I felt terrible for my wild thoughts from the previous night. I couldn't believe I had mistaken these kind, elderly folks for human traffickers.As Ava spoke, Nico chimed in with his own playful jab, teasing that I was too shy to eat and that I was a pampered child from the city who couldn't handle any hardship.Colin sat beside me, trying hard to suppress his laughter, his ears turning red from the effort. If it weren't for my constant warning glances, he might have blurted out the truth, and I would have been the butt of everyone's joke.Despite my frustration, I couldn't say anything directly. To keep Colin in check, I subtly stepped on his foot, warning him to behave.Alas, Colin caught my leg the next time I tried and propped it on his own lengthy limb, even mischievously pinching my calf as a final taunt.With my body halfway suspended in the air, I was too afraid to move for fear of tumbling to the ground. I quickly sat upright and focused on my meal, not daring to try anyt
Seeing Colin so exhausted, I couldn't imagine asking him to carry me. That would make me the worst girlfriend in history."I'm not tired. I've been practicing my self-defense skills with Zara, and we could do squats for an hour. My stamina is really good now, and I can walk for miles!" I boasted to Colin, holding his hand and bouncing with excitement."Are you tired, Colin? When we get back, I'll give you a massage so you can have a nice, restful sleep," I offered.Colin replied, "I am a bit tired, but it's not too bad. I can still manage. But Baby, you better keep your promise. I'm looking forward to that massage. I won't be able to sleep well without it."I gazed at him. "Of course, I won't forget! You're tired because of me. How could I not repay such kindness?"With a playful glint in his eye, Colin asked, "Oh, really? And just how does my baby plan to repay her husband's kindness?"I cocked my head, trying to think of a good way to repay him, but nothing came to mind. "You t
When I finally dragged my heavy, leaden legs to an open area, I understood why Colin had asked me that question and why the path seemed so familiar.This was the valley where Colin had been teaching, where heavy rains had triggered the mudslides, and where Jasmine had saved him.A rush of emotions overwhelmed me—love, hate, and something indescribably complex.I loved that the cruel forces of nature hadn't taken Colin's life, but I hated that this was where his entanglement with Jasmine began.With a look of surprise, I turned to Colin. His eyes seemed to glimmer with warmth as he pointed to the newly constructed buildings. "The last disaster caught the attention of many kind-hearted people. They rallied support and raised funds to build a new school for the children in a safer location. "Construction has already started and is expected to be completed before the rainy season. These new buildings will serve as temporary classrooms until then."I uttered, "That's great! Now, they
Although we had filled our backpacks with samples, we hadn't actually covered much ground. The mountain range extended ahead of us, with the same reddish hue permeating the entire landscape. This indicated a rich vein of mineral deposits in this region.Nico and I were both thrilled. If the results were what we hoped for, all the hard work would be worth it. Despite the challenges we had faced in recent weeks, our steps felt lighter with renewed hope.At the final sample site, the surrounding hills had transformed into a vivid reddish hue, extending to the tree branches wedged between the rocks. Looking ahead, the mountains stretching endlessly into the distance were all the same color.Everyone was stunned, and Zuri was so excited that tears welled up in his eyes. Nico had previously mentioned that if the reserves were sufficient, it could pave the way for large-scale mining.If that were the case, Zuri's dream of bringing the younger generation back to work in the village could b
I understood the urgency of a 30-year-old man, but we couldn't get carried away with an audience present. The thought of anyone hearing us was mortifying.This wasn't our well-insulated apartment—a flimsy, poorly sealed door was all that separated us from the outside world. Every sound we made would be crystal clear to those nearby, making it feel like we were broadcasting live.No matter how bold I was, I couldn't bring myself to do it under these circumstances. However, Colin's persistence was overwhelming. Nothing I said could convince him. Once the beast within him was unleashed, there was no reining it without satiating its hunger.Realizing there was no escape, I decided to face the challenge head-on. If we were careful, maybe we wouldn't be heard. Attempting to calm Colin, I agreed to intimacy with strict discretion. We had to control ourselves and make as little noise as possible.Colin agreed quickly, but his body had already taken charge, leaving me unable to contro
Colin's face grew increasingly grim, the light in his eyes replaced by a deep, simmering anger."Maybe you should answer it," I whispered, grasping his hand. "It could be important."Colin briefly squeezed my hand before releasing it to place his phone on silent and tossed it face down on the table. "Even if it is urgent, I can call back later. It's always the same thing. Something's gone wrong at the construction site, and she needs me to deal with it immediately."Despite my efforts to slow our meal, we finished within an hour, and our inevitable parting was upon us once again.Colin picked up his phone, which displayed a staggering 57 missed calls. As the 58th call came in, I couldn't take it anymore. I grabbed the phone and answered it.It was time to confront this issue head-on because avoiding it wouldn't help resolve anything. Since Jasmine knew everything anyway, there was no need to beat around the bush. It was time to break the silence and see what she was up to."Col
Indeed, the saying, "Heaven has no rage like love to hatred turned, nor hell a fury like a woman scorned," was true.Nonetheless, I couldn't understand why it had to be this way.Colin was clearly upset, so I brought him to my room to calm down instead of letting him leave. With his emotions in a volatile state, he was in no condition to drive, and I couldn't risk his safety.After spending two nights in the village, I had grown accustomed to the absence of bathing amenities, but for Colin, who had only been there for one night, the simplicity of washing with only cold water was far from ideal.The hotel room had the heat on high, making us feel sticky and uncomfortable. Colin had always prided himself on being clean, so I ushered him into the bathroom for a well-deserved soak in a hot bath.The bathroom had a frosted glass wall separating it from the rest of the room. While Colin was inside, I took the opportunity to wash his clothes. After thoroughly cleaning them, I put them
"Uh… Your clothes are done. Do you want to put them on now?" I blurted out, trying to steer the conversation away from suggestive undertones. I shook the freshly dried pair of his underwear in my hand for emphasis.Colin's already intense gaze grew darker as he focused on my hand. "Why put them on if I'm just going to take them off again? It's better not to wear them at all, don't you think so, Baby?" he murmured, moving even closer until our faces were nearly touching.The heat radiating from his body, combined with the moisture still clinging to his skin, made my head spin and my ears buzz.I could feel my body temperature rising, and my legs trembled involuntarily.Colin's words left me speechless.That night, Colin was the epitome of tenderness. He didn't push the limits but held me gently, showering me with soft kisses and caresses. His voice was a low, sultry serenade like the sonorous melody of a cello played amidst a garden of jasmine in the dead of night.Colin's sce