"How long have you known my wife?"
Axel's voice was calm, yet the weight behind the question was unmistakable. It was not casual curiosity. It was not a polite conversation. The words carried a sharp edge that immediately altered the atmosphere between them.
Joseph was stunned.
The question clearly caught him off guard. Of all the things he had anticipated when Axel Knight summoned him to a private dinner right after landing, this had not been one of them. For a brief second, confusion flickered across his face before he quickly gathered himself.
"More than ten years ago," Joseph replied, clearing his throat slightly. "We worked together back then."
Axel said nothing. He did not nod. He did not acknowledge the answer. He simply continued to stare.
The silence stretched across the table, heavy and oppressive.
