Nicola Taylor “No, no, no,” I yell, covering my eyes as I step out of the bathroom, only to see Cole Harrington standing beside the bed, shirtless in just his joggers. “You cannot sleep shirtless around me. Are you trying to seduce me? Do you think this is how you get me to marry you?” I ask, moving around the room with my eyes closed, holding onto the side of the bed to navigate.“I think it’s working,” he says, and I freeze when I feel his hands on my waist making my back straighten as I stand with my eyes closed.“It’s not. Even if I give in to my base urges, I’m still not marrying you,” I grunt, trying to move, but his hands slide down to my hips, holding me in place.“So you’ll use my body and then throw me away? Wow, you are heartless,” he murmurs, his breath hot against my neck. I feel his naked chest pressing against my back, the flimsy material of my dress doing little to protect me from the heat radiating from his body.“I will kill you, Cole,” I breathe harshly. “Stop tryi
Nicola Taylor“Daddy!” I hear a loud scream, jolting me awake from my deep slumber. Cole and I sit up with a start, our eyes wide as we recognize the source of the scream.Oh god, no. Why didn’t we lock the door?There stands Arabella, her eyes as wide as saucers, clutching a stuffed bunny in her hand, wearing her hello kitty night wear. Thank god I was fully clothed, but Cole wasn’t. He slept shirtless against my better judgment. I told him to put on a t-shirt.“Oh god. What do I do?” Cole mutters, scrambling out of bed and pulling on a t-shirt. I want the ground to open up and swallow me; I can't deal with this embarrassment. What if Bella tells her friends that their teacher slept in the same bed as her dad?Oh no.“Bella, please don’t scream again. Come in, and we will answer all of your questions,” I say, trying to sound calm as I slowly step out of the bed, fixing my dress and hair as I walk towards her.Cole closes the door behind Bella as I bring her to the edge of the bed w
Nicola TaylorI stared at the clock striking 2 pm as Cole and I sipped our coffee, the silence between us thick with unspoken words. Everything felt rushed, and I wasn’t sure how to navigate this conversation.“We should start our discussion. What are your demands?” he asked in a very professional tone, making me bristle.“First of all, this is about family and your daughter. I need you to understand this isn’t a business deal, and at no point will I let you treat it like one,” I warned him. “Of course, I understand. But can you elaborate?” he asked, sounding genuinely confused.“Yes. I will never speak to you again if you ever try to tell me I’m not her mother or try to shut me up by ‘showing me my place’ in the midst of your anger. You know exactly what role I’m going to play in your daughter’s life, and you’re not allowed to take that away from me. I need recognition,” I said firmly.“What kind of recognition?” he asked, his tone softer now.“I need to be a part of her life as an
Nicola Taylor“Oh my god. I cannot believe this is happening.” Bella hadn’t stopped jumping since the moment I confirmed I was going to marry her father. Her joy was infectious, and it felt good to see her so happy. She deserves all the happiness in the world.“Bella, I’ll put on Peppa Pig. Go and eat your lunch. Come on, darling,” Cole said as he scooped her up and carried her out of the room. I looked around at the room that would be my new home. It was larger than my entire apartment, and I knew it would take me at least a day to arrange my clothes in the enormous walk-in closet. While I knew Cole was wealthy, living in a place like this was a bit overwhelming.On the brighter side, when I told my boss, the principal, about my upcoming marriage, I expected her to be upset about me getting involved with a parent. Instead, she was thrilled. My family reacted similarly; they had been praying for me to find a good man, and now that I’d landed a 'handsome billionaire,' they were all con
Nicola Taylor“Oh baby, I am so happy you are getting married.” My mom envelops me in a warm hug, and I blink back tears to avoid ruining my makeup. “I know it feels like everything is moving very fast, but when I met Cole, I knew he was the best guy for you to marry,” she tells me, reminiscing about her visit just a week ago when she first met him.My sister and dad flew in yesterday, and Cole managed to charm each and every one of them. My mother, initially happy but cautious about the marriage, now had no reservations after meeting him. She had been a bit apprehensive about me marrying a man with a child, but meeting Arabella, who was the most adorable kid ever, melted her heart.“You look so beautiful, Nicky,” my sister says, gently wiping away my tears with a q-tip as we share a small laugh. The dress was a dream come true. Its sleeveless design and delicate lace overlay gave it an ethereal quality, accentuated by a subtle pinkish hue in my makeup that matched perfectly with the
Cole HarringtonI just got married again, something I never thought would happen after my first marriage. I felt a pang of guilt for feeling happy. Maybe because I was trying to convince myself that I was doing this only for Arabella and that the only woman I would ever love was Courtney. But now, that felt like a lie I kept telling myself.I obviously liked Nicola and cared for her deeply.We got married in the morning, so everything wrapped up by the afternoon. Now, at night, we were sitting comfortably at home, just the three of us in the living room. Arabella hadn't left Nicola alone even for a second. Thankfully, Nicola didn't seem to mind as they colored together.Whenever I got a little too happy, I felt guilty, like I was cheating on Courtney. But seeing Bella interact with Nicola, I didn't know how she would do without her."Okay, baby, its ten o'clock now. Come on, you have to sleep," Nicola told Bella as she picked her up, but Arabella protested a little. "Tomorrow I'll mak
Needs Editing Nicola Taylor As I woke up to the gentle morning light filtering through the curtains, I found myself in a room that still felt somewhat unfamiliar, yet comforting. Cole lay beside me, his features softened by sleep, and I couldn't help but smile at the sight of him. Today was going to be special—a girls' day with Arabella. The thought filled me with excitement and a touch of nervousness. I wanted to make it perfect for her, to bond and create memories that she would cherish.When Cole gently nudged me awake, whispering about our plans for the day, I couldn't contain my enthusiasm. Arabella was already wide awake, her eyes sparkling with anticipation as she hugged Cole tightly. "Daddy!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with joy.After a quick breakfast of pancakes that we made together in the kitchen, we headed out to a nearby park. Arabella ran ahead, her laughter echoing through the air, and I followed close behind, soaking in her infectious energy. Watching her play
Nicola TaylorThe bell rang incessantly as I hurried downstairs to answer it. Being alone in the massive house for the first time without Bella or Cole felt strange. They had gone to the doctor for a check-up, and I had decided to stay back, thinking Bella needed some alone time with her father.I wondered who it might be as I opened the door, and my eyes widened in surprise.This can’t be good."Hello," I said, offering an awkward smile as Harvey stood in front of me.Is this a joke? Did Cole call him here on purpose? Why would he do that?"Hello, where's Cole? I heard he got married and didn’t even bother inviting me. I'm one of his closest friends, so I was kind of offended. I came to give him a piece of my mind," he said jokingly, extending his hand to greet me. "You must be his wife. Congratulations on your wedding."Okay, this is insane. I haven’t changed so much that no one from high school recognizes me."Yes, I am his wife. Cole took Bella for a routine check-up. He’ll be bac