For the past four years, Evelyn hadn't bothered with business reports, political headlines, or the endless stream of gossip flooding the country's media.
And of course, the one time she accidentally clicked open a news site, fate decided to smack her in the face with her past.
Her peaceful breakfast was shattered the second her eyes caught the bold headlines flashing across her laptop screen:
[Walters Group Is Facing Financial Difficulties!]
[ Walters Group Stock Hits a New Low Price!]
Her fork froze midair.
'What? Why?'
She read the article quickly and was shocked.
"What's going on? Why is the company struggling?" she muttered, glaring at the screen as if it owed her answers.
Evelyn's pulse quickened. Just as she was about to close the website, another headline dragged her deeper: [William Walters Was Hospitalized Following a Heart Attack.]
She leaned back on her chair, her eyes still looking at her laptop screen.
"Seriously? A heart attack? Just like that?"
With a sharp inhale, she slammed the laptop shut halfway, then opened it again, then shut it once more.
Finally, she pushed it aside, shaking her head.
"Stop it, Eve. Stop thinking about that old man, the company, and all of it. None of it belongs to you anymore." But her words failed to calm her heartbeat and curiosity.
As much as she wanted to cut every thread tying her to the Walters, she still couldn't wrap her head around the fact that such a giant company, her family's empire, was crumbling.
And William Walters? She believed he'd collapse the second his company started to fall.
After feeling slightly calm, she opened her laptop again. She wanted to check her email. But another headline flashed on the screen.
[ Hot Gossip: Axel Knight Is Getting Married Soon! ]
Her eyes fixed on his latest photo, and immediately her stomach stirred. The man appeared just as untouchable, overbearing, and just as dangerously captivating as she remembered.
"Oh, perfect," she chuckled while shoving the laptop away as if it were cursed. "What an unlucky day, Eve! Out of all the news in the damn universe, why open the news about Axel Knight?"
She snatched her latte for comfort, but the sip nearly killed her when a small, innocent voice chirped behind her—
"Mommy, who is Axel Knight…?"
Evelyn nearly sprayed her latte across the table.
She whipped her mouth before turning behind.
There he was, her three-year-old son, with his chubby hands clutching a toy car, staring at her with those perfect hazel eyes. Axel's eyes.
Her throat grew dry.
'Of all the times for you to practice your curiosity, kiddo… why now? And why that name?'
She forced a smile, "Axel Knight?" she echoed lightly, buying herself a second. "Sweetheart, he is someone who always appears on the news. And I only read the news about him..."
Which was, of course, the biggest lie she'd ever told.
Her son tilted his head, his pouty lips forming the beginnings of another question.
'Oh, my goodness... Why does this little man look so much like Axel?'
Evelyn quickly reached over, scooping him onto her lap before he could ask another dangerous question.
"Ugh, well, he's just some boring man who wears boring suits and does boring things," she added, tickling his side to distract him.
He wriggled in her arms, while Evelyn kept her smile plastered on like a mask. Inside, her chest was burning.
Because staring at his laugh, she couldn't ignore the truth: this child was Axel Knight's son.
The same man the entire world worshipped in glossy magazines, the same man whose name she couldn't even read.
The same man who had no idea he'd left more behind than just a one-night stand.
Evelyn pressed a kiss to her son, Oliver's soft hair, inhaling the scent of baby shampoo as if it were oxygen.
'No one can ever know. Not him, not anyone.'
"Mommy?" her son murmured again, snuggling against her. "Why are you crying?"
She blinked fast, surprised to find her vision blurred. Hastily, she wiped her cheek and laughed, her voice cracking in the process.
"Oh, it's nothing, baby. Mommy's just… allergic to bad news."
He seemed satisfied with that answer, returning to his toy car.
Evelyn leaned back in her chair, clutching him tightly, her heart hammering against her ribs.
Because deep down, she knew one thing for sure: no matter how far she'd run, no matter how hard she tried to bury the past, Axel Knight's shadow would eventually catch up with her.
...
Evelyn and Oliver left the house together, walking along the narrow path that led toward the beach.
A few minutes later, they reached the Beach Side Café.
The cafe, co-owned by Evelyn and Martha, is located on a white sandy beach, an area surrounded by many luxury hotels and cottages.
Evelyn handled the café while Martha managed the flower shop next door.
If no customers entered the flower shop, Martha usually stayed at her home, which was connected to the back of both the café and the flower shop, where her son would also play and rest.
The café was simple, with just four wooden tables inside and a few more set outside on the deck.
But what it lacked in size, it made up for with its million-dollar view, the endless white sand beach, and the shimmering turquoise sea, all glowing beautifully under the morning sun.
After sending Oliver to play at Aunty Martha's house, Evelyn pulled open the doors and let the café come alive.
The aroma of freshly brewed coffee drifted into the salty breeze as the first trickle of tourists came in.
Some ordered cappuccinos, lattes, and other croissants, all settling into their seats to enjoy breakfast on the deck outside.
Everything felt perfectly normal until the bell above the door chimed again.
Evelyn glanced up... and froze.
Standing there was a man she knew all too well. Dylan Hill. Axel Knight's assistant.
Her pulse raced. She smoothed her apron quickly, forcing herself to stay calm.
With a practiced smile, she pretended she had never seen him before.
"Good morning, sir. Would you like to place an order?"
"Good morning, yes. An espresso. Take away please..."
Evelyn nodded, her hands steady though her chest tightened. Inside, her thoughts raced in a storm of panic.
'Did he recognize me? Can he see how nervous I am? Oh God, please... please let him walk out without realizing who I am. Don't let him tell Axel…'
She busied herself with the order, deliberately avoiding his eyes, giving him no chance to start a conversation.
After a tense few minutes, she slid the cup toward him with a quiet, "Enjoy."
Relief swept through her. Dylan didn't say a word. His expression betrayed nothing. Maybe, just maybe, he hadn't recognized her.
But Evelyn's hope shattered the moment Dylan stepped outside. His face hardened, his phone already in his hand.
"Boss," Dylan said, his tone thrilled. "I've found her... I've found Evelyn Walters."