The Mafia Lord's Secret Lover (Evelyn) novel Chapter 308

Chapter 308: They Are Smart!

They hurriedly walked toward Axel’s office.

"What do you think this is about?" Dylan whispered.

"Either Natalie Martinez," Collins replied quietly, "or something much worse."

Dylan swallowed. "Is it worse?"

Collins smiled faintly. "There is always worse."

They stopped in front of the door to each other before Collins knocked once, then twice.

"Enter," Axel said calmly from inside.

They exchanged one last glance.

Neither of them looked reassured as they stepped forward, knowing that whatever awaited them behind that door was about to change the tone of their entire day.

When they stepped in together, Axel was already seated in the seating area as if waiting for them, sleeves rolled neatly to his elbows. His gaze lifted slowly, pinning both of them in place.

"Come and sit. Both of you."

Axel did not bother looking up as he spoke. His eyes were glued to his cell phone, his thumb scrolling slowly, as if each word on the screen carried weight.

"Five PM. My office!"

Collins and Dylan exchanged a glance before quietly taking their seats across from him.

The silence stretched.

Then the expression on Axel’s face shifted.

The calm, unreadable look on his face darkened, his jaw tightening as he read the last line of the message. Without a word, he locked the screen and placed the phone on the desk with deliberate force.

"Five PM. My office," he muttered, more to himself than to them.

Neither Collins nor Dylan dared to ask what that message was about.

Axel finally lifted his gaze and fixed it on Collins. He did not speak. He simply stared.

Collins felt a chill crawl up his spine. He straightened his back instinctively, resisting the urge to swallow too loudly.

Before the tension could suffocate the room, Dylan cleared his throat. "Boss," he asked carefully, "is everything all right?"

Axel’s eyes never left Collins. "Collins," he said at last, his voice low and sharp, "is there any movement from Martinez?"

Collins exhaled quietly before answering.

"No, sir. So far, they have not made any visible moves. They are unusually quiet. It feels like they are waiting for something, but I have not figured out what yet." He paused. "They know we are watching them. They are being cautious."

Axel leaned back slightly, his brows drawing together as if deep in thought.

"Do you know what they are waiting for?" Dylan asked, glancing between the two men.

Collins shook his head.

"I do not have a clear answer." He hesitated, then continued, "However, Natalie Martinez has suddenly disappeared. She has not shown up at her office or her usual residences. The last location I traced was the Martinez family estate. After that, nothing. No phone usage. No emails. No online activity. She vanished completely."

Axel’s hand tightened into a fist.

"They silenced her," he said flatly.

Collins was surprised to hear that, "You mean Blake Martinez?" he asked.

Axel gave him a look that made the answer obvious.

"Well," Collins muttered, scratching his jaw, "that explains that woman’s silence."

Dylan could not help himself. "Wow. Blake Martinez is really heartless," he said, clicking his tongue. "Isn’t Natalie his only daughter?"

Collins snorted. "Only daughter, yet treated like a disposable asset. Rich families really have their own definition of love."

"At least now we know where Natalie gets her charming personality from," Dylan added dryly.

"We are proceeding with full legal action," he reported. "Benjamin Palmer is leading the team. We have already filed lawsuits against multiple platforms, including television stations, online media companies, print publishers, and several individuals who initiated or amplified the defamation."

He continued calmly, "We are charging them with defamation, invasion of privacy, and malicious intent. Some have already requested settlements. Others are trying to delete evidence, but we have secured backups."

Axel nodded slowly. "Good."

"We are also coordinating with regulatory authorities," Dylan added. "Some licenses may be reviewed or suspended, depending on the outcome."

Axel’s expression softened slightly, though the cold edge never left his eyes. "They deserve it."

Dylan stood up. "If there is nothing else, sir, I—" he paused.

"There is something else you want to say," Axel said, watching him closely.

Dylan hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Yes, sir. The executives from several media companies have requested a meeting with you."

Axel turned fully toward him. "They are afraid." 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

"Yes," Dylan agreed. "Other corporations have already stopped advertising with them. They are losing funding rapidly. They want to negotiate before the damage becomes irreversible."

Axel gave a faint, humorless smile.

"They are smart. They understand how business works."

"Indeed," Dylan replied. "They know that once Apex Holding cuts ties, others will follow."

"Arrange a meeting tomorrow," Axel said after a brief pause. "Only with major outlets. Anyone who started rumors about my wife or my son is not welcome. I will not give them a second chance."

Dylan nodded firmly.

"I will make sure those who crossed the line are ruined," Axel continued coldly.

"I understand," Dylan said.

Axel reached for his suit jacket and iPad. "I need to leave now," he said, pausing at the door. "There are things from the past that need to be settled," he added, continuing to walk.