"Where is he?" Axel asked the moment the elevator doors opened, his voice steady but carrying the weight of restrained impatience.
He did not slow down.
His long strides cut through the quiet hallway as if the distance between him and his office were an inconvenience rather than a physical space.
Dylan, who had been waiting near the elevator, immediately followed. Keeping up with Axel when he was in this mood was never easy.
"He is still sleeping in his office," Dylan replied quickly. "I will wake him now."
Without waiting for further instruction, Dylan turned and hurried away.
Axel watched him disappear for half a second before releasing a quiet sigh. He entered his office and closed the door behind him, the familiar space offering no comfort this time. The room was silent, orderly, and calm—everything he was not.
Another wait.
Axel loosened his tie slightly as he walked toward the sofa. His movements were controlled, but the tension beneath them was obvious.
