The Mafia Lord's Secret Lover - Chapter 217

Chapter 217: She Talks With My Mother?
In the meeting room.

Axel Knight sat at the head of the long mahogany table, listening to yet another financial report that seemed to stretch endlessly.

The projector hummed softly, displaying graphs and slides filled with numbers and percentages.

While his directors spoke with enthusiasm about the company’s quarterly profits and future strategies, his mind was far from Apex Holdings.

All he could think of was being with Evelyn.

He could still picture her sitting on the sofa in his office, her hair softly framing her face, the way she smiled when she tried to hide her tiredness. The image wouldn’t leave him.

Axel straightened slightly and forced himself to focus as one of the executive directors from the Singapore branch began his report.

“Mr. Knight,” the man said confidently, gesturing toward the screen.

“As you can see here, our mining division across Southeast Asia has recorded a thirty-two percent increase in income in Q3. The new contracts in Indonesia and the Philippines have been especially profitable. If this trend continues, we can project a forty-five percent growth by the end of the year.”

The directors exchanged impressed murmurs.

Axel gave a slow nod. “That’s excellent. The team did well.”

But even as he said it, his gaze flicked down to his watch.

It had only been ten minutes since he last checked.

‘She’s probably bored by now,’ he thought. ‘I told her to use the iPad to shop, but knowing her, she’s either reading emails or staring out the window again.’

He sighed quietly, then reached for his phone beneath the table.

While pretending to scroll through the report, he sent a quick text to Dylan.

“Book lunch for me and Evelyn. Send it to my office. Cancel my lunch with the directors. I’ll have breakfast with them tomorrow instead.”

Within seconds, Dylan replied with a simple, “Yes, sir.”

Axel returned his phone to silent mode and leaned back in his chair, trying to look composed.

He truly appreciated his team’s dedication. But right now, the only person he wanted to see was his wife.

The meeting dragged on as another executive took the stage.

Finally, the last speaker, a representative from their New York branch, took the floor and started delivering his report.

“Our investment arm has been performing exceptionally well this quarter,” the man said. “We acquired three AI startups last year, and their early revenue has already exceeded our initial projections. Q3 profits have increased by twenty-eight percent. We’re forecasting even higher returns once our European partners come on board.”

That caught Axel’s attention. He smiled, the kind of proud, approving smile that made his directors sit up a little straighter.

“Good work,” he said. “The board will be pleased. Make sure those startups have everything they need to continue scaling. I want steady growth, not just one strong quarter.”

“Yes, sir,” the man said, looking both nervous and thrilled.

After the applause and murmurs had settled, Axel finally stood.

“Everyone, I appreciate your hard work. You’ve done well this quarter, and I’ll make sure to remember your efforts. Let’s continue this momentum through Q4. I’ll visit each of your branches soon, once the schedules are finalized.”

The directors began to stand, some shaking hands and others gathering their files.

Axel was already half turned toward the door when one of the men from the London office raised his hand.

“Mr. Knight, before you go,” he began with a smile, “do we get to meet Mrs. Knight while we’re here? Maybe dinner tonight?”

The room chuckled lightly, and another added, “Yes, sir, we’ve all heard so much about her. It would be an honor to meet the lady who managed to keep you away from work long enough to get married.”

Axel’s lips twitched into a faint smirk.

“One day,” he said smoothly, “I’ll make sure you all meet her. But not today.”

The room filled with playful groans of disappointment. “Not fair, sir,” one muttered good-naturedly.

Axel only chuckled. “Some mysteries are worth keeping.”

He left before they could press him further.

The moment he stepped into the hallway, his composed expression softened into something much warmer.

He loosened his tie slightly, striding toward the elevator that would take him back to his office.

As the elevator doors slid open on the seventy floor, he nearly bumped into Ryan.

“Sir,” Ryan greeted respectfully.

“Ryan? You’re still here?”

“Yes, sir. I just delivered Mrs. Knight’s shoes from home. Laura packed them.”

“Good,” Axel said with a nod. “Thank you.”

Ryan hesitated, glancing toward the elevator. “Sir, should I stay in case you need a driver later?”

Axel thought for a moment, then shook his head. “No need. I’ll drive her myself tonight.”

Ryan’s eyebrows rose slightly, but he quickly nodded. “Understood, sir. I’ll head home then.”

“Go ahead,” Axel said with a faint smile. “And tell Laura she did well.”

“Yes, sir.” Ryan bowed his head and left.

Axel continued walking, his steps quick but light. He couldn’t explain why, but the thought of seeing Evelyn waiting for him in his office made his chest feel oddly full.

When he reached his office, he paused before opening the door, wanting to surprise her.

He could already picture her sitting on the couch, probably lost in some random article or staring out the window with that calm, thoughtful look she always had.

Quietly, he turned the handle and stepped inside.

The soft sound of her voice stopped him mid-step.

He saw her standing by the floor-to-ceiling glass wall, her back to him. She was on the phone, her tone warm and polite.

At first, Axel assumed she was talking to Oliver. But then—

“Amanda, I’d love to,” Evelyn said with an apparent excited tone. “Just let me know the place and time.”

Axel froze. His heart stopped for a full second.

Amanda? It’s a name he knows well.

‘She talks with Amanda? She talks with my Mother?’

His pulse quickens. He must have misheard. But then Evelyn’s following words hit him like a cold splash of water.

“Hahaha, I’m happy to talk with you, too. Alright, see you later, Amanda. Yes, yes, I won’t tell Axel, no need to worry.”