At Elaris.
For Evelyn, arriving in Elaris felt like stepping into another lifetime.
The jet touched down at the private airport with a smooth thud, and Evelyn’s pulse raced.
Her palms became sweaty despite the cool air inside the cabin. She pressed them against her skirt, trying to appear calm, even though her stomach twisted like a washing machine.
She dared a glance at Axel, who sat next to her with the kind of composure only he could pull off.
He wasn’t fidgeting or craning his neck to look out the window like she was.
No, of course not. He was reading something on his iPad, his long fingers moving with casual confidence, the faint glow reflecting against his sharp jawline.
But the second he felt her gaze, his eyes lifted.
A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "Are you nervous?"
"Hmmm...Just a little," Evelyn admitted, though inside she was practically screaming.
Her pulse thundered so loud she worried he might actually hear it. No way she was confessing just how badly she was trembling inside. After four years, she returned.
She tore her gaze away from him, focusing instead on Oliver, who sat across the aisle with Stella. Oliver was kicking his feet excitedly, his messy hair bouncing with every movement.
"Oh, right," Evelyn said quickly, returning her gaze to him. "About my sister..."
Axel shut off his iPad and set it neatly on the table in front of him.
"I already arranged a car to take her to her place," he said smoothly as if he knew what was on her mind.
Evelyn blinked, her lips parting in surprise that he did that before she asked.
"Thank you. And... which part of the city is your house in?" She tried to keep her tone light, but anxiety lingered inside her.
What if he planned to toss her straight into some glass high-rise penthouse in the bustling center of Elaris?
She used to thrive on glamor, on noise, on being seen. But now, after four years of a simple, hidden life and slow living, she wasn’t sure she could survive that chaos again.
Axel didn’t answer immediately.
Instead, he smiled; slow, meaningful, the kind of smile that told her he knew something she didn’t.
He reached out, took her hand, and brushed his thumb lightly across her knuckles.
"Well, Eve... that’s a secret," he murmured, his voice annoyingly casual.
Her brows shot up.
"A secret? Why? Can you just tell me now?"
"If I tell you now, there’s no surprise. And where’s the fun in that?" His eyes glimmered with mischief.
Evelyn narrowed her gaze but couldn’t stop the faint smile tugging at her lips. Leave it to Axel Knight to treat something as serious as her new living situation like some grand guessing game.
She reminded herself: this was Axel Knight. Old Money. The Knight family had wealth practically ingrained in their DNA since the country’s founding.
He probably owned more houses than she could count, sprinkled across the capital.
Still, his following words caught her off guard. "Do you prefer staying in a certain area?"
Evelyn tilted her head at him.
"Isn’t it a little late for me to choose now?"
"Not at all," he replied without hesitation. "So far, I’ve chosen a property I believe will be safest for you and Oliver. A place you’ll feel at home. But if you have preferences, I’ll listen." His voice was steady and gentle.
The knot in her chest loosened. For the first time since they’d landed, she felt a flicker of relief.
"If you think it is... I’ll trust you," she said softly. "That’s my concern too, Axel... Oliver’s safety."
He leaned closer, close enough that she felt the warmth radiating off his body.
His lips hovered near her ear as he whispered, "I just hope my wife likes the place."
Her cheeks heated instantly.
"Don’t worry, Mr. Knight. I’m not picky. I can adjust wherever life brings me."
Their eyes locked, and something shifted. It wasn’t just a look, but it was a conversation without words. His gaze softened, startling her.
And hers, despite all her attempts to hide it, betrayed the truth: she was falling for him. Hard. So freakin’ hard.
Her heart began to hum, then drum, then practically roar inside her chest as she realized what was happening. His face drew closer, inch by inch, until she could feel his breath brushing across her face.
’Oh God, is he going to kiss me?’
She thought wildly, her mind screaming and her heart ready to leap out of her chest.
’Yes. He was. Finally, the kiss. Our first kiss after that wild night...’
Heat rushed to her face, excitement flooding her veins. She tilted up slightly, bracing for the moment she had been imagining for far too long.
"Mommy! Daddy!"
Evelyn’s entire body stiffened.
Axel stopped dead in his tracks, his jaw tightening.
Slowly, very slowly, he turned his head.
"Yes, buddy?" His reply came out sharp, and Evelyn didn’t miss the irritation coating his tone.
Oliver, blissfully unaware of the romantic tension he’d just murdered, beamed at them.
"We’ve arrived!" he announced proudly, as though the jet touching down wasn’t already obvious.
"Hmmm," Axel hummed, forcing himself to soften his tone for his son. "Yes, we have, buddy. We have landed, to be precise. And then we need to wait until they park the plane before we can leave the plane."
Evelyn dropped her gaze, biting her lip furiously to hold back the laugh bubbling up.
Poor Axel. The man had been this close to finally kissing her, and his own son had swooped in like a tiny, pajama-wearing guardian angel to fail him.
She stole a sideways glance at him. Yep. His expression said it all. Irritated, brooding, and maybe just a little murderous... but only because he’d lost the moment.
Inside, Evelyn’s heart was still racing, her lips tingling with the kiss that almost was. She had to fight not to giggle outright. It was ridiculous, but also... kind of sweet.
Evelyn pretended to search for something in her bag, desperate to hide from Oliver’s curious eyes.
The last thing she needed was her son asking why her cheeks were as red as strawberries.
But just when she thought she’d escaped, Axel leaned in, his voice a low, teasing whisper against her ear.
"We’ve got all the time in the world to kiss, my wife. Don’t bother avoiding," his lips curved into a sly smile, "...I already know you’re falling for me."