“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
I took a deep breath and glared at him. “That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard.” “Well, most men do it. Even I have done it. That’s why I know what he’s thinking. So please tell him you’re married so he will back off and you can go back to just learning,” he said, meeting my glare with equal
Nicola Taylor I carefully packed the delicious donuts I made in class today, deliberately choosing a Moana theme to delight Arabella. The donuts were vibrant, decorated with little edible characters and tropical colours, and I couldn't wait to see the look on her face when she saw them. As I was f
Without a second thought, he stood up, his authoritative voice slicing through the room, “Gentlemen, we’ll have to continue this later. Please, leave the room.” The businessmen exchanged puzzled glances but didn’t question him. They gathered their things and filed out of the office, shooting curiou
Nicola Taylor It was 7 am, and I was dropping Arabella off at school. I thought I’d offer Nicola a ride too, but she wasn’t downstairs yet. Frowning, I turned to Mrs. Kinsley. "Mrs. Kinsley, have you seen Nicola? She's not downstairs," I asked as I put Arabella lunchbox and water bottle in her bag
“And…” I continued, leaning closer, my breath warm against her ear. “I’m serious, Nicola. I’m not playing around.” “This is my room, Cole. I get to decide,” she shot back, her irritation evident but tinged with a playful undertone. “….and 3!” I hit ‘3’ with a dramatic flourish, she let out a squea
Nicola Taylor I woke up at 2 PM, feeling more exhausted than I expected. As I rubbed the sleep from my eyes, memories of the vivid sex dream with Cole flooded my mind, making my eyes widen in surprise. Had it really happened, or was it just my imagination running wild? Trying to shake off the conf
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
“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