The world around Arthur seemed to fall into utter silence, as though the very air had stopped moving.
The desert winds, once so harsh and blinding, had vanished. His focus zeroed in on the face before him, and his heart sank in disbelief.
The face that stared back at him was familiar, but the revelation was so jarring, it almost felt unreal. His breath caught in his throat, and for a long moment, he couldn't process what he was seeing.
"A-Anna?" Arthur mumbled, his voice shaky, as if the weight of the truth was pulling him under. His eyes, wide with shock, never left hers.
Anna's gaze trembled, her chest tightening as she realized the truth had been exposed. Her mask, which had once shielded her true identity, was gone—torn away.
She felt the sting of betrayal in her own heart as she saw Arthur's shattered expression, but the pain of her own regret paled in comparison to the devastation she saw reflected in his eyes.
