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
NICOLEMy body shuddered when I thought about Anthony, thank God that I hadn't agree to have anything to do with him." He's such a crap, I thought to myself."" You know it hasn't really been easy since you had that accident Marcus, I missed you and I miss our baby."My eyes welled up with tears as I thought about how I had the miscarriage." What do you mean by out baby, Nicole" Marcus asked puzzled." I was pregnant before your accident, and was waiting for you to come him that day to tell you about it."" Holy shit, you went through all of this Nicole?"" Mmmm, the new of your death back then, made me overthink so much that I had a miscarriage."" I'm sorry sorry that you had to go through all of that baby," Marcus said holding me in his hands." And now that I think about it, I can't help but be sad when I realize that our baby would have grown years more and he'd be speaking by now, I'd want him or her to call you dad."Tears trickled down my face as I thought about what had ha
NICOLEI woke up the next day, groggily rubbing my eyes, only to find an empty bed. Where the heck was Marcus? I stumbled out of the room, to search for him “Marcus!" I hollered, hoping to get a response, but there was no answer. Seriously, where did that guy disappear to?Just as I was about to give up and go back to grab my phone, I caught sight of him in the distance. He was holding grocery bags like it was his new gig or something. I hustled over to meet him, my curiosity getting the best of me.“When did you wake up, Marcus? I was freaking out when I couldn't find you next to me," I blurted out, a mix of relief and worry evident in my voice.A small smile played on his lips as he leaned in to give me a sweet kiss. "Did you miss me that much?" he teased, his eyes sparkling. "I just went out to grab some groceries. You know how it is, nothing to eat when you wake up, so I had to make an early run."“Oh, gotcha," I replied, feeling a bit sheepish. It dawned on me that I had let