I glared at Cole, feeling a mix of frustration and resignation. “Alright,” I grumbled, gathering my things and stuffing them into my bag. I walked out of the classroom, Cole following closely behind, the tension between us palpable. As we exited the school, I couldn’t help but think about how compl
Nicola Taylor The argument wasn’t over. I could hear Cole’s heavy footsteps pounding up the stairs, each one echoing my own frustration and anger. As soon as he reached the door, he began banging on it, the force of his knocks shaking the frame. “Nicola, open the door! We need to talk!” His voice
Nicola Taylor I woke up in Cole’s arms, his warmth and the steady rhythm of his breathing made my heart skip a beat. Carefully, I tried to slip out of his embrace, but his arms were heavy, and he held onto me even in his sleep. After a bit of a struggle, I managed to free myself without waking him
Nicola Taylor The next few days had been strange. Cole was very sweet, romantic, and nice, but somehow there was no sexual component to it. I didn't know how a person could go from having sex straight for ten hours to nothing. He brought me flowers, cooked dinner, and even kissed my forehead multip
"Of course I will. It's not like we're married and you have any right over my financial assets. Oh wait, you do," he said sarcastically, making me giggle a little as I didn’t see the sarcasm coming. "Alright. But I will pay you back, and if you don't take it, you'll face my wrath," I warned him pla
Cole Harrington Nicola was too ashamed to face my brother just yet, so she bolted from the office, heading back to her room. I watched her retreating form with a mix of amusement and exasperation before turning my attention to Lucas. He was at the bar, pouring himself a drink, his expression one of
His words struck a nerve. He was right, but I didn’t want to admit it. When I initially proposed marriage to Nicola, it was just for Arabella. I had decided to be a devoted, loyal husband to her. I was going to be intimate with her only for her. I was going to be romantic only for her sake. But now
Nicola Taylor The towering Harrington headquarters loomed before me as I arrived, a blend of excitement and nerves buzzing through me. It felt surreal, stepping into the epicenter of my husband's world, yet the irony was that my first visit wasn't to see Cole, but his brother, Lucas. He'd called la
Nicola Taylor I sat in the car, gripping the steering wheel tightly, staring at the entrance of Cole’s office building. I felt utterly defeated. Six years ago, my life had crumbled in his absence. And now, here I was again, stuck in an endless loop, except this time, I wasn’t competing with the
Cole Harrington I watched Nicola walk off, her retreating figure stirring something uneasy in my chest. The weight of the day’s events pressed down on me like a storm cloud refusing to dissipate. I felt suffocated, torn between what was happening and what I was inadvertently doing to the woman I c
Nicola Taylor The weight of her words hit like a tidal wave. I felt my chest tighten as I realized what she’d sacrificed, and I could see the shift in Cole’s expression. The anger in his eyes dimmed, replaced by something closer to heartbreak. “And you just… agreed to that?” he asked, his voice b
“Because I knew you wouldn’t let me go,” she said simply. “You would’ve fought him, and he would’ve come after you too. After Arabella. I couldn’t risk it. I couldn’t let him hurt you the way he wanted to hurt me.” The three of us stood in silence, the weight of Courtney’s confession hanging heavy
Nicola Taylor Arabella went back inside, her small figure disappearing into the house with a frustrated sigh. The heavy front door creaked as it closed, leaving just the three of us standing in the cool morning air. Silence settled over the driveway, broken only by the occasional rustle of leaves i
Nicola Taylor The night was a restless blur. Aaron’s small, trembling body pressed against mine as he cried himself to sleep, his tears soaking through my shirt. I stayed with him, stroking his hair and whispering soft reassurances until his breathing evened out. Even then, I couldn’t bring myself
Nicola Taylor As I sat on Emma’s worn but cozy couch, “I think I should head home now,” I said, breaking the comfortable silence between us. “I miss my kids, and I can’t keep running away. If I stay away much longer, Cole might do something drastic to track me down.” The thought made my stomach ch
Cole Harrington “Where is she?” my mom screamed, her voice cutting through the thick tension in the room as her glare landed on Courtney. Courtney shrank back, but she didn’t respond, her face pale and drawn. My mother had never been a fan of Courtney—not openly hostile, but certainly not warm. S
Nicola Taylor Her apartment was modest but surprisingly clean. A small living room with a sagging couch and mismatched furniture opened into a kitchenette. A door to the left likely led to her bedroom, and there was a pile of laundry in one corner. The faint smell of lavender hung in the air, mixi