The Meeting Distraction

Victor sat in the conference room, surrounded by the usual hum of voices discussing the next project's projections and financials. Normally, he would've been fully immersed, picking apart the details and making sure everything was on track. But today, his mind kept drifting—back to Milo.

It had been almost a week since Milo left for his hometown. Since then, Victor hadn't received a single reply. No texts, no calls, nothing. The empty silence in his phone's notifications only seemed to amplify the weight he was feeling. He found himself wondering if Milo was alright, how his trip was going, and if he'd be back soon.

"Victor?" One of his colleagues' voices broke into his thoughts, pulling him back to the present.

He blinked, realizing he hadn't heard a word of the presentation. Trying to mask his lapse, he cleared his throat and gave a brief nod. "Yes. Please continue."

The team resumed their analysis, and Victor forced himself to focus on the figures on the screen. But it was no use. Every few moments, his gaze would wander to his phone lying face down on the table, hoping to see Milo's name flashing on the screen. He missed their conversations, the way Milo's quiet humor slipped through when he least expected it, and even just their silent companionship.

As the presentation continued, Mr. Henry Kingsley, who had noticed Victor's distraction, gave him a concerned glance. "Victor, do you have any feedback on the proposed timeline?"

Victor snapped his gaze back to the screen, scrambling to find a coherent response. "Yes, I think we could possibly adjust the—" he paused, briefly losing track of his thoughts, "uh, the timeline by a week or two to accommodate the design phase."

It was a decent response, but it didn't fool Mr. Henry. He narrowed his eyes, but he didn't press further. Instead, he simply gave a slight nod, his expression thoughtful.

As the meeting wrapped up, the team dispersed, and Victor found himself alone in the conference room. He let out a frustrated sigh, leaning back in his chair. His mind was an endless loop of questions he couldn't answer. Why had Milo left without a word? And why was his absence affecting him so much?

Mr. Henry approached Victor, sensing something was amiss. "Is everything alright, son?"

Victor straightened, forcing a smile. "Yes, everything's fine, Dad. Just… a lot on my mind."

Mr. Henry studied him for a moment before patting his shoulder. "Well, sometimes taking a break helps clear the mind. Why don't you get some air?"

Victor nodded, feeling a surge of gratitude for his father's intuition. "Thanks, Dad. I think I'll do that."

Leaving the conference room, he made his way outside, hoping the cool air would bring some clarity. But as he stood on the terrace, watching the cityscape, he realized that his thoughts kept pulling him back to one thing—or rather, one person.

Victor sighed, checking his phone once more. Still no reply. He let out a frustrated breath, realizing just how deeply Milo's absence was affecting him. It was as if a piece of his world had gone missing, and nothing felt quite right without it.

And for the first time, he found himself truly acknowledging the truth he'd been avoiding—he missed Milo. More than he wanted to admit, and in a way that was slowly becoming impossible to ignore.