Stealing the Heart of Mr. Steele

Angelica's sobs are heartwrenching like her heart is shattered into a thousand pieces. I feel an overwhelming urge to comfort her, but I remember the photos of her sabotaging my line and feel my heart freeze. I don't know what game she's playing, but I won't let her take Atlas away from me again.

"I don't understand," she weeps, her voice shaking through choked sobs. "We were in love and now you have cast me aside. What did I do wrong?"

She sounds bewildered and frightened. But I saw the photos. There is no denying it was her. Why is she bothering to try to convince him of something else?

Does she have no memory of the sins she committed against me or is all of this part of some twisted, elaborate game?

Thinking back to the way she manipulated me into trusting her on the island, despite how she insists she remembers nothing of that time, this feeling of being controlled and lied to feels very much the same.

Does she think she can gaslight my husband into loving her again?

My heart stops.

My husband.

Is that who he is to me again? Can one night change a heart that much?

"Angelica," Atlas' tone is soft and kinder than I'd expect. "I loved you once, but that was a long time ago," he tries to explain through her wailing moans and sniffling tears. "But you need to stop doing this. You need to stop hurting yourself and others for a love that isn't real."

"But it is real," she demands. "It is real to me."

"I know," he tries to comfort her, "And for that I am sorry. I should have been honest with you from the start."

He still cares about her. Part of him always will. She was too much a part of his heart for it to be otherwise. Even though he says he doesn't love her anymore, I know that isn't entirely true.

Should I tell him the truth about her memory? How she is lying to all of us? I would have believed her story too if it weren't for her words the other day. She knows that Atlas and I were married. She wouldn't know that unless she remembered it from when her boyfriend kidnapped me. Nobody has told her since her "amnesia." We've all been so careful pretending her life was the same to save her from hurt.

But she's been playing us all along.

No, I can't let her keep tugging on his heart. I always thought he was cold and unfeeling, but that was before I really got to know him. Atlas has a kind, gentle, and fragile heart. He keeps it locked away to avoid breaking it again. And here she is, trying to use that weakness to her advantage.

Standing, I walk towards the door. As I step forward the floorboard creaks loudly underfoot.

"Who's there!" Angelica shouts, pushing past Atlas to rush up the stairs. "What did you do, Atlas? Who's in your bed?"

The broken door snaps open and I silently curse Atlas for his excitement last night. If he hadn't been so eager to get me into bed, I might have had a solid door to protect me from her.Property belongs to Nôvel(D)r/ama.Org.

Standing in the middle of the room. I feel vulnerable in my silk pajamas and nothing else.

Eyes red from tears, Angelica stands in the doorway, her chest heaving as she scans the room and takes in everything she sees. When her eyes settle on me, her face becomes ugly, twisting up into a vicious, snarling sneer. "You little whore!" she hisses, "How could you? After everything I've done to keep you safe, this is what you do to repay me."

The sound of Atlas' footsteps on the stairs lets me know he is on his way. but as I step back and she steps forward, I wonder if it will be enough.

"Don't you

know what you've done," Angelica speaks sharp and low, her eyes wild. "He's going to come for both of us now and there is nothing I can do to protect you." "Who?"

"Trust me, you don't want to know."

As soon as Atlas enters the room her demeanor changes. It's unnerving to see her transform before my eyes as she moves from threatening me to meek in a matter of seconds.

"Why, Atlas?" she collapses to the floor. "My little sister? You had to fuck my little sister?"