LOGINShare
Chapter 101
Last Updated:
2024-10-29 19:42:56
VictoryAnne ViceOr maybe Atlas expects too much...
Related chapters
Stealing the Heart of Mr. Steele Chapter 102
[Cordelia]I stare after him for several minutes, unsure of what to do.Yes, Atlas just gave me a moment of intense pleasure but I don't know if I want anything more from him. Our last marriage was a disaster, and my sister is still in the picture. I'm starting my career and I'm finally feeling like my own woman. What if I don't want to get married again? Maybe it would be better for me to remain single while I figure out what I want with my life. I don't need to jump into anything. Just because he wants to take things more swiftly doesn't mean I need to let him push me. Or am I reading more into this than I need to? It wasn't a proposal, not technically.Although it did feel like one. The rest of the afternoon was awkward. I was expecting to see Atlas in the lounge with Angelica and the bridesmaids, having suddenly "arrived" while I was getting dressed, but somehow he snuck out. Instead, Atlas called Angelica, bowing out of lunch claiming to have "too much" work to do.And yet, whe
Stealing the Heart of Mr. Steele Chapter 103
I don't understand. Why would Atlas do something like this? But his signature is unmistakable. Atlas must have signed off on these changes, but why? None of this makes any sense.Thinking back, Atlas hardly spent any time on the production floor and he mostly stayed far away from my work, preferring to give me enough space to show what I could do. To do this, he would have needed to come into production, see the design, alter it, and then order the alterations distributed to all the sewers.Sometimes last-minute changes are made to items due to lack of availability or cost, but I had been assured that all of my materials were here and that I could spend what I needed to. Neither of those issues should have come into play. This was done for another reason. But why would Atlas be this cruel? And when did he have a chance to do this? I walk up the one flight of stairs to the executive floor. Except for a few early birds who have come to make coffee and prep for their bosses to arrive,
Stealing the Heart of Mr. Steele Chapter 104
[Cordelia] My anger transforms into a rush of horror. Just yesterday he was promising me forever only to bring my sister into his bed the very same night? All because I didn't want to buy a wedding dress and promise myself to him? I'm done being sad about this. "How could you?” I glare and watch as Atlas slowly turns his face to see where I am looking. He takes a moment to look back my way, but when his eyes connect with mine, they are wide with surprise and fear. "Cordelia," he takes a step forward. "I know what this looks like but it isn't what you think." "It doesn't matter," I close my eyes, no longer wanting to gaze at my sister's perfect breasts or smug, self-satisfied expression. "I guess I shouldn't have expected you to act any differently. All that talk about celibacy and now..." I wave vaguely in Angelica's direction my face turned in the opposite direction. "What are you going on about?” Angelica leans into Atlas' back, hiding her form as her naked front aligns wi
Stealing the Heart of Mr. Steele Chapter 105
[Atlas]I could not bear to stay in the room any longer."What are you doing," Angelica demands. "Why are you chasing after her? What aren't you telling me Atlas?"Angelica is holding her head as she paces back and forth. She is close to having another attack, I can tell by the way that her arms are shaking and her breath becomes more ragged. Each attack is different than the one before in intensity or length, but they all start the same way. "I'm sorry this is confusing you, Angelica, but I don't have time right now to deal with this," I grab a dress shirt and pants and head to my bathroom. "Please be gone before I get back. You should be in your room.""But Atlas," she stops, standing still, her beautiful body on full display as her robe opens again. I am man enough to notice her beauty, but not fool enough to touch. I don't want her, I want Cordelia, and if I lay even one finger on her sister both my wife and my heir will be lost. I know it. "Do not wait up for me tonight, Angelic
Stealing the Heart of Mr. Steele Chapter 106
[Angelica][Flashback–The day before}The wedding trip was a disaster. I know Atlas showed up and left, the shopkeeper confirmed it when she informed me that only half of my purchases had been approved by "Mr. Steele himself."But we didn't see him. He never made his presence known. He went out of his way to avoid us. To avoid me. How am I going to win him over, to bring him back to me, if he cannot even spend a pleasant afternoon with me, one that he helped me plan? Disappointed, I returned home, hoping to rest and brainstorm ways to give myself more opportunities with Atlas. I know he is still attracted to me--I can see it in the way he looks at me and feel it in the way he pulls away from our kisses as if he is afraid to give in and submit. I just need to find the right opportunity to force his hand. And I need to get my sister out of the way. She isn't part of the plan. She has wanted Atlas since the moment she met him, but he never saw her as anything more than my little sis
Stealing the Heart of Mr. Steele Chapter 107
[Atlas]Inside the envelope are interviews of various employees (some of whom are now fired), printouts from the security cameras, as well as security logs for entry and exit. Angelica was in the office while I was gone. Not only that, she visited the production floor. One of the pictures shows her handing an employee a large envelope. The employee seems very happy. In the interview notes, Josephina, one of the sewists, mentions that the "lovely Mrs. Steele," gave her and the other sewists "a generous bonus" for "a job well done." She doesn't mention the changes, but another employee, one who received the bonus from Josephina stated that when she received the changes from Manny, it came with around the same time as the $1000 in cash, so she didn't question it. She was too excited for the bonus.All of this information is circumstantial. There are no pictures of Angelica DOING Any of the damage that was done. Also, there is no proof she was doing anything underhanded in my office. I
Stealing the Heart of Mr. Steele Chapter 108
[Cordelia]It took me 15 minutes to clear everything of mine out of my office at Steele Industries. My heart is heavy. I don't understand how Atlas could do this, how he could do any of this. And Angelica...we used to be so close once. If she knows I once cared for Atlas and suspects I still do, why is she being so cruel?Night has fallen before I make it out of bed again. Tilly has gone for the evening. She left a note on the refrigerator about going back to Malibu for last-minute changes to her line, but that she left me something in the fridge. "Don't wait up! I'll see you in the morning!" This line must be very important, Tilly has been going to Malibu almost every day to tend to it. That's what I should have done with my line. I should have camped out at work. Then none of this would have happened. I'd have seen the changes in time to keep it from being a disaster. Sigh. I really need a friend right now. I wonder what Clark is up to. I send him a quick text as I emerge from my
Stealing the Heart of Mr. Steele Chapter 109
Taking Atlas' hand, I let him guide me out of my apartment. He has a car waiting, a rare luxury as Atlas usually prefers to drive himself. It is one of the company cars, so he must have had someone from security bring him over. Looking at how his hands are shaking, it was probably the best idea to have someone else do the driving. I don't bring up his hands, or the way he looks so tired and drawn, like he has just finished a marathon in loafers and a tie. I know how much he prides himself on looking like he is in control. We may have had our ups and downs together, but I would never try to hurt him when he so clearly seems to be struggling. "I kicked Angelica out of my house today," he announces, breaking the silence. "She's with your parents. We can work on her memory issues from there.""Oh." I'm not quite sure what to say about that."And I called off the wedding," he continues. "Not officially, yet, but she is aware that I have no intention of marrying her."I notice that he does
Latest chapter
Stealing the Heart of Mr. Steele Chapter 369
[Atlas]Delilah Fisher steps around the corner in a long, silver gown, her makeup flawless, and her smile large and welcoming.She looks so much like Angelica did when I first met her that my heart stutters. I love Cordelia with my entire being, and yet a part of me still reacts to the memory of the shining girl who captured my attention almost a decade ago. But this isn't Angelica. Delilah, while beautiful and poised, lacks the immaculate grace that Angelica exuded. Each of the sisters has a unique nature that shines through, despite having almost identical faces."Atlas Steele," her heels click in the silent room as she steps into the light. "Why is it so hard for you to believe your brother? Haven't you seen enough wonders in this world yet to understand that anything can be possible?""There's no such thing as mind control," I repeat. "Believing in psychic powers is for fools.""And you pride yourself on not being one," she smirks, amused. "But a true wise man would keep his mind
Stealing the Heart of Mr. Steele Chapter 368
[Jude]Sydney. Now that she has me under her control, I'll never be free of her. When I came to save her, I was convinced she was pregnant with my child. She had sent a distress signal to me using our private channels letting me know of her pregnancy and it was enough to get me to betray the Steele family and derail their plans to find their cure. Using what I knew about Atlas' missing mother was just a distraction.My goal had always been to claim my son.But then I discovered that beyond all logic Angelica is still alive.I should have realized this was possible and known that Magnus wouldn't give up such a valuable tool so easily. Angelica had been Magnus' toy for years before she was sent into my world. I knew he had modified her, and turned her into the perfect weapon, but I had no idea how deep those modifications went until I saw her face staring at me on that magazine cover.She shouldn't have survived that explosion. And yet here she is, unscathed, awaiting a new uterus in
Stealing the Heart of Mr. Steele Chapter 367
[Atlas]I twist my arm away from the guard in black. His face is blank as he reaches forward again. "Don't." My voice carries forward, and although it isn't loud, it holds a note of command that makes the armed guard pause."Sir," he blinks retracting his hand. "You are trespassing. I was ordered to take you into holding." My face remains still as my voice rings out again, "You will not touch us. You have no right." The guard swallows, taking a step back, my words hitting him with the force of a slap. "We will leave," I inform him. "You will report our apologies to your boss." He nods, accepting my command. "Atlas," Clark calls my attention to our situation. Blinking I snap awake, and pull my gaze from the guard. As soon as I blink, the guard stumbles backward shaking his head in confusion, as if my words and stare alone were enough to entrap him in some kind of trance. Around the edges of my vision, I see more guards headed in our direction. If we are going to make it out of h
Stealing the Heart of Mr. Steele Chapter 366
[Atlas]Damn it, Cordelia!"Pick up, pick up, pick up," the phone rings but nobody replies. "This number is unavailable as dialed, please try again," the message on the other end informs me as my blood pressure rises and my hands shake.A moment ago I had been talking to my wife. And then the line was dead. I sent her to Canada to keep her and our children safe, and she chose to bring herself to Magnus' attention. Sending a quick message to the guards in charge of watching over my family, I stare at my screen waiting for word of their status. "Atlas, is there anything I can do to help?"Blinking away from the screen I look up at my brother as our rented van parks a few blocks away from the luau. Our driver informs us of our arrival and waits for further instructions."I'm sorry, Clark," I close my eyes, rubbing my temples. "You were saying something?""Is everything okay?" He tries again and I groan. "No." I groan honestly. "Or at least, I hope everything is fine. Lately, it seems
Stealing the Heart of Mr. Steele Chapter 365
[Clark]The message "Tilly SOS" flicked across the screen three times before winking out, leaving my screen blank. I open my email that I keep under an alias on a secure server. There is a single message alerting me to new information available on my server. I've used this system when working with people who needed to keep their identities safe and their messages secret. The last time I needed it was working with Jude while he was still under Magnus' watch.Even though it has been months since I used it, my fingers remember the passcodes. Soon, I'll be on the server. Two emails are waiting for me, both are from Tilly's parents. In the first message, they inform me that they have landed and are settling in their new place. It is a secure facility, surrounded by several acres of land, disconnected from the distant towns and cities. The Madisons, sparing no expense, went to extra lengths to include copious additional security.They are, after all, securing their legacy. Tilly is their o
Stealing the Heart of Mr. Steele Chapter 364
[Cordelia]There is a loud explosion just to the right of the airplane. "What was that," I lower the phone, turning it off as I gaze out the window to see what had caused the noise. "Nothing, Ma'am," the co-pilot says over his shoulder, "Just a little turbulence.""Turbulence?" I shout back as another boom resounds just outside the passenger's cabin as a curtain goes up between the pilots and the rest of the plane, blocking our view. "But we aren't even in the air yet!""Calm yourself, Mrs. Steele," Jake, the security guard, takes his phone from my numb hand. "Sit next to your children and trust your staff to get you out of here safely. We've got this, Mrs. Steele."He almost seemed offended in my lack of faith as he types into his phone what I'm guessing is a message to Atlas to calm his nerves and let him know we are alive. "But nobody is telling me what's happening," I grumble as I buckle in next to Jasper and the little girl I've decided to call Saphira until I learn her real na
Stealing the Heart of Mr. Steele Chapter 363
[Atlas]"What do you mean gone," I barked into the phone, my hand clenching it tight enough to hear it crunch. These new smartphones seem to get flimsier with each model. I've broken 3 in the last 6 months from anger or nerves. I love my wife, but I'm pretty sure she's going to stress me into an early grave. "Your mother created a distraction, Sir," my lead guard, Jake, apologizes over the phone, not making excuses as much as stating facts. "Mrs. Suzanna Steele arrived late last night along with a young man she called Sasha. The next morning, while your mother and Ms. Devaroux kept me distracted searching for a false threat, your wife and this young man escaped."Cordelia has always been sneaky when she needs to be, and until this point, he had been very good at keeping her from falling into mischief. I wasn't expecting my mother to be part of the problem. At least now I know where she ran off to. Her room had been empty when I returned to the boat yesterday. "Are you sure it is m
Stealing the Heart of Mr. Steele Chapter 362
[Clark]There are things that I need to keep secret from my brother, not because I do not trust him with my secrets, but because I do not want to burden him with them.Which is why I needed to get away. Without Tilly, there is no reason for me to stay on the boat."I'll meet you later, when it's time to go to the luau," I promise Atlas as I give him a hug and take my leave. I know that I could just stay at our family hotel, but I need to be somewhere else, somewhere that nobody recognizes me. And also, I want to ensure that what I am about to do is as untraceable as possible. "Mr. Janus," the man at the front desk smiles when I hand him a wad of cash in exchange for a key card. "Enjoy you stay. Please call down if you need anything."Adjusting my sunglasses, lower the bill of my baseball cap, grab my small bag, and make my way through the other guests milling around in the hotel lobby. Located along the beach it has a spectacular view of the the ocean.And the location of tonight's
Stealing the Heart of Mr. Steele Chapter 361
[Jude]Opening the door, I push back the clinician waiting for Angelica to rise. The poor man looks lost, most likely expecting Angel to greet him and not a gruff guard in black."Excuse me," he calls out as I walk down the hall. I don't owe him any excuses or explanations. I'm her bodyguard. I can be seen coming and going from her room. Besides, I don't have time for niceties. I'm already late reporting to work. The guards all bunk together in a large room on the basement level. There are beds and a shared shower as well as a kitchen so that we don't disturb the rest of the house as we take care of our daily necessities. There weren't any free bunks when I arrived, so I sleep on a camping bed on the floor. As I march down there, the leader of the group raises his eyebrow. He can tell by the unused state of my sleeping area that I haven't been back to rest."Late night?" he questions me as I walk down the stairs, "Whoever she was, she better be worth it." He smirks. "Mr. Fisher will
