Axel coughed… a nervous, awkward sound that betrayed his discomfort. Sweat had already begun forming along his hairline, trickling down his temple despite the cool evening air. Across the dinner table, Bianca's eyes remained fixed on him like a hawk watching prey, unblinking and intense.
"Go on," she said slowly, her voice deceptively calm. "Finish what you were saying."
Axel swallowed hard, his throat suddenly dry. Then he forced a laugh that came out strangled and unconvincing.
"Actually… Mom, it's nothing."
Lucas calmly continued eating, his fork moving with deliberate precision as though the conversation didn't concern him at all.
Axel wiped his forehead with his sleeve, the fabric coming away damp. "What I meant was…" He hesitated, choosing his words carefully. "Yesterday a woman approached Lucas and confessed her love to him."
Bianca blinked, her expression shifting from suspicion to surprise.
