Alicia's POV

Axel didn't respond to my question immediately. Instead, he asked, "Does this matter a lot to you?"

I was taken aback, unsure how to answer. After all, Axel and I had only met twice. If I said it mattered, it might come off as ambiguous, but denying it would be a lie—I cared more than I wanted to admit.

"I'm just curious why you'd risk helping a stranger," I finally replied, weighing my words.

Axel remained silent, his brow furrowed in thought. Then, ...