The room's temperature suddenly dropped below zero.
'Do you love me?' The words echoed in Axel's head like a foreign language.
He suddenly had the absurd urge to laugh as he heard the word "love."
Of all the ridiculous things this woman could ask, she chose that?
His brows furrowed, as though the word itself was an insult.
"Love?"
"Yes. Love." Evelyn's voice became gentler, a faint, nervous smile lingering on her lips.
"What makes you think that way?"
"You keep insisting that our marriage be made public. And you keep saying it's real…" She trailed off, suddenly aware of how ridiculous she sounded now.
After a few more seconds, Axel leaned back casually, but his gaze was sharp on her.
"Yeah. So?" he asked.
Her heart raced, but she forced herself to meet his eyes. "So… I'm asking if you love me."
For a long moment, silence stretched between them.
Axel's jaw tightened. He feels Evelyn had just asked him to hand over a vital organ.
