Nicola TaylorI was still simmering over Sierra, but I had to admit she’d respected my wishes and backed off for now. It felt like a minor victory, but something about her sudden departure from the scene didn’t sit well with me. I knew her type—always with a foot wedged in the door, waiting for just
Nicola TaylorI arrived home just past two in the afternoon, the drive feeling longer than it should have. I wasn’t sure if the frustration made the trip feel endless or if it was simply the weight of this nagging feeling I couldn’t shake. Either way, I was exhausted but determined. If I could just
Cole seemed taken aback by my response, his eyes narrowing slightly. “Did you hear what I just told you? She’s been hurt by the one person she trusted most, what am I supposed to say? Go away?” he replied, sounding slightly exasperated.“Oh, I heard you,” I replied, the anger I’d tried to hold back
Nicola TaylorThe drive back felt longer than the hours it actually took. Every mile was filled with regret and frustration for having wasted precious time on a confrontation that had only stirred more questions and doubts. Skipping work for this… this pointless confrontation had been a mistake, and
The words struck a chord, pulling at me, his hand still on my arm, his fingers pressing warmth into my skin, lingering, grounding me there in the charged silence. I swallowed, trying to hold my ground. “I don’t know, Cole. I don’t know. I mean, I do think that if a person was there when you needed t
Nicola TaylorThe house was still, a heavy silence settling around me as I paced in the hallway, trying to calm down. But every time I replayed the scene at his office, the memory of Sierra’s teary face pressed against him, that feeling of betrayal rose like bile. I took a breath, leaning against th
His words replayed in my head.I froze, my gaze narrowing, realizing it all at once. “You remember,” I whispered, my voice rough with a mix of anger and shock. “You… you fucking asshole.”He tensed, caught, and then gave a small nod, his jaw clenching. “I didn’t want to tell you. I didn’t want to ru
Nicola TaylorI paced the length of the bedroom, my fists clenching and unclenching at my sides, a low hum of frustration buzzing just beneath my skin. I could feel Cole’s presence behind me, tense and electric, his gaze fixed on me like he was trying to catch my eye, to say something unspoken. But
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