Toby faked a dramatic sigh of disappointment, clutching the muffin bag as if he’d just been rejected by destiny itself.
"Ah, she’s married. My would-be love story ends before it even begins. Tragic."
The barista chuckled. "Hope our muffins can ease your heartbreak, sir. Enjoy."
Toby walked back to the table, his grin splitting ear to ear. Dean eyed him suspiciously.
"Well? Did you get the barista’s phone number, or did you just embarrass yourself for nothing?" Dean asked mockingly.
"Oh, I got something much better." Toby dropped into his chair, savoring his secret like a fine wine. "Confirmation. That was Evelyn Walters. Alive. Breathing. And, apparently, hiding in plain sight."
Dean nearly spat out his coffee.
"You’ve got to be joking! Right? Th-The Evelyn Walters? Heiress-turned-scandal-queen? Man, if you’re wrong, this is gonna be scandalous for us. Maybe the end of our career, man!"
"Psst...!"
Toby raised his finger to his lips to quiet Dean from speaking loudly. He can’t risk another team reporter from a different company overhearing them.
"Ups, sorry..." Dean speaks in a whisper.
Toby tapped his phone screen, revealing the blurry yet unmistakable photo.
"Well, my dear friend, we are about to get rich."
Dean leaned closer, skeptical, but the moment his eyes focused on the screen, his voice filled with sarcasm.
"Oh, here we go again. Whenever you say the word rich, it usually ends with me bailing you out of trouble..." He froze, blinking hard. Then his jaw dropped. "Holy hell. That’s her... Evelyn Walters?"
Toby chuckled, savoring every second of Dean’s astonishment. "Get your wallet ready, my friend, because trouble just walked back into town... and she brought a kid."
Dean dragged his gaze from the photo. "She’s married?"
"Yes!" Toby grinned, leaning casually in his seat. "But we need more proof. We will follow her. Find out who the husband is, where she’s living. The whole picture, literally."
Dean didn’t argue. He simply nodded eagerly at the news to be revealed.
"Now," Toby went on, his eyes shining, "we can return to the capital without shame. No more boss breathing down our necks about not catching Axel Knight’s picture."
Dean snorted.
"Axel Knight is slipperier than an eel. The man spends one night in this dump, and by dawn, he’s already back in the capital. Total waste of time coming here."
"Not anymore." Toby’s smirk grew sharper. "We might not have Axel, but we do have Evelyn Walters. She’s a bigger media target. So many people try to find out where she is now, and we hit the jackpot."
Dean raised his coffee cup in mock salute. "To scandal magnets."
Toby clinked the muffin bag against it.
"Now, hurry up and finish that brew. We’ll wait outside. If she notices us lurking here, she’ll run away again." He began packing up his laptop with quick, efficient movements, driven by his pumped adrenaline.
Outside, the small town buzzed quietly, unaware that two gossip reporters had just uncovered its darkest secret.
...
Meanwhile, inside Martha’s house, Evelyn remained blissfully unaware that Toby and Dean were already plotting her exposure.
She couldn’t leave yet, not when Martha’s worried gaze followed her every step. Martha had been tense all morning, ever since the news spread that Axel Knight had been seen in town. The news unsettled her deeply.
Evelyn tried to stay calm, to smile, to pretend her world wasn’t trembling beneath her feet.
Oliver was happily distracted in the playroom, his laughter a bright sound in the tense air.
"Eve, come, let’s talk over there..." Martha gestured for her to follow her to the living area.
They both settled onto the sofa, and Martha’s unease couldn’t hold her back from asking.
"Eve, oh dear, why do you still go out?" Martha asked, her brow furrowed with worry. Her voice lowered as though the walls might betray them. "I’ve heard from the neighbors... paparazzi are sniffing around. You should be careful."
Evelyn’s lips curved into a soft smile. She squeezed Martha’s hands gently.
"Aunty, don’t worry. They didn’t see me driving with Axel. No one did. There’s nothing to fear."
Martha wasn’t convinced.
She held Evelyn’s hands, her eyes brimming with worry, "I don’t care what the world says about Axel, or about you. To me, I don’t want you or Oliver to be hurt again."
Evelyn’s chest tightened. For a moment, she remembered four years ago when the media attacked her. And netizens try to ridicule her, call her a cast-out princess or cast-out heiress.
Many netizens claimed that her father kicked her out of the family because she was an unwanted child. In the past, all the news and absurd comments truly damaged her heart.
And Martha had always been there to cheer her up. Become her only friend in that difficult time,
"Thank you, Aunty. But, really, no need to worry," Evelyn smiled before telling him that she might not come tomorrow because she needed to visit the city. There’s something she needs to take care of there.
"Sure, sure... No need to worry about the café. Anna and Dina can handle it. But if anything happens, I will let you know."
They kept talking about a few things before Evelyn stepped away to check out the café.
"Aunty, I’m going to help the girls at the café; they look pretty busy today."
...
The café was bustling, filled with tourists speaking a few different languages, cameras slung around their necks.
Evelyn slipped into the rhythm effortlessly, helping Anna and Dina work like mad, juggling trays and steaming pitchers. Relief flashed in their eyes when Evelyn appeared.
"Mrs. Evelyn, thank goodness," Anna panted, sliding her an order slip. "We’re drowning. They come in a few groups and order takeout."
"Breathe, Anna," Evelyn teased. "We’ll get through it."
For the next hour, Evelyn helped them manage the storm. She makes coffee for the customer. Her calm presence was enough to calm them.
When the last wave of customers finally settled, Anna leaned against the counter with a sigh.
But her eyes darted nervously to Evelyn. "We heard something this morning. People said... reporters are in town. Asking questions about Mr. Axel Knight."
Dina leaned closer, "They wouldn’t come here, would they? To our café?"
Evelyn straightened, her smile warm but firm. "Girls, stop worrying about it."
"But what if..." Anna began.
Evelyn stopped her, "If you two keep frowning like that, our customers will think I’m mistreating you. So, please, stop worrying about him..."
Both baristas laughed, easing some of the tension. Evelyn softened her tone. "Listen... you don’t need to mention Axel to anyone. If you keep quiet, you’ll be fine. No one will ever find out he comes here..."
They nodded quickly, but Dina, ever curious, tilted her head. "But... boss, can I ask you? What is your relationship with Axel Knight?"
"My husband."