nature, he might be expelled from the company at best—or held personally accountable for all the losses at worst, which would halt the project entirely.
Scott Richard couldn’t afford for that to happen. At over fifty years old, he was nearing retirement. A mistake now would only tighten the grip of his younger brother, who had overshadowed him his entire life. He couldn’t let things spiral further.
