MARCUSI watched Nicole sleep soundly, her head on my chest, with little snores. I chuckled, knowing she was exhausted. I wanted to record how she was snoring on my phone because I knew she was going to argue with me when I told her she was snoring.However, I decided against it, realizing it would only make her angry.I closed my eyes and tried to sleep, but it wasn't coming. What Nicole had explained to me still lingered in my mind.That Zayn guy smelled like trouble.He clearly knew that Nicole was taken, yet he was adamant about going out with her, to the point that he started following her.I love Nicole so much, and if anyone tried to mess with her, I would handle the situation.Gently lifting Nicole off my chest, I laid her properly on the bed. She shifted a bit, and I paused, not wanting to wake her up. Seeing that she had fallen back asleep, I stood up and made my way to the closet.I needed someone to talk to. Deciding to visit the bar Nicole had mentioned, I remembered the
NICOLE “Please, what are you all insinuating that my woman is a thief!?” Marcus' voice boomed through the hallway. His nose flared and I could tell that he was angry.“Why then is my diamond in her bag? Why?” The woman whose name was Mrs Lockwood shouted.I was stunned for words and couldn’t speak. How the diamond got to my bag was beyond me.Every eye in the room was on me. Some were judging me already and whispering amongst themselves.“It has to be a mistake somehow, I won’t allow you to insult her. She clearly knows nothing about the theft”, Marcus said.My head was spinning. This was clearly a set up. Marcus and I had been in our room all day enjoying an intimate moment together. The only time we went out was when we had to go to the lounge downstairs.“No, gentle man, your wife here is nothing but a thief, if I hadn’t noticed earlier she would have escaped with it” Mrs Lockwood saidUnable to contain himself any longer, Marcus stepped forward, his voice cutting through the roo
MARCUSI was in the office to get some important documents when I heard a knock at the door. “Yes, come in”, I called out to whoever was behind the door.The door to the office swung open, revealing my trusted investigator, Owen. Dressed in a sharp black suit,His piercing eyes scanned the room, quickly assessing the situation before locking onto me.I stopped what I was doing and gave him my full attention. “Marcus, I've got everything you need," Owen said, his voice brimming with assurance. "The information you've been waiting for, especially about Zayn, is ready for you."“Thank you. Bring me the files”, I repliedThere was no time to waste any longer. Owen moved with purpose, swiftly crossing the room to the desk. In his hands, he held a small portable device, capable of storing vast amounts of information. He connected it to my computer, initiating the transfer process. The screen flickered to life, displaying a progress bar that crawled forward, capturing my attention.The fi
NICOLEI settled into my plush seat on the airplane, eagerly anticipating my trip to Cuba. As the engines roared to life, I was excited. "And take off goes the airplane, all the way to Cuba!" I exclaimed, my words slightly muffled by the hum of the aircraft.Ah, the joys of having a rich husbandIt afforded me the freedom to travel wherever my heart desired. We settled into the Airbnb in Cuba, I could feel Marcus's gaze lingering on me, his eyes searching for any opportunity to satiate his inquisitiveness. "Marcus, please behave," I said with a playful glint in my eye, as I positioned myself in front of the full-length mirror in their bedroom.He chuckled and leaned against the doorway, his eyes sparkling with mischief. "Oh, come on, Nicole. I just can't help myself. Your skirts are hiding secrets that I'm dying to discover," he replied, feigning innocence.I shook my head, trying to stifle a laugh. "You're incorrigible, Marcus. But I'm afraid there will be no easy access to hidden t
NICOLE I ignored Tim and watched the paramedics carefully lift the unconscious guy onto the stretcher. His breathing was shallow and irregular, and his face was ashen. My training as a first responder had immediately kicked in. I wanted to rescue the guy at all costs.I directed the bystanders to make way for the paramedics. I assisted the medical team in stabilizing the man, ensuring his airway was clear and that he was receiving oxygen. They quickly assessed his vital signs, My heart sank. His pulse was weak, and there was no immediate response to stimuli. It was a critical situation, and time was of the essence.I assisted the paramedics in carefully strapping the guy onto the stretcher. I quickly shared my observations and findings with the team, providing them with crucial information to guide their efforts during transit. As the ambulance doors closed, my eyes met the concerned gaze of one of the paramedics, who nodded in acknowledgement of my assistance.Without a second th
MARCUSI jerked awake, my heart pounding in my chest as the sound of a scream echoed through the quiet darkness of the night. I flung off the covers, my mind still foggy with sleep, and stumbled out of the bedroom and followed the desperate cry. I reached the living room, my eyes widened in horror. Nicole was crawling in from the veranda, her face contorted in pain. Her usually radiant features were marred by anguish, and blood stained her arm, seeping through her fingers."Nicole!" I shouted, my voice filled with fear and concern. I rushed to her side, dropping down to my knees, disregarding the glass shards littering the floor. "What happened? Are you okay?"Her breaths came in ragged gasps as she clutched her injured arm. Tears streamed down her cheeks, mixing with the blood on her face. "There was someone... someone in the backyard," she managed to utter between strained breaths. "I... I didn't see them until it was too late."My heart sank as I surveyed the scene. The veranda doo
NICOLE“Good morning, love," Marcus whispered, his voice husky with sleep. “Good morning," I replied, a smile tugging at the corners of my lips.Throwing back the covers, I swung my legs over the edge of the bed and stood up, stretching my arms high above my head. The cool wooden floor tickled the soles of my feet as I padded towards the kitchen, Marcus trailing behind me.I reached for the bag of freshly ground coffee beans and inhaled deeply, letting the rich aroma fill my senses. As I set about preparing our morning brew, Marcus moved gracefully around the kitchen, gathering ingredients for breakfast.I watched as he cracked eggs into a bowl, his hands deftly whisking them together. "What are you up to?" I askedHe chuckled softly and replied, "Just wait and see, my love. It's a surprise."I couldn't help but grin. In the meantime, I busied myself with setting the table, arranging plates and utensils with care.Finally, he plated the scrambled eggs, folding them onto toast with a
MARCUSI noticed something peculiar when I arrived home from the urgent meeting I went for. I hesitated for a moment, trying to figure out what could have happened while I was away.With a trembling hand, I inserted the key into the lock and swung the door open. The sight that greeted more was far from what I had expected. The house was in complete disarray. Furniture was overturned, and shattered glass littered the floorI noticed the bullet holes peppering the walls, their jagged edges a stark contrast against the peeling wallpaper. Panic gripped my chest, and I called out, "Nicole? Are you here?"There was no response, only an eerie silence that seemed to stretch on for an eternity. Fear coursed through my veins as I frantically searched every room, my footsteps echoing. Was the place raided?Has she been kidnapped? Or worst Killed?Something was terribly wrong. I pulled out my phone, and dialed the emergency hotline. Within minutes, the police arrived, their sirens blaring thro
"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