Atlas didn't say a single word throughout the drive back home.
Not in response to anything Aveline said, and not even in acknowledgement.
It dawned on her that she was wasting her time, and so she kept quiet, and went into her thoughts.
The car finally arrived at the house, and Atlas parked.
"Atlas?" Aveline called out to him.
He didn't respond. He alighted from the car, and went straight inside the house.
Atlas didn't make any stops. He didn't answer the curious questions from his staff.
Nothing mattered to him, other than making his way to his room.
And when he eventually did, he shut the door behind him, and buried his back on it.
"Damn it, Aveline," he muttered under his breath, shutting his eyes tightly.
****
In the middle of the night, after Joanne and Daniel had finally left her alone to go to sleep, Aveline stood up from her bed.
She slid her legs into her slides, and fastened the rope of her night dress.
