Stealing the Heart of Mr. Steele

The room is pin-drop silent after Atlas shares his news

"She wants what?!" Clark asks indignantly as if he were the one being dragged down the aisle,

I feel my heart sink. Atlas is so worried about me, and about our businesses, he might just do it to help me save face. Never mind how much it will break my heart to see him go down the aisle with my sister-a vision that has haunted my dreams for years.

I was never supposed to be his bride, She was. If she hadn't tried to run from her responsibilities, if she had stayed and worked things out with Atlas in the first place, that's exactly where she'd be now-married to him.

"I told her no," Atlas eases all of our fears. As the tension drains from all of us, he takes my hands in his, 1 won't do that to you. I love you, Cordelia Steele. We might not be married anymore, but I still take r vows to you seriously."

"So what do you suggest we do?" Clark demands. "We told them no, so I'm assuming you made a counteroffer?"

Atlas goes over their conversation and explains a bit of the back and forth. Before her latest disaster, Angelica was in the middle of throwing an engagement party for all of us. She thought it would be "cute" if the two Steele brothers and their sister brides had a joint party to celebrate the joining of our two families.

She planned to conclude the party with a double wedding.

"The doctors think that it might help her move on if we throw her the party, let her live out part of her dream, and then ease into telling her the truth," Atlas explains. "I called the new psychiatrist and they confirmed that they thought that with proper therapy, and the right timing, it might help her move on."

"This is a terrible idea," I blurt out even though I realize my bluntness might seem crass. I can't control how I feel any more than Angelica can, and with pregnancy hormones running through my system, I'm finding it easier to go to emotional extremes. "Now Cordelia," Atlas interupts, "Let's be reasonable."

"I am being reasonable!" I didn't mean to shout, so I lowered my voice. "What about the stress this is causing me? You do know that Angelica also tortured me on that island, right? It wasn't just Jude." I watch as Tilly's eyes and mouth drop open. I hadn't told her that bit. Clark also seems surprised. "She says she was trying to protect me, but that didn't keep her from demanding that her boyfriend try to steal my uterus!"

Today I'm just full of truth. I'm done with playing nice. I'm done with pretending to be okay with all of this. I realize this might make me sound heartless, but no. I don't want to play 'fake wedding' with her. This is my REAL life, and the only wedding I plan in the future sn't going to be to Clark." I look at Atlas in the eye. "The next time I get married it is going to be real and it is going to be forever."

For a moment Atlas' eyes spark with hope, but it is quickly dashed when he reaches out and I back away from his touch. I'm not done saying my peace. I don't need to be distracted by him.

"Whether you want to believe it or not, Angelica is trying to ruin our lives and you are letting her do it." I point an accusatory finger at Atlas. "I don't believe she even has amnesia."

There, I finally said it.

I thought I'd feel better until I saw the disappointed look in Atlas' eyes.

"You can't mean that, Cordelia." Atlas places a hand on my shoulder. "Be reasonable. What reason would she have to fake an illness?"

I frown. Other than the obvious reasons, like trying to get Atlas back, I can't think of any other motivations she might have for this behavior. I never told Atlas this but she had been trying to run away from the marriage when we got into our car accident. I had only helped her then as a favor. And now, that very same marriage she was avoiding, she seems to want more than she ever did before.

"I know this is hard for you," Atlas tries to comfort me. "But is it such a big thing for us to give her this small moment before breaking free of her forever?"

"YES, it is!" I start shouting again. After everything she's done, he's still defending her. "I'm tired of feeling like I'm being manipulated by everyone around me. My sister, my mother, Sydney, you." Frowning I point my fingers at all of them.

I march towards the front door.

Atlas places a hand on my shoulder. I shrug it off and glare.

"Cordelia,"

I need to get away from all of them. From all of this nonsense.

"Don't follow me, Atlas Steele, or so help me I'll make sure you never see me again."

Grabbing my purse, I head out the door.

VictoryAnne Vice

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Atlas better tread lightly...

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