MaxwellIt was my usual routine - grabbing an espresso to start my day off right. I approached the counter, I noticed a woman at a table, her eyes locked onto me.I furrowed my brows, trying to place where I knew her from.But her stare persisted. It was as if she was seeing a ghost from her past, which made me uncomfortable.I tried to shrug it off and waited for my order. “Here you go sir”, the barrister called my attention and handed me the coffee.I turned to head out of the cafe but I caught glimpses of her watching me from a distance.The lady didn't seem like someone gawking at me for my physical appearance. Or was she?I hesitated for a moment, considering approaching her to ask if she needed help or if something was bothering her.But I decided against it.So many questions were roaming my mind.Who was this lady? And why was she staring at me.Soon enough, someone was beside me and it was weird lady.Gosh! This was going to be an awkward conversation “Marcus, it's me, Nic
NicoleI walked into my apartment, still feeling dazed from my encounter with the guy who looked like Marcus earlier that day. I could barely make sense of what had just happened.They looked so much alike that it was impossible that it wasn't Marcus.The guy’s reaction was super weird. And he looked totally clueless. Marcus was dead; I had watched him being lowered into the ground. And yet, here was this man who looked just like him, acting as if he had no idea what was going on.I sank onto the sofa, my head in my hands. I had never believed in reincarnation, but how else could I explain what I had just witnessed? It felt like I was living in a nightmare, where the rules of reality no longer applied. Marcus had never mentioned having a twin, but that didn't mean he didn't have one.My heart ached so much from thinking about him. I was just getting past that stage of grief. Now seeing his dopple ganger has awakened my emotions.It was as if I was back at square one, and the pain
NICOLEI found myself returning to the cafe time and time again. The mystery guy was still on my mind and I couldn’t help but wonder if he would show up again. I needed to find more details on the guy and know about his background.As the days went by, however, I began to lose hope. I had come to accept that maybe the guy wasn't coming back to the cafe anytime soon.I let out a heavy sigh, my shoulders slumping in defeat. I turned to leave, lost in my thoughts, when suddenly, I felt a jolt. My coffee cup tumbled from my hand, spilling hot liquid all over the floor.I reached for napkins and bent down to sop up the mess."Ouch, I'm sorry," I muttered, my eyes still glued to the floor.A voice spoke up, and my heart sank as I recognized it. Tim. Of all the people to witness my embarrassment, it had to be him."Fancy seeing you here," he said, his tone smirking.I forced a smile, my face flushing with embarrassment. "I know, right? We just had to meet here."He stepped back, his hands
MaxwellWhen I looked up at the window after sharing a kiss with Jennifer, my eyes locked in a gaze with Nicole, the lady from the cafe. It was unexpected, catching me off guard. The intensity of her stare pierced through me, as if she were peering into the depths of my soul. I couldn't tear my eyes away from her, curiosity mingling with a strange sense of connection.But then, I noticed something else. There was a flicker of pain in Nicole's eyes, buried deep within. It was a profound sadnessI wondered what could have happened to cause her such anguish, and I felt empathy for her. In that fleeting moment, our gazes became a silent exchange of unspoken questions and hidden emotions.Abruptly, Nicole broke our connection. Without a word, she retreated from the window and swiftly disappeared into her car. The sound of the engine starting filled the air, and she drove away, leaving me wondering what could be wrong with her.Lost in my thoughts, I was brought back to reality when Jenn
NICOLE I was at the pharmacy unit at the hospital to get the anxiety drugs prescribed by my doctor when I saw an unconscious Maxwell being wheeled into the intensive care unit. Beside him, clutching her chest, was Mariella, her eyes swollen with tearsI wondered what was wrong with him. He looked fine the last time I saw him at the mall.Mariella was being really dramatic about the whole thing.Some things never change. Forever the attention seeker.I didn't want her to see me and wasn't in the mood for any confrontation. So I pretended not to see her, holding my phone to my ear as if I was receiving a call and walked fast towards my car.“Nicole! Nicole!” I heard my name out of nowhere and stopped abruptly on my toes.I stopped suddenly, standing on my tiptoes. Slowly, I turned to face her. She was coming towards me with her hands in her pockets, making a big show of it.A sly smile played across her face as she gave me a barely noticeable wave. Every fiber of my being yearned to w
MARCUSI gradually regained consciousness and the first thing that hit my ears was the annoying sound of a beeping machine. Seriously, it was like a never-ending alarm clock piercing through my brain. I groggily tried to wrap my head around what the heck was going on and how I ended up in this clinic.The whole place reeked of antiseptic, and I could feel the cold, unforgiving touch of a metal bed beneath me. Yeah, I was definitely lying on one of those sterile hospital beds, tightly bundled up in those oh-so-fashionable white sheets.I looked around and realized I was all alone. No doctors, no nurses, no other patients. Just me and the beeping machine. What in the world was happening? Where was everyone?“N-Nicole," I managed to muster, my voice trembling yearning for a sip of water to alleviate its raspy plea. But my voice echoed back at me, bouncing off the sterile walls, unanswered.The door swung open, and I mustered up a weak smile, expecting to see Nicole's familiar face.
MARCUSThree weeks had passed by since I regained my consciousness, and I still haven’t contacted my family or Nicole. I don’t know why I haven’t done it but I just knew the time wasn’t right yet. Besides, I still had some investigation to do.In the dimly lit room, I peered through this tiny crack, totally fixated on Mariella as she did her thing in her bedroom. I was glued to every move she made, analyzing every little gesture and soaking up her expressions.And then bam! I saw her getting ready to bounce, so I quickly dashed back to my room. As soon as I heard the sound of her car zooming away, I kicked into high gear.I strolled up to her door, being real careful, I pulled a small device from my pocket—a listening device. The tiny tool held the key to unraveling the secret that surrounded Mariella.I strategically planted it in a discreet corner of her bedroom, ensuring that it would snatch up every single sound, every hushed whisper that echoed within those four walls. It wa
NICOLEMarcus and I locked lips, totally caught up in the moment. It was like fireworks exploding in my mouth, and amidst the heat of our kiss, I could taste the saltiness of tearsWhen we finally pulled apart, we just stood there, staring at each other, grinning like two goofballs. I felt this incredible sense of calm and contentment wash over me. Marcus was finally back with me, and it felt damn good.“I was scared. when you started reacting to those damn peanuts, my heart stopped”, Marcus blurted out his eyes still wide with worry“I have no idea how it happened, it must have been some crazy mix up with the order or something”, I replied shaking my head in disbelief “But seriously, how on earth did you manage to find me?" I asked amusedA sheepish smile spread across Marcus' face as he confessed, "Well, let's just say I may or may not have been low-key following you."I couldn't help but chuckle at his admission. "You were following me? That's both creepy and adorable," I teased
"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 “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
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 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
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
MARCUSRight now me and Nicole were sitting next to each other, and Mia was sitting across from us at the station. There was this barricade thing separating us.Nicole, being her stubborn self, had insisted that we take care of Mia's kid. And I had no choice but to go along with it. What else could I do? Nicole can be pretty persuasive when she wants to be.“Thank you both so much for forgiving me and forgetting the past. I don’t know how else I can thank you, but I really appreciate your effort” Mia clasped her hands together. Her nose was a bit swollen due to her condition, she was probably in her third Trimester while Nicole was in her second.“It’s fine. We are more than happy to help” Nicole beamed at her.I nodded in agreement, offering a smile to Mia. "Absolutely, Mia. We understand that people make mistakes, and we believe in giving second chances."She reached out to touch her swollen belly. "This baby means the world to me. I promise I'll do whatever it takes to make thing
NICOLEShe did a double take. “Nicole? What a surprise. I didn't know you were coming” Well, I didn't know it was going to be your house too. I pressed my lips together, attempting to regain composure. "Lovely home," I managed to say, glancing around at the interior."You're already drenched from the rain. Come, let me change you into a comfortable outfit," she offered, guiding me towards her room located down the hallway.So Marcus had sneaked out of the house to come to visit Vicky. I was getting closer to the answer but I didn't like how it was headed.Her room was big and painted in lavender. A cozy armchair was placed near a bookshelf. Nearby, a small vanity table displayed a collection of antique perfume bottles, a hand mirror, and a hairbrush.“You can take your seat over there” she gestured to the armchair and walked into her walk-in closet. After a moment, she emerged with this loose fitting dress and handed it to me.“Here," she said, passing me the clothes. "Put these on
NICOLE “Ms. Nicole?" the little voice called out, unsure. I looked down and recognized Ellie, the little girl I had met at the art gallery previously.What was she doing out here alone?I grinned. "Hey, Ellie. We meet again. How are you?""I'm fine. I'm so happy to see you," she smiled brightly. That was when I noticed the frame she was holding, wrapped in brown paper."What are you doing here all by yourself?"She gestured to the frame she was holding. It was a wonder how she was able to carry it alone. "Oh, I came to donate this work of art.""Really? That's so thoughtful of you," I said, holding her hands in mine and helping her carry the painting. "Come on, let's go submit it, and after that, we can get some ice cream. How does that sound?""Perfect!" she cheered. Together, we walked to the front desk, and I assisted her in signing her name before we dropped off the painting.I was still surprised that a girl of her age could come all the way to the orphanage without a guardian.
NICOLE“What is he doing here?" I poked the window of my car as I saw my husband standing at the entrance of some strange house. His composure seemed anxious and though I was no detective, he looked like he was about to do something shady.A figure opened the door and it looked like it was wearing a robe. A woman? Was it Vicky??I tried to look closer but I couldn't see her face, his body language softened when she opened the door and she let him in.Marcus was with another woman."No, I can't be thinking like this." I relaxed my back in the chair as I rubbed my temples, there was no way he could be cheating, not after everything we have been through but why would he choose to hide this from me? What was the big deal that he couldn't tell me he needed to see someone at 2 am?Oh.Realization dawned on me and I kicked the ignition, I needed to get home,he could come out at any time and he was a better driver. I revved the engine and off I was. The road was free, everyone was at home