Turning to the women nearby, she added with a grin, “I apologize, everyone. My husband just has a thing for this type of woman. I mean, of all the women he could’ve chosen, he just had to pick one who cries at the drop of a hat.” At Sophia’s comment, everyone burst into laughter, their eyes collectively drifting to Olivia, scrutinizing her from head to toe.
Everyone in these social circles knew that Henry had a mistress named Olivia, a small-time actress reputed for her beauty. In the past, they had believed the rumors without much thought. But now, seeing Olivia standing next to Sophia, they realized the gossip had been overstated. Olivia was indeed pretty—otherwise, Henry Scott wouldn’t have noticed her in the first place—but she fell short in beauty and stature compared to Sophia. Standing beside Sophia, Olivia looked like an ordinary servant girl, utterly lacking in grace. It baffled them that Henry would pass over a stunning woman like Sophia for this delicate “little white flower.”
Under the weight of everyone’s gaze, Olivia’s face turned red. Sophia’s words made her feel as though she were some sort of item on display, being inspected and evaluated by all.
“H-Hello, everyone. My name is Olivia, and I…” Olivia started, attempting to introduce herself politely and leave a good impression, hoping to let everyone know that Henry’s heart truly belonged to her and that Andrea also favored her as a daughter-in-law. She believed it was only a matter of time before Sophia would be ousted from the Scott family.
Sophia lightly patted her hand, smiling sweetly. “Oh, forgive me! I didn’t get the chance to introduce my sister properly. Ladies, you should all know her by now, right? This is Olivia…”
Olivia maintained a composed smile and was determined to look dignified, but Sophia’s next words made her blood run cold.
“She’s my husband’s little lover, our resident mistress! So, everyone, what do you think—does this ‘Number Three’ look pretty?”
Many of the wives in attendance disliked Olivia from the start. Seeing her act pitifully reminded them of their husbands’ potential mistresses. The more Sophia spoke, the more they felt a surge of annoyance on her behalf, sparking a competitive indignation. When Sophia asked her question, they all played along without hesitation.
“Oh, absolutely stunning.”
“Miss Olivia has such a delicate, pitiful charm. She seems well-versed in the art of luring men.”
“How did Olivia meet Mr. Henry, if I may ask? Perhaps you could share some tips with us so we can guard against mistresses trying to tempt our husbands.”
Olivia’s face went ghostly pale, and she clenched her arm tightly, her teeth gritted in fury. “Sophia, what’s the meaning of this? Henry asked you to introduce me! Is this how you introduce me?”
Sophia smiled back. “Oh? Was my introduction lacking? I think I’ve fulfilled my husband’s request perfectly. If you have any complaints, keep them to yourself. This isn’t the place for you to make a scene.”
“Miss Olivia, I heard there were rumors in a magazine about you claiming to be pregnant?” one of the ladies teased.
Olivia’s eyes welled with tears. “You’ll all pay for this!” she muttered before rushing over to Henry side, seeking comfort. Olivia gently patted her shoulder, whispering, “Come now, my love, don’t cry. We have plenty of time ahead of us.”
“I don’t care! That tall, long-haired woman keeps giving me a hard time. You’d better put her in her place!” Olivia demanded tearfully.
“That woman?” Henry glanced over, embarrassed. “She’s the wife of a real estate mogul with family connections in Florida.”
Olivia froze, then asked irritably, “What about the short-haired older lady?”
“She?” Henry shook his head. “She co-founded an internet company with her husband. It’s now valued at billions. Olivia, you haven’t heard of her?”
On the verge of tears, Olivia was at her wit’s end. “How would I know what these ugly women do!?” she fumed. “Fine, what about that woman with the yellow handbag? She isn’t wearing a single brand-name item. Surely she’s not a big deal?”
Henry’s face reddened in embarrassment. “She owns a publicly traded early childhood education company, and her husband’s an oil tycoon from Texas. His wealth is rumored to be off the charts.”
“…”
Having run through everyone she could think of, Olivia realized there was no one she could contend with. Finally, she sobbed, “Sophia did this on purpose to humiliate me. She’s making things difficult!”
Seeing her tears, Henry panicked, doing his best to soothe her. “All right, all right… I’ll deal with her soon enough!”
After circulating through the crowd, Sophia took a glass of water and slipped out to the back garden, only to spot a familiar figure sitting on a sofa.
Livinus?
Seated across from him was a young woman with a shy expression, cheeks flushed, nodding meekly in response to something he’d said.
“I apologize for my conduct the other night, Miss Maggie,” Livinus said.
Miss Maggie shyly shook her head. “It’s nothing. It wasn’t your fault…”
She looked innocent and spoke with a soft, timid tone.
“If I may ask, why did you leave so early the next day? You could have stayed…”
Miss Maggie blushed, her dimples showing as she smiled shyly. “I… was nervous. It was my first time in such a situation.”
Sophia quickly turned away, eyebrows knitting together as she tried to make sense of their conversation. What exactly was going on?
Who was this Miss Maggie? Could it be that Uncle had mistaken her for someone else?
Well, so be it. The more he was distracted by someone else, the better—it meant she could stay under the radar.
The next day, Sophia stared at her bank balance, contemplating ways to make money. While opening a traditional medicine clinic was an option, she believed doctors should be compassionate. Even in the modern era, many people struggled to afford medical care, and she didn’t want to charge exorbitant fees for her treatments. Her goal was to help as many people as possible through her practice.
Furthermore, with classes resuming soon, she wouldn’t be able to run the clinic daily and would have to limit her hours to her free time.
This setup wouldn’t exactly be financially sustainable. Besides, her marriage was a mess. Without financial independence, how would she support herself if she divorced and couldn’t secure alimony? Walking away empty-handed was not an option.
It was time to come up with a plan.
But how?
Sophia pondered, opening her computer to search for potential business ideas. In her previous life, she’d run a company that specialized in traditional medicine products, selling everything from herbal face masks to medicinal sachets and sleep-aid pillows, which had been wildly popular. She wondered if it would be feasible to sell products online in this era.
