Perfection Redefined

Chapter 3

Colette couldn't hold in the gasp that escaped her, when she saw the blood gushing out of Peter's nose. When nobody reacted, she got up herself, putting her body between the two men.

"Get out of my way!" Atticus yelled, making her flinch.

Seeing her reaction, he immediately lowered his hand, baffled by her reaction. Of course he wouldn't hit her.

"That's all quite enough, gentleman. Anthony, fetch Peter a first aid kit." Alistair ordered from his position on the leather chair.

"You cheated on my ailing, dying, cancerous mother?" Atticus questioned with incredulity. A lump formed in Colette's throat, seeing his dewy eyes, and listening to his words.

"What sort of sick, sick bastard does that?!" He screamed, knocking over a stack of Colette's books.

Peter stood in a corner, unable to look his son in the eye.

"So what now, huh? Because you're the sickest person in the universe, I have to sacrifice my life, my entire life?" He laughed hysterically.

"Why do you even think that I will follow along with this plan? I have my own money, I will take mom and you can fend for yourself!" Atticus proclaimed like he'd had a desperate epiphany.

"See that's the thing. It's not so much about the media finding out as your poor, frail old mother. Do you think she can take it? Knowing your scum of a father sees other women while she gets chemo? Do you think she can take uprooting her life right now?" Alistair questioned cruelly. Colette gasped. She knew her father was evil, but she could barely stomach his vile actions.

"Why you..you!"

"But why must I marry her?! You want the company- you're getting it but why me?" Atticus questioned angrily, looked at Colette with pure hatred in his usually molten eyes.

"Why insurance of course. Whoever breaks the contract first, gets the company, and all the wealth." Alistair explained, knowing he had won.

"This is absurd and I will never agree to these terms." Atticus replied in a dangerously even voice.

"But you already have. Didn't your father tell you?" Alistair asked, feigning innocence.

If Atticus looked angry earlier, he was livid now. He turned slowly to face his father.

"You didn't sign anything. Tell me, that the man who has schooled me his entire life to read fine print, didn't sign anything in the heat of the moment!" He hollered, shoving his father roughly.

"I- I'm so sorry Atticus. He found me in bed- I was so stressed out your mother had just had chemo and- and he threatened to walk into her room and tell her right there! Please I had no choice!" Peter begged his eldest son.

Atticus shook his head in bitter resentment, in disgust, finally turning to Colette.

"And you, are you just going to sit there, go with this, knowing I will never love you, I will never want you, I will never even like you!" He said, his eyes windows to the storm raging inside. Colette met his eyes with her defeated ones. She took a moment to assess her situation. She was utterly broken, beyond repair. She knew her father had full confidence that Colette would follow his every command without question, the promise of pain a strong motivator.

I have nothing to lose.

I have nothing to gain.

My father will kill me in a rage one day.