Evelyn placed the mug down, her hand steady despite the tightness in her chest.
She didn’t look at him right away, unwilling to let him see the disappointnt and sadness behind her eyes.
Then she turned to look him in the eyes.
"He needs to learn discipline," she finally answered him.
Before Axel could say sothing, a smile ford on her lips as she asked, "Latte? Espresso?"
She was trying to divert their conversation. She didn’t want to talk about it now. Not when Oliver is around.
He was surprised to see her so calm. He expected her to argue back with her usual sarcasm. But he was wrong.
"Expresso."
Seeing the sadness flicker across Evelyn’s face, Axel’s chest tightened with guilt.
He hadn’t ant to sound like he was criticizing her. He just wasn’t used to this.
"I’m sorry, Evelyn..." he said gently when she served him the espresso.
When her eyes et his, he continues, "You’re right, he needs to learn discipline from a young age. I’ll follow what you’ve taught him. I don’t want to confuse him... or make things harder for you."
Evelyn’s lips ford the faintest smile, her shoulders relaxing with relief. For a mont, she’d feared Axel would co crashing into her carefully built world and rearrange everything.
She had spent years raising Oliver with love, discipline, and consistency, her way. The thought of soone, even his father, undoing all that scared her more than she wanted to admit.
But Axel’s willingness to step back and listen eased her. She gave a slight nod.
"Thank you, Axel... Your words an a lot to ."
She didn’t question him further. Sotis, it was better to let things be.
Just then, light footsteps pattered back into the kitchen.
Oliver ca out, dressed in his clean clothes instead of pajamas, his little handso face glowing with excitent.
"I’m ready, mommy, daddy..."
Axel’s expression softened instantly. "Perfect timing, buddy. Sit down. Let’s eat," he said while helping Oliver sit between him and Evelyn.
And so, their first breakfast together as a family began.
The breakfast feels warm, ssy, imperfect, but real.
Oliver chattered happily, swinging his legs under the table as he told Axel about his favorite cartoons, his activity in Martha’s house, and the cafe.
Axel listened intently, his deep laughter filling the small apartnt whenever Oliver’s imagination ran wild, talking about his favorite cartoon.
Evelyn was sitting in line with them both. But she found herself quieter than usual. She only heard the father and son talking.
Without her knowing, she was lost in her own thoughts. A mix of tenderness and unease twisted in her chest. This was what Oliver needed, what he had longed for without even knowing it.
She set aside her thoughts and concerns about her future with Alex.
Then, the image of the Beach Side Café filled her mind.
She hadn’t set foot there since the day Oliver got hurt, and guilt instantly weighed heavily on her chest. Aunt Martha must have been worried sick.
Every ti Martha had asked to visit them in the hospital, she had refused. She couldn’t let her co.
However, now she can’t refuse her any longer. She knew it was only a matter of ti before she had to reveal the truth.
Aunt Martha wasn’t just her business partner; she was like family. And once she discovered that Oliver’s father was none other than Axel Knight, the infamous man everyone knew... she would be shocked. She fears Aunty Martha will have a heart attack.
Besides, Aunty Martha deserved to hear it from her, face-to-face.
’Yes! I will go to the cafe later this afternoon...’ Evelyn decides.
"Mommy... Mom?"
Evelyn shook off her troubled thoughts and tilted her head toward Oliver. His eyes were wide and twinkling with mischief.
"Yes, sweetheart?"
His lips curved into the brightest smile. "Daddy needs to go to work. Go walk him outside, Mom."
She froze, blinking, her surprised gaze darting straight to Axel.
’Wait. What? Since when did my son beco his father’s ssenger?’
Confusion flashed openly across her face, but Axel only smiled at her in that infuriatingly calm way.
Axel’s deep eyes softened as he leaned a little closer. "Co outside for a while..." His voice was warm, almost coaxing, and it seeped under her skin before she could stop it.
And just like that, her heart swelled.
Before she could argue, Oliver spoke again, excitent bursting through his eyes. "Yes, Mommy, go walk with Daddy! Don’t worry about , I’ll wait here!"
He left his chair and hurriedly walked toward the sofa, plopping down with a grin, as if giving them permission.
Evelyn was speechless. ’Oh. My. Goodness.’ Not only had her son decided to play spokesperson for Axel, but now he was acting like an adorable cupid.
An amused laugh threatened to burst from her lips.
’Unbelievable. My son has beco a double agent.’
For one ridiculous second, she didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
This was her life now, caught between the man who once turned her world upside down and the little boy who had just conspired against her.
Axel, of course, looked entirely too pleased with himself. His smile lingered as if he could read every thought running through her mind, and that only flustered her more.
Evelyn stood from her chair, then gazed at Oliver, "You can watch your cartoon..."
Oliver giggled, already lost in his cartoons, leaving her smile.
Then she turned to Axel, who was already waiting for her at the door.
Evelyn silently took a deep sigh. She could resist Axel’s persistence. She had done it before. But, resisting the tag-team effort of both Axel and her son? That was an entirely different battle.
She moved toward the door, following him.
Once the door behind them closed, Evelyn’s quietness vanished, replaced by a sharp frown.
"What do you want to talk about?"
"Let’s walk outside," Axel said calmly.
Her eyes narrowed. "No, Axel. Soone might take pictures of us." She refused. This wasn’t his hospital, where he could restrict entry with a single command. This was her apartnt building, which was primarily a public space with minimal security.
"Talk here."
But, of course, he didn’t listen. He strode forward without hesitation, every step confident, unbothered.
By the ti he reached the elevator, his words shocked her. "It’s fine. I already bought this entire place."
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