16 Don't Insult Me ! 16 Don't Insult Me ! Axel halted . 1 His hand rested on the door handle , his back straight , but he didn't turn yet . The silence was so intense it felt almost suffocating . She could feel the weight of his expectation pressing against her chest like a physical force . Axel was waiting . This man was probably thinking she was about to argue again , ready to throw herself into another round of back - and- forth sparring with him . Honestly ? She thought so , too . Except this time , she surprised him . Hell , she surprised herself . " I need to borrow your phone ," she said softly . That got him to turn . Slowly . Too slow . His brows arched , faintly suspicious , faintly curious , like she'd just asked him for the nuclear codes . " Why ? " His voice was smooth , cold , that low rumble she hated for being so annoyingly magnetic . She forced a small breath out , fumbling for words . " I need to call Aunt Martha . She's ... she's been helping me . She'll panic if I don't tell her about Oliver's condition ." Silence again . With his gaze , his silence wasn't just quiet ; it felt sharp and frightening , like a knife pointed at her heart . He could slice her open with nothing more than a look , and right now , he was dissecting her with his . Now , she understands why people fear Axel Knight . She tried once more , desperation creeping in . " Ugh , Axel , I'm not trying to get your phone number . I left mine at the café . I didn't bring anything , not even my wallet . Just me and Oliver . Aunt Martha will be worried sick if I don't call . " For a flicker of a second , something shifted in his eyes . Reluctance . Cold calculation . As if handing her his phone was a classified transaction that required risk assessments and legal counsel . ' Geez , does he really think I'd save his number ? I won't ! I won't keep your number , Axel Knight ! " Her sarcasm was screaming inside her head , but her face remained perfectly neutral outside . And then , traitorously , her stomach twisted . Not from nerves , but from a thought so dangerous she wanted to slap it out of herself : ' What if we end up married ? Just for Oliver's sake ? Nope . No. Delete . Abort mission . That thought was not allowed . Not even in your thoughts , Eve !' " Axel , forget it ," she muttered , clenching her hands tight as she turned toward the small bedroom for the patient's family to rest , in the < 16 Don't Insult Me ! corner . " I'll find a way to contact her . " She added . Evelyn understood his reluctance . He was the CEO of one of the biggest companies in the country . And , he is the nation's golden bachelor . Of course , giving his phone to someone probably felt like handing out a loaded weapon . ' Don't put too much hope in him , Evelyn . Even though he just ordered you to move to the capital ... It was because Oliver is his son ! " Evelyn tried to steady herself with that reminder , taking one step ... two steps ... toward the bedroom . " Wait . " His voice sounds sharp and commanding . She froze and turned . He was watching her again , his gaze steady , unreadable . Then , finally , he reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone . Sleek , black , expensive , the kind of phone that probably had more security layers than the Pentagon . He held it out to her , but not before locking eyes with her again . That silent warning in his gaze was impossible to miss . Clear as day , it said : ' Don't even think about snooping . Just make the damn call . ' Evelyn swallowed and accepted the phone carefully , like it might bite her fingers . " Thank you , " she whispered . Her hands trembled slightly as she dialed Martha's number . Her heart pounded against her ribs , with every ring tightening the twist inside her chest . The line connected , and a shaky , weak voice came through . " Aunt Martha ? " Evelyn's voice cracked as relief flooded her mind . " It's me . Don't panic , Aunt ... I'm at the hospital with Oliver . He fainted earlier , but the doctor already took care of him . He's in surgery now . " She squeezed the phone tighter , hearing the muffled sobs on the other end . " Yes , I'm fine . No , you don't need to rush here . I'll explain later , I promise ." Her throat burned , her eyes prickling , but she forced a smile into her voice , as if Martha could hear it . " Aunty , trust me , Oliver will be alright . We will return soon . Yes , yes , that's all that matters . Alright , Aunty , I'll call again when he wakes up ." She hung up , taking a deep breath and staring at the phone in her hand . It felt weirdly heavy , like it was more than just a device , like it could turn her world upside down . Axel extended his palm , silent and expectant . She gave it back . Their fingers brushed , and for the briefest second , she wondered if he could feel how badly hers were trembling . 214 < 16 Don't Insult Me ! But Axel just slipped the phone into his pocket , his face unreadable , voice sharp as usual . " Change . " The single word was a command , not a suggestion . Then he turned , opening the door . This time , she didn't stop him . But her heart wouldn't stop pounding , not from fear , but from the bone - deep realization that her so - called peaceful life was over . Because Axel Knight - cold , infuriating , unshakably dominant Axel - had just walked into her life and Oliver . The door clicked shut behind him . Axel leaned against the wall for a moment , staring at his phone in his hand . His thumb hovered briefly over the screen before he dialed a number . It rang once . Twice . A calm voice answered on the third ring . " Sir . " " Dig into everything , " Axel ordered without pause . " Evelyn Taylor . She has been living in Willowcrest town since leaving the Walters ' estate . How she's lived , who she's relied on . I want every record , every step . And her son , Oliver Taylor . I need his medical files , where he was born , I need everything ." There was a pause on the other end . " Yes , sir . And the father's ... ? " 1 " Don't insult me ! " Axel's voice became sharp . " He's mine . Confirm the details anyway . Discretion . Immediate results . " 1 " Yes , sir ." The line disconnected . Axel slid the phone back into his pocket , exhaling quietly . For a man who rarely allowed anything to pierce his composure , Axel could feel this moment felt like balancing on the edge of a blade . Evelyn , who had been missing for years , believed she could hide her son from him , gradually driving him insane . 1 Comment 3 08.49 Leave the first comment for this chapter . View All >