Evelyn's eyes immediately lifted to him. He is no longer wearing his suit, and his short sleeves are rolled to his elbows.
The light revealed his slightly messy hair and, more importantly, his eyes. They were red, darker than usual, carrying exhaustion she could not ignore.
Concern replaced her earlier relaxation.
"Axel," she said softly, sitting up straighter as she studied his face. "Did you smoke?" She paused, then added carefully, "And… are you drunk?"
Her voice held worry more than accusation, already sensing that his night had been far from ordinary.
Axel let out a long sigh and lowered himself onto the single sofa on her side. He deliberately kept his distance, knowing too well how much Evelyn disliked the smell of smoke clinging to him.
His shoulders slumped, exhaustion finally catching up as the quiet of the house settled around them.
He looked at her with apologetic eyes. "Sorry," he said softly. "I rushed back to see you and forgot to take a shower first."
