The Mafia Lord's Secret Lover-Chapter 428: Instruction

Dylan froze.

His eyes widened instantly, shock exploding across his face. "Holy cow," he breathed, completely abandoning professionalism. "How could he?"

Collins chuckled softly, clearly pleased with the reaction. He patted Dylan’s shoulder like a proud mentor. "Yes. Yes," he said with amusement. "You’re wearing the exact same expression I had when I figured out the case. Even the same curse."

Dylan stared at him, still processing. "Are you absolutely sure?"

Collins’ tired eyes somehow managed to sparkle with pride. "Of course I am. A hundred percent, no doubt. The evidence is clear. Painfully clear."

Across from them, Axel remained silent. But the silence was terrifying. He slowly lowered the iPad and placed it on the coffee table.

Axel’s gaze lifted again, colder now, sharper, burning with a dangerous intensity that made both Dylan and Collins instinctively straighten.

The playfulness in Collin’s expression from earlier vanished completely. The same with Dylan. They simply stared at Axel.

Then—

"B-Boss..." Dylan was the first to break the silence. His voice carried a careful hesitation rarely heard from Axel Knight’s head secretary. "Do you have instructions for us?"

Axel did not answer immediately. He simply looked at Dylan.

The silence stretched long enough to make Dylan slightly uncomfortable, while Collins watched with quiet curiosity. Axel’s expression revealed nothing, yet the storm brewing behind his eyes was impossible to miss.

It was the look of a man calculating something unpleasant.

After a moment, Axel finally spoke. "Dylan... I need you to arrange a meeting with him. As soon as possible."

Dylan blinked.

Collins blinked.

Axel’s tone remained calm, but the words landed like a sudden shockwave. "I want to confront him directly."

For a brief second, neither man reacted. Because this was not Axel’s style. Not even remotely.

Axel Knight did not "arrange meetings" with enemies. He usually arranged disappearances, kidnappings, and highly regrettable life experiences involving ropes and very uncomfortable chairs.

Dylan was the first to speak, "Sir... are you sure?" he asked carefully, concern clearly written across his face.

"Stop questioning my instruction, Dylan."

Axel’s voice was cold, firm, and sharp enough to slice through the room.

Dylan immediately straightened. Years of friendship did not protect anyone from that tone.

"Yes, sir."

Axel’s gaze remained fixed on him. "Arrange it. Now."

"...Understood."

"Expedite it in earnest," Axel continued, his voice steady but carrying restrained impatience. "I don’t want to wait any longer. I need to clear this messy matter and give my wife the explanation she deserves."

That single sentence shifted something.

Dylan’s expression softened slightly.

Collins’ tired eyes narrowed with interest.

Because beneath the anger, beneath the tension, beneath the dangerous calm... This was about Evelyn. It always came back to Evelyn. Their big Boss’s weakness.

"I understand, sir," Dylan said quietly.

Without further delay, he firmly stood. His professional mask returned instantly, though the worry lingering in his eyes remained impossible to hide. "I will arrange everything. Now."

Axel gave a small nod. He did not stop Dylan as the man left the office with brisk, determined steps.

The door clicked shut.

Silence returned.

Axel exhaled slowly and turned his attention to Collins.

Only now, without the tension of the discussion dominating his focus, did Axel fully register his friend’s appearance. Collins looked utterly drained. His posture had begun to slump again, the earlier spark of excitement fading beneath crushing exhaustion.

Axel frowned slightly. For all his ruthlessness, there were lines even he did not cross.

"Collins."

"Yes, Boss?" Collins asked with half-open eyes.

"Go home."

Collins opened his eyes fully. Staring at him, he said, "...What? Y-You ask me to go home? Seriously?"

"You hear me." Axel said casually, "Take the day off, get some rest. No need to worry about your job."

For a moment, Collins stared at him as if Axel had just announced he was donating the company to charity. Because at this moment, he still has so many things to do behind the scenes.

Given how serious Axel is now and how bad his body aches from the exhaustion, he naturally nods at the instruction without a single question. Still, his curiosity overcame his exhaustion, and he asked, his tired face lit up like a child handed unexpected freedom.

"Wow," Collins said excitedly. "You are so generous today, Boss. Should I be worried? Are you dying?"

Axel narrowed his eyes.

Collins grinned. Despite the fatigue, he somehow still had endless energy for nonsense.

"Just go! Before I take back my words—" Axel said flatly.

Collins pushed himself up lazily, stretching like a man who had not seen a bed in years. "Thank you, Boss. You are the best! I knew working myself to death would eventually pay off."

Axel can’t help but chuckle, "Don’t come tomorrow!"

"Absolutely, I won’t," Collins answered with a wide grin.

Axel shook his head faintly, though a trace of amusement briefly flickered across his expression. "I will ask Dylan to send your lunch. Lots of grilled meat, of course."

Collins’ eyes widened. "Grilled meat. Wow, Boss, you are the best Boss ever!"

"Stop flattering me. You’ve already said that twice in just five minutes."

Collins looked genuinely emotional. "Boss... I would investigate ten more scandals for you."

"I won’t allow it."

"Cruel."

"Go home, Collins."

"Yes, yes."

Still smiling, Collins waved casually before leaving the office, humming a cheerful tune completely at odds with the dark tension that had dominated the room minutes earlier.

The door closed.

A faint smirk touched his lips.

Only Collins could walk out of a war-like discussion humming happily about food.

Shaking his head slightly, Axel grabbed his phone and moved toward his desk.

Even though every nerve in his body urged him to confront that man immediately, reality waited in the form of responsibility. A tall stack of documents sat neatly arranged, demanding his attention with irritating persistence.

Contracts.

Reports.

Approvals.

The glamorous side of power.

Axel sank into his chair, his earlier fury now wrapped in cold control. He flipped open the first file, his sharp eyes scanning the contents.

But despite the paperwork before him...

His mind remained elsewhere. At the incoming meeting, Dylan would arrange.