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Chapter 297
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2024-10-29 19:42:56
VictoryAnne ViceI hope you are enjoying the story so far! I was advised to NOT create a new book for the next part of this story but to instead add it to this story as a continuation. It will be a smooth transition, more of a "what happens next" as we continue this storyline. I hope you hang in there for the next part of this story as it unfolds. This marks the end of the first book/part and the beginning of the next part. There will be a bit more of a focus on Tilly and Clark as they develop more fully into characters. Don't worry, Cordelia and Atlas's story will also continue in this part as well. Thank you all for your support! XOXO VictoryAnne
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Stealing the Heart of Mr. Steele Chapter 298
[Cordelia]Tilly didn't look very happy or very comfortable as she crossed the gangplank onto the giant medical boat. The rocky waves didn't help much either, forcing her to choose between clutching the railing or her twin-swollen belly. Rushing forward, I guide her the rest of the way on deck and she falls into my arms. "Cordy," she gasps, out of breath. "Are we there yet?"I laugh as take her below decks to the medical facilities. She is pleasantly surprised by the cutting-edge birthing studio that was also included. "We also have an OBGYN and a full staff of nurse-midwives onboard with us until we get to at least Hawaii," I promise her. "So if you deliver before we make it to the big island, you should be fine. When is your due date again?""9 days," she winces. "But considering it's twins, any minute now. Although with the family lung problems, they want these babies to cook as long as possible." I give her a rundown of our "cruise" along with our planned itinerary. We are prepar
Stealing the Heart of Mr. Steele Chapter 299
[Cordelia]We make a brief stop in San Diego for some supplies. Tilly plans to modify a dress to fit over her very expansive belly and has us pick up a sewing machine as well.We offer to wait and have it altered, but she shakes her head. "I wouldn't trust anyone else to do this properly. Besides, I'm quick. We can keep sailing and I can have it done before we make dock in Ensenada." Stopping in Mexico had not been part of the original plan. Atlas and Clark spend much of the morning making phone calls and getting things ready for our arrival. By the time we're back on the boat, it is midday. Lunch is waiting in the gallery room, a fancy dining space with panoramic views of the ocean. Atlas' face is red as he puffs angrily in response to whatever bad news he is receiving. Closing his phone he slams it down on the table, rattling the glassware and making us all jump. "Magnus is spreading rumors again in the press," he announces. "He's blaming us for blowing up his facility. Saying it'
Stealing the Heart of Mr. Steele Chapter 300
[Cordelia]Somehow they make the marriage between a 60-year-old man and a woman almost young enough to be his granddaughter sound like some epic romance. There is a 35-year age gap.But then again, it is Hollywood. It's not like it's uncommon. I dig a little deeper and find a P*F of the full article from a top celebrity magazine. It includes a full 8-page spread featuring a "special look" at their home. Including the nursery for their "little miracle."Tilly's reaction is one of manic laughter. "Of course!" She shakes her head as her tears turn to frenzied chuckles. "We can't even win at this game. He beat us to it. So ruining my wedding day is for nothing. We might as well turn the boat around. No need to have a pitstop in Ensenada...The wedding is off!"Tilly storms out of the room in a huff, her large belly heaving as she barely makes the corner. I hope she's off to her room for a much-needed nap. I'll talk to her again after she's had food, rest, and a chance to think. We still ha
Stealing the Heart of Mr. Steele Chapter 301
[Cordelia]"Yours?" I ask cautiously. "You and Sydney...?"The air was heavy with silence as we all waited for Jude to explain. "I was lonely and she was willing," There is no shame in his expression or embarrassment as he discusses his relationship with a girl who was a younger copy of his lost love. "Seeing her with Jasper made me think of...well it doesn't matter."Atlas looks down at his shoes for a moment. If anyone knows what it feels like to cling to Sydney because he is reminded of Angelica, it is him. "I had planned to sneak her out too, but when I realized she was deceiving me and leading us straight to Magnus, I let her think I was dead. "Oh Jude," I find myself empathizing with this man who has created so much chaos in the life of my family. "Don't pity me," he places a hand on my shoulder, "Please. I knew I couldn't trust her, and yet part of me kept hoping that she'd make a better choice." He takes another look at the article, his lips downturned. "But how do you even
Stealing the Heart of Mr. Steele Chapter 302
[Jude]Magnus isn't a man, he's something else. I know it sounds crazy, that nobody believes me, but it is the only explanation that makes sense when you've looked at all the evidence. Humans age. They die. They can successfully mate with other humans. Therefore Magnus cannot be human. I would love to get him in my lab to test his vitals after several experiments, to see what really beats inside his chest, but that would technically be against the law and immoral. Unless he's immortal. That's a terrifying thought. I wonder if immortals are actually immortal or just hard to kill. If I were to cut his head off and place it in a jar, would it still be alive, blinking at me?"What a delightful idea," I smirk as I flip through the pages of the file I just printed for Cordelia. I need to convince her that I'm right about this. I need an ally. Cordelia is the only person on this ship who once trusted and believed in me. This has to work. I need to save Sydney. I need to save my son. Cor
Stealing the Heart of Mr. Steele Chapter 303
[Cordelia]"Are you insane?" I scoff. "First this story, which is very hard to believe, and now you're asking me to betray my family by going behind their back so that you can go on some selfish quest to chase after a baby that might not even be yours?""Cordelia, I thought you understood...I thought..." he sputters, his face growing red with frustration. "The evidence is all here, why can't you see the truth?"He can't seriously mean what he is saying. He's a man of science, and yet he's trying to convince me that Magnus isn't just some type of sociopath, but an actual monster."I'm sorry, Jude, I feel for you, I really do," I say honestly. "But even if I do sympathize with your situation, I can't risk betraying my family just because you have a..." I wave my hands at the papers on the table, "...theory." "What about a key to one of the power boats? I can go by myself, I can get there and...""You'd be a sitting duck!" I scoff. "That boat doesn't have enough fuel to get you to Hawai
Stealing the Heart of Mr. Steele Chapter 304
[Clark] I didn't realize I had forgotten my keys inside the suite until I came to the room and realized I was locked out. "Tilly," I'm sure she's in there. After trying earlier, I looked everywhere and couldn't find her. "Matilda, darling, I know you're in there. You need to talk to me." A quiet sob confirms my suspicion. She's not only inside, she's decided to lock me out. "Go away, you jerk.""I know you're upset and I'm sorry for hurting you but...""You're a lying jackass!" Something hits the door with a thunk. A shoe by the sound of it.Jude rushes past me in the hallway, a large file folder in his hands. He's determined on his path, moving with quick, clipped steps. I don't think he even sees me standing there as he passes. Something is up with him. Maybe I should follow him?"You told me our wedding would be special and magical," she sobs. "But you just wanted good press!" My heart clenches. "It's not like that, Tilly. I want to marry you. I've been trying to get you to mar
Stealing the Heart of Mr. Steele Chapter 305
[Clark]I ease my way into the room and close it behind us. She says something cocky about not being Mrs. Steele yet, and I smile. If she's joking with me, it's a good sign that she's halfway to forgiving me. "How can I make this up to you?" I place my hands on her shoulders, squeezing gently. "How can I make this better?""You can't," she huffs, defiant. "You ruined my wedding day." Her lip trembles and I want to kiss away her pain, but I know she'd rather be heard now than seduced. "No, that's not exactly right or fair. Magnus ruined it. Again. That bastard ruins everything."I pull her into my arms and hold her to my chest. "We can still have a beautiful day. So what if the press won't care? Maybe that's for the best. I should have never tried to turn our wedding into a press opportunity in the first place.""Press opportunity?" she huffs, "You mean publicity stunt."I twist my lips but do not correct her. There's no use when she's in this kind of mood. "So what are you going to d
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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
