286 Fly Back to Grayenfall
It has been three days since Maxime Knight’s
funeral.
1
The past three days had been nothing less than a storm wrapped in chaos.
Ever since the media revealed Evelyn as Axel Knight’s wife, the quiet rhythm of her life had exploded into noise, attention, and endless buzzing from every device she owned.
Her phone barely stopped ringing.
Alicia, Ste, rtives, and friends who still know her reached out to her by phone, social media, and email, as if she had just won the presidential
election.
She tried to respond politely to everyone, though half of the time she ended upughing in
disbelief.
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Plus, her work schedule doubled, and she still had
deadlines.
Luckily, she managed everything from home, since going outside felt like volunteering in a
lion’s den.
A quick nce at the headlines was enough to remind her of the chaos waiting outside her front
door.
Every journalist in the country wanted an interview.
Social media detectives were investigating her as if she were a missing princess from a fantasy novel.
People online debated whether she truly lived in Grayenfall until several reporters flew there to interview locals who imed to have seen her.
And then there was Ste, her cheerful little sister, who called three times a day to report
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“Sis, you have be the most wanted woman in the country. Honestly, even A–list actors don’t get this much attention. You should start charging appearance fees.”
She could onlyugh, hearing that. She had never imagined bing a celebrity, much less the kind who identally broke the inte just by existing as Axel Knight’s wife.
Her days at home were busy, exhausting, but strangely beautiful.
She spent most of her mornings ying with Oliver, who had be clingier now that he understood she was suddenly famous.
Her son kept asking if people knew he was “the cutest Knight,” and she almost thought he would soon demand his own fan club.
Their house became lively over the weekend as
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286 Fly Back to Grayenfall
both sides of the family visited.
Her grandparents arrived with bags of fruit and numerous gifts for Oliver.
Axel’s family followed shortly after, filling the
ce withughter, stories, and enough food to feed a small vige.
Evelyn felt overwhelmed, but in the best way possible.
Still, nothing made her heart flutter quite like today.
It was finally the day she would fly to Grayenfall.
She had been excited for thest few days. Nervous too. Her mother’s family was waiting, and although she tried to set low expectations, a part of her hoped the meeting would be warm and easy.
But another part of her worries. It had been years. What if they were disappointed in her?
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What if she said the wrong thing? What if they
won’t ept her?
Axel, thankfully, wasing along. Not only because he wanted to support her, but also because he had work in Grayenfall.
And since Oliver had a week off from his toddler program, Axel suggested they all go together.
Oliver squealed in joy when he learned he would get to “ride the big ne again.”
The best part, at least for Evelyn, was that they would also stay for a while at their beach house in Willowcrest.
She missed her home terribly, even though she had only been away for two months. She missed the sound of the ocean. She missed the way the morning sun painted the windows gold.
Most of all, she missed Aunt Martha, whose cooking could cure almost any of her bad moods.
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Now, as she zipped thestpartment of her suitcase, Evelyn felt her pulse quicken. She stood by the window, gazing into the backyard, where she watched her son say goodbye to his horse and pony.
“Eve, are you ready?” Axel’s voice pulled her from her thoughts.
She smiled despite her nerves. “More ready than my heart feels.”
He stepped inside, wrapped his arms around her waist, and kissed her cheek.
“Do not worry. I will be by your side the whole time. And if your mother’s family gives you trouble, just hide behind me. I am tall enough to block half the world.”
Sheughed, precisely as he hoped. “What about the other half?”
“I will ask Liam and the others to stand there,” he
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said with a straight face. “Let them take care of
the rest.
Evelyn rolled her eyes, her smile widening.
Her worries did not vanish, but with Axel beside her, they suddenly felt bearable.
Today would mark a new chapter. And she was ready to step into it.
“Alright, let’s go! It’s time to meet that person—”
The two–hour flight to Grayenfall felt strangely long for Evelyn.
Every minute seemed stretched, as if the ne stubbornly refused to move faster.
Her thoughts kept circling the same point, the same worry. The DNA match. The hospital visit. The answers are waiting for her.
Fortunately, she had Oliver.
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Her little boy was a ball of sunshine, wiggling excitedly on herp as he pressed his small hands against the window. His wide eyes sparkled at the sight of the clouds outside.
“Mommy,” he whispered, “I am thanking you.”
Evelyn blinked. “You are thanking me? For what, sweetheart?”
“For taking me back to Willowcrest, of course.” He nodded withplete confidence, patting her leg like a gentleman twice his age. “I am thrilled today. Very, very happy.”
She smiled, her worries softening. “Really? What makes you so happy?”
“Because I will meet Grandma Martha…” Oliver pped his hands. “She will cook my favorite food and give me big cookies and lots… Lots…. of muffins.”
Evelyn smiled, trying to keep her voice low.
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“Oh yeah. That sounds great, doesn’t it? Mommy
is happy if you are happy.” Evelyn tousled her soft
hair.
Oliver leaned back against her chest, content and humming happily.
His tiny fingers yed with her ne as he said, “I am also happy because we are going to the beach house. The ocean is calling me, Mommy. I heard it say, ‘Oliver,e swim.“”
“Oh? The ocean talks now?”
“Yes. I have big ears. I can hear everything.”
Evelyn kissed the top of his soft hair, her heart
warm.
She still carries her fears, but with Oliver beside her, they feel lighter and less scary now.
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.