311 Baseless Suspicious!
Evelyn’s eyes immediately lifted to him. He is no longer wearing his sleeves are rolled to his elbows.
and his short
The light revealed his slightly messy hair and, more importantly, his eyes. They were red, darker than usual, carrying exhaustion she could not ignore.
Concern reced her earlier rxation.
“Axel,” she said softly, sitting up straighter as she studied his face. “Did you smoke?” She paused, then added carefully, “And… are you drunk?”
Her voice held worry more than usation, already sensing that his night had been far from ordinary.
Axel let out a long sigh and lowered himself onto the single sofa on her side. He
deliberately kept his distance, knowing too well how much Evelyn disliked the smell of smoke clinging to him.
His shoulders slumped, exhaustion finally catching up as the quiet of the house settled around them.
He looked at her with apologetic eyes. “Sorry,” he said softly. “I rushed back to see you and forgot to take a shower first.”
Evelyn did not answer right away.
Her gaze lingered as he loosened his tie and began unbuttoning his shirt, one button at a time, stopping at the fourth.
A glimpse of his chest showed beneath the fabric, but instead of ing him as she usually would, she frowned.
She lifted her eyes to his face and studied him carefully. The fatigue was obvious now, etched into his features. “Axel,” she said quietly, “are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” he replied with a faint smile that did not quite reach his
eyes.
She rose from the sofa immediately and stood in front of him, her hand tight beside her.
“Please don’t lie to me. I can tell you’re troubled.” Her tone softened, but her eyes sharpened. “Did the meeting not go
well?”
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311 Baseless Suspicious!
Axel chuckled and reached for her hand, tugging her down onto hisp before she could protest. He leaned in and gently rubbed her lips with his thumb, clearly trying to distract her. Instead, her brows knitted together, and her annoyance grew.
“Axel Knight!”
The moment she called his full name, his yful expression vanish tone. Teasing was no longer an option.
e knew that
“Rx,” he said calmly, holding her waist as if she might bolt. “Nothing serious happened.”
She narrowed her eyes, unconvinced. “Did someone bully you outside?”
He burst outughing.
“Bully me?” He shook his head, amused. “No one has that kind of courage.” He brushed a strand of hair from her cheek and tucked it behind her ear, his touch gentle. “You’re worrying too much.”
Evelyn sighed and poked his chest lightly. “Then why did you look like a tragic hero when you walked in? You scared me. You looked like you just lost a million–dor
contract.”
“That’s because I did,” he replied smoothly.
Her
eyes widened. “What?”
Axel grinned, enjoying her reaction a little too much. “Just kidding.”
She pped his shoulder without hesitation. “Axel!”
Heughed again, but the sound faded quickly. “Alright,” he admitted, his voice lowering. “It wasn’t a pleasant meeting. Someone forced me to t
that should stay in the past…”
Evelyn tensed slightly, her face bing more serious.
im the old story
“Is it dangerous? Who is that person? Can you tell me? Maybe I can help lighten your worry.”
His gaze softened at her words. “That’s why I came home smelling like smoke instead of strategy,” he said quietly. “I needed to see you.”
Her irritation melted away. She rested her forehead against his. “Next time,e home sooner. Even million–dor disasters can wait.”
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311 Baseless Suspicious!
Axel smiled and pulled her closer, his voice low and obedient. “Yes, Mrs. Knight. I’ll obey.”
Evelyn rolled her eyes, though the corner of her lips lifted without her realizing it.
“Alright. Go wash first,” she said lightly. “I’m starting to feel nauseous from that tobo smell.”
Her attempt to tease him only resulted in the opposite of what shoespected. Axel stiffened, panic shing across his face as if she had said something far more serious.
He stood up at once and carefully helped her to her feet, hovering beside her like she might fall if he blinked.
“Sorry,” he said quickly. “I’ll wash fast. You go ahead to bed. I’ll join you as soon as I’m done.”
Before she could protest or add another word, he was already gone, disappearing behind the door with surprising speed.
Evelynughed softly, shaking her head. She turned off the television, grabbed her phone, and made her way back to the bedroom.
She switched on only the bedsidemp before slipping under the soft nket, waiting for Axel to return.
He did not take long.
The bathroom door opened, and Axel walked in wearing ck pajama pants, his upper body bare as usual.
His hair was still damp, strands clinging to his forehead as he rubbed it dry with a white towel.
Water droplets traced down his neck, catching the soft light f
hemp.
Evelyn stared at him unblinkingly, her gaze slow and thoughtful. Axel noticed immediately.
He lowered the towel slightly and met her eyes as he stood at the foot of the bed. “Why are you looking at me like that?” he asked, amused. “As if you want to pry into my mind.”
She sat up and leaned back against the headboard, her eyes still fixed on him, sharp and curious. “Axel,” she said calmly, “who did you meet tonight?”
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311 Baseless Suspicious!
His hand froze mid–motion.
The towel stopped moving, and for a split second, the yful warmth in his expression
vanished.
Darkness crept back into his gaze, heavy and familiar. He quickly ma smile, but she caught it anyway.
The silence stretched.
with a faint
After a moment, Evelyn exhaled and softened her expression. “Alright,” she said gently. “If you don’t want to tell me, that’s fine. You don’t have to. But if you do, you can do it whenever you’re ready.”
Shey back down, turning onto her side and adjusting the pillow beneath her head. Just as she closed her eyes, ready to let the question go, his voice stopped her.
“Your uncle,” Axel said quietly. “Finley Morgan.”
Her eyes flew open.
66
<i>Thank </i><i>you </i>for the <i>Golden </i><i>Ticket </i>& Power Stones. Please continue <i>so </i>we can raise the rank <i>and </i><i>give </i>this book <i>more </i>opportunities. Xoxo
A
<b>PurpleLight </b>
Creator’s Thoughts
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.