After we arrived and put our luggage away, I stepped outside and saw Gwen and Joanna chatting and laughing together. As soon as they noticed me, their expressions shifted, and they quickly stepped apart.

"Gwen, what were you and Ms. White talking about?" I asked. "You looked really happy."

"It's nothing. She came to get us for dinner. We were just making small talk."

…

During dinner, my fork fell, and I bent down to pick it up. Under the table, I saw a pair of slim, fair legs spreading slightly as a pair of large, dark feet rubbed up and down between them.

Across from me sat Joanna. I vaguely remembered that the person sitting next to her was a middle-aged man traveling alone. Then a hand suddenly dropped onto her thigh and slowly slid under her clothes.

"Darling, did you lose your fork?" Gwen asked, lightly tapping my shoulder.

Everything across from me came to a sudden halt.

I sat up with my fork in hand, pretending I hadn't noticed anything as I continued my conversation with Gwen.

After all, it would have been far too awkward if I had been caught noticing something like that. We were all in the same tour group for the next few days and would keep running into each other. It was better to keep things polite on the surface.

I had assumed Joanna and that man were just indulging in a bit of excitement. But when I looked up and saw Joanna silently crying, her eyes red, I realized something was wrong.

I hadn't meant to get involved in anyone else's affairs. If it didn't concern me, I would have stayed out of it. But then two things happened that changed my mind.

The first came after dinner, when Gwen suddenly told me that Joanna was her cousin.

I stared at her in shock. "Why didn't you tell me that earlier?"

I had just witnessed my wife's cousin doing something inappropriate on the bus, and then she was taken advantage of during dinner. What on earth was going on?

"I forgot to tell you earlier. I only just remembered that you didn't know. Darling, keep an eye on Joanna for the next few days. She's still young, and being a tour guide isn't exactly safe.

"Since we're here, we should help her out. I came on this trip mainly to see how this job is working out for her parents. If it doesn't work, she'll need to switch to something else."

At her words, I pursed my lips.

What could Joanna possibly do? She was constantly being taken advantage of. Tonight's dinner was a clear case of it.

I considered telling Gwen everything I had seen, but at the last second, I hesitated and held myself back. I had already promised Joanna I wouldn't tell anyone. If Gwen found out and let it slip, it would be far too awkward to face Joanna afterward.

"Take these to Joanna," Gwen said, handing me several jars. "They're specialties from home. I brought them on purpose. While you're at it, take the time to explain things to her properly.

"I haven't seen her in a long time, so she probably doesn't even recognize me. I also didn't tell her in advance that I'd be joining her tour group either. Her parents only just called her, so she should only now be realizing who we are."

She shoved the jars into my hands and pushed me out the door.

The second thing happened the moment I stepped outside.

Without saying anything, Joanna grabbed me and urgently led me toward her room. Before I could react, she suddenly broke down in tears.

"Duncan, please. Don't tell my cousin or my parents. If they find out, they'll make me quit this job. If I had known you and Gwen were coming, I never would have done any of that. Please don't tell them, okay?"

I looked helplessly at Joanna, who was crying uncontrollably in front of me.

I hadn't even said anything yet.

"Stop crying," I said. "I didn't tell Gwen."

The moment she heard that, Joanna's sobbing came to an abrupt halt. She looked up at me and cautiously asked, "Really?"

I nodded.

In the next instant, her soft body pressed tightly against mine, and her light, youthful fragrance enveloped me at once.

She clung to my neck excitedly and hopped up, hooking her legs around my calves. Her face glowed with joy as she kept thanking me over and over.

A faint sound slipped out of me before I could stop it. My expression changed instantly when I felt the reaction in my body, and I quickly shoved her away.

Joanna had felt it too. She stood off to the side, and her face flushed a deep shade of red.

"Duncan, I didn't mean to."

I rubbed my temples in frustration. It really wasn't her fault. Gwen hadn't let me touch her for months. A man in his prime was bound to have needs.

With a woman like Joanna suddenly pressing herself against me, it was only natural for my body to react that way.

I waved it off awkwardly.

"It's not your fault. I won't tell Gwen about this. And if anything like what happened at dinner today happens again, tell me. I'll step in. Don't let anyone take advantage of you."

Without waiting for her reply, I hurried away, worried she might say something else that would only make things more awkward.

Back in the room, I was still burning with pent-up desire. There was no way Gwen would take care of it for me, and I definitely didn't want her to realize I had started falling for her cousin.

Just as I was about to take a cold shower to calm myself down, I looked up and saw Gwen stepping out of the bathroom.

She was dressed completely differently from usual, wearing a black camisole that clung to her figure.

I swallowed hard without realizing it.

"Gwen, what are you—"

Before I could finish, she stepped forward, wrapped her arms around me, and pressed her lips to mine. At the same time, she took my hand and guided it along her soft body.

I flipped the script, pinned her wrists above her head, and pushed her down onto the mattress. I was ready to go all the way, to release everything I had been holding back for months.

However, Gwen suddenly shoved me away.

I fixed my hazy gaze on her, clearly not understanding what was going on.

She stood up calmly and adjusted her clothes. "Darling, let's have a child. Only then can our lives move forward."

I had no idea how we had suddenly landed on this topic. Even if she wanted a baby, wasn't that supposed to start with the two of us actually sleeping together?

"We don't have to rush," I said, holding back my frustration as best I could. "I've never said otherwise. Maybe it's just not the right time for us yet."

After all, no man could stay calm after being interrupted at a moment like this.

"No," Gwen said firmly. "I've found a faster way to get pregnant. If we light this scented candle and bring in a woman who's naturally fertile, it'll work in a single try!"

Her expression turned frantic, almost unhinged, as she stared at the scented candle in the corner.

I frowned. She couldn't seriously be falling for some kind of folk remedy, could she? The notion of a "naturally fertile woman" just made it sound even more ridiculous. It didn't make sense no matter how I looked at it.

Just as I was about to speak, a knock sounded at the door.

"She's here. We're going to have a child soon," Gwen said excitedly as she looked at the door.

Before I could even process who it might be, a clear, almost angelic voice came from outside, instantly freezing me in place.

"Gwen, Duncan, are you there? Did you need me for something?"

It was Joanna.

As soon as I saw Gwen heading for the door, I tried to get up and stop her, but I realized I was too weak. I couldn't even lift my legs.