A Friend’s Dilemma

The clock on the wall ticked quietly in Evander's office, marking the minutes as he finished signing off on the last document for the morning. His desk, as always, was meticulously organized, with neat stacks of papers, a sleek black pen holder, and a single framed photograph of Ashton. He glanced at the photo for a moment, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his lips before he stretched his arms and stood up.

It was lunchtime, and the warm rays of the sun filtering through the windows made it clear the day was moving along. He slipped on his tailored jacket and headed for the door.

"Going out for a bite?" Hugo asked casually as Evander walked into the hall.

"Yes," Evander replied. "I'm meeting Cedric."

"Cedric?" Hugo repeated, raising an eyebrow. "It's been a while, hasn't it? Tell him I said hi."

Evander nodded, his lips curving into a faint smile. "I'll pass along the message."