Nicola Taylor Arabella sat on her bedroom floor, surrounded by a sea of toys. Her small hands moved mechanically, arranging her dolls in a meticulous row, but her eyes were distant, her face a tight mask of frustration. Since we picked her up from her grandparents, she hadn't spoken a word. Cole e
Nicola Taylor I was setting up my bed, the soft hum of the night surrounding me, after a long shower that had done little to wash away the emotional exhaustion of the day. I felt drained, not just from the events but from the constant uncertainty about whether Cole would join me in bed tonight or n
He sighed deeply, rubbing his temples. “We don’t have to decide anything right now. I want you to focus on your career for now. Quit your job and start your bakery course. Make sure you land the job of your dreams. Let’s wait until you take care of all the things in the future. If you feel like you
Nicola Taylor A couple of weeks passed, each day bringing a renewed sense of clarity and purpose. The day I had been eagerly awaiting finally arrived, and Cole had kept his promise to support me as I prepared to embark on this exciting new chapter. As we drove to the hotel management institute, a
Nicola Taylor A couple of weeks had passed, and my baking classes were going splendidly. The initial excitement had settled into a comfortable routine, and I was thriving in my new environment. Bella had managed to adjust to her new teacher, and the fact that she no longer had to share me with cla
Nicola Taylor I was in my element, thoroughly decorating my opera gateau with layers of rich, glossy chocolate and delicate coffee-flavoured mousse. Each stroke of the spatula was a dance, a testament to the skills I’d honed over the past few weeks. The cake was turning out beautifully, the gloss
“You know, Mr. Paterson, I’ve heard of tough love, but this is just rude. If you’ve got an issue with me, maybe you should address it like an adult instead of hiding behind ‘constructive criticism.” Mr. Paterson’s lips twitched, though whether it was a smile or a grimace, I couldn’t tell. “Maybe I
Nicola Taylor I got home before Arabella did, relishing the quietness of the house. Tossing my bag on the couch, I headed straight to the kitchen, craving something cold. I grabbed a bottle of Gatorade from the fridge and took a long, satisfying sip. The cool liquid felt refreshing after a long da
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
“So, what’s going on?” she asked, her tone flat, as if she had asked this question to a thousand strangers and didn’t expect much of an answer. I froze, not sure if I wanted to spill my thoughts to a complete stranger. But something in her gaze—apathetic yet steady—made me falter. My walls were alr
Nicola Taylor The cab came to a screeching halt outside a small café, its warm yellow lights spilling out onto the darkened street like a lifeline. I thanked the driver, handed him a crumpled bill from the cash in my back pocket, and stepped out, realizing with a jolt of panic that I had left my p