The Mafia Lord's Secret Lover (Evelyn) novel Chapter 73

With her hand, Evelyn brushed his messy hair away from his forehead and lowered her head to meet his gaze. 1

Okay. But… even though your leg is healed, you can’t play near water…

Oliver nodded earnestly, “Hmm, I promise, Mom. I’ll just run on the beach.”

And then, just like that, he was gone.

He dashed across the sand, chasing seagulls as if the beach were all his. His laughter filled the air, warm and bright.

Evelyn found a spot on the shore under a tree and sat down on the sheet she brought with her. The sound of the rolling waves calmed

her mind.

While Oliver played in the distance, she pulled out her phone.

The headlines flashing across her screen instantly amused her with the title.

“Scandal: Top Celebrity Caught Cheating with Best Friend’s Wife.”

“My goodness…” she muttered under her breath, shaking her head with a small laugh. “Why is this kind of gossip always the first thing I

see when I open the news?”

Her thumb scrolled lazily, and suddenly, she froze.

There he was.

Axel Knight. Her husband.

The article showed him in the capital, striding into a meeting with high–ranking state officials. He looked dashing, as always; suited up, face sharp, posture straight, the very image of control and power.

She stared at the photo longer than she meant to, her lips twitching.

“Such a hardworking husband,” she murmured sarcastically, but the warmth in her voice betrayed her.

She knew him too well. This wasn’t just Axel doing business. This was Axel acting, deliberately showing his face to the cameras so every

yournalist currently sniffing around her city would back off and return to the capital.

It was his way of shielding her, of quietly cleaning up the mess he’d dragged into her life.

Evelyn tilted her head, her chest tightening unexpectedly.

“Why do you always make me feel like this? Make my heart beat wildly?

Her fingers brushed across the screen before she quickly locked it, tucking the phone back into her bag as though hiding a secret.

Oliver’s voice broke through her thoughts, loud and delighted. “Mommy! Look at me!

She glanced up to see him spreading his arms, running against the waves, his laughter echoing across the beach.

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And just like that, she smiled. Axel’s world could stay in the capital for now. This moment belonged only to her and Oliver.

“Five more minutes, sweetheart, then we’ll leave for the café,” Evelyn reminded him.

Seeing how happy her son was, she took out her cellphone from her bag and started recording him while snapping a few cute pictures.

Evelyn was grateful for this quiet, ordinary life. The simple joys of mornings with Oliver, of walking hand in hand toward the café, almost

felt like a gift she didn’t deserve.

But peace never lasts.

The café was already buzzing when they arrived. The air smelled of roasted beans and buttered croissants, voices hummed, and sunlight

spilled through the windows.

Evelyn guided Oliver to enter the café and head straight to Martha’s house, unaware that danger was sitting only a few feet away.

At a corner table, two men, Toby and Dean, a gossip news reporter, were hunched over their laptops, sipping coffee and working

intently. One of them, Toby, had the perfect vantage point facing the door.

The moment he saw her, his body stiffened. His eyes narrowed, disbelief flooding him.

‘What the hell…? That woman…why does she look like Evelyn Walters?! The outcast heiress?‘ 1

Even the thought of her name made his stomach twist. He hurriedly took out his phone like a man who’d just spotted treasure in plain

sight.

Without hesitation, he raised it, snapped a picture, then another.

Across from him, his friend Dean finally noticed Toby’s weird behavior.

“Uh, what exactly are you doing?”

Toby didn’t answer right away. He zoomed in on his phone screen, adjusting the angle, his grin widening despite the blurry shot. Evelyn’s

features were unmistakable.

But he was slightly disappointed when he saw the kid, his face hidden under a baseball cap. Perfect.

“Toby? Mark pressed, leaning over the table. “What’s going on in that devious brain of yours? You look like you just won the lottery.”

Finally, Toby leaned back and casually answered, “Better than the lottery. I see a huge bonus! Money!”

Dean arched his brow.

“Money? What, did someone drop a wallet?” He asked while turning back, but he saw nothing–only an empty table behind him.

Toby chuckled, “Please. You know me. I don’t chase wallets, I chase opportunities.”

“You mean scams?” Dean asked while sipping his latte.

Ignoring him, Toby shoved his chair back and stood. “Hold that thought. I suddenly need muffins.”

“Right. Because pastries and plotting always go hand in hand with you.”

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Toby strode to the counter, putting on his most charming grin.

“Good morning. Can I get two strawberry muffins, please?” he asked lightly, though his eyes kept darting toward the back of the café

where Evelyn and the boy had slipped out of sight.

“Sure, the barista replied, already reaching for tongs.

While she prepared the order, Toby leaned casually against the counter, lowering his voice. “Miss, a quick question. That woman earlier-

dark hair, elegant–does she work here?”

The staff member blinked at him, caught off guard by the question and his intent gaze. Then she smiled politely. “Oh, you mean Mrs.

Evelyn?”

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