"Axel, please put down before your employees think their boss has lost his mind," Evelyn said, her voice small but urgent.
Her hands clung to his shoulders as he carried her effortlessly in a princess hold.
Axel tilted his head toward her, and a playful smile appeared on his lips.
"They already think I’m insane. Might as well prove them right."
Evelyn tried to hold back a laugh, but it escaped anyway. She hid her face in his shoulder, secretly feeling delighted.
"You’re shaless, Mr. Knight," she whispered, but her voice was just loud enough for him to hear.
"And you’re adorable when you blush," he teased.
She said nothing more, but her cheeks burned even redder.
By the ti they reached the private elevator, her laughter had faded, replaced by the pounding of her heart.
Two guards stood by the elevator door, their expressions blank and professional.
Evelyn imdiately tried to hide her face against Axel’s chest.
"Oh no," she muttered. "They’re pretending not to look, but I swear they’re laughing inside."
"Let them," Axel said calmly, his voice amused.
Inside the elevator, Axel finally set her down gently.
Evelyn leaned against the mirrored wall, exhaling the breath she’d been holding since they walked toward this elevator.
Through the mirror, she saw that her cheeks had turned bright red like a tomato.
Axel stops teasing her. But, he still held her hand, his thumb brushing over her knuckles as if to make sure she wasn’t about to faint.
However, when his gaze drifted down to her feet, his jaw tensed.
Evelyn followed his stare.
"What?" she asked, blinking. "Why do you look mad?"
"Those shoes," Axel said flatly. "Don’t wear them again. They make you suffer."
"I agree," she sighed, glancing at the three-inch heels. "But I’m fine. My feet just hurt because I had to fight while wearing them earlier. So—"
She paused, noticing the sudden change in his expression. His jaw clenched, and his eyes darkened; he clearly didn’t like rembering what had happened earlier in her father’s house.
Evelyn quickly tried to lighten the mood. "Do you, by any chance, have slippers or sothing I can borrow in your office?"
Axel cleared his throat, forcing his features to relax.
"Hmm... I have. I’ll also ask soone to bring your comfortable shoes later."
"Thank you," she said softly, smiling.
Without a word, he slipped his arm around her waist and pulled her close.
Evelyn leaned into his warmth as the elevator climbed silently toward the seventieth floor.
When the doors opened, Evelyn was montarily stunned.
The seventieth floor was nothing like she expected.
The hallway stretched wide and open, bathed in warm, golden light.
Polished black marble glead beneath their feet, reflecting the soft glow from recessed ceiling lights. The scent of cedarwood filled the air, subtle but expensive.
To her left, an indoor garden lined the glass wall, tall bamboo plants swaying slightly under a hidden air vent, giving a touch of tranquility.
To her right, a lounge area with deep leather sofas, glass coffee tables, and crystal vases of fresh orchids looked more like a five-star hotel lobby than an office.
There were no cubicles or visible desks, only sleek black doors with frosted glass naplates.
In the distance, a massive crystal chandelier hung above a spiral staircase leading to a private rooftop terrace.
Evelyn blinked in disbelief.
"This... is an office?"
"Technically, yes," Axel said, amused. "But I don’t like clutter."
"Clutter?" she asked. "You an people? Because I don’t see a single one here."
He smirked. "Exactly."
Evelyn shook her head, muttering, "Of course. Why am I not surprised?"
Axel chuckled and retook her hand. "See? No one’s staring."
"Alright. I admit... You were right." She smiled in relief.
"I usually am," he said proudly, guiding her walk across the empty luxury hall.
Evelyn laughed, rolling her eyes.
As they walked, he kept stealing glances at her, his thumb gently stroking the back of her hand. Every minor detail—her ssy hair, tired eyes, and the faint pink still on her cheeks—made him want to pull her into an embrace once more.
She was exhausted, he could tell, but she still managed a smile for him. That alone ward his heart in the most bittersweet way.
When they entered his office, Evelyn stopped short again.
The space was enormous, with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the city skyline.
A sleek black desk sat near the center, but the rest of the office resembled a private suite more than a workspace, complete with a minibar, a lounge set, and two black doors in the opposite corner.
...
While in one of the glass-walled eting rooms, near the indoor bamboo garden, three n stood gazing at the rare sight on the seventieth floor.
They are Dylan, Collins, and Martin Sanders, the COO* of Apex Holdings.
The glass was one-way, aning Axel and Evelyn couldn’t see them.
However, they could see everything happening outside from their side.
When Evelyn stepped inside, Dylan and Collins grinned knowingly. They had both t her before.
While Martin, on the other hand, froze mid-sip, his eyes bulging. The coffee cup in his hand wobbled dangerously.
"You’ve got to be kidding ," he muttered, almost dropping the cup. "That’s... Evelyn Walters?"
Dylan tried not to laugh. "Correction... Evelyn Knight."
Martin turned, utterly scandalized. "You two knew about this and didn’t tell ?"
Collins chuckled, pretending to look innocent. "Well, if you’d shown up to Young Master Oliver’s birthday, you would’ve found out."
"I had to run the New York Marathon!" Martin groaned, running a hand through his hair. "I’m one dal away from my Six-Star award. You can’t bla for that!"
"Still," Dylan said, smirking, "you missed quite the event. You would’ve seen our boss there, playing the role of a loving husband and father."
Martin slumped into a chair. "I feel like the last person on Earth to find out."
"Don’t worry," Collins said, patting his shoulder. "Old Alchy, our CFO**, also didn’t co either. He was stuck in Europe at that seminar. You’re not alone in the dark."
"That actually makes feel better," Martin admitted, chuckling weakly.
___
Author Notes:
* COO = Chief Operating Officer
** CFO = Chief Financial Officer
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