Sending Dylan away was the opposite of what Evelyn wanted.
She was trying to help Dylan... not ship him off on a four-hour mission for Vietnase noodles.
"No, no, Axel. There’s no need," she said quickly, nearly panicking. "Just... forget it. Can you maybe... co ho earlier instead? Can we have dinner together?"
Another pause.
Axel’s voice lowered. "Eve... what are you doing?"
"Nothing," she said instantly, sounding exactly like soone doing sothing.
"Mrs. Knight, I can’t help but notice that you seem to be hiding sothing from ..."
Evelyn held her phone tightly.
"Could you please tell ? I’m curious about why you suddenly wanted to try so unfamiliar food, and then, just monts later, decided to cancel it!" he asked.
She held up her free hand, even though he couldn’t see her. "Okay! Fine! I’ll tell you."
Evelyn took a breath, then told him, "Stella just called , and she said that Alicia invited Dylan to dinner tonight. At their house."
Silence again.
Then Axel asked, "So you sent a Pho ergency to prevent Dylan from working overti?"
Evelyn covered her mouth with her hand, trying to hold back her foolish laugh. "I was trying to help them. It’s romantic!"
Axel chuckled. "You almost sent him on a four-hour trip in the na of romance."
"I panicked—"
"I can tell."
Despite her embarrassnt, Evelyn lted at the sound of his warm laughter.
"So," Axel said teasingly, "am I still buying you pho?"
"No. I like to eat pho fresh at the restaurant. So, just co ho early," she muttered.
"On my way, my love. But, I can ask Danny to learn how to make pho, if you seriously crave it."
"Hmmm. You know what, that’s a good idea," she smiled.
And just like that, her matchmaking mission was back on track.
...
While at Apex Tower.
Axel smiled at his cell phone, still shaking his head in disbelief.
His wife, his elegant and composed Evelyn, had just tried to trick him with a pho crisis so Dylan could leave work early for a potential love-blossoming dinner.
The idea was ridiculous, adorable, and strangely impressive.
But his smile gradually faded as a thought crossed his mind... Dylan, his best friend, has finally found the woman he likes.
A mischievous grin replaced his earlier amusent.
He reached for his landline and pressed number one. The phone rang once.
"Boss?" Dylan’s voice answered.
"Dylan, co to my office."
He didn’t give the man a chance to respond. He hung up.
It didn’t take long for Dylan to appear at his door, expression stern and professional as usual.
"Boss, do you need ?" he asked, stepping inside.
Axel turned off his laptop and leaned back in his chair. He didn’t speak. He only stared. Hard.
Dylan stiffened almost imdiately.
Axel finally said, "I need you to fly to Grayenfall. Now."
Dylan was stunned. The shock he tried to hide was almost comical. His lips parted slightly as if he wanted to protest, but he swallowed it down like a good soldier.
Before he could find his voice, Collins barged into the office.
"Boss! You called... Oh. Why does Dylan look like soone stole his wallet?"
Axel waved toward the sofa. "You two sit."
They obeyed.
Dylan looked like he had forgotten how to breathe.
Collins looked like he was ready for popcorn; he could see the tension in Dylan’s face.
Axel joined them, settling comfortably across from the two n. "So. Dylan..."
Dylan sat straighter, jaw tight. "Yes, Boss?"
"I need you at Grayenfall right away."
Collins quickly turned to Dylan. "What did you do? Did you break sothing in Grayenfall?"
"What? No! I didn’t break anything," Dylan answered, giving him a murderous look. Then he looks at Axel, "Boss, why so sudden? I already have a plan."
Axel looked thoughtful, "You might have to stay there overnight, depending on the situation."
Dylan’s eyes twitched. He feels like his soul has left his body. "Overnight?" he asked, voice cracking slightly.
"I know it’s sudden," Axel continued, "but sotis work demands sacrifice."
Collins whistled and then whispered. "Man, there goes your big dinner plan."
Dylan stiffened. "What dinner plan?"
The question ca out too fast. Too desperate.
Axel smirked.
Collins smirked but remained unsure. "Wait. There’s sothing about the way you ntioned the dinner plan. Earlier, I was just teasing you and joking about it, so it must be true, huh?"
Dylan ntally strangled invisible versions of them both.
Axel can’t help but smile, "Yeah. So, you do have plans. Dinner plans. With who?"
’Damn it!’ Dylan cursed internally. ’Can they read my mind?’
Collins, now fully invested, gasped loudly. "Are you having a date, Dylan? Are you finally dating? Of course you are..."
Dylan clenched his teeth. "I am not dating anyone, Collins! Stop assuming!"
Axel raised an eyebrow. "So you’re not eting Stella and her mother tonight?"
Collins’ jaw dropped. "Stella? You’re dating Stella?! Wow!"
"I am not dating her!" Dylan snapped, half rising from his seat. "It’s just dinner. Her mother invited . That’s it."
Collins clapped like a delighted seal. "This is amazing. I knew sothing was going on between you and her. Why else would you suddenly care about her? You ca to my house only to ask about her. Damn man! Congrats!!"
Dylan closed his eyes, praying for strength. ’God! I hate this man.’
"Stella invited you?" Axel crossed his arms casually.
"Her mother," Dylan corrected quickly. "Not her."
"So you agreed because of her mother?" Axel asked.
Collins gasped again. "So you like Stella more than her mom? Dylan, my friend, that’s Scandalous."
"I swear to God—" Dylan exhaled through his nose, trying to maintain whatever dignity he had left. "Stop twisting my words!"
Axel watched him with a knowing smile. "Relax. I was joking about Grayenfall."
Dylan’s shoulders dropped so fast it was a physical collapse. "You... what?"
"Yes. I’m not sending you anywhere."
"Axel, please don’t joke like that." Dylan looked like he had just returned from war.
Collins slapped his knee. "Man, you were about to cry. I could feel your pain."
"I was not going to cry," Dylan muttered, although his ears betrayed him by turning red.
But his relief didn’t last. A mont later, Dylan frowned. He stared at Axel, "Boss... how did you know about my dinner?" he asked carefully.
Axel didn’t answer. His expression did.
"Stella told you?"
Axel’s smile grew wider. "Interesting. So it is true." He stood up, brushing off invisible dust from his sleeves. "I have to go. I have a date with my wife."
Collins grinned. "Double date tonight?"
"We are not dating," Dylan said, narrowing his eyes at Collins.
Axel paused at the door and turned to them. His tone was light, but his eyes were sharp. "Dylan."
"Yes, Boss?"
"Don’t play with her feelings. She is my sister-in-law."
Dylan was rendered speechless.
Collins burst into loud laughter, stood up, and patted Dylan’s shoulder hard. "Congratulations, man. Your Boss already approves."
Dylan stared at both n and wondered if jumping out the window would be less painful than enduring this conversation.
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