Chapter 157: Little Boss

Reveal Oscar’s name?

That was the very last thing she’d ever do… at least for now, also not without his permission.

Evelyn quickly regained her composure and spoke softly. “Axel… I’m sorry, but that’s one thing I can’t tell you. I hope you understand.”

“It’s fine,” Axel interrupted gently, squeezing her hand as though to tell her he believed her. “I understand.”

His easy acceptance startled her.

The tension that had started to rise between them melted away when he gave her that slow, genuine smile, the kind that always made her heart skip.

Evelyn blinked, almost laughing in relief.

“Thank you. Now… let’s go. If we don’t make those pancakes soon, our little boss will come storming in here hungry.”

A faint chuckle escaped him. “Our little boss, huh?”

“Mm-hm. And you know he takes his breakfast schedule more seriously than you take your business meetings.”

He smirked as they walked toward the kitchen together. “At least someone in this house keeps me accountable.”

…

When they entered the kitchen, the morning sunlight was spilling through the tall windows, painting the marble counters gold.

Oliver was already sitting at the kitchen island, swinging his little legs while Jimmy stood beside him. He was serving him warm milk and cookies with his usual composed smile.

Jimmy gently urged, “Young master, please eat this first. It will help you feel less hungry until your daddy wakes up.”

Oliver nodded warmly, gently breaking the cookies in two before dipping them into the milk and savoring a bite.

However, right after the cookie melted in his mouth, his face lit up the moment he saw them.

“Mommy! Daddy!”

Evelyn’s heart melted instantly, while Axel felt a pang of guilt. They’d made him wait longer than promised.

Before either of them could apologize, Oliver said so cheerfully, “It’s okay, Daddy. You don’t have to feel bad for being late. You can still make me pancakes. I’ll wait.”

Evelyn laughed and kissed the top of his head.

“Oh, what a generous little gentleman.”

Axel stood beside him, pretending to whisper.

“Do you think Mommy’s going to help, or will she just stand there looking pretty?”

Oliver giggled and whispered back, “You are wrong, Daddy. She’ll probably tell you what to do.”

Evelyn laughed before she pretended to be offended, “Excuse me? Who’s the boss in this kitchen?”

“You are!” Oliver said instantly, raising his hand to wrap around her.

Axel smiled in defeat.

“Buddy, you’re supposed to be on my team.”

“I’m on Team Pancake,” Oliver replied seriously, earning a burst of laughter from both his parents.

Jimmy smiled softly at the scene, then cleared his throat. “Sir, the batter is ready for you. I’ve set everything near the stove.”

“Thank you, Jimmy,” Axel said, hurrying to the stove. “We’ll handle it from here.”

With a polite bow, the butler excused himself, leaving the family in the cozy morning light.

Axel rolled up the sleeves of his black shirt and examined the ingredients: batter, milk, butter, eggs, and a mountain of blueberries that Oliver had already started sneaking from the bowl.

“Buddy…” Axel warned, “Those blueberries are for the pancakes, not for you.” He smiles.

Oliver froze mid-chew, cheeks puffed like a chipmunk. “Just testing them, Daddy. Quality control.”

Evelyn laughed from the counter, where she was arranging fruit. “Sounds like he takes after you.”

“Excuse me?” Axel turned, hand on his hip. “I’m the model of discipline.”

“Sure,” she said dryly. “You ate three chocolate croissants before dinner last night.”

“That was research.”

“On what?” she teased, raising an eyebrow.

“Flavor balance.”

Evelyn laughed.

Axel is flipping a pancake. The pancake soared and landed back in the pan, miraculously.

Oliver gasped. “Daddy… That was awesome.”

“Of course. I’m a pancake master, remember?”

“Do it again. Please…”

“Okay, but only if you promise not to tell Mommy if it hits the ceiling.”

Evelyn nearly choked on her laughter.

Axel winked at him, flipped another pancake, and missed by half an inch, earning a soft splat on the counter.

Oliver’s laughter echoed through the kitchen, and Evelyn covered her mouth to stop her giggles. “Wow, the pancake master is retiring early today.”

“Temporary setback,” Axel said smoothly, sliding the next pancake onto a plate with renewed precision. “You saw nothing.”

“Sure, Chef Knight,” she teased, her tone warm and amused.

While Axel is cooking, Evelyn brews coffee and begins slicing fresh fruit: strawberries, kiwi, and oranges, then arranging them neatly on a tray.

The rich scent of roasted beans immediately filled the room, mingling with the buttery aroma of pancakes.

“Coffee’s ready,” she said, handing him a steaming mug.

He accepted it gratefully, taking a slow sip before smiling at her over the rim. “Perfect, as always.”

“You say that every time.”

“Because it’s true every time.”

Oliver leaned on the counter, watching them with curious eyes. “Daddy, are you flirting again?”

Evelyn blinked. “What?”

Axel almost choked on his coffee, coughing once before grinning at his son. “Where did you even learn that word?”

“From Aunty Stella,” Oliver said proudly. “She said you and Mommy are always flirting with each other…”

Evelyn was speechless. “I’m going to talk with your aunt.”

Axel laughed, setting his coffee down. “Remind me to thank her later.”

Soon, breakfast was ready.

A stack of blueberry pancakes topped with whipped cream, with fresh fruit on the side and two steaming mugs of coffee beside them. Meanwhile, Oliver gets another warm glass of milk.

They gathered around the island, sunlight streaming through the windows as they ate together.

The air was filled with warmth, both from the food and from the unspoken happiness of simply being together.

“So,” Axel said between bites, “someone has a big birthday coming up.”

Oliver grinned, blueberry sauce staining his lips. “I know! Mommy said there’s going to be a surprise guest.”

Evelyn smiled mysteriously. “I did, didn’t I?”

“Who is the guest, mommy?” Oliver asked eagerly, eyes wide with excitement.

She shook her head, enjoying his anticipation. “That’s a secret.”

“Aw, Mommy… Please tell me, huh?”

“No, sweetheart. You’ll have to wait and see.”

Oliver shrugs with a bit of dramatics, but very quickly, he shifts his attention back to his pancakes, as if the moment had simply slipped his mind.

…

After breakfast, Axel and Oliver headed out to the stables to feed Oliver’s pony.

Evelyn watched them leave, her heart full. Then she exhaled softly and made her way back to her bedroom.

The room was quiet now, sunlight spilling over the bed and dresser. She picked up her phone from the nightstand and unlocked it.

A new message from Oscar waited at the top.

“Report complete. File attached. You might want to sit down before reading this.” From: Oscar

Evelyn opened the file and scrolled through the detailed profile and records of Maxime Knight.

Each paragraph made her chest tighten a little more. His records are one-of-a-kind. It shows his complex connections, reputation, and a high degree of unpredictability.

She leaned back in her chair, frowning as she read line after line.

“Maxime Knight,” she murmured under her breath. “Whatever your intentions are…”

Her fingers tightened around the phone.

“…I will never let you harm my family.”

The screen dimmed, and silence filled the room again.

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