Sophia listened to the sound of water splashing and walked out with the dishes. As soon as she spotted Jackson, shirtless and drenched, looking as if he'd just climbed out of a river, a wave of anger surged through her.

She placed the dishes on the stone table in the yard, then stepped forward and grabbed Jackson's arm, pulling him toward the house while scolding him, "It's so cold! What if you get sick?"

Jackson allowed Sophia to pull him inside, his heart warm as he heard her complaints, knowing she was genuinely concerned for him. A smile tugged at his lips as he flashed a wide grin, his eyes crinkling with amusement.

Inside the room, Sophia grabbed a small blanket meant for the child, stood on tiptoe, and carefully began wiping the water from Jackson’s head.

She was so focused that she didn’t even blink, muttering under her breath, “Lower your head, hurry up!”

Jackson just smiled, unable to resist watching her. As she wiped his forehead, he couldn’t help but feel a surge of affection. He almost wanted to pull her into his arms for a passionate kiss, but with his body still cold and damp, he struggled to suppress the impulse.

As he gazed at her, his eyes drifted to her pale neck, where, with each movement, the faint marks of their intimacy were visible, a mix of blue and purple kiss marks. His throat tightened involuntarily, and his voice came out hoarse. “Honey, wear something new tomorrow. I want to see it.”

Sophia’s hands froze momentarily, but she didn’t say anything. She walked around him and started wiping his back, inch by inch, her face flushing as she noticed the marks on his back. She couldn’t help but remember how she had recently been more forceful in her affections, even biting his arm when she couldn't take it anymore.

Her heartbeat quickened, and she felt nervous. She threw the blanket into Jackson’s arms. “You finish the front, dry it off, and change your pants. Then come out to eat.”

With that, she lifted the curtain and walked out.

She bumped into Meilani, who was just coming out of the west room. They exchanged a smile, both understanding without a word being spoken.

The three small mud brick houses, each just a stone’s throw from the other, created a sense of intimacy. Any conversation from the east room could easily be overheard in the west room. Meilani, who had been listening to the couple's discussion, felt an awkward tension, as if she had intruded on something private. She wasn't sure how she felt about it, and it made her uncomfortable, especially knowing that it was only the evening. What would it be like at night? She thought. Would she feel like she was suffocating?

A few minutes later, Jackson emerged from the house, wearing a gray shirt and pants, looking refreshed. He sat down on the stone bench beside Sophia, who was now ready to eat.

He looked at the stone table and saw the same breakfast eggs and meat, nearly untouched, with just eight pieces of meat, none missing.

Jackson furrowed his brow, his concern obvious as he asked, “Did you not eat breakfast?”

His tone was a little sharp, though he didn’t realize it. He had been too preoccupied with worrying about Sophia to notice.

Sophia, who had just picked up her knife and fork, looked up at him. When she saw his frown and furrowed brow, her heart lurched. Her hands trembled as she dropped her utensils with a clatter. She felt utterly crushed and couldn’t believe that he had revealed his true nature so quickly.

She had hoped that this time, he would hold on a little longer, but the dream was shattered far too soon. She placed the other fork and knife down, avoiding his gaze as her mind swirled with fearful memories.

Taking a deep breath, she said, “I had half a loaf of bread and two pieces of eggs.”

Her voice was calm, but her hands gripped her worn-out outer jacket tightly, and her body trembled, betraying her anxiety.

The sound of utensils hitting the floor finally snapped Jackson out of his daze. He noticed the redness around Sophia’s eyes and the tears welling up. She looked like a delicate apricot blossom, drenched in rain.

His heart squeezed painfully, realizing his harsh tone had scared her. He immediately reached out, intending to comfort her, but as soon as his hand touched her, she pulled away.

Jackson, flustered, crouched in front of her, his large frame looking almost too massive as he gazed at her with concern. “Honey, I was just a little worried. I didn’t mean to yell at you.”

If there hadn’t been outsiders around, he would have knelt in front of her right then and there.

His softened voice and desperate explanation made Sophia’s pent-up emotions overflow. The tears fell like pearls, one after another, as she tried to choke down her despair.

She had truly been frightened, thinking he had reverted to his old, violent self—the man who had once hurt her. The fear that blossomed from that realization nearly broke her.

Seeing her cry, Jackson’s heart twisted in agony. He rushed to pull her into his arms and hurried into the east room.

Meilani, who had been sitting on the stone bench, was left in a daze, still unsure of what had just transpired. By the time she realized what happened, she was the only one left in the yard.

She looked at the eggs and meat on the table and couldn’t help but piece together the situation.

Could it be that Jackson, feeling sorry for his younger sister-in-law, had accidentally upset her with his sharp words?

……

Inside the room, Jackson held Sophia tightly, his heart breaking as he looked at her tear-streaked face. Her beautiful eyes were red and swollen, and her delicate nose was flushed. He felt as if a knife were twisting in his chest.

He leaned down and kissed her eyelids, whispering softly, “Honey, I’m sorry. I really didn’t mean to. I was just worried you wouldn’t eat, and I got too anxious. I’m always out, and I can’t keep an eye on you. I didn’t mean to sound so harsh.”

Sophia listened to his explanation, and her heart slowly began to settle. She realized that maybe she had overreacted a little, having grown a little spoiled under his protective care.

Now that everything had been said, she felt a bit embarrassed.

Her pale fingers tightened around Jackson’s shirt, her head lowered slightly to hide her thoughts, her teeth biting her lower lip in silence.

But then Jackson, without warning, spoke again.

“Honey, what’s going on?”

Following his gaze, Sophia noticed the source of her discomfort. She had, embarrassingly, leaked milk.

Before she could respond, Jackson, recalling the fish soup and venison stew he had been making for her recently, asked, “Has our daughter been getting enough to eat?”

Sophia’s face turned crimson, like a ripe persimmon, and she quickly broke free from Jackson’s embrace. Turning her back to him, she said, “You… you need to go outside!”

Her voice trembled with embarrassment.

She had been drinking fish soup every day for the past few days, unsure if it was actually working, but her baby had been feeding on her milk and hadn’t needed formula.

But still, her milk supply was plenty, and during the day, her breasts often felt engorged and painful.

Last night, she had been so embarrassed, but today, she hadn’t expected to leak.

Her face burning, Sophia distractedly began unbuttoning her shirt, not realizing that Jackson was still watching her every move, his eyes hungry with longing.