The Mafia Lord's Secret Lover - Chapter 242

Chapter 242: Did Someone Bully You?
At Hope Medical Centre.

The chilly air greeted Evelyn the moment she stepped out of the car.

Lisa, her bodyguard, followed closely behind, with her usual calm posture and sharp eyes scanning everything within a twelve-meter radius.

Evelyn had already told her she needed privacy later, especially once Stella arrived.

Something felt serious. Stella never refused a simple phone conversation unless the matter was personal, heavy, or both.

Evelyn walked toward the entrance while typing a message to Stella.

She focused on her phone, trying to text and simultaneously search for the right hallway.

Despite having visited the hospital a few times, the layout felt strangely unfamiliar today.

Lisa stepped up beside her. “Ma’am, may I suggest something?”

Evelyn paused mid-text.

“Sure. Go ahead. Though if it’s a suggestion about me getting lost again, please keep it gentle.”

A tiny smile flickered across Lisa’s face.

“If you plan to have a lunch date with Miss Stella, I recommend going to the second floor. They recently opened a small plaza with plenty of restaurant choices. Much more comfortable for private conversations.”

Evelyn blinked. “Wait. There’s a plaza there now?”

“Yes, ma’am. Let me lead you there.”

“Good. Because based on how I’m walking, I might end up in the surgical ward instead.”

Lisa pressed her lips together, probably fighting a laugh. “I would prevent that, ma’am.”

They took the elevator up, and as soon as the doors opened, Evelyn’s eyes widened. The second floor looked nothing like the hospital she remembered.

The lighting was warmer, the layout more spacious, and a string of new shops lined the walkways.

“When did this happen?” Evelyn asked, surprised, as she now feels more like she’s in a mall than a hospital.

“They opened this section two years ago. Have you been here recently? Ah, sorry… I forgot, Boss Axel keeps you hidden and away from the public’s eyes.” She grinned.

Evelyn almost tripped. “Lisa…”

Lisa cleared her throat and pretended she had not spoken at all.

“The Japanese restaurant is on the right, ma’am. I heard from Liam that you like Japanese restaurants…” she said and walked away without waiting for Evelyn.

Evelyn laughed, delighted as she followed her, “Well, Lisa… I like this new version of you. Very sassy. Please stay with me forever.”

“I will do my best,” Lisa said, though her ears turned slightly red.

The restaurant was beautiful, clean, and already smelled promising. Evelyn lit up instantly.

“This is it. I’m eating here. Stella can cry, confess, or complain in a peaceful, sushi-filled environment.”

Lisa led her deeper inside until they discovered a VIP room tucked neatly beside the main dining hall.

Evelyn gasped. “A VIP room? In a hospital restaurant? This is perfect. Stella can panic privately without traumatizing innocent diners.”

She stepped toward the door, but Lisa walked ahead, opened it, and scanned the room like a professional assassin checking for threats. Only after she nodded did Evelyn enter.

Evelyn stared at her with playful admiration. “Lisa, if I ever become queen, I’m promoting you to my royal knight.”

“Thank you, ma’am,” Lisa replied, completely serious.

“Oh, right, you can wait for me in the hall and order anything you like.”

“Yes, ma’am…”

Once Evelyn settled inside, she ordered food and finally relaxed. She reached for her phone to call Stella, but her screen lit up with a notification she had somehow missed.

A missed call from Axel.

Huh? When did he call?” Evelyn frowned, glancing at the device as if it had betrayed her personally. “Was I that distracted?”

Evelyn quickly texted Stella to let her know she was already at the restaurant, then hit Axel’s name to call him back.

The phone barely rang twice before Axel answered.

“Eve…?”

His voice sounded warm, but she could hear the hint of concern beneath it.

“I just saw your missed call,” Evelyn said, leaning back in her seat. “Sorry. I think my phone is conspiring against me today.”

“It’s fine. Where are you?” Axel asked.

“At Hope Medical Centre. I’m meeting Stella for lunch.”

There was a brief pause. The kind of pause that made Evelyn imagine his brows pulling closer together.

“With Ryan and Lisa?”

“Lisa is here,” Evelyn replied. “But she’ll wait outside the room. Stella wants to talk privately.”

Another silence.

Evelyn smiled faintly. “Axel, I’m fine. It’s a plaza inside the hospital. Nothing dangerous here. Unless the sushi fights back.”

His exhale sounded like a mix of amusement and reluctant acceptance. “All right. Just call me when you finish.”

“I will,” she promised softly. “And Axel… did something happen? You sound a little tense.”

“Nothing you need to worry about right now,” he said gently. “Enjoy your lunch, my wife.”

“I’ll try, but I’m nervous about Stella’s mysterious problem.”

“If she cries, comfort her. If she annoys you, call me.”

Evelyn laughed. “I’m just kidding. Alright, have lunch too, Axel…”

“I will,” he chuckled from the other end. “Bye, my love.”

The call ended, leaving Evelyn staring at her screen with a faint smile.

…

Not long after the waiter served their food, Stella finally appeared.

She looked exhausted, still in her scrub suit with a long black coat thrown over it. Her hair was tied loosely, strands falling around her face, and she looked like she had sprinted the entire hospital just to get here.

“Sister Eve,” Stella breathed before rushing forward and hugging Evelyn tightly. “I finally see you again. I miss you…”

Evelyn laughed, the sound soft but amused.

“Are you having amnesia? We literally saw each other last night.” She patted Stella’s arm gently. “Alright, sit. Sit. Let’s eat. I’m starving.”

Stella dropped into the seat across from her, but she didn’t touch the sushi in front of her. Not even her favorite salmon maki tempted her. She just sat there, shoulders tense, fingers fidgeting with the sleeve of her coat.

That alone made Evelyn freeze mid-bite.

“Why do you look so miserable?” Evelyn asked, lowering her chopsticks. “What happened? Did someone bully you here?”

Stella didn’t answer immediately. She inhaled slowly, the kind of deep breath people took when they were trying very hard not to explode. Her eyes burned with something close to fury.

Then she finally spoke.

“Sis…” Stella’s voice trembled, “that bitch Lana. She sent thugs to capture me—”