This was the largest hot spring in the resort, with the best view by far. From here, you could watch fireworks arc across the night sky and, in the distance, see the majestic outline of the mountains.

Elodie quickly sensed something was off.

She’d arrived in her swimsuit, but now, if she took off her robe, it would feel a bit inappropriate.

So she chose to sit quietly on a lounge chair at the edge of the pool, waiting to see where Joseph would go.

Joseph, meanwhile, had no idea what was on Elodie’s mind. The attendant had just arrived, carrying an elegant platter of fruit and a few drinks.

As Joseph’s gaze drifted over, he happened to catch sight of Elodie’s long, pale legs peeking out from beneath her robe.

She had an effortlessly graceful posture-even sitting, her legs crossed naturally, accentuating their length and drawing the eye…

Joseph abruptly looked away, coughed into his fist, and strode straight into the water.

He turned his back to Elodie, determined not to sneak another glance. Fishing out his phone, he started replying to a handful of New Year’s greetings.

Elodie was oblivious to Joseph’s brief moment of awkwardness.

She, too, was receiving New Year’s messages-Alexander, Esmeralda, and even some colleagues from VistaLink Technologies, with whom she’d grown surprisingly close lately.

Elodie replied to each one with genuine warmth.

Meanwhile, Joseph finished replying and, almost by habit, tapped into his social feed when he saw Freya’s profile picture flash across his notifications.

Freya’s post was short and sweet: “Happy New Year’s Eve! Wishing for old dreams in the new year. Big bro, when are you finally bringing home a sweet, soft sister-in-law?”

He couldn’t help but laugh.

He scrolled through the photos she’d posted, flipping through one after another, until-

He froze.

There, among the pictures, was a candid shot of him and Elodie, both wrapped in bathrobes, their backs to the camera.

Joseph’s expression shifted. Sitting up a little straighter, he stared at the photo for a few seconds, then quickly found Freya’s chat and messaged: “Take down the last photo from your post. People will get the wrong idea, and Elodie might be uncomfortable.”

Sensing his seriousness, Freya replied with a crestfallen, “Okay…”

The very next moment, Elodie, too, stumbled upon Freya’s post.

She was surprised, but since their faces weren’t visible, it wasn’t a big deal.

Joseph had already gotten out of the water, wrapped in his robe, and walked over. Catching sight of Elodie clicking on the photo, he apologized, “Sorry. Freya can be a bit thoughtless…”

Elodie had no intention of holding a grudge against a young girl. She shook her head lightly. “It’s all right.”

Seeing no trace of annoyance on her face, Joseph finally relaxed and sat down beside her. “I’ve already asked Freya to delete the photo. You don’t have to worry about it.”

He thought, even if Elodie didn’t say anything, she must be uncomfortable. She cared so much about Jarrod—she’d definitely be anxious about any misunderstandings.

“Okay,” Elodie replied, not looking up as she continued typing out replies.

Joseph glanced at her one last time, then said nothing more.

Just as he was about to get up, his phone buzzed several times in quick succession.

He opened it to find the group chat with their old friends lighting up. Maurice, always the first to stir up trouble, had sent several rapid-fire messages:

-Who’s that woman?

Joseph, are you dating someone behind our backs?!

I told you I heard a woman’s voice on that call. What are you hiding from us?

-Your sister just deleted her post, but I saw everything!

Sylvie chimed in: Is this for real?

Jarrod hadn’t said a word, but he’d definitely seen it.

Joseph frowned, glancing instinctively at Elodie.

She noticed his look right away. The lights inside were dim, making Joseph’s phone screen stand out even more. She couldn’t help but catch a glimpse-just enough to see the chat interface and, at the top, the number ‘4’, indicating only four members in the group.