"A-Axel… what are you doing here?"
Evelyn's voice trembled just slightly, though she tried to steady it. Seeing him, tall, composed, with sharp eyes in the dim hallway light, was the last thing she expected at this hour.
He tilted his head, as if her question was amusing, hands buried casually in the pockets of his long coat.
"Well, I called you. Five times. You didn't answer."
Her stomach twisted. He said it so matter-of-factly, like ignoring him was a crime punishable by midnight visits.
Heat rose to her cheeks, but whether it was anger, guilt, or something else fluttering inside her, she couldn't tell.
Evelyn briefly turned a glance inside the apartment, where she checked Oliver's bedroom. Her son was sleeping soundly, safe and peaceful.
She inhaled slowly before turning her gaze back on Axel.
"I'm sorry, I didn't hear... And I was tired," she said, searching for words that wouldn't betray her too much. "Axel, I didn't want to..." Her throat closed around the rest.
