329 A Car ident?


    “Daddy, why are you crying?”


    The question snapped Axel out of his thoughts.


    He looked down and found Oliver staring at him with knitted brows and far too observant eyes for a four–year–old.


    years Axel inhaled quietly and forced a smile, one he had perfected over the but hated using on his son.


    ‘I can’t hide anything from you, bud…‘


    “I’m not crying” Axel said as he rose from his seat. He reached out and took Oliver’s small hand, helping him to his feet.


    Oliver’s fingers wrapped tightly around his before he asked again, “But your eyes look red, Daddy,” he tilted his head, clearly unconvinced. He tried to peer closer, but Axel turned just in time to avoid his gaze.


    “Come on,” Axel said lightly. “Let’s go to my bedroom. There’s something I need to tell


    you.”


    Without waiting for questions, he scooped Oliver into his arms and carried him.


    Oliver rested his head against Axel’s shoulder unusually quiet, his little hand gripping the cor of Axel’s shirt.


    Inside the master bedroom, Axel set him down gently and guided him to the seating area near the window.


    Then he sat beside his son, knees touching and hands folded as if to steady himself. “Dad, are we in trouble?” Oliver’s innocent question was enough to ease Axel’s mind.


    “No, buddy. No one’s in trouble…” He hesitated, then spoke carefully. “My son, Mommy, had a car ident.”


    Oliver froze.


    “A… car ident?” he repeated slowly, his eyes widening. “Like when Uncle Danny bumped the trash bin?”


    Axel almostughed. Almost.


    “Hmm. Yeah, something like that,” he said gently. “But bigger. This is a real car


    320 A Car ident?


    ident…”


    Oliver’s lips pressed together. His eyes began to shine, but he stubbornly blinked, refusing to let the tears fall. “Did the car say sorry to Mommy?”


    Axel swallowed hard. “I don’t think it did.”


    “That’s rude,” Oliver said seriously. “Cars should say sorry…Right, daddy?”


    Axel nodded. “I agree.”


    “So… so, Mommy, in pain?” His voice trembled.


    “Hmm… She’s in the hospital now,” Axel said softly. “The doctors are helping her get better. That’s why we’re going to stay there for a while, okay? Until Mommy is healthy again.”


    Oliver stared at his feet, then looked up.


    “Can I see her?”


    “Yes,” Axel answered immediately. “We’ll see her.”


    “Can I bring her my dinosaur? My book? I want to read a book for her…” Oliver asked. ed, relieved that his son did “I think Mommy would like that very much,” Axel not seem shocked or frightened. His son handles the terrible news far better than he does.


    However, Axel’s relief faded when Oliver asked, “Daddy, how did Mommy get into the


    ident?”


    Axel hesitated for a split second before smoothing his expression. “Mommy was unlucky,” he said simply.


    Oliver frowned.


    “Unlucky, like when I drop my ice cream?”


    “…Yes,” Axel replied, his voice thick. “Very unlucky.”


    Oliver nodded solemnly, epting the exnation without question. “Then, when we meet her in the hospital, I will tell her to be more careful.”


    Axel smiled, warmth and pain twisting together in his chest. He wrapped an arm around Oliver and pulled him close.


    Oliver leaned into him, resting his head against Axel’s side.


    “Daddy,” he said quietly, “you can cry if you want. I won’t tell, mommy…”


    329 A Car ident?


    Axel closed his eyes.


    He held his son a little tighter and pressed a kiss to his hair, grateful for the small, fragilefort only a four–year–old could give.


    Hope Medical Centre.


    The VIP room was quiet, almost suffocatingly so.


    Finley Morgan sat on the leather sofa, his postureposed yet rigid, hands sped as he stared at the closed door.


    Time dragged painfully slow.


    Every second that passed without news from the operating room felt like another weight added to his chest.


    Across from him, David Hamm sat straight–backed, pretending to read something on his tablet while watching Finley from the corner of his eye.


    “I told you, you don’t need to stay,” Finley said atst, his voice calm but strained. “I can wait alone.”


    David didn’t move. “Sir, I’ve already asked my men to prepare dinner for you. I’ll apany you while you wait for the good news.”


    Finley let out a tired sigh. “You sound as if good news is guaranteed.”


    “It isn’t,” David replied honestly. “But sitting alone with your thoughts won’t help either.”


    That earned him a sharp nce, but Finley didn’t argue further. His gaze dropped again. “Where is Axel?”


    David stiffened slightly. “He hasn’t informed me, sir.”


    “Almost two hours,” Finley said, irritation creeping into his voice. “Almost two hours since he left. Evelyn is in surgery, and he disappears?”


    “I believe he had a reason,” David said carefully. “Axel wouldn’t abandon her.”


    Finley didn’t reply, but his anger shed in his gaze.


    Dinner was brought in shortly after.


    The table was filled with carefully prepared dishes, far more extravagant than Finley had any appetite for.


    329 A Car ident?


    <b>“</b>You ordered enough to feed an army,” Finley nuttered.


    “Well, sir… stress burns calories,” David said, trying to lighten the mood as he gestured for him to sit down.


    Finley chuckled lightly, “Nonsense.”


    Still, he ate. Not much, but enough. David remained with him the entire time, discussing harmless topics, steering the conversation away from surgery clocks and


    worst–case scenarios.


    It wasn’t distracting, exactly, but it was helping to ease Finley.


    Once the tes were cleared, David stood.


    “I’ll leave you now, sir. I need to check on the surgery arrangements personally.”


    “As if anyone would dare mishandle it under your watch,” Finley said dryly.


    David smiled. He said lightly, “Even so.”


    “Thank you, David, for your help…”


    When the door finally closed behind him, Finley returned to the seating area, leaned back, and exhaled slowly.


    The silence returned.


    His worry remained heavy and constant, but at least he was alone with it now.


    However,


    Not long after, footsteps sounded in the corridor.


    Finley straightened, recognizing the voice immediately. It was Axel.


    Anger red sharply in his chest.


    How dare he leave while Evelyn was fighting for her life?


    The door opened.


    Finley was about to scold Axel when a small figure entered the room and halted him immediately.


    Big, familiar


    eyes met his.


    “Oh, Grandpa Finley!” Oliver said happily, his voice innocent and cute. “You’re here


    too…”


    Finley’s anger vanished instantly.


    admin


    <strong>Olivia Harris</strong> is an emerging author celebrated for her captivating romantic and steamy novels. With a talent for crafting deep emotional connections and fiery chemistry between her characters, Olivia’s stories offer readers an escape into worlds filled with passion, intrigue, and heart-stopping drama.