As soon as she had taken off her outer shirt, Sophia belatedly realized that this shameless man was staring at her chest.

Fuming with embarrassment and annoyance, she snapped at Jackson, "What are you doing? Get out, I need to change!"

However, Jackson had no intention of leaving. Instead, he leaned in closer.

"Honey, the baby is asleep. I can help you with that, you must be uncomfortable," he said.

Before she could respond, he didn’t give her a chance and acted immediately.

Meanwhile, Meilani sat on the stone bench outside, resting her chin on her hand, gazing up at the sky. It was getting dark, and the stars and moon were starting to emerge. She thought longingly of her Maison... wondering what he was doing.

The couple still hadn't come out of the house, and she had no idea what was happening between them. She dared not go inside to check, so she waited outside, hoping to hear something. After a long while, she finally heard movement.

She turned toward the sound and saw the couple walking out of the house. When Meilani caught sight of Sophia, her eyes were slightly swollen, her cheeks flushed, and her lips a vivid red.

So... was everything okay now?

Sophia, realizing Meilani was staring at her, blushed furiously. Thoughts of what had just happened inside with that shameless man flooded her mind, and her face heated even more. She sat down quickly, picking up the fork and knife and handing them to Meilani.

"Let's eat," she said, handing a pair of utensils to Jackson.

Jackson sat down next to her, completely ignoring Meilani. He grabbed a thin loaf of bread and placed it in his wife's hand. Then he picked up a thicker piece of bread for himself and began eating it.

He was already thinking about going to the reservoir soon to get a few fish to cook for Sophia, so she could get even more nourishment. The baby was drinking her breast milk instead of formula, and Jackson was enjoying the benefits of that as well.

Sophia, unaware of her husband’s thoughts, was more concerned about making Meilani feel at ease. She handed her the loaf of thin bread and said, "Eat, don’t be shy. Just treat this as your home."

Meilani took the bread and took a small bite. She was baffled about the family's financial situation.

If she thought it was poor, then fine, they were eating thin bread, or at worst, coarse bread. The dishes consisted of stir-fried eggs and meat—certainly, these conditions wouldn't be considered bad in the city!

But then, she remembered earlier in the day when Blake had been eating black cornbread with a bit of pickled radish at the village chief’s house. That was what rural people typically ate.

As for Jackson's house, it was certainly not affluent by city standards. The three mud brick houses, the lack of decent furniture, and the improvised bed made of wood planks gave it a sense of modesty.

Then again, Jackson had mentioned earlier that he was going to build a new house. So, was this place going to be torn down? Would they be left with no place to live?

Meilani couldn't understand why Jackson hadn't refused her to stay, even though he seemed to only have room for his wife in his eyes.

As Meilani was lost in these thoughts, the sound of a baby crying from inside the house broke her focus.

Jackson immediately stood up, telling Sophia to continue eating while he went inside to check. He entered the house, turned on the lights, and picked up the baby from the crib. He checked the diaper, confirming it was clean, and then walked back out.

Sophia put down her fork and bread, reaching to take the baby, but Jackson avoided her. He said to his wife, "You eat first, I’m not hungry right now, I’ll have something later."

Sophia, understanding that Jackson was making sure she ate before anything else, didn’t argue. She picked up her utensils and began eating again.

Meilani lowered her gaze, nibbling on the bread, stealing glances at the couple’s dynamic. She couldn’t help but compare it to her own family situation.

She had two brothers, but when they came home from work, they hardly ever interacted with the children. At meal times, if the baby cried, it was always Gemma who would calm the child before eating, or she would hold the baby while eating with one hand.

But here, Jackson was holding the baby in the yard, walking around and soothing her. Meilani found it incredible.

Sophia finished her meal quickly, took the baby from Jackson’s arms, and headed back inside.

As soon as she left, Meilani, still a young unmarried woman, secretly looked up at Jackson. He was eating bread in large bites, sometimes adding pieces of egg to his mouth. His handsome face was expressionless, distant, and cold.

It was a stark contrast to the warm, loving side he showed when Sophia was around.

Meilani found it unsettling. She could no longer sit still and awkwardly muttered, "B-Brother, I’m full."

She gathered her dishes, took them into the kitchen, washed them quickly, then returned to her room in the west wing, not daring to come back out.

By now, it was completely dark.

Only Jackson remained in the yard. He finished the last four large pieces of coarse bread, drank all the soup, and finally felt full. He brought the dishes back to the kitchen, cleaned them, brushed his teeth, and boiled some hot water.

When he returned to the room, yawning, he placed the basin of water down and said, "Honey, don’t forget to wipe yourself down. I’m going to the bathroom."

Sophia closed the door behind her, took off her clothes, and began washing with the warm water from the basin.

Just as she finished and put her clothes back on, she heard a noise coming from behind the house. She thought she might have been too sensitive, but then she heard a man’s voice outside.

"Girl, are you taking a shower?"

The moment Sophia heard the voice, her body stiffened. She had just put on her clothes and was about to finish when a chill ran through her. She screamed out loud.

"Jackson!"

Outside, Jackson had just unbuckled his pants when he heard her scream. He rushed out and caught her as she bolted into his arms.

He held her tightly and looked down at her, asking, "What’s wrong?"

Sophia wrapped her arms tightly around his waist, trembling, her delicate body quivering as she spoke, "Someone was behind the house just now."

Hearing her, Jackson’s dark eyes shot to the yard wall. Sure enough, he saw someone’s head briefly appear before hurrying away.

In an instant, his gaze turned dangerously cold, filled with anger.

He turned back to Sophia, still in her sleeping clothes, and swiftly scooped her up in his arms, laying her on the bed.

He then stepped outside, facing Meilani, who was standing at the door of the west wing.

"Watch her for me. I’m going out."

Jackson didn’t say anything else. With long strides, he walked out of the yard, his tall, upright figure disappearing into the darkness.

At Tommy’s house at the east end of the village, the sound of Tommy’s agonized screams and the dull thuds of fists hitting flesh filled the air. The neighbors next door were trembling with fear, their hearts pounding in their chests.

Everyone knew that Jackson was ruthless, despite his seemingly carefree attitude. And with his status, most people treated him with caution, never daring to provoke him. They weren’t sure how Tommy had crossed him, but the sounds coming from the house made it clear that Jackson was going all out. They feared Tommy might not make it out alive.

“Bro, I’m sorry! I just went to see Meilani, but I didn’t see anything, I swear!”

Hearing Tommy begging for mercy, Jackson simply knocked his jaw loose with a punch. “What nonsense are you talking? Weren’t you hungry for some meat? Go eat some!”

“W-whoa... Bro... I... I was wrong! I’m sorry!” Tommy barely had the strength to crawl, let alone kneel. He was terrified Jackson might actually kill him.

For a brief moment, Jackson did consider breaking him for good, but thinking of Sophia and their daughter, he couldn’t bring himself to go that far.

Meanwhile, lying in bed, Sophia had no idea how much time had passed. She heard the sound of water splashing in the yard, knowing Jackson had returned and was washing off with cold water.

About ten minutes later, she heard the door open and close again.

In the dark, Jackson thought she was asleep. He moved quietly, trying to slip into bed without waking her. But as he was about to get in, he heard her voice.

“You’re back.”

Sophia reached up and turned on the light.

The room brightened, and Jackson froze, his movements halting. He looked at her lying on the bed—her head propped up with one arm, her long black hair falling freely across her fair shoulders.

She was wearing only a fitted sleeveless tank top and shorts, her smooth, pale thighs exposed, her slender body fully on display.

Jackson’s gaze darkened, his breath catching as he stepped onto the bed. His tall, athletic frame leaned against the edge of the mattress. He reached up and turned off the light.

In the darkness, Jackson pulled Sophia into his arms, wrapping his hand around her slim waist and gently patting her back. “It’s okay, honey, don’t be afraid.”

At that moment, most of her body was pressed tightly against his, and Jackson couldn’t help but feel a subtle tension in his body. The softness of her skin and the faint scent of milk made him swallow hard. His voice, low and husky, barely masked his restraint.

“It’s okay, honey, sleep now.”

Before he came back, she hadn’t dared to sleep. She was afraid he might strike too hard, or that the villagers would talk. But now, in his embrace, she felt safe, and the terror melted away.

She curled up like a kitten in Jackson’s arms, her cheek pressed against his firm, heated chest. She could hear the strong, steady beat of his heart, and her own sobs slowly quieted. She didn’t dare to cry too loudly, worried it might wake their daughter.

Looking at her in his arms, Jackson felt that he hadn’t been harsh enough.

He had thought that with his "bad reputation," no one in the village would dare to step out of line. But to his surprise, there were still those bold enough to take risks. After tonight, however, he was certain that anyone with ill intentions in the village would think twice.

As Sophia drifted off, exhausted from her tears, Jackson listened to her steady breathing. Only then did he feel a sense of relief, his own body finally relaxing.