What was she thinking? Or was the original Sophia really so timid and submissive that she would let this slide, allowing Olivia to trample all over her while still maintaining her “Madam Scott” status?
However, Sophia wasn’t the same person. She wouldn’t let herself be manipulated so easily.
Sophia’s lips curved into a smile.
They wanted her to respond? Fine! She’d give them an answer!
Sophia addressed the crowd with a polite smile, “Let’s skip the ‘sisterly’ bit. Have you ever seen a wife and mistress be like sisters?”
Olivia’s face turned beet red. She looked flustered, reaching out to stop Sophia, but Sophia only continued with her smile:
“And to the reporter who asked—when exactly did I get divorced from Henry? Because I certainly didn’t get the memo.”
At that, the crowd of reporters erupted. No divorce? But hadn’t Olivia publicly hinted multiple times that she and Henry were married, even saying they were planning a wedding? So it was all a lie? The legal wife was still in the picture, and all talk of a divorce was baseless.
Sophia remained all smiles, answering their questions gracefully. Despite the personal nature of their queries, she kept her composure, showing the dignified poise of a true wife. Observing her calm demeanor, the reporters exchanged knowing glances, recognizing the vast difference between Sophia and Olivia. Sophia’s presence exuded class, something Olivia couldn’t match.
The reporters eagerly pressed further:
“So you haven’t divorced? Then does that make Miss Olivia the third party in your marriage?”
“Mrs. Scott, what’s your view on Miss Olivia’s alleged pregnancy?”
“Mrs. Scott, if Miss Olivia is indeed pregnant, how will the Scott family handle the child? Will they bring Miss Olivia into the family?”
The questions became bolder, each more piercing than the last. Sophia gave Olivia a faint smile and said:
“Whether Miss Olivia is the third party seems quite obvious, doesn’t it?”
Her blunt words left Olivia visibly shaken, her face paling with alarm. This wasn’t going according to plan at all! She’d dared to scheme against Sophia because Sophia was usually so meek and non-confrontational. Sophia was head over heels for Henry, and anything concerning him was sacred to her. In the past, no matter how far Olivia went, Sophia wouldn’t protest. She would quietly endure, avoiding anything that could tarnish Henry’s reputation.
But Sophia had changed—radically, it seemed, and just since yesterday. The former Sophia would never have said something like this.
Olivia felt panic rising. The reporters were here; any unfavorable news would ruin her carefully crafted image. She could already imagine herself becoming the laughingstock of the internet.
In a flash of desperation, Olivia clutched her chest and doubled over, pretending to be overcome with nausea.
Nothing could make her story more convincing than this! She was pregnant!
The implications needed no explanation.
The reporters immediately went into another frenzy, snapping pictures from every angle. The wealthy families’ endless dramas never ceased to amaze—this was another headline goldmine. After all, a mistress getting pregnant before the legal wife was a scandal sure to catch anyone’s eye.
“Miss Olivia, has Mr. Henry said anything to you about this? Are you two planning to get married? How will you handle your child’s future?” they asked eagerly.
Olivia, blushing and bashful, replied, “Thank you for your concern. When we do get married, we’ll certainly send out invitations.”
The crowd gasped at this bombshell.
Sophia, watching from the side, was both stunned and amused. Perhaps it was because she wasn’t the original Sophia and felt no attachment to Henry; as an outsider, she found Olivia’s brazenness laughably absurd. And as for the original Sophia—had it really been worth swallowing her pride for a man like Henry
But…
Sophia wasn’t one to take a loss lying down!
She reached out and grabbed Olivia’s wrist, intending to make a point. But as she took Olivia’s pulse, her expression shifted, her brows knitting together.
Olivia recoiled, pulling her hand back with a forced look of alarm. “What are you doing? You’re hurting me!” she cried, struggling free.
Sophia raised an eyebrow knowingly, a glimmer of understanding in her eyes. She scoffed softly, “Honestly, Oliver, a person should have some dignity. Here you are, claiming you’re pregnant, yet you’re clearly not. What is it—did acting in period dramas give you a taste for palace intrigue that you want to reenact it in real life?”
Everyone around them, including Olivia, froze in shock.
Especially Olivia, who could only stare at Sophia in disbelief, shaking her head. “What nonsense are you spouting? How could I not be pregnant?” Her voice wavered, and she quickly stiffened, insisting, “Sophia, stop talking nonsense! Even if you despise me, you can’t go cursing the Scott family’s future heir like this! The Scott family has been longing for a child, and since you haven’t provided one, you can’t just slander me out of jealousy!”
The reporters, who’d been skeptical moments ago, nodded in agreement.
It was true; the intricacies of wealthy family feuds were beyond ordinary comprehension.
Olivia silently breathed a sigh of relief, grateful she’d salvaged the situation. But then…
Sophia laughed even louder.
“Miss Olivia, really, you should have some dignity. You say you’re pregnant, but your pulse tells me otherwise—you’re actually in the middle of your menstrual cycle with a slightly irregular pulse. In traditional medicine, we diagnose through observation, listening, questioning, and pulse-taking. Based on everything I’ve noted, you’re not pregnant at all. If you don’t believe me, we can go to the hospital right now! I’m asking if you dare to go!”
Her words struck Olivia hard, draining the color from her face as she shook her head. “No! I won’t go!”
“No? Then, perhaps next time you invent a pregnancy story, you could at least respect my profession. After all, I come from a family of traditional medicine practitioners, and I’m a student at the University of Traditional Medicine. Are you implying I can’t even detect a pregnancy pulse? Olivia, you seem to be looking down on traditional medicine.”
