11 I Need Your Help " I've found her ... I've found Evelyn Walters . " 1 Silence . Dylan frowned , pulling the phone away from his car to check the screen . The call was still connected . Odd . He pressed the phone back and tried again to speak , this time louder , " Boss ... can you hear me ? " Finally , Axel's voice could be heard from the other side , " Are you trying to joke with me , Dylan ? " Axel's tone was cold enough to make Dylan shiver . " That's not funny ." The tension feels heavier than before . " B - Boss ..." " Stop spewing nonsense , " Axel snapped , his voice rising . " And get back here . Now ! " Royal Apex Hotel . Dylan slipped his key card into the lock and stepped into the presidential suite , quietly closing the door behind him. The sound of the ocean filtered through the half - open balcony doors , waves crashing in a lazy rhythm against the shore . The scent of rich espresso drifted through the air , and there was Axel Knight , already dressed to perfection in a charcoal suit that probably cost more than Dylan's entire year's salary . Axel stood near the balcony , one hand in his pocket , the other holding his coffee cup with effortless poise . 3 He didn't look at Dylan at first ; instead , he stared out at the blue horizon like a man surveying an empire . When his gaze finally shifted , it landed on Dylan with all the subtlety of a knife . Axel's lips curved into a dry , mocking smile . " Well ," Axel said with a smirk , " ... look who's decided to crawl back . Tell me , Dylan , did you have a wild encounter with a hurricane on your way here , or do you just like to look like hell when we've got a meeting in thirty minutes ? " Dylan glanced down at his untidy slim - fit shirt and crooked tie , realizing just how disheveled he looked compared to his boss . He straightened quickly but didn't let himself flinch under Axel's stare . I'm sorry , boss . I came straight here because ... because I found her Axel didn't react . He took another sip of his coffee before answering with calm and composed annoyance . " Found who ? " " Evelyn Walters , Dylan said carefully , almost in a whisper , as if saying the name too loud might break the fragile reality of it . The silence that followed was sharp . < 111 Need Your Help Axel didn't move , didn't blink , didn't even set down his cup . After another dozen seconds finally passed , Axel turned toward him , his expression unreadable . " You're joking ? Dylan shook his head . But Axel didn't believe him . " For God's sake , Dylan ! Tell me you didn't come barging into my suite , half - dressed and drinking cheap coffee , to throw that name around like you want to humor me ? " " Axel , this is not a joke ... " Dylan firmly answered . It's rare for him to call Axel by his name ; he only does so when he has no choice but to speak to his best friend , not his boss . " I saw her ... just now before I called you ." Axel frowned as he saw how serious Dylan was now . Still , it's hard for him to believe it . A light chuckle escaped his lips , but there was no humor in it . He shook his head and placed the coffee cup on the glass table with a soft click . His eyes stayed fixed on Dylan . " Do you know how many leads we've tracked in the last four years ? How many times have people sworn they saw her , only to find out it was just smoke and mirrors ? And now you expect me to believe that Evelyn Walters magically appears to hand you your morning latte ? " 2 Dylan's eyes widen slightly as he asks , " Yes , Boss ... she is the one who gave me this latte . How do you know? " Axel's brows rose . He gave a slow , incredulous shake of his head . " That's the best you've got ? You vanish for half the morning , and you come back telling me Evelyn Walters is suddenly a barista ? " " Not just a barista , " Dylan said carefully , hands clasped behind his back in his usual posture of deference . " She was working at a café . She ... looked different , but it was her . Same eyes . Same face . And when she saw me , I could tell she recognized me too . " Is he telling the truth ? ' Axel stared at him for a long moment , his jaw tightening . " Do you have any idea what it's like to search for someone , Dylan ? For years , to tear apart cities , burn through investigators , and still come up empty - handed ? " " Yes , Boss Dylan let out a long , deep sigh . " I've been with you the whole time . " That response gave Axel pause . His eyes narrowed . " So let me get this straight ," Axel said slowly , the sarcasm returning to coat his words . Dylan's eyebrow furrowed , but he said nothing , simply listening to what Axel was about to say . Tour years of failure . And just as I decide to let go of her ghost , you wander off to get a coffee , then BAAM ! You see the woman whose very name I vow to forget . And she was serving muffins and foaming milk to make you a latte like she never disappeared from the face of the earth " Wow ! Boss ... How do you know ? Well , boss . That pretty much sums up what I'm trying to tell you " Dylan repeated , firmer this time but still respectful < 11 I Need Your Help Axel let out a dry laugh , shaking his head . " God , if you're wrong about this ... " His voice dropped to a near whisper , deadly calm . " If you're wrong , Dylan , I'll make you pour coffee for the rest of your life . No boardrooms . No meetings . Just aprons and name tags . Do you understand me ? " Dylan nodded once . " I get it , Boss . He hesitated , then added in a low voice , " But I'm a hundred percent sure I'm right ." Something flickered in Axel's eyes , an emotion too quick to pin down before he masked it with another smirk . He straightened his cuffs and picked up his watch from the table . " Well then ," he said smoothly , slipping it on , " let's see if the universe really does have that twisted sense of humor . " 1 Dylan exhaled in relief , though he kept his posture stiff . He knew Axel wasn't convinced yet , but he also knew his boss well enough to recognize the truth : Axel Knight was going to see Evelyn Walters with his own eyes . They took the car . A few minutes later , the vehicle slowed and came to a stop in front of the Beach Side Café . Axel leaned back against the seat , his sharp eyes narrowing as he asked , " Does she work at this café ? " Before Dylan could answer , the door of the café swung open . Axel's world stopped . A woman stepped out . At first glance , he thought it was just someone with a familiar face . But the longer he looked , the tighter his chest felt . Her hair , once long and flowing , was now shoulder - length , framing features that had matured and hardened over time , but he recognized her . Evelyn Walters . No doubt . His pulse hammered , but nothing could have prepared him for what came next . She wasn't alone . In her arms , she carried a child . Axel's sharp gaze instantly caught the dark stains spreading across her clothes . Blood . " Boss ... she has a son . And he's injured . " Dylan's voice snapped Axel out of his frozen trance , but the words struck harder than any blow could . Without thinking , Azel pushed the door open and stepped out , his long strides eating up the distance between them . And then , her eyes lifted to his . 08 47 < 111 Need Your Help For a heartbeat , the world went silent . Her gaze was glassy , rimmed with unshed tears ; her face was pale , as if every ounce of strength had been drained from her . He had imagined this moment a thousand times ; what he would say , how he would confront her . But not like this . Never like this . 1 " A - Axel ... ? " Her voice cracked , trembling on the edge of despair . She stopped in front of him , clutching the small boy in her arms as if she could shield him from the world . " I need your help , Axel ... " Her lips tremble . " Oliver ... he ... he's injured . Please ... help me . " 2 Comment 19 Post your first comment ! Vote 14 1 Fandom Send Gifts Show support to the author by leaving comments when sending gift . Swipe Left To Continue >