All Chapters of Stealing the Heart of Mr. Steele: Chapter 321 - Chapter 330

[Cordelia]When the man who betrayed you tells you that someone else is even less trustworthy than he is, you listen, or at least I do. But now that I'm sitting across from her, it is getting harder and harder to deny her charm and good nature. She seems genuinely interested in making things right by Atlas and Clark. I take a few more bites of my late breakfast, watching her interact with her two sons. There is a lightness about them now as if their load has been lifted at least a little bit. But while I am grateful to her for bringing the spark back into Clark's eyes, and the hope back into Atlas' heart, I can't help that my mind is spinning and twirling about the possibility of her being another backstabber waiting to strike. "I've taken a look at Mathilda's condition," she squeezes Clark's hand and I find myself ruffling internally when he doesn't back away. "I think she has a chance to wake, but she'll need more time to heal. I have a serum back at the island that might help, bu

[Cordelia]"Please Cordelia," she motions towards her when she sees my hesitation. "I won't bite, I promise." Her laughter, meant to sound comforting, feels a bit sinister as I take my first steps towards her. Looking in both directions I check to see if there is anyone around watching. I don't want to make a mistake like last time when I went alone into danger. Atlas would likely scoff at my fear. She's my mother-in-law after all. When I look to my right and see a crew member to the right cleaning some debris off of the deck with mop and pail, my whole body relaxes. I feel a little guilty that something so small could give me such relief, but the last few weeks have been hell. A terrifying unpredictible hell. When I woke up this morning, I knew today was going to be a hard day. Needing comfort and feeling a bit nostalgic, I draped myself in emeralds, including the infamous emerald and silver comb. The comb is especially precious, not only as the first gift that Atlas ever gave to

[Cordelia]I expected her hands to slip, or her grip to fail. She is, after all, a woman in her 60's, and although I am petite in stature, I am still a full-grown woman hanging by her ankle. Even a strong man would have a hard time keeping a hold of me.Somehow she not only manages to hold on, but she does so for long enough that a crew member could reach out from the deck below to grab my shoulders and ease me onto their deck. It was a careful operation requiring strong hands. Even so, they could have lost me if Susanna hadn't been able to hold on for as long as she did. In all the commotion someone contacts Atlas who rushes onto the lower deck just as they pull me to safety. "Cordelia, oh my God!" He shouts as he scoops me up into his lap. I sigh deeply, sinking into his warmth. I missed him so much. I can't stand when we're arguing. "What happened?""I fell," I nuzzle him closely. "I thought I was going to die."The door flies open behind us. "Cordelia, are you okay?"Atlas swive

[Atlas]Clark's face is drawn and tired, his body hunched. He looks like he's been stuck in this chair for days, and perhaps he has."How's she doing today," I ask as I take a step deeper into the room. His daughters are asleep in a double stroller next to him as the nurses prepare to transport their mother. They make little bubbles in their sleep as they lay in their separate seats, their little fingers touching."As well as can be expected," he sighs like a man who feels the weight of everything on his shoulders. In one quick, tragic moment, he went from a man desperately in love planning his wedding to an almost widower and single father. "They still can't figure out what caused her cardiac arrest. Has Cordy said anything more about what happened before her episode?""No," I shake my head, my disappointment coloring my voice, "She hasn't been willing to talk about what happened." My anger rises as I tell him all about how our relationship has been disintegrating, how we are sleepin

[Clark]Cordelia is seething mad. Whatever happened between her and Atlas has created a rift between them and Atlas is going to need to work hard if he wants to win back her trust. Whatever he said or did this time has her behaving much like she did when she divorced him the first time, and if he isn't careful, he'll be speaking with her lawyers a second time. She has the same resolute look on her face, the same determination of a woman with nothing to lose. "Please let me know when you have updates on Tilly," she requests as I help her with Jasper's stroller.Her usually sweet smile has a sour downturn on the edges as I pull her into my arms for a final hug. "I'll let you know as soon as her condition changes," I promise, letting her go. As I watch her wheel my nephew into the lobby of the finest luxury hotel in Honolulu, I find myself jealous of my brother. Yes, his wife isn't speaking to him at the moment, but at least she is strong enough to leave him. I'd rather have Tilly slap