The Mafia Lord's Secret Lover - Chapter 276

Chapter 276: Matchmaking Mission
“Sis, I’m sorry…” Stella’s hurried voice rushed through the line. “I’ve been so busy that I still haven’t replied to your text.”

Evelyn smiled softly, as if Stella were standing right in front of her with that guilty expression she always made when she thought she had disappointed someone.

“It’s okay. I know you’re busy at the hospital, helping other people. I’m proud of you, little sis.”

Stella giggled. “You flatter me, sis.”

“Where are you now?”

“Driving. Heading home.”

“You’re already back at this hour?” Evelyn glanced at the digital clock on her table. It was only four.

“Yeah, Mom asked me to come home early. We…” Stella suddenly paused.

Evelyn instinctively checked her screen, thinking the connection had dropped, but the call was still active.

She pressed the phone closer to her ear. Before she could ask, Stella continued, voice softer with worry, “Sis, you said in your text that you’re going to Maxime Knight’s funeral?”

Hearing the name again made Evelyn’s stomach twist. “Yeah. That’s the plan.”

“Wah, I need to prepare myself,” Stella sighed heavily, earning a frown from Evelyn.

“Prepare for what?”

“Did you forget, Sis? I work at your husband’s hospital.”

“Oh.” Evelyn blinked, suddenly imagining Stella surrounded by gossip-hungry coworkers.

“I’m not complaining,” Stella continued. “But I need to mentally prepare in case people start connecting the dots and realize why the hospital CEO is suspiciously kind to me.”

Evelyn froze. She truly hadn’t considered that. But she also couldn’t hide her relationship with Axel forever.

“Stella, I hope you survive,” she teased gently. “That’s the only comfort I can offer you.”

Stella burst into laughter.

“Sis, I’ll be fine. Actually, this might be good for me. Once people know my brother-in-law Axel Knight, they’ll forget about Dad’s epic scandal.”

Evelyn sighed at that, a helpless smile tugging at her lips. “Well… I agree with you.”

“But speaking of surviving…” Stella hesitated for a moment before her voice grew smaller. “Mom invited Dylan to our house for dinner tonight.”

“What?” Evelyn sat up straight, eyes widening. “Tonight?”

“Yes. Tonight. As in right now. As in, I am currently driving to my doom.”

Evelyn burst into laughter.

“Oh my. Look at you panicking. Are you nervous because you like him?”

“I do not like him,” Stella declared instantly. “This is Mom’s idea, not mine.”

“Of course… Of Course…” Evelyn said, voice dripping with amused disbelief. “It must be a life-threatening situation for you, sitting across from that handsome, tall, polite man. Tragic.”

“Sis!” Stella groaned. “I’m innocent. Completely innocent. I didn’t ask him to come. I didn’t even remind Mom that he exists!”

“Uh-huh.”

“Don’t uh-huh me!”

Evelyn laughed even harder. “Fine, fine. I’ll stop teasing. For now.”

“Thank you,” Stella muttered, relieved, as if Evelyn had saved her from great suffering. “But seriously, I don’t know what Mom is thinking. She’s been smiling suspiciously since morning. It’s scary.”

“Well,” Evelyn said, still amused, “maybe she senses something you don’t.”

“There is nothing to sense!” Stella insisted. “He helped me once. That’s it. End of story.”

“Your heartbeat says otherwise.”

“My heartbeat is perfectly normal!”

“Sure.”

“It is!”

Evelyn softened her voice. “Relax. Just eat dinner, be polite, and breathe. Mom likes him, and you… Well, you don’t dislike him.”

“That is not a confession,” Stella warned.

“I didn’t say it was.”

Stella sighed. “I just want peace, sis. A quiet evening. But knowing Mom, she’s going to treat him like her future son-in-law.”

Evelyn laughed again. “Good luck then.”

“I’ll need it.”

They talked a little longer, switching to lighter topics until Stella finally said, “Okay, I’m reaching the gate. I’ll call you later, sis.”

“Alright. Enjoy dinner,” Evelyn said.

Stella groaned one last time. “Goodbye, traitor.”

Evelyn laughed as the call ended. Her afternoon might have been interrupted, but her heart felt warmer than ever knowing her little sister had finally found her other half.

However, the smile lingering on Evelyn’s lips slowly faded. A sudden thought hit her. Axel had told her earlier that he would be home late and probably wouldn’t be having dinner with them tonight.

If Axel stayed late at the office, Dylan would naturally remain as well.

“No. No. I need to help them. This is a crucial moment for Stella and Dylan!” she declared dramatically to the empty room, as if she had been assigned a sacred matchmaking mission.

Without wasting a second, she grabbed her phone.

“Hubby, I miss you….”

She typed the words, stared at them, then winced so hard her shoulders tensed.

Delete!

“No. Too cringe. Axel might think I’ve been possessed.” She shook her head and typed again.

“Could you please get me some pho? I’m suddenly craving it and really want to eat some.”

She reread the message three times. A gentle, mischievous smile curled on her lips as she imagined Axel reading it… Then, confused, scrambling, maybe even dropping everything for her food craving.

Perfect.

She hit send.

Sure enough, not even a full minute passed before her phone rang. Axel’s name flashed across the screen.

Evelyn couldn’t stop the wide smile forming. She answered cheerfully, “Axel… I’m sorry to bother you. Are you busy?”

“No. Not at all.”

“Are you sure?” she asked, suspicious of how fast he had replied.

“Yes. Eve, what kind of food is that? Pho?”

“Ah… that’s a delicious Vietnamese rice noodle with sliced beef and a light, delicious soup. I happened to eat it in Grayenfall, and suddenly I’m craving it. Again.”

Silence followed. The kind of silence meant Axel’s brain was working too hard. Thinking!

Then he spoke. “So you want me to send someone to buy that in Grayenfall?”

Evelyn froze. She did not expect that response. She also did not expect Axel to treat distance, even if it were optional.

Before she could speak, Axel continued, “No need to worry. I will send someone… Or Dylan to Grayenfall now. Give me the restaurant address so I can prepare the jet.”

Evelyn’s soul left her body.

‘Oh, no! This isn’t my plan.’ She stared at the ceiling as if begging the universe for strength and perseverance.