Chapter 24: Axel Knight, Do You Love Me?

“He’s three now,” Axel continued. His voice was calm.

“That means, soon, he’ll be in school. Tell me, Evelyn… how do you expect to enroll him without a father’s name on his record?” He added.

The weight of his words snapped her, leaving her breathless. Shame rose hot in her chest, her hands trembling in her lap.

For the first time, Evelyn felt anger, not at Axel, but at herself. At her blindness. At her selfishness.

Axel’s jaw tightened, his voice rising as he continued, “Those children at school will mock him. Do you think it’s normal for Oliver to suffer that kind of cruelty? Do you think I could ever accept that?”

His gaze darkened, anger dancing in his eyes. “I can’t, Evelyn. Just the thought of it makes me furious.”

Evelyn completely agreed with Axel.

For the sake of Oliver, she was willing. She would give up her pride, bend her rules, even risk her sanity if it meant protecting her son’s future.

But she wasn’t going to surrender without at least setting a few conditions with him.

“I’ll do it,” she said softly, steadying her trembling hands on her lap. “But I have a request before we finalize our marriage.”

Axel straightened his back. A part of him expected her to demand something dramatic, some ironclad contract with clauses and signatures, a legal safeguard against his power. He waited.

But Evelyn wasn’t that predictable. Instead, she met his gaze with a quiet seriousness.

“Please give me a year. I want to stay in this town for now, as I still have some matters to settle before I can leave. And, my status as your wife remains a secret.”

She paused, her tone softening as though negotiating with a lion.

“Once our marriage is legally recognized, I’m willing to move with you. But, just so you know, I can’t stay in the capital. Somewhere nearby… close enough, but not inside.”

Axel’s expression changed. A confused flash crosses his eyes. “Why can’t you stay and live in the capital?”

Evelyn hesitated, her lips curling into a faint, bitter smile. She had kept this secret long enough.

“Because of my father,” she finally responded. “I signed an agreement with him… part of the condition when he disowned me from Walters. I’m not allowed to return to the capital for the rest of my life. So… I can’t return there.”

The words struck Axel like a bolt of lightning, causing his composure to break for the first time that evening.

“What? Did he really own this country? Why the hell does he make you sign that?”

Evelyn smiled faintly, watching his disbelief with amusement. “Surprised?”

“William Walters banned you from the entire capital?” Axel’s tone was low, dangerous, his sharp jaw tightening.

Evelyn laughed bitterly, shaking her head.

“Well, don’t ask me, Mr. Knight. If you’re so curious, ask the mighty William Walters himself. I’m not related to him anymore and I don’t know anything about him…”

Her teasing only deepened the color in his face, though his expression quickly shifted back to his usual icy calm.

His gaze softened on her, and when he spoke again, it was with quiet certainty.

“Don’t worry about him. Believe me, he didn’t own Elaris! And Evelyn, once you become my legal wife, he won’t be able to harm you.”

The words sent Evelyn’s heart racing. Again. She hated how easily he could stir her.

“A-Axel…” she stammered, her chest tightening. “Even if we marry on paper, I want to stay hidden. Unknown to the public. I don’t want…”

Her words trailed off, her throat tightening. She couldn’t bring herself to finish. Instead, she only looked at him, her wide eyes reflecting all her unspoken fears.

Axel’s gaze stayed on her, clearly showing he didn’t like her words.

The idea of hiding her directly challenged his pride. He wanted the world to know she belonged to him.

And of course, he wanted William Walters to see that he married his cast-out daughter. Maybe that old man will die from shock.

“You don’t want anyone to know we’re married?” he asked, sounding surprised. “Why not?”

“Because I want my life to stay peaceful. If the media finds out, if your enemy finds out, my life will be chaos. Paparazzi hunting me down, women glaring daggers at me because I ’stole’ their perfect Mr. Knight… I don’t need an army of angry women clawing at my back.”

For a moment, Axel simply stared at her, then, unexpectedly, he laughed. The low, amused sound filled the air, catching Evelyn off guard.

“I’m serious, Axel!” She glared at him.

“I know.” His smirk lingered as his eyes burned into her. “But Evelyn… I don’t want a shadow marriage. I don’t want a fake marriage. I want a real wife. My actual woman. The mother of my son.”

Her cheeks feel hot, and her throat tightens. No man had ever spoken to her like this; so direct, so genuine, so absolute.

Dangerous. That was what Axel Knight was. Manly, arrogant, and terrifyingly dangerous. And yet her heart skipped anyway.

’God help me. I can’t turn back now. He has me in his grip.’

For a brief moment, she slipped into her thoughts, completely forgetting the sharp-eyed predator in front of her who was still studying her every reaction.

“What are you thinking about that made your face so red?” Axel asked suddenly, his voice teasing. “Oh… wait. Did you think about our one-night stand?”

Evelyn’s eyes widened.

“I did not!” she snapped, glaring at him, though her voice was shaking. “How could you even assume that?”

His lips curved in a faint smile.

“Why not? Don’t be shy. We’re not strangers, Evelyn. We’ve already done that, and we have a three-year-old son to prove it. Don’t forget.”

Her mouth opened, but no words came. She had not been thinking about that, but now, thanks to him, the memory crashed into her; his heat, his touch, the wild night that changed her entire life.

And the more she tried not to think about it, the more her mind betrayed her.

Axel continued to savor the storm of emotions flickering across her face. He liked seeing her flustered. It was a rare sight.

Her pulse quickened, her lips pressed tightly shut. She refused to give him the satisfaction of admitting anything.

But inside, she was drowning.

She hated him for it. She hated herself for letting him get under her skin. And worst of all, she hated how much she didn’t hate it at all.

And,

Without warning, her mouth betrayed her hesitation as she asked, “Axel Knight, do you love me?”

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