The Mafia Lord's Secret Lover - Chapter 144

Chapter 144: You Worry Too Much, Mrs. Knight!
Then, Axel walked to Evelyn and sat beside her.

His arm brushed hers, and she felt the heat rise in her cheeks instantly.

He glanced at her plate, then at Oscar’s untouched wine glass.

“I hope I’m not interrupting anything important,” he said in that calm, charming voice.

Oscar forced a laugh. “No, no, nothing important at all! Just two old friends catching up before… Uh, being tossed into the Pacific!”

Evelyn almost choked on her water, glaring at him. ‘What the hell, Oscar?’

Axel’s lips twitched, amusement flickering in his eyes. “Pacific, huh?”

“Did I say Pacific?” Oscar asked. “Well, I meant… Atlantic! Totally different shark population.”

Evelyn shook her head. She can’t believe that Oscar came up with that idea. “Oscar, please stop talking.”

Axel chuckled quietly, turning to her. “You really know how to choose interesting friends.”

“He’s harmless,” she muttered, shooting her sharp gaze at Oscar again.

“Harmless?” Axel repeated, tilting his head. “That’s not what he told me last time. He even plans to kick me. Ah, he also…”

Oscar gulped and raised both hands to stop Axel from continuing, “Okay, okay, in my defense… It was a misunderstanding. Big one. Giant, even. So, brother-in-law…I apologize.”

Axel is still watching him with that cool, unreadable stare. “Hmm. Maybe I should hear your explanation again. Over wine.”

Oscar hesitated, then nodded rapidly.

“Sure! Wine’s great. The more I drink, the less I remember, and the safer I feel!” Oscar said confidently.

Evelyn sighed softly. Under the table, she reached out and took Axel’s hand, hoping to get his attention.

When his eyes met hers, she said firmly, “Axel, sorry, but no wine for you. It’s still office hours. You have a meeting later, right?”

He smiled, brushing his thumb over her fingers in slow, teasing circles.

“No. I don’t have an agenda today,” he said, his voice warm and affectionate.

Evelyn blinked, caught off guard. ‘Seriously?’

Axel Knight, the man who could make CEOs tremble and investors rearrange their lives for a fifteen-minute call, had no agenda? Not even one meeting?

She studied him carefully, looking for any sign of mischief in his eyes. But all she saw was sincerity… and possibly a hint of amusement at her disbelief.

‘Did he really clear his schedule?’ she wondered.

Come to think of it, ever since they reunited in Willowcrest, he’d somehow found endless pockets of time to spend with her and Oliver.

And knowing how much his calendar used to control him, it felt…strange to her.

“But,” Axel added, smiling as if reading her thoughts, “I won’t drink wine because I’ll be driving.”

Before she could say something, he gently patted her back. “Alright then, let’s eat and head home after.” He said.

Evelyn nodded, unable to say more. The way he said ‘home’ stirred a strange warmth in her chest.

Besides, she had already promised Oliver she would be back early today.

They went back to their meal, the earlier tension melting away.

Axel had eased his sharp tone and stopped intimidating poor Oscar, who finally looked like he could breathe again.

The atmosphere shifted to something surprisingly pleasant. They talked about Astington, Oscar’s homeland and beloved place, and then about his company, J Corp.

When Oscar casually mentioned how J Corp had supported Evelyn in reclaiming her position and ousting William Walters from the board, Axel paused for a brief second. His fork froze midair, his jaw tightening slightly.

He hid it well, of course. But inside, his chest tightened with something sharp, jealousy.

‘It should’ve been me helping her,’ he thought bitterly. ‘Not him.’

He forced a polite smile and nodded at Oscar’s story. However, his mind was preoccupied with the memory of Evelyn struggling alone, raising their son, without him.

And, the thought that another man had been there, stepping in, even just as a friend, left an uncomfortable twist in his stomach.

Evelyn didn’t notice his inner turmoil. She was too busy laughing at one of Oscar’s ridiculous stories about his “accidental” investment trip that somehow ended with a furious ex-girlfriend chasing him across the continent.

Axel managed a chuckle, too, though it sounded a bit tight. “Quite the adventure,” he murmured.

When they finally finished their lunch, Evelyn sighed, feeling her stomach was too full.

“That was delicious. I haven’t eaten this well in ages,” she said, her eyes beaming.

“See? You should invite me more often.”

Evelyn rolled her eyes. “Alright, don’t push it. You’ve already caused enough chaos with your arrival.”

They laugh again.

And soon left the VIP room and headed to the car park.

Evelyn walks Oscar to her car, saying, “Liam, please drive Oscar to his place.”

Oscar immediately waved both hands in protest.

“What? No, no, no. I can take a cab. I don’t need a private driver escorting me around like some fragile old man.”

Evelyn gave him that kind of look that could silence boardrooms. “I don’t take ‘NO’ for an answer. You’re going with Liam.”

“Eve…”

“Oscar, you’re my guest. Also, it’s safer this way,” she added with a sly smile, “…one more thing, you must come to Oliver’s birthday party, and Liam needs to know where you live in this city. I’ll send you the details later, alright?”

Oscar’s fake sulking vanished instantly.

“Birthday party. Ah, my little Oliver’s big day! Of course I’ll be there!”

“Alright, I’ll call you later, okay?”

He sighed in defeat but smiled warmly. “Fine. You always win, my friend.”

…

After watching Liam’s car drive off with Oscar inside, Evelyn couldn’t help but laugh as Oscar continued waving dramatically.

“Gosh! Why is he hilarious…?”

Axel gently placed his hand on her back, guiding her toward their car.

Then,

He opened the car door for her with that effortless gentlemanly charm of his and helped her settle into the passenger seat.

As she reached for her seatbelt, Axel leaned in close, his face suddenly inches from hers.

Evelyn froze.

“Axel…” she whispered, glancing nervously toward the restaurant entrance. “Someone might see us.”

He didn’t even blink. “Let them.”

Before she could protest again, his lips brushed her gently at first, teasing her softly. Then, they pressed deeper, slower, more possessively.

Her pulse quickened as her fingers grasped the edge of her seat. The kiss was brief, but she could feel her heart pounding; the thrill of being seen and photographed made it race wildly.

When he finally pulled away, her mind was spinning.

He smiled faintly, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear. “You worry too much, Mrs. Knight.”