“Of course! They were spotted having dinner together, acting all flirty. It’s all over the internet.”
“Walker Riley is so beautiful; no man could resist her.”
Sophia continued treating patients, never once looking up from her work.
“Hey, Sis,” Halliton Waylon, her younger colleague, asked, “did you hear the rumors? Walker Riley and the head of Scott Corporation are supposedly dating. They say he’s super rich. Do you think women these days prefer rich men?”
“Maybe,” Sophia replied casually. “If you compare a rich man to a poor one, it’s only natural to choose the rich one.”
Halliton Waylon was taken aback. “Sis, you think so too? But you’re wealthy yourself—why would you need a rich boyfriend?”
Sophia smiled as she applied herbal paste to a patient’s wound. “Liking someone is just liking them. You can’t discriminate against someone just because they’re rich, right?”
Halliton Waylon paused, then hesitantly asked, “Do you like guys like Livinus?”
Sophia merely smiled and said nothing. The other patients continued gossiping, but she kept her opinions to herself.
—
That evening, Livinus returned home. They had dinner together as though nothing had happened.
Livinus observed her closely, but Sophia’s expression remained calm, showing neither happiness nor anger.
The next day, the scandal escalated as Enzo released clearer photos. Likely because Scott Corporation hadn’t issued a public response, the paparazzo grew bolder, implying that Livinus was two-faced—using his girlfriend as a prop while secretly romancing Walker Riley .
Walker Riley ’s assistant asked her, “Sis, should we suppress this news?”
Frowning, Walker Riley asked, “Scott Corporation hasn’t responded?”
“Nope. It’s strange. Livinus treasures his reputation and has always kept his distance from actresses. You’d think he’d be quick to address this, but there’s been no word from him or his company.”
“Does that mean he doesn’t care about the rumors?”
If Livinus didn’t care, he wouldn’t have distanced himself from her so decisively. If he wasn’t responding, he either didn’t think it was worth his time or had his own reasons.
What could those reasons be?
Walker Riley considered the possibilities but decided not to take action. Scandals only boosted her popularity, saving her the cost of publicity. When the time came, she could casually clarify the rumors.
“Leave it be for now,” she instructed.
“Got it!”
Online, the debate grew more heated as Livinus’s “fan wives” clashed with trolls. His supporters trusted his character, insisting he wouldn’t be involved with someone like Walker Riley.
Then, unexpectedly, news broke that Livinus had created an Instagram account. His fan wives received the notification and flocked to the page.
@Scott Livinus’s account contained only one official introduction post, but his sudden presence on social media clearly served a purpose.
– *”Hello, everyone. I’m Livinus’s girlfriend.”* [Likes: 32,111]
– *”Hi, I’m his second wife.”*
– *”Excuse me, I’m his concubine.”*
– *”Back off, b*tches! Livinus is mine! He’s spending the night with me.”*
On his first day, Livinus’s followers skyrocketed from 0 to 3 million, with the number continuing to rise—a growth rate rivaling top-tier celebrities.
The “wives’ group” was about to flood his Instagram account, leaving Joanna, who had just registered an account, utterly shocked.
“Felix, why isn’t President stepping forward to clarify?”
Felix chuckled, “You know how President is. If he’s not clarifying, it means he’s using this situation to his advantage.”
“Do you mean he wants to use this scandal to provoke Dr. Sophia? No way! Is President really that cunning?”
For a moment, Joanna shivered and broke into a cold sweat. A man in his thirties still playing such tricks—it made her feel a bit sorry for Dr. Sophia. She couldn’t help but wonder if Sophia could handle someone like Livinus.
Joanna asked again, “Do you think the President’s strategy will work?”
Felix smiled. “That depends on his mood in the next few days.”
Over the next several days, everyone in the secretarial department paid close attention to Livinus’s expressions.
On the day after the scandal broke, Livinus’s expression wasn’t good.
The second day, it was worse!
The third day, it was terrible!
The fourth day, his face was frighteningly dark!
By the fifth day…
By the fifth day, Livinus’s Instagram followers had climbed into the millions and were on the verge of reaching ten million. Yet, he hadn’t posted a single thing.
The night before New Year, Livinus returned home to find Sophia closing up her medical clinic. She planned to take a few days off during the holiday before reopening.
Just as she locked the door, Livinus entered with an indifferent expression. He didn’t say a word to her and headed straight inside.
Frowning, Sophia grabbed a few sweet potatoes and asked, “Sweet potato porridge for dinner?”
Livinus replied with a nonchalant “Mm.”
“What about vegetables? Broccoli or winter melon?”
“Mm.”
Sophia carried the vegetables into the kitchen. Judging by his attitude, he clearly didn’t plan to cook that evening. Since her cooking skills were mediocre at best, she had no choice but to make do, telling herself it would be edible, at least.
