Nicola Taylor"I can't believe you married into my insane life." Cole sounded almost upset, his tone heavy with frustration. He leaned back on the couch, rubbing his temples like he couldn’t quite shake off the mess that came with his past.Sitting beside him in our cozy living room, I tried to keep
Nicola TaylorThe backyard was a vision straight out of a fairy tale. The decorations sparkled under the warm afternoon sun, turning the space into a magical wonderland for Arabella’s birthday. Twinkling fairy lights wrapped around tree trunks and hung from branches, casting a gentle glow.Pastel-co
Nicola TaylorIt was 10 p.m. when Lucas and I found ourselves sitting in the den, the remnants of Arabella's birthday party still lingering in the air—the faint scent of cake, the soft flicker of lights. Cole stood a few feet away, pacing slightly, deep in thought. He had decided to hold off telling
Then, he whispered the name, as if the realization had just clawed its way into his mind. “Courtney.”My heart sank as I saw the raw pain flash in his eyes. He remembered her now. The love of his life, his high school sweetheart, the mother of his child. The woman who had left a gaping hole in his h
Nicola TaylorI hadn’t slept the whole night, too terrified of the conversation I was about to have with Cole. The knot of dread twisted tighter in my stomach with every thought. Pacing the kitchen, I clutched my coffee mug like it was the only thing anchoring me to reality. What was I going to say?
Nicola TaylorCole was watching me like I had sprouted a second head. "How do you know my mother?" he asked, completely perplexed. His eyes darted between me and the phone. "Wait—why are you crying so much?"I exhaled shakily, unable to answer, as tears streamed down my face. Ten agonizing minutes l
Without thinking, I threw myself into his arms, colliding with his bare chest. He caught me easily, his grip tightening around my waist in a way that felt a little too natural, like his hands had been there before and knew exactly how to hold me. His skin was warm against mine, and I could feel the
Nicola Taylor"Doc, my head is killing me right now," Cole groaned, holding his head as he lounged on the hospital bed, still managing to look ridiculously good despite the pain. He raked a hand through his messy hair, throwing me a glance that made me want to smack the smug look off his face.How c
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