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[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
[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
[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
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
[Cordelia]Atlas' eyes are a clear, ice blue when he is frightened. And in this moment, he looks terrified. We sit here, looking at one another, searching each other's eyes for the answers to the questions: Can we make it work?Is this worth saving?Is there enough room in my heart to forgive him? Can I believe in us enough to try and make this work?Neither of us says anything. We just watch each other, both of us afraid to make the first move. "Atlas, I...""We've arrived, Mr. Steele," the driver announces, pulling into a parking spot at Steele Industries. "Come," he opens the door, his eyes lit with childlike inner joy. "I need to show you this."Atlas pulls me along through the empty office building, through security, and into the elevator. When we get off on the production floor I see it is around 9 pm, about 3 hours past when most of our sewing staff would have been sent home for the day.When we enter the floor, several seamstresses are working fervently on their industria
[Cordelia] Even though Atlas wanted to take me home, I insisted on watching to make sure everything happened the way that it needed to happen. I made the mistake of leaving too soon and look where it got me. I was willing to stay here alone, but Atlas stayed by my side the entire night while I watched and made sure that my dresses were fixed. The last of them were packaged and boxed just after midnight. Finally. My whole body relaxes as I watch the last box join the others. "Congratulations," Atlas smiles as he squeezes my hand. "You did it." I know I should be excited but my body is so exhausted I can barely manage a weak grin in response and a half-hearted, "Yay," "Come on," he pulls me into his arms. I lean into him, enjoying his dirty sweaty smell maybe even more than his usual crisp linen and clean soap scent. We both worked hard tonight. Together. The driver he had hired went home hours ago, leaving the two of us to fend for ourselves. Thankfully, Atlas' hands are now ste
As Atlas guides me deeper into the house I begin to wonder if this was a good idea after all. Here we are in his big dark mansion. Alone.Anything could happen.But do I want it to?As I feel the electric touch of his hand on mine I realize I do. I want to know what it feels like to be with Atlas Steele, not as a foggy memory, but as someone he loves and cherishes. As soon as we enter the kitchen, he begins opening cupboards and looking in the pantry and fridge for supplies. "Do you like omelets? I know you probably haven't had dinner, but I feel a bit more like breakfast and eggs are easy and quick to cook."When he sees my approval, he begins chopping and dicing. I try to help but he slaps my hand away. Kissing me gently, he orders me to sit down at the little eat-in kitchen nook while he cooks for the two of us. I'm about to say no, but the look he gives me makes everything in me clench. "No," he insists leaving no room for argument. "I'm treating you."When the omelets are don
[Atlas]I know that I don't deserve her, but she is in my arms and I do not plan to let her go. "You are my family now, " I hold her close to me. My wife. My son. My everything. "Well, he is," she laughs, rubbing her cute little belly. "There is no denying that. But you and I," she looks away.My heart drops into my stomach. "Cordelia," my stomach is nervous. Why does she make me so crazy, this auburn-haired girl with the bright green eyes? I can run a company, but I cannot master my feelings when I am around her. She makes me feel everything. And it's terrifying. Because if I can love her this fiercely, that means I could mourn her just as much. She turns her head towards me and I can see that she is struggling too. I wish I could take her far away from here and keep her to myself without worrying about anyone or anything else. "Don't you get it yet, you silly woman," I bend down and kiss her pouty lips. "I love you, Cordelia," I wipe away her tears with my thumbs. "I think I've
[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
[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
[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
[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
[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
[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
[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
[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
[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