My stomach sank. "What about him?"Her voice wavered, raw and uneven. "I’m so tired, Nicola. We have no money. Please, don’t tell Cole, Mom, or Dad—it’s so humiliating. He’s not doing anything. He just sits at home and ‘invests’." she said, her fingers curling into air quotes. "He invested everythin
Nicola Taylor I head to the kitchen, needing something to eat and a moment to myself. The quiet hum of the refrigerator fills the space, but it does little to calm my racing mind. I pull open a cabinet, grabbing a box of crackers, not because I’m hungry but because I need to keep my hands busy. D
Cole Harrington “Where is the fucking data on our newest draft? I needed the simulations yesterday!” My voice echoed through the office, sharp and unforgiving. “I am so fucking close to firing someone. What—” I slammed the phone down mid-outburst, trying to reel myself back in. My chest heaved with
Unknown The airport buzzed with the chaotic hum of travelers—rolling suitcases, intercom announcements, and hurried footsteps. I stood still, clutching my bag tightly, my heart racing with every inhale. The air around me felt thick, suffocating. The weight in my chest grew heavier with each step I
Nicola TaylorI chopped vegetables methodically, the rhythmic thuds of the knife against the wooden board keeping my thoughts anchored. The aroma of simmering sauce filled the kitchen as I stirred it, exhaling deeply, savouring the quiet solace of the day. It was rare to have the house entirely to m
Before I could process what was happening, he bent me over the counter, the cool slab pressing against my flushed skin. My breath hitched as I felt his hands slide up the hem of my dress, exposing me to the room—and to him. The sharp intake of his breath was audible as he paused for a fraction of a
Nicola TaylorAs we tried to catch our breath, the doorbell rang, cutting through the charged silence like a thunderclap. I jolted upright, hurriedly pulling my clothes back on, shoving Cole’s wandering hands away. My heart was still racing from the heat of the moment, but now it beat with a differe
Cole HarringtonI couldn’t believe what was happening. I was holding her—her. The woman I thought I had lost forever. The woman who, at one point, had been my everything.Courtney trembled in my arms, her sobs muffled against my chest. My fingers curled instinctively around her shoulders, pulling he
“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
Nicola Taylor I stood there, numb, watching the scene unfold in front of me. It was as though time had frozen, and in that moment, the weight of the truth crashed down on me. For six long years, I had loved Cole with every part of me. I had given him my heart, my trust, my soul. Yet, standing there