MARIELLAI seethed with anger as I walked home from speaking with Nicole. I was humiliated twice. First was Marcus chasing me out of his office and the second was Nicole slapping me.I didn't want to give her the satisfaction of getting to me, so I put on a calm face and didn't flinch even when the slap stung.As I turned onto my street, I glanced up at the neat rows of houses and felt a surge of bitterness rise up in my throat. I didn't want to go home. I didn't want to be alone with my thoughts. I wanted to scream, to shout, to let out all the pent-up frustration that had been building inside meBut I couldn't do that here. Not where anyone could see me. So I took a deep breath, plastered on a smile, and walked towards my front door with slow, deliberate steps. Inside, I knew I would be safe.But as I fumbled with my keys, my mind kept drifting back to Nicole's slap, and the humiliation of being thrown out of Marcus's office like a common criminal. I knew I needed to talk to someo
MARCUSIt's been three days since the Mariella incident, and things have been quite uncomfortable between Nicole and me. She's been avoiding any conversation with me, only responding with a nod or two.This situation is troubling me, and I'm not happy with how things are going. I've tried reaching out to her to discuss the matter, but she seems to be ignoring me.As I stood up from my chair, I let out a yawn. I've been working tirelessly, sorting through emails since early morning.I walked up the stairs to the terrace, hoping the fresh air would clear my head. As I reached the top, movement caught my eye. There was Nicole, her hair wrapped up in a towel, and another towel wrapped around her body. She was walking quickly, water droplets dripping off her skin.My eyes couldn't help but appreciate her beauty at that moment. But as she caught sight of me, her face hardened. I gave her a small wave and smiled, hoping to break the ice. But she gave me a sideways glance before turning aw
MARCUS“None of it is real” the words played in my head and I stared at my father in shock.How did Mariella even know to begin with? Yes the whole arrangement started as a contract marriage but I can't say the same for how it is going now.I looked up at my father, hoping he could see the truth in my eyes, but he just stared back at me, his expression hardened by disappointment. It was as if he couldn't understand that things had changed between Nicole and me, that our relationship had evolved beyond the initial agreement.“Wait, Dad, let me explain," I began, but he interrupted me abruptly."What's there to explain? How can you even do this? I didn't raise you to be this way. Is it true that you and Nicole have some kind of arrangement? Do you think I would find that amusing?" He said“You made me go over to her parents' house to smooth things over, and they agreed for you to marry their daughter," he continued, clearly upset."What is all this that I'm hearing?" My dad was getting
MARCUSAfter the whole drama had ended, my parents bid us goodbye, and Nicole and I made our way towards the car.As we arrived at the rooftop bar, we were greeted by the sound of laughter and music. Nicole and Nina took a seat next to each other, and Nina marveled at the breathtaking view.“This is beautiful”, Nina saidNicole seemed a little distant, lost in thought. Nina nudged her gently and shot her a warm smile.Just as the night began to wind down, Jamal, my college friend, arrived. I had called him earlier, hoping to introduce him to Nina.“Hey, man!” Jamal's hand shot out, and we connected in a firm handshake. With a little flourish, we bumped fists, and I couldn't help but grin.“I'm great," I said, glancing over at the ladies. "Ladies, this is my friend, Jamal. Jamal, this is Nicole my fiance, and Nina her best friend”Jamal stepped forward, extending his hand. "Nice to meet you, Nina."Nina shook his hand, her eyes sparkling. "Nice to meet you too, Jamal.“I love your cute
MARCUSI ran to check all the restrooms in the house, opening and slamming the door in the process, but all I found were empty sinks and neatly folded towels.Nicole wasn't there.Nina approached me with a terrified look on her face and shook her head, “I can't find her”.Just then, Jamal strolled up to us with a grin on his face, completely unaware of the situation.He wrapped his arm around Nina's waist and teasingly asked, "What's with the worried looks? Nervous about the big day?"“We haven't seen Nicole” I replied“And have you tried calling her phone?" Jamal asked, his voice tinged with concern."It's not going through, and it seems to be switched off," I replied with a frustrated sigh, running my fingers through my hair.I had already combed through every nook and cranny of the house, but Nicole was nowhere to be found. I couldn't shake off the feeling of unease that was creeping over me.Just then, my chef walked up to us with a sense of urgency. "Excuse me, Master, but I have
NICOLE I groaned and slowly opened my eyes, only to be met with darkness. I blinked a few times, trying to adjust to my surroundings, and as my vision cleared, I realized that I was in a dimly lit room.I tried to move, only to find that my arms and legs were chained to the bed I was lying on. Panic surged through my veins as I frantically tried to free myself from the restraints. I struggled against the chains, the metal biting into my skin as I pulled against them with all my might. But the restraints held fast, refusing to give way.I could hear the sound of my breathing echoing off the walls. I strained my ears, listening for any other sounds that might give me a clue as to where I was, but all I could hear was the beating of my own heart.My mind raced as I tried to piece together what had happened. Had I been drugged and brought here? Who could have done this to me? Was anyone looking for me?I closed my eyes, taking deep breaths to calm myself down.I glanced over at the
MARCUSIt's been 3 days since Nicole went missing without any proof of where she was. I was beyond paranoid now. Everyone was worried and the police had been contacted, but they were still doing their investigation.I hated that it was taking too long.Nina had told me that some of Nicole’s clothes were missing from her closet.I slumped onto the couch, the TV flickering in the background, Jamal walked in. His presence was a small comfort, but it didn't do much to ease the turmoil inside me.“Hey man, how are you holding up?" he asked.I just shook my head, a gesture that conveyed more than any words could.My eyes glazed over as I stared at the blank screen, my thoughts spiraling out of control. I hated that the police investigation was taking so long, every passing minute felt like an eternity. I couldn't bear the thought of not knowing where Nicole was, or if she was even okay."I'm going crazy, Jamal. I don't understand what happened. We searched everywhere, and we found out t
NICOLEI sat on the edge of the bed, my eyes wandering around the room, examining every detail for the hundredth time. The same white walls, the same grey curtains, the same wooden nightstand. I let out a sigh, feeling trapped in this place.I wanted to scream and throw things, but instead, I just sat there, staring blankly at the wall.Anthony comes once in a while to check up on me and hand me things. He even brought some of my underwear and dresses.I was sick and tired of the place. I haven't been outside in like 3 days. I missed Marcus, Nina, heck I missed my family.And what's taking them so long? Why haven't they disovered me yet?Please locate me, please locate meI heard Anthony footsteps approaching the door. I didn't want to give Anthony the satisfaction of seeing me awake and alert.I closed my eyes and let my body go limp, pretending to be fast asleep. The door creaked open, and I could feel Anthony's presence in the room.The scent of his cologne filled my nostrils, and