Chapter two
700 Words
The event was held at a luxurious hotel downtown—one of those places that made you feel like you didn’t belong the moment you stepped inside. The chandeliers sparkled above, casting soft golden light over the marble floors. Everywhere I looked, people were dressed in designer clothes, sipping champagne, and laughing as if they had known each other forever. I felt like an outsider in a sea of people who all seemed to have it together.
Tasha wasted no time, leading me straight into the heart of the event. She introduced me to her friends, all of them dressed to the nines and talking in voices that were too loud for my liking. As they chatted about business and fashion, I stood quietly by, trying to act like I was enjoying myself, but my mind was elsewhere. I felt too small, too ordinary in a place like this.
But then, everything changed when I saw him.
He was standing across the room, talking to someone, but the moment I locked eyes with him, everything else faded into the background. He had an air of power about him—confidence that practically oozed from his every pore. Tall, broad-shouldered, with chiseled features and dark eyes that seemed to pierce through the crowd, he looked like he had just stepped out of a magazine. And the way he carried himself, with that aloof, almost intimidating aura—it made my heart race in a way I couldn’t explain.
“Who is that?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
Tasha followed my gaze, and a sly smile crossed her lips. “That’s Atlas Warren. He’s got quite the reputation around here. Don’t bother trying to talk to him; he’s not the type to engage with anyone, let alone someone like you.”
I blinked, confused. “What do you mean ‘someone like me’?”
“Let’s just say he’s not exactly the type of guy who takes an interest in someone like you,” Tasha said, her tone a little too casual for my liking. “He’s… complicated.”
I watched him from a distance, the mysterious stranger who seemed to have it all. There was something about him, though—something that made my heart beat faster. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but there was an undeniable pull.
Tasha nudged me, pulling me back to reality. “You should go talk to him,” she said with a mischievous glint in her eyes. “Why not? He’s not going to bite.”
I froze. “What? No way. I don’t even know what to say to him.”
“Oh, come on. You never know unless you try. You could make a great impression!”
I hesitated. This wasn’t me. I wasn’t the kind of girl who approached someone like him. But I had come all this way, stepped out of my comfort zone for once. Maybe, just maybe, I could try something different.
Taking a deep breath, I made my way through the crowd, my heart pounding in my chest. Every step felt heavier than the last, but I pushed through. When I finally reached him, he was standing alone, his back to the wall as he scanned the room with a cool indifference.
I could feel the heat creeping up my neck as I nervously tapped him on the shoulder. His eyes snapped to mine, and for a moment, I thought I would lose my nerve. But then, his gaze softened, and he gave me a faint smile.
“Well?” he asked, his voice low and smooth. “What do you want?”
My mind went blank. “I… I just wanted to say hi,” I managed to stammer. “I saw you across the room, and I couldn’t help but… well, notice you.”
He raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued but still distant. “Notice me, huh? And what exactly do you think you’re going to get out of that?”
I swallowed, feeling small under his intense gaze. “I don’t know… maybe just a conversation?”
His eyes narrowed slightly, sizing me up. “A conversation. Interesting.”
- Writer
