The Mafia Lord's Secret Lover - Chapter 185

Chapter 185: Are You Trying to Expose Us?
The moment Axel Knight entered the hall, all whispers appeared to revolve around him.

His tall frame and calm confidence drew attention like gravity itself.

He wasn’t just handsome; he carried that commanding presence that made people stop mid-sentence and forget what they were saying.

Axel exchanged polite greetings with the hosts and sponsors who hurried over to approach and greet him.

Cameras flashed discreetly as the reporters and socialites who had followed him tried to sneak more photos.

Evelyn instinctively took half a step back, lowering her gaze.

“Oh no. He’s coming this way.”

Jackson Lincoln grinned beside her, clearly amused.

“What’s wrong, Mrs. Knight? Don’t want to be seen with your husband?” he teased in a low voice.

Evelyn sighed silently. She still couldn’t believe Axel had shown up at this charity dinner. He hadn’t mentioned anything about coming when he called her this afternoon.

“I just don’t want people talking,” she muttered. “They already stared at me enough outside.”

Both of them turned slightly, pretending to be deeply engrossed in a discussion about the event schedule, hoping to avoid notice.

But Axel’s sharp eyes had already found her.

Ignoring the crowd, he walked straight toward them.

Every step he took seemed to draw more attention to him.

Within seconds, half the ballroom was staring in their direction.

Evelyn clenched her hand, whispering under her breath, “Oh no. He’s really coming here.”

Jackson chuckled. “He’s your husband, not a shark. Relax.”

“Easy for you to say,” she sighs.

When Axel finally reached them, Jackson straightened up, instantly switching into his professional mode.

“Mr. Knight,” he greeted with a smile that didn’t quite hide his amusement. “Good to see you again. Quite an entrance you made out there.”

Axel gave a polite nod at Jackson, his expression unreadable.

Then he said flatly, “Stop acting, Jack…”

“Man, you are so serious,” Jackson chuckled.

Axel ignored Jackson. His eyes softened as he turned to Evelyn. “You look beautiful tonight,” he said softly, just loud enough for her and Jackson to hear.

Evelyn gave him a polite smile, “Are you trying to expose us?” she asked softly.

“Of course not, my love,” he replied smoothly.

She blinked. “Seriously, Axel. Why are you here? You didn’t mention anything when you called me earlier.”

“I changed my plans,” he answered. “The event seemed… important. I rushed here after landing from Nevalis.”

Jackson coughed lightly, trying and failing to hide his grin. “Important, huh? Of course. Your pretty wife here might have something to do with that.”

Axel chuckled under his breath, his hand brushing against Evelyn’s. Try to hold it.

However, she immediately pulled back, glancing around to make sure no one noticed.

They were standing in a slightly darker corner of the room, but that didn’t make her feel any safer.

“Alright, you two,” Evelyn said quickly, straightening up. “Go to your tables. I’ll wait for Joseph.”

Evelyn could already hear the murmurs spreading like wildfire.

Guests whispered to each other, some too curious to even hide it.

“Who’s that woman? Why did Axel Knight talk to her?”

“Oh my God, isn’t that Evelyn Walters?”

“Yes, it is! She reappears after years and is already chatting with Lincoln and Knight?”

Evelyn inhaled slowly, trying not to roll her eyes. The gossip was inevitable.

Those whispers got louder.

People no longer bothered to lower their voices.

A few female celebrities shot Evelyn side glances sharp enough to cut glass. She could practically read their thoughts.

Still, she didn’t blame them. Seeing her standing beside the CEO of Apex Holding would make any gossip headline explode.

Jackson leaned toward her, whispering, “Congratulations, Eve. You just became the highlight of the night.”

“Can you stop teasing me, Jack…!?” she glared at him.

Then she looked straight into Axel’s calm, amused eyes. “Please, just leave me alone. Joseph will be here soon.”

“Relax, Eve,” Axel said softly, his lips curving into a faint smile. “Let’s just pretend we’re talking about business. Didn’t you tell the media earlier that you were working on a philanthropy project with Hope Medical Center?”

Before she could respond, the familiar voice she had been waiting for finally reached her ears.

“Eve, I’m sorry, I’m late…” Joseph called as he hurried in from the doorway, adjusting his tie with an apologetic smile.

Evelyn turned in relief, finally seeing Joseph arrive.

They were finally able to settle at their table.

But before she could say anything, Jackson jumped in. “It’s fine, Joseph,” he said, patting his shoulder. “Eve was just discussing business with Mr. Knight.”

Joseph froze, blinking in confusion as he recognized who was standing next to her. Axel Knight.

‘Why does Jack seem so formal with Axel? Are they best friends? And… Evelyn is Axel’s wife?’ Joseph wondered in his confusion.

He could sense their stiffness; it seemed as if they’d never met before.

But Joseph’s confusion was only brief, as he quickly remembered that Evelyn and Axel had not yet announced their marriage.

A smile emerged on Joseph’s lips as he said, “Ah, I see,” forcing a polite smile. “Mr. Knight, it’s an honor to meet you.” He extended his hand.

Axel clasped it firmly. “Likewise.”

Evelyn was speechless.

‘Gosh! Even Joseph fell for Jack’s plan, pretending.’

For a brief moment, the three men stood there in what could only be described as a perfectly staged scene—an unspoken agreement passing between them to keep the act going.

To everyone else watching, it appeared to be a group of professionals discussing a business deal, not a secret marriage in disguise.

Evelyn exhaled quietly, finally feeling the tension lift.

The murmurs died down as guests turned their attention to the stage.

The charity dinner was about to begin, and thankfully, the focus was shifting elsewhere.

“See?” Jackson said with a grin. “Crisis averted.”

“Barely,” Evelyn muttered, giving him a warning look.

The host began welcoming everyone from the stage, and the crowd started taking their seats.

Evelyn followed Joseph toward their table.

But her relief vanished the second she saw where she was seated.

“You have got to be kidding me.” She whispers to Joseph.

Joseph followed her gaze and nearly laughed.

Their name cards sat neatly at the same table as two others: Axel Knight and Jackson Lincoln.