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.
NICOLE Working late into the night on my painting was one of the most fulfilling experiences I had in years. The thought of participating in an art exhibition for the first time since the middle school made me feel excited and nervous like a bride. It had been three days since Nina had informed me of the opportunity, and though I was exhausted beyond my limits, it was all worth it."You're finished," Nina's voice came from behind me."Hey, you're awake. Yeah, I'm done. I just need to leave it on the balcony to dry," I replied, standing behind my work."Oh my goodness, the painting is beautiful, as usual, Nicole," she gushed over my artwork."You always say that every time," I blushed."By the way, I finished the pencil art that someone had asked for," I pointed to the board where the art was pinned."Oh, you're such a sweetheart. You'll get the commission for sure," she said, walking over to the board to prepare it for framing.As soon as I arrived at my house, Mr. Trent, the landlor
MARCUSNicole Zachary was stunning. I had already noticed her beauty the day we met at the diner, but today she looked even more striking. Whether it was the red dress, the red lip gloss, or the way the dress hugged her figure, I couldn't say.As she walked through the door, I felt fate was on my side. My friends had bet that I would never get married, but I was determined to prove them wrong. And there was only one person I had in mind: Nicole Zachary.I had done my research and paid for information on her. I knew she was a struggling artist in need of money, making her an easier target. Offering her a large sum of money would be all it would take to win her over. At least, that's what I believed - women are programmed to be drawn to money, or so the stereotype goes.I approached her, standing behind her with my head tilted. It was now or never.“Nicole Zachary," I said, and she turned to face me, her eyes widening in surprise and recognition as she locked her gaze onto my face."Mr
NICOLEA contract marriage was not something I had ever imagined for myself. Love wasn't even on my bucket list. But here I was, considering a contract marriage with Marcus, a wealthy young man.As I sat on the couch, gazing out the window, I noticed the serene surroundings, and it looked like it was going to rain. I sent a text to Nina, telling her that I had made it home and that she could enjoy the after-party on her own.Memories flooded back to me, and tears began to stream down my face. Damian my younger brother had been born with a defective heart, and even at sixteen, his condition was still critical. He had undergone several surgeries, but none had been successful. He urgently needed a heart transplant, but finding a suitable donor had proven to be a challenge due to his rhesus factor. Also, my dad had suffered a work accident years ago, resulting in a perforated lung.These were some of the reasons why I had left home and moved to North Dakota - I wanted to work and raise