Conrad sat alone in his home office staring blankly at Nadia’s old pen between his fingers.He had stopped drinking for exactly six hours.That alone irritated him.A sharp knock came at the door.He didn’t answer.His mother still entered anyway.She looked composed as always.Elegant.Controlled.But her eyes immediately narrowed at the sight of him.Unshaven.Exhausted.Cold.“You missed breakfast again.”Conrad said nothing.She slowly closed the office door behind her.“This cannot continue.”Still nothing.Conrad kept staring at the pen silently.His mother stepped closer.“The council is becoming concerned.”Conrad finally laughed softly.“Good.”“You attacked an elder, ever thought of apologizing?.”“He insulted Nadia.”Silence.His mother inhaled carefully.“That girl is gone.”Conrad’s eyes lifted slowly toward her.“I wonder,” he said quietly, “how many times people need to be warned before they stop saying her name carelessly around me.”The air became heavier instantly.E
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