Annalise's POV
The room fell silent—eerily, hauntingly silent. It was as if the very essence of the celebration had been swallowed whole by his presence.
His blue coat, dark as the midnight sky, matched the color of his piercing eyes and perfectly complemented my dress, framing his tall, imposing figure.
The sea of noblemen and ladies parted like the Red Sea, their gazes flickering between curiosity and uncertainty, as he walked directly toward me, each step a declaration of his undeniable presence.
"Isn't that the general?" "I heard he doesn't like these kinds of gatherings." "What's he doing here?" "He should be here, he's the war hero after all". Murmurs and whispers began to spread through the crowd, some laced with admiration, others tinged with fear.
The eyes of the room followed him, but Atlas paid them no mind, his face set in that familiar, deadpan expression, masking whatever storm might be brewing within him. But it didn't matter. None of it mattered.
