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
Nicola Taylor I massage my temples as I step into my classroom, bracing myself for the parade of parents awaiting me. I adore my kindergarten students, even the little troublemakers, but meeting their parents is the most daunting part of my job. While some parents are delightful, most are overbearing, with unrealistic expectations for their five-year-olds. Their questions range from typical concerns about eating habits to issues better suited for a pediatrician.I take my seat as parents start trickling in for the open house, each eager to discuss their child’s progress. I smile and share insights based on my experiences with their kids. By the time I reach my fifteenth parent, I force a smile and say, “Mrs. Lopez, you need to stop worrying so much. Billy is a great kid. He’s a bit less social than the others, but he will make friends in his own time. He’s an introvert, and that’s perfectly okay. There’s nothing wrong with your child. He’s lovely and a pleasure to teach.”Mrs. Lopez,
Nicola Taylor"Let go of his hair, Arabella. No, don’t do that," I say urgently, finally freeing Tim's hair from Bella's grasp as I lift her up to calm her down. My assistant teacher rushes to Tim’s side to check on him.I carry Bella out of the classroom, her fits continuing in my arms. I sit down on a bench outside, placing her on my lap. Her face is flushed with anger, her gaze fixed angrily on the ground."Baby—" I begin, but she cuts me off abruptly."Punish me, I don’t care. I don’t want to hear more lectures!" she screams, startling me with the intensity of her outburst."I’m not going to punish you," I say gently, but Bella refuses to look up. "But I can tell you’re hurt and feeling bad, right?" I ask, trying to reach her.She nods angrily."So if you know how bad it feels when you’re hurt, why would you want someone else to feel that way? Tim is crying inside because you hurt him. He feels bad now too. Does that make you feel better?" I ask, stroking her hair gently.She shak
Nicola Taylor“Where are we going?” I asked, following him through his gigantic house. “You know it's already 11 PM. Arabella shouldn’t be up so late.”“She’s with Ms. Kinsley, who tucks her in bed and stays there till she falls asleep,” he replied. I bit my tongue, resisting the urge to ask why he didn’t do it himself. Who am I to judge a person’s parenting style?“Are we in your bedroom? This is highly inappropriate. I need to leave,” I said, but he just shut the door behind us.“Relax, I just need to talk to you,” he said, gesturing to the bed. I shook my head, my eyes falling on the pictures of his late wife. Her jewelry, clothes, all her belongings were still in the room. This man is heartbroken.“Alright,” I said, sitting on the bed. For some reason, I felt comfortable. I looked him in the eyes as he stood two feet away from me.“Marry me.”I choked on my spit, coughing as soon as I heard the words come out of his mouth. “Is this… (cough cough)… a joke?” I said as he patted my
Nicola TaylorAs I wrapped up my last class, I started packing up after the assistant teacher took the students out for drop-off. A knock on my classroom door made me look up to see James, one of my fellow teachers, standing there.“Oh, hello! What are you doing here?” I greeted him happily as he entered the room.“Wow, Nicola, you look nice. What's the occasion?” he asked, making me blush at the compliment.“Just felt like it,” I answered shyly, remembering how I stopped dressing up two years ago after my last and final breakup. I had dated a man for seven years, supporting him through medical school on my kindergarten teacher’s salary, only for him to leave me once he got placed.But even though I wasn’t going to marry Cole, I did feel the urge to get back out there. For the first time in years, I felt like dressing up and looking nice, and it did pay off. James noticed.I wore a long black bodycon dress with my winter boots, and I had done my makeup too. I let my hair down for the
Nicola TaylorI slipped into the white ballerina dress for the fifth time, questioning if it was too much. Simple yet undeniably sexy, it revealed just enough cleavage and thigh to captivate a man's attention. Despite my attempts to deny it, I knew deep down I was dressing to impress Cole. I couldn't help but feel attracted to him, a fact that frustrated me to no end.As I applied a touch of light lipstick, I glanced at myself in the mirror. Brown waves cascaded over my shoulders, my makeup was subtle yet enhancing, and the dress hugged my curves in all the right places. "Oh god, this is too much," I muttered to myself, contemplating whether to change yet again.Just then, the doorbell rang. I cursed under my breath. Heat rushed to my face as I headed to the door, hoping Cole would appreciate the effort and not think I was overdressed.My breath caught in my chest as he stood there, the pink and red flowers contrasting beautifully against his navy suit. I smiled nervously, cheeks flu