The mont Evelyn stepped inside, she stopped.
"This looks nothing like an office dining area..."
It was indeed more like a luxurious apartnt than a workspace.
A round dining table sat in the center, surrounded by soft cream-colored chairs.
Floor-to-ceiling curtains frad the large windows. Against one wall stood a small sofa set and a flat-screen television.
On the far side, a sleek door led to what seed to be a bedroom.
Axel noticed her gaze drifting.
"This is where I rest between etings and work..." he explained casually. "Sotis, I eat here when I work late. It’s quiet. Peaceful."
Evelyn looked at him, "So, you have an apartnt hidden inside your office building."
He smiled faintly.
"A man needs sowhere to escape the chaos."
"Or to avoid going ho?" She teased.
"That was before you moved in."
Her laughter filled the room as he pulled out a chair for her.
"Sit," he said, and she did, watching as he lifted the lids from the dishes one by one.
The aroma that filled the room was mouthwatering: grilled salmon with lemon butter sauce, truffle mashed potatoes, roasted asparagus, and a basket of freshly baked bread.
A glass of sparkling apple juice glead beside a crystal jug of iced water with lemon slices.
"This looks like sothing from a five-star restaurant," Evelyn said, impressed.
"It is," Axel replied, sitting across from her. "I had them delivered from my chef’s kitchen downstairs."
"Of course you did," she teased with a smile.
As they began to eat, the mood softened again.
Evelyn tasted the salmon and let out a slight hum of delight.
"This is delicious, Axel. Wow, I need to ask Danny to cook this for us..."
Axel leaned back, watching her with quiet satisfaction.
"I will ask Danny to learn how to make this..."
She didn’t utter anything but started to enjoy her lunch.
"I like seeing you eat like now..." He said while he started to eat too.
Evelyn arched an eyebrow, smirking. "That’s a strange thing to say."
He shrugged, his tone playful. "You tend to forget als when you’re stressed. So, yes, I enjoy it when you actually eat."
She took another bite, smiling faintly. "Then you should take out to lunch more often."
"I plan to," he said, his voice low, his gaze warm.
They ate slowly, talking about lighter things, Oliver’s latest antics, Axel’s disastrous attempt to cook once, and Evelyn’s newfound love for his office view.
"Oh, right, have you done shopping online?" Axel suddenly asked.
Evelyn paused. She completely forgot because Amanda called her.
Now it’s already past one, and she still can’t decide on anything for his birthday. It worries her now.
"Not yet."
"Alright, you can rest here while shopping online. I won’t be working long, so we can head back ho by three."
"Hmm. I will."
When the plates were half empty, Evelyn leaned her chin on her palm and looked at him.
"What is it?" He paused, looking at her with curiosity.
"Axel," she said softly. "Are you really okay with eting your mother?"
He placed his cutlery on his plate, his expression gentle but serious.
"Yes," he said simply. "But not alone. My mother has a way of... extracting information. I’d rather she doesn’t start interrogating you without supervision."
"So, I’m the one who needs protection?"
"No," he said with a faint smirk. "I’m the one who needs protection—"
Her chuckle now beca a laugh, a loud one, and Axel reached across the table, taking her hand.
"Whatever happens, Eve," he said, his thumb brushing her skin, "you have nothing to worry about. My family can be difficult, but you already belong there."
Evelyn smiled, her heart fluttering at his words.
"You really know how to make lunch sound romantic, Mr. Knight..."
Axel chuckled softly, "Just wait until dessert."
"D-Dessert? Do we have dessert?" she asked, scanning the table in confusion.
Plates of salmon, potatoes, and bread filled the table, but she saw nothing that remotely looked sweet.
Axel leaned back in his chair, a sly smile playing at his lips.
He lifted his finger and pointed toward the closed bedroom door in the corner of the room.
"Hmm, we have. Inside the bedroom."
For a second, Evelyn didn’t catch on. Then her eyes widened, and her entire face turned hot.
’Oh my gosh...’ she muttered under her breath. Her heart thumped rapidly. ’He’s not seriously thinking about us... doing that in his office, is he?’
Her imagination imdiately betrayed her. Images of him not wearing anything filled her mind. She quickly shook her head, trying to clear it.
"Can you stop imagining that, Axel?" she said sharply, glaring at him. "We’re not doing anything here."
Axel tilted his head, clearly entertained by her flustered reaction. "Why not?"
Her eyes widened further. "Why not?" she echoed incredulously. "Because this is your office, that’s why!"
He chuckled, clearly amused by how defensive she suddenly beca.
"There’s a bedroom right there," he teased, his tone deliberately calm. "It’s secluded and very private."
Evelyn silently sighed and looked away, pretending to concentrate on her plate.
However, curiosity started to arouse within her—sothing she knew she shouldn’t discuss.
After a few silent seconds, she narrowed her eyes at him suspiciously.
"Axel," she said carefully, "how many won have you brought into that room?"
The smile on his face faded instantly. His posture straightened. "What do you an?"
"You heard clearly," she replied, setting her fork down. "I’m definitely not the first woman you’ve brought into that room, right?"
Her tone was calm, but there was a trace of jealousy she couldn’t quite hide.
She had heard the rumors, the endless gossip about Axel Knight and his complicated past. The won who once hovered around him, almost every weekend, his na trended in the gossip columns, always photographed with so stunning, barely-dressed woman clinging to his arm.
The thought that any of them might have been in that room made sothing hot twist inside her chest.
For a mont, Axel said nothing.
He only watched her, his expression unreadable. His silence made her even more nervous.
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