Livinus’s face showed clear impatience. He had been dragged here from work, and while he did care for her, this wasn’t his idea of affection.
Time was precious for Scott Livinus. Every minute, the numbers in his bank account were changing, and wasting time on shopping—such a trivial activity—did not align with his time-management principles.
“Ella, hurry up and decide. I don’t have all day!” He checked his watch, already growing frustrated.
Ella pouted, clearly unhappy.
Nancy scoffed, “Who is that woman anyway? I was hoping to keep Livinus free for Sophia!”
“Huh? Me?” Sophia finally reacted, waving her hands dismissively. “I have nothing to do with him! Don’t try to pair us up!”
“I don’t care. I just think you two would be perfect together! I definitely don’t want him with anyone else!” Nancy said firmly, walking over to greet him, “Livinus!”
Livinus turned and noticed Nancy, along with Sophia and Chloe standing behind her.
“Nancy?”
“Nancy?” Livinus called, surprised.
“Nancy? How do you have time to go shopping? And with a woman? Who is she?” Nancy asked, glaring at Ella.
Ella huffed, “And who are you?”
“I’m Scott’s little sister!” Nancy said proudly.
“Little sister? That’s nonsense!” Ella put her hands on her hips, scowling. “I’ve never seen you before. Who do you think you are? And besides, I’m the one he cares for most!
Finishing her sentence, Ella possessively linked her arm with Scott Livinus, claiming her territory!
Nancy was irritated. She and Scott were close, and Livinus had always treated her well. In their younger years, Livinus and her brother Liam had been like brothers, attending the same school for over a decade, living together when they studied abroad, and Livinus often stayed at their home. Nancy had witnessed Scott’s transformation from a young boy to a grown man, and he was always her admired older brother. Now, to have someone suddenly appear and vie for his attention—she wasn’t used to it.
Moreover, she genuinely wanted Livinus to end up with Sophia!
Who was this new rival that came out of nowhere?
The two women began bickering, going back and forth, while Livinus checked his watch with an expression of clear impatience. Finally, he snapped:
“That’s enough! Ella, stop it! Pick out your clothes quickly—I still have work to do!”
Ella pouted, reluctantly grabbing a conservative outfit. “Is this too plain? How about this bag with it?”
Scott sighed in exasperation. Choosing clothes for a woman was something he had little patience for. His gaze shifted to Sophia, who was standing nearby, and he said flatly:
“Sophia, could you help her pick something that actually looks decent?”
Everyone turned to look at Sophia, including Nancy and Chloe, who exchanged a glance. Livinus had specifically asked Sophia, not Chloe or Nancy, which showed his recognition of Sophia’s taste. They hadn’t noticed it before, but now, looking closely, they realized that although Sophia wasn’t wearing designer brands, her outfit was simple yet stylish, carrying an understated elegance.
It was just picking out an outfit, so Sophia wasn’t going to be petty. She smiled and said:
“Of course! Since I’m helping a lovely lady choose, I’m happy to help!”
“Oh?” Livinus raised an eyebrow, catching a hint of teasing. “Does that mean you wouldn’t help if it were for me?”
“Do you, Mr. CEO, need my help choosing your clothes?”
Everyone stared at Sophia in surprise, especially Nancy and Ella, who were both shocked to see someone daring to tease Scott Livinus.
Ella gave Sophia a probing look, her lips curling into a strange smile.
Sophia shrugged, took the outfit from Ella’s hands, and smiled as she picked out a white dress.
“A suit will just hide your charm. This dress, on the other hand, has Chanel’s signature style but isn’t overly ladylike. It’s versatile for many occasions. Pair it with a small lambskin Boy bag, and it’ll complement your elegance perfectly!”
Since she was buying clothes, it was likely for a formal occasion. For someone like Ella, this choice would be suitable for anything from meeting parents to a job interview. Wealthy people wouldn’t usually shop here for evening wear, and Chanel’s style wasn’t quite for gala events, which is why Sophia made this suggestion.
Ella gave her a quick glance, then, with Scott’s silent approval, headed to the fitting room. When she emerged, she was delighted with her reflection and asked Livinus with a smile, “Do I look good?”
Livinus nodded, pulling out a card and handing it to the sales associate, who was thrilled to have made multiple sales so effortlessly and took the card with a smile.
After paying, Livinus turned to Nancy and the others. “Do any of you want to buy something? I’ll cover it.”
He was being generous.
Nancy shook her head, but once they left the store, she muttered, “Livinus’s behavior is really unusual! He drove her here, shopped with her, and even paid for her. There must be something going on!”
Sophia smiled, saying, “It’s only natural that he would date someone. He’s not getting any younger, so it’d be odd if he didn’t have a love life. They’re a good match; what’s wrong with him dating someone?”
“You’re so frustrating! I had plans to save him for you!” Nancy exclaimed, feeling exasperated.
“You’re really overthinking things.” Sophia chuckled.
They soon arrived at a sportswear store. Livinus’s suits were usually custom-made, with his preferred brands sending new suits and shirts each season, all coordinated for him. For someone like Livinus, who frequently wore suits, this arrangement was very convenient.
He rarely wore casual or athletic clothing and only shopped for sportswear when necessary, usually once a year.
“Here! Let me pick something for you! Try this on—it looks great!” Ella excitedly grabbed a shirt in Livinus’s size.
Livinus said nothing. When he bought clothes, he usually made his choices quickly, picking everything within a minute.
This was the first time he hesitated, holding the shirt in his hand.
After a moment, he turned and looked at Sophia with a deep gaze. “How about this one?”
Everyone turned to Sophia once again. She shrugged honestly and replied, “Not great.”
“Hmm?” he drawled.
Under his intense gaze, Sophia resignedly went to the racks and selected two sportswear sets. Though one was black and the other gray—nothing flashy—the styles were youthful and far more fashionable than the shirt Livinus had picked.
Livinus raised an eyebrow at the selection. “So, this is what young people like these days?”
“Yes!” Sophia lifted the clothes, nodding earnestly. “This is what we young people like. Unlike you older folks, who are still stuck in the last century with outdated tastes.”
“…”
For the second time in his life, Livinus was called old. His eyes narrowed as he gritted out, “Wrap it up!”
“…”
Everyone laughed, including Nancy and Ella.
Only Chloe gave the two of them a curious look.
It was her first time noticing that the way Livinus and Sophia interacted was quite different from how he was with others.
