Chapter 2

　　Mandy's POV

　　I hadn't expected Atlas to agree to my terms so easily.

　　When his lawyer called that afternoon, his voice was hesitant, maybe thinking he could coax me to change my mind.

　　"Please bring the agreement this evening." I said, absentmindedly. The feelings were gone. Disappointment and anger swept in.

　　After cutting the call, I moved through the house, picking up all Atlas had. From the dressing room to the bedroom, not a single item remained.

　　I called the servants. Quickly they came. "Send all these out!" I ordered.

　　I was going to call him to come pick them. He wasn't mine any longer.

　　The house felt empty when I was done.

　　It ached to give up on six years of my dedication and affection but my dignity meant more.

　　That evening, Atlas arrived with his mother.

　　Atlas avoided my gaze, his hands shoved into his pockets, shoulders tense.

　　His mother, Margaret, looked with disdain.

　　I didn't offer them tea, nor did I offer them a seat.

　　The agreement lay on the coffee table, neatly arranged, my signature already marked. Atlas skimmed through it, his jaw tightening slightly.

　　Margaret leaned over his shoulder, her finger tapping sharply against the page.

　　"This is outrageous," she snapped. "You're stripping him of everything he owns?" She shot a scorching look at me. I blinked, rolling my eyes off.

　　"Who cares?"

　　Atlas said nothing.

　　I crossed my legs and leaned back. "You're welcome to leave. After all, I'm not the one who desperately wants to fulfill someone's wish."

　　The room fell silent. Atlas inhaled slowly, then reached for the pen. He signed. I heaved with relief.

　　"There's one more thing." I said.

　　Atlas blurted out. "What again?"

　　"The wedding gown," I said one word at a time. "The payment for it is different."

　　Margaret let out a mocking laugh. "Don't be ridiculous. Didn't you make the dress?"

　　"Yes," I agreed, smiling wickedly. "I made it specially for me. For my wedding, but now someone else is using it, so he has to pay."

　　Atlas frowned. "You've got no heart!"

　　"Wanted a nice treatment?" I grinned. He frowned, knowing I was mocking him.

　　Then as if an idea suddenly came into his mind, he said, "Have you forgotten this is your sister we're talking about?"

　　"Who said so? I?"

　　Again, he went tongue-tied.

　　"I'm the victim here and you still expect me to hand over my dress free of charge to the instigator of my pain. You must be joking." I scoffed. I wondered what they took me for.

　　Worse would be me reporting it as stolen, should he piss me further.

　　It seemed he knew. A few seconds later, he muttered, "Fine."

　　I slid over the addendum. "Sign here."

　　He did, then cleared his throat. "There's also the jewelry."

　　I blinked. "What about it? Is there anything wrong with it?"

　　"The pieces you selected. The diamond set, the heirloom bracelet. Susie should have them. Since it goes perfectly with the wedding gown."

　　"Tell me it's a joke?" I gasped.

　　"I'm serious," he said.

　　Margaret folded her arms. "Susie is the bride now. She needs everything." She demanded.

　　"And we will appreciate it if you cooperate." Atlas said.

　　"What makes you both feel so entitled?"

　　"But honestly, Mandy, why are you stiff? Susie's time is limited."

　　My eyes grew dark. "How is it my problem?"

　　Seeing my face, his frown fades into a smile. "Our wedding after will be splendid. The wedding of the year."

　　I stared at him and shrugged my shoulders.

　　Margaret nodded in approval. "Yeah."

　　I felt sick, weak and dizzy.

　　Very hurt, I simply reached for the pen again.

　　"Separate payment….. again," I said, writing swiftly. "For the jewelry."

　　Atlas shook his head with exhaustion but he was going to pay for it.

　　"About its delivery?" He asked.

　　"You don't need to worry about it, I'll deliver it to the hospital myself."

　　Margaret scoffed, but Atlas still signed.

　　The next morning, the payment was received.

　　I placed the jewelry box into my bag and drove to the hospital.

　　Atlas had already sent me her ward number. Close to the door, voices conspired inside. The door was ajar.

　　"Useless bitch, I wished it was her dying in Susie's place."

　　Atlas laughed. My chest tore to pieces.

　　"I thought Ms Clingy wasn't going to accept."

　　"Good she did. She knows she has got no place in your life. Susie would be much better aside from the sickness."

　　I pushed the door open.

　　"Good morning," I said brightly, pretending as though I didn't hear a word.

　　Susie's eyes widened at the sight of me. Margaret spun around, startled.

　　"Ooh, you're here?" Margaret replied, feigning surprise.

　　I smirked and headed over to Susie's bedside. Then, I pulled a bottle of champagne from my bag.

　　"What are you doing?" Atlas demanded.

　　"Celebrating her goal wedding," I replied.

　　I shook the bottle and popped the cork.

　　Foam sprayed everywhere over Atlas's suit, Margaret's channel blouse, the floor of the hospital was not spared either. Nurses shouted from the hallway. Susie gasped.

　　"Oh dear," I said, feigning surprise. "How clumsy of me." An annoying laughter escaped my lips.

　　I set the jewelry box on the bed, opening it slowly. The diamonds caught the light, shining brightly, it quickly caught everyone's attention.

　　"Here," I said sweetly. "Everything you asked for. I hope you become the happiest girl in the world once you get married to him." I threw a lip gesture at Atlas.

　　"Well," she said, "since Susie is taking your place… it only makes sense she takes everything." Margaret spurted her revenge.

　　"Sorry…We didn't make it clear." Atlas cut in.

　　I froze.

　　"We're taking everything for Susie, including the venue…. Everything!" She stressed.

　　My eyes lingered.

　　"After all the arrangements you made," Margaret continued, " it would be such a waste if we don't use it."

　　So they weren't just stealing my fiancé, wedding and jewelry. They wanted everything I'd raised to make this wedding?

　　I stood there, stunned, as their voices turned into exciting chats. Surprisingly, the dying Susie was the loudest. She spoke, stealing glances at me from time to time.

　　Now, I was just wondering what they would want next.