She shot to her feet, her nostrils flaring in fury.
What was Sophia up to? How had she managed to get involved with Livinus? How dare she!
A divorcee finding a man better than hers? No! This couldn’t be happening!
“Olivia?”
Olivia flung her phone down in frustration, struggling to suppress her rage as she ground her teeth.
“No wonder he humiliated me. It’s because he’s protecting his precious woman!”
Her assistant picked up the phone, glanced at the image, and mumbled, “They do look like a good match…”
“What?” Olivia snapped, glaring daggers at her.
Wisely, the assistant chose not to say another word.
—
The next day, Sophia received a message from Joanna, informing her that Scott Corporation was ready to expose the person who had posted the defamatory article. A legal notice had already been sent to Beauty Forum, demanding the post’s removal.
Sophia was curious about how Livinus planned to handle the situation.
Actually, she had a rather clever idea.
When she discussed it with Joanna, the latter smirked, her red lips curving mischievously. “Dr. Smith, I didn’t take you for someone so cunning.”
Sophia chuckled. “Against pests like these, the best approach is to grab a slipper and squash them!”
“Tsk tsk! I’m starting to worry about Boss Livinus. I feel like he might be outmatched by you.”
Sophia skimmed the message and chose to ignore the teasing remark.
Following Sophia’s instructions, Joanna began making preparations.
—
After a long and exhausting day, Sophia closed her clinic for the night. She planned to order takeout but quickly realized that most restaurants had already closed due to the remote location.
“Dr. Smith, get some rest!”
Sophia smiled warmly. “I’ve made some ginger tea in the big pot by the door. Have some tonight to keep from catching a cold.”
“Will do! Dr. Smith, I even brought a tent!”
Amused, Sophia laughed as she walked toward her house. A delicious aroma suddenly wafted through the air.
She stopped, puzzled. She rarely cooked at home, leaving her kitchen mostly unused, with even the cookware incomplete. What was going on?
Then she remembered what Livinus had said.
Heading into the kitchen, she was greeted by the sight of a tall figure expertly wielding a spatula over the stove.
“Done for the day?”
“Mm.” Sophia leaned against the doorframe, a strange feeling welling up inside her.
Truth be told, she had never been particularly moved by the meals Livinus sent her in the past. But now, perhaps because she was so tired, the sight of her cold kitchen filled with the warmth of home-cooked food stirred something unfamiliar within her.
“Wash your hands and get ready to eat!” Livinus commanded as he neatly plated the dish.
His perfectionism was evident. He meticulously wiped any stray sauce from the plate’s edges, his presentation professional and polished.
Seeing her remain motionless, Livinus turned to glance at her. “What’s wrong? Touched by my efforts?”
Sophia shook her head.
Unfazed, Livinus continued arranging the dishes. “If you’re moved, there’s only one acceptable way to show it—by offering yourself to me.”
—
“Boss Livinus, leaving million- and billion-dollar deals aside to cook for me—isn’t that a bit of an overkill?”
Livinus raised an eyebrow and replied calmly, “That’s why, Dr. Smith, you’d better enjoy this candlelit dinner while it’s hot. It won’t be as good if it cools down.”
He placed a set of dishes in front of her. Sophia then noticed that all the tableware was brand new, as was the wok he had used to cook. Her kitchen certainly didn’t have such items before.
“Did you buy all this?”
“Yes.”
Sophia picked up a piece of steamed bass with her culteries, nodding in approval. “It’s very fresh.”
“It’s wild. I picked it out myself.”
His tone was so casual, yet it made Sophia pause. If she had previously doubted whether Livinus’s attentiveness was genuine, now she was certain: no shrewd businessman would waste precious time hand-picking fish at a market just to prepare a single dinner.
Her chewing slowed. After a moment of contemplation, she said, “You really didn’t have to do all this.”
Livinus cast her a warning glance, his eyes saying that if she dared utter something unpleasant, he’d haul her to the execution grounds on the spot.
Enough with the dramatics!
Sophia chuckled. “I mean, you didn’t have to go to such lengths just to make me dinner.”
Livinus seemed surprised by her response.
“You think dinner is unimportant?”
