CHAPTER 41 

(CADEN’S POV)

“Forgive my comments, sir—” Conrad grunted as he strained to steer my much larger and unsteady body forward. “But why do you decide to drink this much every time we’re on an important mission?”

I could hear the frustration in Conrad’s voice, but I wasn’t in the mood to explain myself. A heavy weight settled on my chest. For some reason, however, I smiled.

Yeah, I wondered to myself—why indeed?

Suddenly, a subtle sweetness drifted past my nose, almost like the nostalgic taste of a sour apple. I came to a sudden stop, my eyes scanning the hallway for the source of the scent.

And then I saw her—a woman in a maid's uniform, standing by one of the windows. Her back was to us as she diligently cleaned the glass. A cleaning cart was parked nearby, and her fiery auburn hair caught the light. She had to be one of Atlas’ staff, but her demeanor seemed staged in my eyes.

I watched as Conrad, ever vigilant, stopped to see what had caught my attention. He must have noticed the shift