The Mafia Lord's Secret Lover (Evelyn) novel Chapter 186

Chapter 186: The Painting War

Jackson was already pulling out a chair, looking way too pleased with the seating arrangement. "Well, look at that. Fate is a comedian."

Evelyn is leaning closer to Axel. "Did you plan this?"

A faint smile appeared on his lips. "I didn’t have time to plan anything. But at the last minute, I asked Dylan to contact them and say I would attend the event."

’Ah, so Dylan is the culprit,’ she thought, hiding a small laugh. He was indeed a thoughtful assistant... sometimes too thoughtful.

"Eve, sit down. You’re drawing attention," Axel said softly, pulling out a chair beside him with effortless grace.

Evelyn didn’t even get the chance to choose another seat; the name cards were already perfectly placed. There was no escape.

"Thank you, Mr. Knight," she said with a polite smile, lowering herself into the chair and smoothing her gown.

She couldn’t believe this charity dinner would become her first public appearance with her husband.

Out of hundreds of people in the grand ballroom, only two knew their real relationship.

The rest simply assumed she was a charming businesswoman lucky enough to be sitting beside the elusive Axel Knight.

Happiness and anxiety warred inside her chest. 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

Two glamorous actresses seated at the same table as them exchanged whispers and sharp glances. Their expressions screamed, ’enemy sighted’.

Not only them, but half of the women seated near their table instantly seemed to despise her.

Evelyn felt their stares prick her skin. She kept her posture calm, pretending not to notice.

However, it was notably challenging when the man beside her, her husband, who was usually cold and unreadable in public, appeared gentle, patient, and entirely focused on and fond of her.

Every so often, Axel leaned in, his deep voice whispering a word or two meant to comfort her.

His calm tone eased her nerves but simultaneously fueled the storm of curiosity around them.

’Come on, Eve. Calm down. Act normal,’ she told herself, forcing a composed smile. ’If you keep avoiding him, people will notice something’s off. Just breathe.’

As servers began pouring wine, the four of them—Evelyn, Axel, Jackson, and Joseph—fell into polite conversation for appearance’s sake.

To everyone else, they appeared to be successful professionals discussing business.

To Evelyn, it felt like sitting through a live comedy skit.

Jackson leaned slightly with a mischievous glint in his eye. He said casually, "So, Mr. Knight, I hear Evelyn has been collaborating with Hope Medical Center?"

Evelyn’s head turned sharply toward him. "Jackson, can you pick a different topic?"

Axel’s smirk deepened, clearly enjoying the moment. "It’s going quite well," he said smoothly. "She’s very dedicated. I couldn’t ask for a better partner."

Joseph, caught mid-sip, nearly choked on his drink. He coughed and turned his head to hide his grin. "Ah, yes, Evelyn always gives her best. I’m so grateful to work with her..." he added, trying to sound professional.

"Evelyn, I’d love to invite you to collaborate with my hospital! We’re also very open to working with you." Jackson said warmly, his eyes patiently waiting for her response.

Evelyn was left speechless. She wasn’t sure if Jackson was being genuine or just acting. She exhaled slowly, reluctant to act with him.

She shot sharp stares at the three men, enough to make them stop talking about her.

"Gentlemen," Evelyn finally spoke, gesturing toward the stage. "Maybe we should pay attention to what the MC is saying?"

Jackson chuckled. "You’re right, Evelyn."

Joseph quickly nodded. "Yes, absolutely." He was smart enough to know when not to push her further. The last thing he wanted was to lose his job because he couldn’t stop teasing his big boss.

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