The Mafia Lord's Secret Lover-Chapter 444: How Could He Be So Confident?

The headlines were impossible to miss.

[Axel Knight Files Official Lawsuit Against Online Slander.]

[Apex Holding Announces Legal Action to Protect Chairman’s Family.]

[Axel Knight’s Legal Team Warns Media and Individuals Over False Rumors.]

Her eyes widened slightly as she read each bold line.

"So this is the show..." she whispered.

Her heartbeat quickened, not from fear but from excitement.

She clicked on one of the major news articles.

The page loaded quickly, revealing a clear statement from Axel’s lawyer.

Evelyn straightened unconsciously as she read.

The lawyer firmly stated that Mr. Axel Knight would take legal action against any individual or media outlet that disseminated false information about him and his family. The statement emphasized that the rumors were malicious and harmful, and that evidence had already been collected.

Evelyn’s lips slowly curved upward.

The tone was calm. Professional. But sharp.

There was no anger in the words. No drama.

Just cold confidence.

She could almost hear Axel’s voice behind that statement.

Anyone who continued to spread lies would face consequences.

Her chest felt strangely warm.

He had not made a public argument.

He had not given an emotional interview.

He had simply moved legally. Directly. Efficiently.

"Enjoy the show," he had said.

Evelyn leaned back in her chair, her earlier stress about revenue numbers forgotten for the moment.

Well.

This was indeed interesting. And somehow, incredibly satisfying.

...

At Lincoln Hospital, the atmosphere inside the private treatment room felt tight and suffocating.

Harper Cooper paced back and forth, her heels clicking sharply against the polished floor. The sound echoed in the quiet space, mixing with the soft beeping of the medical machines inside her son’s treatment room.

She had read the news. Not once. Not twice. But over and over again, as if the words would magically change.

However, they did not.

Every statement she had made about her son being Axel Knight’s child had been crushed the moment Axel’s lawyer stepped in front of the cameras this noon.

The press conference had been clean. Direct. Merciless.

They will pursue legal action. They said they already have solid evidence that she made false accusations.

Harper stopped walking and clenched her fists.

"How could he deny the fact that my son wasn’t his?" she muttered under her breath, her voice trembling with anger. "How could he be so confident?"

Her chest rose and fell rapidly. 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

"Axel Knight wants to sue me?" she whispered, disbelief turning into fury. "How dare he? How dare he want to sue me!"

Just two days ago, the internet had been on her side. Netizens had flooded her social media with sympathy. They had called her brave. Strong. A single mother fighting for her child’s rights.

But, now?

The comments were disappearing one by one.

Posts were being deleted.

People who once supported her were suddenly silent.

Some even posted apologies publicly, afraid that Axel Knight might include them in the lawsuit.

It was humiliating.

The tide had turned so fast that she could barely breathe.

Instead of being the victim, she was now being questioned.

Where was the proof?

Why no DNA test?

Why speak to the media before going to court?

Each question stabbed at her confidence.

Harper resumed pacing.

No.

She could not lose like this.

She quickly picked up her phone again and tried calling the journalist who had first published her story.

The line was dead.

She frowned and tried again.

Still unreachable.

Her fingers trembled slightly as she opened her email inbox.

No reply.

Not even a short message.

Her stomach twisted.

’Why was his phone not active?’

’Why had he not responded since yesterday?’

A cold thought slowly crept into her mind.

’Did Axel silence him?’

Harper bit her finger anxiously, her usual elegant composure nowhere to be seen. Her thoughts were messy, jumping from anger to fear in seconds.

If the journalist backed out... if the media stopped supporting her... what would she have left?

For the first time since she released the news, doubt started to grow inside her.

Had she miscalculated?

She was so consumed by her thoughts that she did not notice the soft voice coming from the bedroom area until it called again.

"Mommy... Are you outside?"

Harper froze. Her head turned toward the slightly open door.

Her son’s weak voice pierced through her chaotic thoughts.

In an instant, she forced herself to stop biting her finger. She inhaled deeply and quickly adjusted her expression. The anger, the panic, the frustration—she pushed them all down.

When she walked toward the door, a gentle smile had already formed on her face.

She pushed it open wider.

Her son lay on the bed, his small body covered with a thick blanket. His eyes looked tired and fragile as he stared at her.

"Mommy..." He said weakly.

"Honey," Harper said softly, walking quickly to his side, "why are you not taking your nap?" She brushed his hair carefully, her voice now sweet and calm.

"I feel cold, Mom," he whispered. "I can’t sleep."

Her heart tightened. "I’m here," she assured him, sitting down beside the bed.

He shifted slightly under the blanket. "Please don’t go anywhere. I’m afraid..."

Harper’s smile trembled for a brief second before she steadied it again.

"I won’t go anywhere," she said gently, holding his small hand. "Mommy is right here... Sleep now."

"Hm..." His eyes slowly closed.

The machines continued their steady beeping.

Outside this room, the world might be turning against her. The internet might no longer favor her. Axel Knight might be preparing to drag her into court.

But inside this room, she was still a mother.

And no matter how unstable the situation became, she could not let her son see her fear.

She squeezed his hand lightly, staring at his pale face.

Axel wanted a war?

Fine.

But she would not back down so easily. Not when everything was already at stake.

However, her courage faded instantly when her cell phone buzzed, and she saw an email from an anonymous sender with a subject line.

[ The identity of your son’s biological father. ]