After a while, as the crowd thinned out, Liam focused on cooking for them. When he saw Sophia, he smiled and said:
“I was just thinking about you these past few days. You’re really something! You even dared to mess with Mr. Scott Livinus. Who else would dare to kick him in the thigh?”
Sophia couldn’t help but laugh, “I honestly didn’t mean to!”
“You’re really plucking hairs from a tiger’s head! By the way, he didn’t do anything to you, did he?”
Sophia shook her head.
Thinking about it made Liam chuckle. When he shared the story in his friend group, everyone was shocked and wanted to meet this bold woman.
“By the way, Nancy’s birthday is on Saturday. You have to join us!”
Nancy remembered the occasion and said, “I hadn’t gotten around to inviting you yet, but he beat me to it.”
“Well, you didn’t mention it!”
Nancy huffed and handed an invitation to Sophia with a grin, saying:
“It’s just a small gathering for my birthday with a few people, so don’t make it a big deal—just come to have fun.”
Sophia nodded with a smile, “I’ll definitely be there!”
Even though it was a casual gathering, Sophia didn’t take her words literally and knew she couldn’t go empty-handed. With Nancy’s family background, any expensive gift would likely feel bland. She thought about giving something truly useful.
So, she started crafting the gift right away.
She worked late into the night.
Early the next morning, Sophia got up to exercise. As a traditional medicine practitioner, health maintenance was her top priority.
Her morning routine involved drinking herbal tea, having a stomach-soothing porridge, and eating a nutritious breakfast without overeating.
Of course, exercise came first, with stretches and muscle work to ensure longevity!
Dedicated to her health, Sophia was jogging around the villa when she suddenly heard a buzzing sound above her.
Looking up, she saw a white drone flying over her head.
The white drone buzzed overhead, hovering close to her at first before quickly soaring into the sky.
Sophia stopped, and the drone also stopped, staring at her as if challenging her. It was a face-off between one person and one machine.
Sophia took a few steps forward, and the drone followed suit, moving a few steps ahead.
Strange, the Scott family villa covered a vast area with no other houses nearby. Where could the drone’s owner be?
The drone seemed to follow her, dipping and rising as if observing her.
Sophia ignored it and kept running, but after a few hundred meters, the drone continued to follow her, staying about a meter above her, circling back and forth. Sometimes, she deliberately tried to lose it, only to find the drone skillfully changing direction to maintain a safe distance.
Covered in sweat, Sophia finally stopped.
The drone stopped as well.
Unable to bear it any longer, Sophia frowned and shouted, “Who are you?!”
The drone hovered in the air, not moving.
Sophia smirked, pointing at it, “I’m warning you, stop following me! If you keep this up, I’ll show you what an explosion feels like!”
The drone suddenly flitted back and forth, almost appearing to tremble.
Sophia huffed, “Playing innocent won’t work! Don’t believe me? Try it!”
She continued running, and after a few steps, she no longer saw the drone. She smiled, it was only seven in the morning, and the park behind the old Scott estate was quiet. She stretched her legs using the park’s equipment, but just as she started, the buzzing sound returned. This time, the drone was bolder, flying directly in front of her. When she reached out to grab it, the drone dodged back, evading her grip perfectly! She tried a few more times, but it dodged every attempt.
The drone’s operator must have some skill, controlling it with such precision. Otherwise, one wrong move and it would’ve fallen and crashed.
Realizing she couldn’t catch it, Sophia raised her middle finger, a universally recognized gesture directed at the drone and its audacious owner.
After a quick shower, Sophia dried off and applied her homemade body lotion. Being a traditional medicine practitioner, she made her own products and was diligent about self-care. Even in summer, she always used her body lotion.
Just as she finished, Sophia opened the drawer to grab her keys, but her gaze froze.
Inside the drawer were a few books from the original Sophia’s collection, mostly on traditional medicine. These were too basic for Sophia, so after arriving here, she tidied them up and stored them neatly in the drawer. But here’s the problem: Sophia was a neat freak with obsessive-compulsive tendencies, Virgo by nature, intolerant of even the slightest disorder. When she organized her books, she aligned them precisely along the bottom and left side of the drawer.
Now, however, the books she had meticulously arranged were askew.
Sophia was certain she hadn’t disturbed them.
Then…
She searched the drawer carefully but found nothing missing, except for a single strand of short, black hair lying in the drawer.
It definitely wasn’t hers.
Sophia frowned, casting a blank look at the door.
Did the Scott family truly understand that Sophia was not someone to be easily trifled with?
With that thought, she pulled out an old piece of paper, scribbled something on it, and tucked it behind a photo frame.
“Madam,” the door suddenly opened, and a maid called her. “Breakfast is ready.”
“Alright!” Sophia placed the photo frame back in the drawer and locked it before heading downstairs.
The entire family was present, even the old boss and the lady of the house. These two were no simple figures; despite the recent conflicts between Sophia and Scott Henry, the old master hadn’t intervened, leaving his stance unclear.
At the breakfast table was also a cute girl with red curly hair, fair skin, and big eyes, who looked quite adorable. She saw Sophia and called out with a cheerful smile, “sister-in-law.”
Sophia smiled back, acknowledging her. From the original Sophia’s memories, she had pieced together that this girl was named Amelia Scott, daughter of Scott Justin. The old boss had four sons and one daughter, and the only daughter was, of course, dearly cherished. Though his sons were treasured, with so many of them, they weren’t as rare.
Naturally, the heart shows favoritism. The old boss and lady of the house had always favored their youngest son, Scott Livinus, keeping him close and grooming him as their successor from a young age. As if to live up to expectations, Scott Livinus excelled in every way, from his looks to his skills, and the old master took great pride in him.
Beyond that, the lady of the house favored Scott Henry, and this regard extended to his family, elevating Richard Scott’s entire branch.
As a result, Richard Scott and Scott Livinus lived at the main estate, but the second and third sons moved out after marrying, each buying homes of their own. Although the Scott family had provided them with lavish homes, it was clear to those with insight that moving out was akin to the ancient custom of receiving a title and land—indicating a separation from inheritance. Though this was no longer feudal times, the wealth of the Scott family was still a tempting prize that no one would willingly let go.
After all, who isn’t tempted by money? The only reason anyone wouldn’t be is if there simply isn’t enough of it.
Because they had moved out, the second and third sons’ families often sent their children back to show filial respect to the grandparents, joining them for breakfast and other occasions.
Their intentions were clear.
The lady of the house seemed to like Amelia, smiling warmly, “Where’s your father? I haven’t seen him around recently.”
Amelia’s face showed a hint of discomfort, but she smiled and replied, “Dad has been very busy lately, so he’s rarely home.”
The lady of the house frowned, “Busy with what? Always up to no good!”
No one else spoke after that, and soon footsteps echoed as Scott Livinus descended in his suit. Amelia even stood up and respectfully greeted him:
“Uncle.”
Scott Livinus glanced at her and nodded indifferently.
With his arrival, the atmosphere grew colder, and what had been a somewhat warm breakfast gathering now felt like a formal meeting, with no one daring to speak.
Sophia scanned the room, seeing no one who seemed likely to be playing with a drone. Could it be that the drone wasn’t controlled by a Scott family member but rather by someone outside?
