The Mafia Lord's Secret Lover-Chapter 434: The Woman I Slept With...?

Axel did not respond. Instead, he opened another message, this one directed to Evelyn.

"My wife, if you read something that bugs you on the internet, ignore it. You know the truth."

The response came quickly as he expected.

"I trust you, hubby!" From: My Queen

Axel feels a warmth in his heart as the tension in his shoulders gradually eases.

For now, his wife believed him, and that was enough. He paid no mind to the netizens or others who spoke ill of him.

Axel slipped the phone back into his pocket, his gaze slowly returning to Joseph Carter. The warmth vanished. Replaced instantly by cold, dangerous clarity.

Because the storm outside was nothing compared to the matter waiting inside that room.

"Do you want to know who the woman you slept with is?" Axel asked.

The question sliced through the air with unsettling calmness, yet its impact was anything but gentle.

Joseph, who had been sitting stiffly across from him, reacted instantly. His head lifted, his eyes sharpened, and he nodded so quickly it almost looked desperate.

"Yes, please—"

But Axel Knight was in no hurry.

Instead of answering, he reached for the untouched glass of water placed neatly before him. The movement was slow, deliberate, almost cruel in its timing.

Joseph observed each moment go by, his nerves growing more anxious, and his patience beginning to wear thin from the anticipation.

Axel took a sip. Then another.

Only after setting the glass down did his gaze finally return to Joseph.

And when he spoke, he dropped the bomb with effortless precision.

"Joseph," Axel said calmly, "check the internet. You’ll know about her."

Joseph frowned. Confusion flickered across his face, but despite the uncertainty, he obeyed. His fingers moved hurriedly as he pulled out his cellphone.

The screen lit up instantly, reflecting faintly in his already unsettled eyes.

For a brief moment, he hesitated. So many thoughts were now running through his mind; what exactly was he supposed to search for? Axel’s name? Evelyn? His own?

But before Joseph could even decide, his breath caught sharply in his throat. His hand froze midair.

Because the headlines were already there. Blazing. Exploding. Impossible to ignore.

[ The CEO of Apex Holding, Axel Knight, Abandons His Four-Year-Old Son with HC ]

Joseph’s eyes widened.

Then came another.

[ A Secret Son with a Secret Woman? Axel Knight’s Life Is Wild! ]

Another.

[ Is It True Axel Knight Has Another Child? ]

And then, more relentless, vicious headlines.

[ Who Is HC? The Mystery Woman Behind Axel Knight’s Hidden Family Drama! ]

[ Billionaire Scandal! Axel Knight’s Alleged Son Finally Revealed! ]

[ HC and Axel Knight? Internet Explodes Over Shocking Rumors! ]

[ Love, Lies, and a Child? Axel Knight Faces New Controversy! ]

Joseph stared at the screen, utterly stunned.

His mind struggled to process the chaos unfolding before him. The headlines blurred together, words colliding into a storm of speculation and accusation.

HC?

Who was HC?

Why was Axel Knight trending for something like this?

And more importantly—

What did any of this have to do with the woman Axel claimed he had slept with?

Joseph slowly lifted his gaze toward Axel, his unease now mixing with confusion.

"Who is HC?" Joseph asked, his voice strained. "How do you know her son is mine?"

Axel’s expression did not change. Not even slightly.

"Harper Cooper," Axel answered casually. "The ex-supermodel."

Joseph’s entire body stiffened. Shock slammed into him like a physical force.

"H-Harper Co-Cooper..." His trembling voice barely formed the name as his eyes darted back to the screen.

The images accompanying the headlines now felt heavier, more sinister. Recognition dawned slowly, horrifyingly.

"The woman I slept with..." Joseph whispered, disbelief cracking through every word. "Was Harper Cooper?"

"Yes." Axel’s response was calm. Unbothered. Almost bored. "You can see how she ended up in your hotel room."

With that, Axel reached into his coat pocket and placed a photograph on the table. The simple motion was enough to make Joseph feel his heart grow heavy.

He pushed it forward.

Joseph’s fingers trembled violently as he reached for it.

And the moment his eyes landed on the image, his heart nearly stopped.

Even though the picture quality was poor, the scene was unmistakable. A woman walking down a hotel corridor. Elegant posture. Familiar silhouette. However, that woman is not Evelyn.

Joseph’s stomach dropped. Because, despite the grainy footage, he recognized her, Harper Cooper.

There was no doubt.

And worse, the next image showed her entering his bedroom.

Joseph’s grip tightened around the photographs. His pulse thundered violently.

’No...’ His mind screamed in disbelief. ’This can’t be real...’

But reality was merciless.

Joseph swallowed hard, his throat dry.

Suddenly—

Another thought pierced through his shock like a needle.

’Wait...’ His eyes snapped toward Axel. ’Where is this picture from? And how does he have it?’

Joseph clearly remembered paying an enormous sum of money to erase every trace of that night, in the corridor, on the elevator. He had personally ordered the deletion of every CCTV footage surrounding his hotel room. He had ensured no digital evidence could ever resurface.

Yet, here it was resting calmly on Axel Knight’s table.

Joseph’s chest tightened. "Mr. Knight," He finally said, forcing composure into his voice, "even with this photo... it is not enough proof to convince anyone that Harper Cooper’s son is mine."

Axel leaned back lazily. His arms crossed. His posture relaxed.

"Well," Axel replied smoothly, "you can do a DNA test if you don’t believe me."

DNA test.

Those two simple words struck Joseph like a slap across the face. Because he had already lived through that nightmare once with Oliver. The devastating negative result.

And now, this?

Joseph’s mind resisted the possibility with fierce desperation.

He did not want to believe Harper Cooper’s child could be his.

He could not afford it.

Silence swallowed the room once more.

Joseph stared at Axel, searching for cracks, hesitation, or anything that hinted at uncertainty.

But Axel Knight’s gaze remained cold.

Then, Axel finally speaks—

"Harper Cooper," Axel continued calmly, though a dangerous fire now flickered behind his eyes, "made a very big mistake."