The Mafia Lord's Secret Lover - Chapter 282
Chapter 282: I’m Famous
Axel pointed toward an empty row near his grandfather. Far, far away from his father.
Amanda exhaled a quiet sigh when she heard Axel, though she managed a supportive smile at Evelyn and didn’t protest.
Evelyn could see the apology in her gaze. She leans closer to Amanda and whispers, “I’m fine… Don’t worry.”
Then, she placed her hand in Axel’s and rose.
His grip was warm, firm, and grounding. Each step he guided her through felt like walking out of a suffocating cloud.
When they finally took their seats, close enough for her to lean on his shoulder if she wished.
Conversations slowly dwindled.
And then, the funeral began.
A somber hush descended over the entire space as the officiant stepped forward.
The sound of soft crying mingled with the low hum of grief. The weight of loss settled over everyone like a heavy veil.
Evelyn’s hands remained clasped tightly in her lap.
And Axel… Axel kept his hand resting near hers, close enough that their fingers brushed slightly with every shift.
When she glanced at him, he held her hand tightly, as if he wanted to say, “I’m here. You’re safe. I’ve got you.”
Evelyn exhaled slowly, letting the atmosphere settle into her bones and allowing Axel’s presence to steady her amid the swirling tension in her mind.
She tries to set aside those worries because today wasn’t about her complicated relationship with Finley Morgan.
Or the mystery between her father and Alexander Knight.
Or even the silent whisper from those people who were shocked to see her with Axel.
Today was for Maxime.
And sitting beside Axel, feeling the quiet strength radiating from him, Evelyn finally managed to breathe in that heavy, sacred moment.
The funeral had begun.
…
Evelyn had hoped to slip away quietly after the funeral, to avoid the cluster of reporters and the heavy gazes from Axel’s family.
She imagined she could return home, change into comfy clothes, and play with her son, Oliver.
Unfortunately, reality didn’t care about her hopes.
Once the funeral ended and the guests gradually left the family graveyard, Axel turned to her with a calm expression that hid nothing. “We are going to my grandparents’ house.”
Evelyn blinked. “Now?”
“Yes.”
There was no room for negotiation. Not that she eagerly expected any.
Axel walked ahead to greet a relative, and she stood still for a moment, trying to gather her courage.
She wished she could tell him to go without her, but she swallowed the thought. She was already here. It was too late to run.
The drive back to Axel’s grandparents’ house was quick, taking less than ten minutes. The graveyard sat close to the old estate.
Inside the car, Axel kept his hand wrapped around hers. His warm grip was enough to steady her nerves.
Then,
Her phone vibrated against her palm. Then again. Then again. It seemed to buzz constantly without pause.
She hesitated before checking it. One look told her everything she needed to know.
Oscar had sent her a flood of messages…
Some were simple updates.
Others were screenshots of headlines.
Her presence at Maxime Knight’s funeral with Axel had immediately overshadowed news about the funeral itself.
Articles and gossip threads repeated their names endlessly, along with clips of Axel speaking to reporters.
Apparently, her very existence at the funeral had become public property.
Not only Oscar, but also her family and friends who knew about her relationship with Axel had congratulated her.
They teased her for finally going public.
Evelyn smiled faintly as she closed their texts. She wanted to call Oscar immediately to gossip and complain, but she held back.
She would save that conversation for later, especially because she needed to tell him about her unexpected encounter with Finley Morgan. She had to make sure her identity as Lexxy remained buried in the shadows where it belonged.
Axel noticed the silence. “Who is calling you?”
Evelyn raised her eyes as he shook her head.
“Not a call but a text message,” she gave him a helpless smile, unable to hide her amusement. “Axel… I am famous now.”
Axel had made a public statement at the funeral, addressing the reporters directly. He had mentioned her name boldly and clearly.
Oscar also let her know that Axel had made an official announcement earlier, confirming he was married to her.
The thought made her chest feel warm, yet her stomach twisted with worry.
Axel tightened his hold on her hand, reading her emotions with ease. “My wife has always been famous.”
“Now I am worried…Your die-hard fans will hunt me down. I will be their worst nightmare.”
Axel frowned. He clearly disliked her joke.
“There is no such thing. I do not have die-hard fans. Those are just media nonsense and online noise.”
Before Evelyn could answer, Liam, who was driving, cleared his throat. Then he said, “Boss, what the lady boss said is right. You have plenty of female fans out there.”
Evelyn turned to Axel with a faint smile. “See? Even Liam agrees.”
Axel shot Liam a cold glare.
Liam immediately regretted speaking, but continued anyway. Loyalty only carried him so far.
“It is true, boss. People online call you the perfect heir. They say you are handsome, rich, and mysterious… Apparently, that combination is out of this world.”
“Hear that?” Evelyn laughed softly. “You are a fantasy. An actual walking fantasy. I bet your fans will start sending me threats by dinnertime.”
Liam added with enthusiasm, “Hahaha, Ma’am, don’t worry, they won’t do that. But—”
Axel cleared his throat, long and pointed. Liam froze.
Evelyn burst into laughter at Liam’s attempt to shrink into his seat. Axel’s discomfort only made it funnier, though she tried to behave.
“Alright… Alright… I will stop teasing you. I only wanted to distract myself.”
Her laughter faded into a quiet sigh as the car slowed down and finally came to a stop.
They had arrived.
This is her second visit to the house, and Evelyn felt the tension just as strongly as before.