MARCUSAll three of us sat at the dining table, the aroma of freshly cooked waffles and sausages filling the air. I had woken up early, determined to mend the strained atmosphere with a delicious breakfast. Nicole, however, was still giving me the silent treatment, her expression somber as she pushed her food around her plate.The tension was palpable, and I could feel my own discomfort growing with each passing second. It seemed like an eternity until Vicky decided to break the ice.“Nicole," Vicky spoke up, her voice soft but pleading. Nicole looked up, her eyes meeting Vicky's gentle gaze. "Yeah?""I understand that you might be upset, but please don't take it all out on Marcus. He was just trying to help me”Nicole let out a sigh and muttered, "Don't worry about it. We're cool." But her dismissive tone revealed that she wasn't cool at all. She finished eating in silence, abruptly standing up from the table and leaving me and Vicky behind.Vicky let out a disappointed sigh, her ta
NICOLE The police were still trying to trace Mariella’s location, yet nothing has been found. It was as if she was no longer on planet earth.I was trying to finish up another of my paintings that I had started a few days back. I was hoping to go donate it at the orphanage. These past weeks I've grown accustomed to visiting the place. Marcus came in and peeped at my work, nodding his head in approval. “You’re almost done”I smiled, “Yes I am. It just needs some finishing touches”“I'm going to the police station to see how far they've gone with the investigation, I'll be back in a few days” he said, stroking my back.“Alright. Be good” I watched Marcus leave the room, his footsteps fading away as he made his way toe find Vicky.With a sigh, I turned my attention back to my painting.Hours passed, and my painting finally took its final form.I stepped back to admire it. It was a depiction of a serene meadow, with blooming flowers and a radiant sunset in the background.I prepared to l
MARCUSI sat at the dimly lit bar, swirling the drink in my hand, my mind wandered to Vicky. She had been nothing but kind to me. I prayed she was still alive, hoping that fate had spared her from the clutches of the child trafficking ring. I felt responsible for her since she had no one else to help her.She had no family or friends and she looked to me like a brother.My concerns deepened as the realization struck that I hadn't heard from Nicole in days. The last time we spoke was when I called and she informed me that she now had the company of a little girl at home.I was happy with that. At least she won't be lonely and would have someone to talk to. Even if it was just a child.I tried calling her number a few times, but it was unreachable. The bar had started to empty out, leaving only a rowdy group of girls. From the moment I arrived, I could feel their eyes on me, but I did my best to ignore their glances.As the place grew practically deserted, I couldn't help but notice o
NICOLE “If you think some superhero is going to swoop in and save your sorry asses, then you thought wrong," Mariella sneered, her voice dripping with contempt.We were holed up in an underground house, a safe haven turned into a grim prison. Ellie and I sat huddled on the floor, our hair disheveled, our clothes stained and torn.Mariella paced around the room like she owned the place, her hand confidently planted on her hips. She chewed her gum obnoxiously, the sound echoing through the tense air.“Now that I think about it," she said, her words laced with cruel calculation. "How much should I sell you both for? Let's leave the little girl out of it. You, my dear, are worth way more than her. You're a package deal, two for the price of one."I instinctively placed my hand on my belly, a protective gesture that seemed to amuse Mariella. She let out a mocking laugh as she observed my action."Aww, Marcus' little heir is in there, huh? Poor baby," she sneered, scrunching down to my lev
"Daddy! Daddy! How does it look?"My eyes shifted from the desk to the little princess In front of me, she was holding her canvas and her eyes were glittering with so much love and hope, I never thought I would melt at such beauty but ever since I met Nicole, things changed.I was amazed at her realistic creation painting, it was a plant growing from the earth and it looked like I was watching it happen live."It's…" I paused for a while, pulling her closer to me. Ellie's eyes dulled and so her posture slacked with her emotional change."You don't like it?" It was almost a whimper before I scoffed."Ellie, I love it! It's so beautiful I wasn't able to comprehend it. It's something your mom would have painted." I smiled at her and she set the canvas down before jumping on my lap, "she'll be proud.""Do you think she's going to come back?" The question always stung my heart, I didn't have the answer to it, I've always had a solution for every problem, except for this one."Yes, she will
Nicole took a deep breath as she stepped out of the grand doors of the church, her eyes scanning the sea of faces that awaited her. Her heart was racing, and her palms were slick with sweat as she began to make her way down the aisle. The wedding march played loudly from the speaker, drowning out the sound of her racing heartbeats.She tried to focus on the faces of her family and friends, but her eyes kept drifting to the rows of celebrities and billionaires seated in the front rows. It was overwhelming, to say the least, to see so many important people gathered in one place just for her wedding day. The pressure was almost too much to bear.As she drew closer to the altar, her eyes met with those of her groom, the infamous billionaire playboy, Marcus. He looked dashing in his perfectly tailored suit and the look in his eyes as he watched her approach.As she reached where Marcus stood, she faced him, and her veil still covered her face. The priest began to speak. "Do you, Marcus Rus
NICOLE"Nicole!" Someone yelled my name. I rolled on the bed lazily and sleepy. I was awake all night watching the art exhibition of Nancy Tires, a renowned artist. Sleepy, I heard the door bang.I groaned, rubbing the sleep from my eyes, and sat up, wondering who could be so loud at this time of the morning. “Nicole, come out.” My eyes snapped open at the sound of the landlord's voice calling out for me to come out. Dread washed over me as I realized that he was here, and I had no choice but to face him. As a struggling artist, I couldn't afford to lose my apartment, so I had to find a way to make things work.I dragged myself out of bed and stumbled towards the door, my mind racing with thoughts of how to explain my situation to the landlord. I took a deep breath and opened the door. The landlord stood there, his arms crossed and a stern look on his face. He was a tall man with a thick mustache and piercing eyes that seemed to bore into her very soul.“Good morning, Mr.Trent," I g
NICOLEI felt a rush of relief flood through me as I heard the man's words. As I looked up, I saw him for the first time, and I couldn't help but feel stunned by his good looks. He was tall, with chiseled features, and piercing blue eyes that seemed to look straight through me.Carmen didn't seem to like being called out on her behavior, and she glared at him. "What do you mean to leave her alone Marcus? She ruined my dress!" she protested.Marcus just shrugged nonchalantly. "Accidents happen, Carmen. And it's not like she did it on purpose. You should be more careful with your expensive clothes if you don't want them to get stained."I watched in awe as he handled the situation with ease, diffusing the tension in the air.“Excuse me?" she asked incredulously, glaring at Marcus. "Are you really taking her side now?"Marcus shook his head. "I'm not taking sides. I believe in justice. Besides, I'm just here to eat. I don't want to be involved in any kind of power struggle between women.