Everything was going smoothly. When they arrived, Barbara’s friend happened to come down, received the document, and the three of them went to a restaurant downstairs to eat. Perhaps due to its location the restaurant wasn’t cheap—a basic meal cost fifty dollars, and the better ones around a hundred, though the food was decent.
Sophia ordered a bowl of friedrice, but she only took a few bites when she heard a familiar voice.
“Livinus Scott, I told you you’d come down.”
Sophia frowned. Miss Maggie? Was she with Scott Livinus?
Scott Livinus didn’t respond immediately. After a long pause, he spoke in a cold, detached tone, “Is something the matter?”
Miss Maggie laughed and seemed to take something out, saying, “Livinus Scott, when it comes to men and women, it’s really just that. At first, I thought a one-night stand was no big deal, but it was my first time. I gave you my first, and now you’re turning your back on me. I don’t think that’s right.”
Scott Livinus seemed to take a sip of tea, but the tea didn’t soften his tone at all, which remained cold and dry.
“Oh?”
“Livinus Scott, I didn’t want to go this far, but since we spent the night together, you should take responsibility. You know how important chastity is for us girls. In my heart, you’re my man!”
Scott Livinus just laughed. “Oh, really? Dragging me down here to threaten me—do you really think that’s all you’ve got?”
Miss Maggie was unsettled by his laughter but tried to steady herself and said, “Scott, you must believe that I didn’t want it to come to this. But that night… if people knew about it, what would they think? Some might say, ‘It’s just a one-night stand between adults,’ but what if they believed I was forced, that someone forced me? Do you think they would see it the same way?”
Scott Livinus’s voice grew colder. “Are you threatening me?”
Even separated by a wall, Sophia could clearly feel the chill in his words. A man like Scott Livinus, accustomed to control and dominance, would never tolerate being threatened, especially not by someone he looked down upon.
“It’s not a threat; I’m just being honest. I have the hotel footage of us entering and leaving that night, along with a recording of you admitting to our one-night stand. Now, if I tell the police it wasn’t consensual, if I report it, they’ll have to arrest you. And given who you are, once you’re arrested, social media will blow up. Do you think they’ll care whether it’s true? They’ll call you a scumbag, and even if you’re released later, people will think you paid your way out. Your reputation will be ruined, you and the Scott family’s stock will plummet, costing you billions. But more importantly, your life will be destroyed!”
Sophia sipped her tea, her expression calm, though each word Miss Maggie spoke filled her with an urge to throttle the woman.
This woman was shameless. How could she even dare to threaten Scott Livinus like this?
The problem was, even if there was no truth to her claim if she reported Scott Livinus, the police would still open an investigation. People like him couldn’t afford any blemish on their record, let alone something like this. A common man burdened with such an accusation would never recover, let alone someone in Scott’s position.
Miss Maggie was right. If she reported him, Scott Livinus’s life would be ruined, and the Scott family would suffer immensely, possibly even facing a corporate overhaul.
But was Miss Maggie losing her mind? Was she like a mad dog, biting whoever she wanted?
Sophia turned on her phone’s recording app.
Then she heard Scott Livinus say, “So, you finally played your trump card. Tell me, since you’re holding something over me, what terms do you want?”
Livinus’s tone remained unchanged.
Sophia couldn’t see his face, but she could imagine his cold and impassive expression.
Miss Maggie laughed in satisfaction. “Of course! You understand me well, Livinus. I want you to meet two conditions: marry me, and help the Will family through this crisis.”
“And if I don’t agree?”
“Then I’ll have nothing left to lose. Even if I can’t be Mrs. Scott, I’ll make sure you never forget me!”
With that, she stood up and left with a smile, saying, “Think it over, Livinus Scott. See how much time and money it will take to clean up a scandal like this!”
–
Their table was secluded, which allowed Miss Maggie to speak freely.
What she didn’t know was that Sophia and her group were on the other side of the wall.
“Sophia, why aren’t you eating?” Barbara asked. “Is it not to your taste?” She tasted Sophia’s food with a spoon and said, “I think it’s fine. Why aren’t you eating? Do you want to try mine?”
Sophia couldn’t help but smile.
She’d been staying silent to go unnoticed, but Barbara had now called her name outright.
Now, Scott Livinus likely heard it all.
Hearing her name, Livinus Scott glanced over, catching a glimpse of a familiar figure on the other side of the wall.
He leaned against the wall, his expression calm, showing no signs of anger or urgency from being threatened.
Barbara insisted on treating Sophia to lunch and had gone ahead to pay the bill.
This left Sophia sitting alone.
“Did you hear that?” He suddenly asked.
Sophia was startled and leaned against the wall as well.
They sat on opposite sides of the same wall, in the same posture, with matching expressions, talking.
“Yes. What will you do? Even if you prove she’s lying, the damage from such a lie would be catastrophic, and you can’t afford it,” Sophia analyzed.
She remembered a news story she’d read about an old professor falsely accused during the Cultural Revolution by two female students. Even after he was cleared decades later, the damage and humiliation remained.
So, even if you know she’s after you, what can you do?
How many people care about the truth?
People are busy. They see the headline, don’t bother reading further, and think they know it all.
Even if the truth later proves it was a false accusation, the media won’t report it, because it contradicts their earlier story.
In the end, lies become reality.
Scott Livinus scoffed, his thoughts unreadable.
“I’m serious,” Sophia frowned.
“Oh? Worried about me?”
Sophia sighed. “Worried? Hardly. I just think our recent encounter might hurt your girlfriend. If she hears about this, she’ll likely be devastated.”
Livinus Scott seemed to pause. “Girlfriend?”
“Yes, the one you were shopping with the other day, Ella.”
Scott gave an inexplicable smile, and after a long moment, he smirked, “If she wants to play, I’ll play along.”
