"Yes, boss," Liam said carefully. "A living, breathing man. Not a ghost or an illusion. He's real. And he's sitting right next to Madam."
Axel rose from his chair and walked to the floor-to-ceiling glass wall.
The city stretched out beneath him like a chessboard. He rested his free hand in his pocket, then asked, "Who is he?"
"Boss, I did not want to pry. Privacy and all that."
"Liam."
"Right, right. Sorry. I heard Madam call the man 'Oscar.'"
The name landed in Axel's ears like a dropped coin.
Oscar. The same name that had once shown up in Evelyn's phone with a heart emoji beside it.
The memory stabbed him deeply. He closed his eyes for a moment and exhaled, forcing the thought away.
'Man, be rational. Stop being so melancholic! You need to trust her," Axel sternly told his mind to calm his nerves. 'He is her only friend. Yes, friend!'
"She let him into the car? Just like that?" Axel finally asked, trying to keep his tone calm.
