The moment they stepped into the car, Evelyn slumped back into her seat and let out a long exhale. "That was fast."
Liam glanced at her through the rearview mirror, politely trying to hide his smile.
Axel, seated beside her, loosened the cuff of his sleeve and shot her an amused look.
"You expected it to take longer?" He asked.
She nodded, lips forming a faint, almost nostalgic smile.
"Hmm… when I was pregnant with Oliver… I always had to wait every time I went for a checkup. Sometimes for hours. And it was troublesome because I had to drive all the way to Grayenfall just to meet the doctor."
The amusement in Axel's face vanished. "And you were driving alone?"
"Yeah. Sometimes I took a taxi. But mostly I drove myself." She answered casually, still looking out the window.
She did not see how Axel's entire expression changed.
Her words struck him deep, quiet, and sharp. A soft disappointment twisted inside him. He was not there. He was never there.
