Evelyn swallowed hard.
"Why do you seem unhappy about appearing in public as my wife?" He asked.
Evelyn shook her head. "I don’t feel like that, Axel. I’m happy. But..."
"But... what?" he asked, curious why she didn’t finish her sentence.
"You really want to announce it during a funeral? Would that not be awkward? Out of place? People are crying and mourning, and then suddenly we appear together like we are walking down a red carpet."
Axel smirked. "It is not a red carpet. If anything, it is only a funeral carpet."
"Axel, that is even worse."
He laughed. "I am not going to make an announcement out loud with a microphone. People will simply see us together, and we let them draw their own conclusions. And that is it."
"What if they ask questions?" Evelyn asked.
"Then I will answer."
"What will you answer?"
"That you are my wife," he said casually as he reached for his drink.
She stared at him for a slight moment, "You really are planning to shock the entire Knight family."
"They need something to distract them from Maxime’s scandal," Axel replied, all matter-of-fact. "Our marriage will work perfectly."
"You mean I am a distraction."
"You are the most beautiful distraction I have."
"Axel Knight, that is not a compliment."
He raised an eyebrow. "It is from me."
Evelyn can’t help but laugh, even though her nervousness still lingers in her mind.
She played with the pieces of cheesecake on her plate, pretending to eat while her mind drifted far from the dining room.
Axel was relaxed beside her, leaning back in his chair, looking far too at ease for a man who had just returned from a family tragedy.
Meanwhile, her stomach kept twisting.
Axel glanced at her plate. "You’re not finishing that?"
"I’m... thinking," she murmured.
"Oh?" He turned to her fully. "About what?"
She hesitated, biting her lower lip. "About your family."
Axel’s brow arched, amused. "Which one of them?"
"All of them," she huffed quietly. "I already met your grandparents and your mom. They were lovely. But the rest..." She swallowed hard. "Especially your father."
That got his attention.
Axel leaned his elbow on the table, facing her more seriously now. "Eve..."
"What?" she muttered, eyes on her dessert like it held the answers to life.
"You’re nervous to meet him?"
"I’m not—" She stopped, sighing. "Okay, maybe I am. A little."
"A little?" Axel repeated, amused. "You look like you’re preparing for a corporate merger."
She glared at him, cheeks warming. "Your father is intimidating, Axel. And don’t try to forget... That he didn’t like my last name. I mean, Walters!"



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