266 Maxime Knight Dies!


    266 Maxime Knight Dies!


    After hanging up the phone with his wife, a cold smile pulled at the corner of Axel’s lips.


    He already knew why his grandfather had summoned him so suddenly.


    It was about Maxime.


    News spread fast in their world, and the moment word of Maxime’s death reached the Knight elders, they would not sit still.


    A quiet sense of relief settled in Axel’s chest. It felt as if a thorn loo had finally been pulled out.


    ep inside him


    Maxime had been a threat for years, an unpredictable snake that slithered too close to him and also the Knight’s family.


    Now that bastard was gone, and the air around Axel felt lighter, cleaner, easier to


    breathe.


    But that relief instantly faded the moment Liam steered the car into therge front yard of the Knight estate.


    Axel’s expression hardened instantly.


    Parked directly in front of the mansion was a ck Rolls–Royce Phantom he


    recognized all too well–his father’s car.


    And not far from it were two others, both belonging to his uncles. All of them here at


    once.


    Perfect. Just what he needed.


    He exhaled slowly, forcing down the irritation crawling up his spine. If there was something he disliked more than political dinners, it was family meetings filled with hypocritical smiles and fake concern.


    sted on


    his presence, Axel would have chosen to be


    Had his grandfather not


    anywhere else.


    But skipping such a meeting would only raise suspicion. Not today. Not when the timing of Maxime’s death was too convenient.


    “Sir, we have arrived…” Liam’s voice broke through his thoughts.


    Axel didn’t move immediately. He sat still for a moment, staring ahead at the imposing


    266 Maxime Knight Dies!


    house he had practically grown up in.


    Everything felt colder than usual, as if the walls themselves were preparing to swallow him whole.


    Finally, he turned to Liam. “Pay attention to whoes and goes. If you notice anything suspicious or out of the ordinary, text me immediately.”


    “Will do, sir.” Liam nodded firmly, already scanning the surroundings with sharp eyes.


    Axel pushed the door open and stepped out into the chilled afternoon air.


    e settle on


    The moment his shoes hit the gravel, he felt the weight of the ent his shoulders. He straightened his coat, set his jaw, and walked forw….with the effortless confidence of a man who feared nothing and trusted no one.


    The Knight family had gathered.


    And judging by the cars outside, this would not be a simple conversation. It would be a war fought with polite words and hidden knives.


    Axel was ready for it. Prepared to ignore them all as he usually did.


    Before he reached the living room, Axel saw Alfred, his grandfather’s butler, walk quickly to greet him.


    “Young master, wee. I am sorry… I could not greet you outside.” Alfred bowed slightly, and Axel responded with a brief nod.


    “It’s fine, Alfred. I know you must be very busy,” Axel said, stopping in front of him. His tone shifted, sharp with curiosity. “What happened? Why did Grandpa suddenly ask me toe here?”


    Alfred’s expression fell into something dark and heavy. “It’s about Young Master Maxime, Sir. He… was found dead.”


    “What?” Axel’s voice came out a bit more sharply than he intended. The shock on his face made Alfred look even more troubled. “Dead? How?” he asked.


    Before Alfred could exin, Amanda’s voice called from inside.


    “Axel, atst you arrived.” Her tone was gentle, but her trembling gave her away. She moved toward him, eyes swollen and red.


    “Mom, what happened?” Axel asked, stepping closer. He had not seen her look this shaken in years. “Maxime’s death?”


    “Oh dear, you know. Yes, he died. Come here Amanda whispered, grasping his hand.


    266 Maxime Knight Dies!


    “They are exining it inside. Join us first.”


    Axel let her lead him deeper into the house.


    The air felt heavy, as if the walls themselves were holding their breath.


    When they reached the living room, the entire Knight family was already gathered.


    Andrew and Eleanor sat quietly in their usual seats. Axel’s father and two of his siblings were there as well, stiff and tense. Several cousins filled the remaining couches, all wearing the same expression: shock mixed with disbelief.


    Conversations halted the moment Axel appeared.


    fenry


    Their eyes flickered toward him for only a second before turning b Knight, Maxime’s father, who sat at the center of the sofa, shoulders trembling.


    Even the military uniform Henry Knight wore couldn’t make him look strong; his shoulders shook, and his eyes were red, clearly showing he had just cried.


    Axel settled beside his mother at the far end of the L–shaped sofa. He said nothing, waiting for someone to speak. Waiting to hear what news they get about Maxime’s


    death.


    “Henry, how did they find him?” Andrew Knight finally broke the suffocating silence, his stern gaze fixed on his second son.


    Henry looked up, his eyes trembling as if he were holding back an ocean. His throat bobbed once before he managed to speak. “They found him around noon today at our family cabin in the northern mountains. Our gardener found him when he visited the cabin to prepare the ce for winter.”


    A little gasp went through the room, kind of like a cold breeze.


    Axel leaned back in his seat, expression unreadable but mind sharp. He felt the weight of every stare shifting toward Henry, felt the unspoken questions hanging like storm clouds. His jaw tightened. ‘So it begins.’


    “My team has already arrived at the scene to investigate the cause of his death,” Henry continued. He checked his watch with a shaky hand. “Last I heard, they were transporting the body to the capital. They should arrive in less than two hours.”


    At that moment, the woman beside Henry broke down.


    “My son… my only son…” Melinda Knight’s sobs cracked the already–fragile atmosphere. “Why did he die so suddenly? Oh, Henry, we must find out why our son, why Maxime died there… Why… why…?”


    266 Maxime Knight Dies!


    She grabbed Henry’s arm with both hands and shook him, desperate for an answer he clearly didn’t have.


    Henry’sposure crumbled, tears spilling down his cheeks as he held her trembling hand.


    Soon, nearly half the room was crying, though no one came close to Melinda’s grief–stricken wails. Her voice echoed through the room like a mother cursed with a punishment she didn’t deserve.


    Comment 1


    View All >


    L


    Leave the firstment for this chapter.


    Sara Lili


    <strong>Sara Lili</strong> is a daring romance writer who turns icyndscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of d’s breathtaking cold.