Chapter 14 Axel's Dilemma

• Asher's POV
• The moment Axel returned from a meeting with our father, I knew something was off. He had a look about him, a kind of tightness in his jaw, a stiffness in his movements. But instead of pressing him, I decided to wait. We were all under enough pressure as it was, and there would be time later to discuss whatever had gone down between him and our father.
• Throughout the day, Axel’s behavior became even more unusual. He was pretending to be charming, playing the part our father expected from him, especially with the eldest of the girls. It didn’t sit right with me. I knew my brother; he had never wanted anything to do with these women or the alliances our father was so determined to build. Axel despised being manipulated into a future, not of his own making, yet here he was, putting on a show for everyone. Something serious had happened in that conversation, and it involved more than just political matchmaking.