NICOLE
Working late into the night on my painting was one of the most fulfilling experiences I had in years. The thought of participating in an art exhibition for the first time since the middle school made me feel excited and nervous like a bride. It had been three days since Nina had informed me of the opportunity, and though I was exhausted beyond my limits, it was all worth it."You're finished," Nina's voice came from behind me."Hey, you're awake. Yeah, I'm done. I just need to leave it on the balcony to dry," I replied, standing behind my work."Oh my goodness, the painting is beautiful, as usual, Nicole," she gushed over my artwork."You always say that every time," I blushed."By the way, I finished the pencil art that someone had asked for," I pointed to the board where the art was pinned."Oh, you're such a sweetheart. You'll get the commission for sure," she said, walking over to the board to prepare it for framing.As soon as I arrived at my house, Mr. Trent, the landlord, greeted me with a smirk."Well, well, well, look who decided to grace us with their presence. The prodigal child returns," he said, hands on his hips."Where have you been for the past three days, Miss Nicole? Avoiding me, I presume?"I let out a deep sigh. "Actually, sir, I've been working hard in the studio.""Ah, yes, the struggling artist. And what about my rent? Surely your 'hard work' has paid off by now?" Mr. Trent asked with a raised eyebrow.I nodded. "I have the rent money, Mr. Trent. I always make sure to pay my debts." I reached into my bag and pulled out a small envelope containing the money my aunt had sent me for my upkeep."Here you go. It's all I have left, but I don't like to owe people." I handed him the envelope.Mr. Trent counted the money and looked satisfied. "Very well then, Miss Nicole. You always manage to pay up in the end. Just make sure you don't fall behind again.""I won't, sir. I'll pay the remainder at the end of the week," I assured him before retreating into my apartment, ready to get back to work.As soon as I walked into my apartment, I scanned the room and realized it needed a clean-up. Not only that, but I had to find something suitable to wear for the exhibition later today.I spent two hours tidying up, and when I was done, I checked the time. It was 11:45 am, the perfect time for some noodles and boiled eggs. I quickly cooked and devoured my meal, then washed the dishes and collapsed on the couch, drifting off to sleep.Suddenly, I heard Nina's voice shouting my name, jolting me out of my slumber. I rubbed my eyes and checked my watch. It was 3:30 pm! Panic set in as I scrambled to the door to let Nina in."Nicole, you look like a mess," Nina said, surveying my disheveled appearance."I must have been exhausted. I fell asleep and didn't realize how much time had passed," I explained while frantically searching my closet for something appropriate to wear."Did you find something to wear for the exhibition?" Nina asked."No, I didn't," I replied, feeling defeated. "I shouldn't have given my landlord the money I needed for a dress."Nina saw the disappointment on my face and pulled out a bag she had been carrying.“Don't worry, Nicole. I've got you covered," she said with a smile, handing me a red fitted dress. "It's corporate and beautiful. I bought it because it matches the tone of your paintings."I was grateful for Nina's thoughtfulness and felt a weight lifted off my shoulders. "Thank you so much, Nina. What would I do without you?" I said, smiling at her.Nina shrugged and replied, "Who knows? Now go get ready, we're running late!"Nervously, I stepped into the hall where the exhibit was to be held. As soon as I entered, I felt all eyes were on me, and it made me overly self-conscious. Whispering to Nina, I asked, “Why the hell are they all staring at me like I’m from the moon?”“Because you look extremely beautiful tonight. Plus, they don’t recognize you, Nicole. The people in this room are of wealth and fame. So, don’t worry about fitting in. Just be yourself,” Nina reassured me.A waiter approached us, and Nina motioned for him to come closer. She reached for the glasses of wine that stood on the tray and said "Gracias" to the Spanish waiter.Placing one of the cups in my hand, she said, "Drink. It would help ease your nervousness." I took a sip of the wine and savored its exotic taste.Suddenly, we heard someone call out "Nina Lyons," and we turned to see a man standing in front of us. Nina smiled and took his hand for a handshake. "Hello, Mr. Salvador," she greeted him with a smile."And you must be Nicole Zachary. It’s a pleasure to be in the presence of a great artist like you," he said, reaching for my hands and lifting them to his lips, kissing them slightly.Nina introduced me to Mr. Salvador as the man behind the exhibition of my paintings that day. "Thank you, sir, for this opportunity. I will never forget this act of kindness," I said solemnly.Mr. Salvador dismissed my thanks, saying, "Oh no, don’t make it sound so noble. I just want to expose your talent to the world. And also to have bragging rights to my Italian counterparts that I discovered an artistic painter gem for myself. They would be so jealous."We all laughed."Come, let’s get your exhibition started," he said, leading me to the middle of the hall, just in front of my paintings."Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to tonight's featured artist and the inspiration for our gathering. Allow me to introduce you to the talented Nicole Zachary," he announced, his voice carrying throughout the room, followed by resounding applause.The exhibition continued for approximately half an hour, during which both paintings were bid on and sold for impressive prices. Despite the success of the sales, I couldn't help but feel disheartened when I considered my outstanding debts."Nicole Zachary, is it?" A familiar voice spoke up, and I turned to see a handsome man standing before me.He was the guy from the restaurant."Mr. Marcus! What a pleasant surprise to see you here," I greeted him warmly."The pleasure is mine, Nicole. I had no idea you possessed such remarkable talent," he complimented, and I smiled in appreciation."Well, you never know what people are capable of, do you?" I replied, and he nodded in agreement."Indeed. However, Miss Nicole, I have a business proposition that I would like to discuss with you," he said, causing me to raise my eyebrows curiously.What kind of business opportunity could he have in mind?MARCUSNicole Zachary was stunning. I had already noticed her beauty the day we met at the diner, but today she looked even more striking. Whether it was the red dress, the red lip gloss, or the way the dress hugged her figure, I couldn't say.As she walked through the door, I felt fate was on my side. My friends had bet that I would never get married, but I was determined to prove them wrong. And there was only one person I had in mind: Nicole Zachary.I had done my research and paid for information on her. I knew she was a struggling artist in need of money, making her an easier target. Offering her a large sum of money would be all it would take to win her over. At least, that's what I believed - women are programmed to be drawn to money, or so the stereotype goes.I approached her, standing behind her with my head tilted. It was now or never.“Nicole Zachary," I said, and she turned to face me, her eyes widening in surprise and recognition as she locked her gaze onto my face."Mr
NICOLEA contract marriage was not something I had ever imagined for myself. Love wasn't even on my bucket list. But here I was, considering a contract marriage with Marcus, a wealthy young man.As I sat on the couch, gazing out the window, I noticed the serene surroundings, and it looked like it was going to rain. I sent a text to Nina, telling her that I had made it home and that she could enjoy the after-party on her own.Memories flooded back to me, and tears began to stream down my face. Damian my younger brother had been born with a defective heart, and even at sixteen, his condition was still critical. He had undergone several surgeries, but none had been successful. He urgently needed a heart transplant, but finding a suitable donor had proven to be a challenge due to his rhesus factor. Also, my dad had suffered a work accident years ago, resulting in a perforated lung.These were some of the reasons why I had left home and moved to North Dakota - I wanted to work and raise
NICOLE “A miracle has happened”. The words my mom uttered sounded like magic in my ears.“Where’s Damian right now?” I asked my mom who was still overjoyed."Damian is down the hallway. Hurry, you might be able to see him before he undergoes anesthesia," Mom urged me. Without wasting a moment, I sprinted down the corridor, determined to catch a glimpse of Damian before his surgery commenced."Hey, sis!" Damian called out as soon as he caught a glimpse of me through the glass window. Tears welled up in my eyes as I took in his sickly appearance; he was a mere shadow of his former self. I quickly wiped my tears and smiled back at him, giving him a reassuring wave.Just then, a kind-looking nurse approached me and handed me some protective gear.“You'll need to put this on before entering the OR," she said. I smiled gratefully at her and quickly donned the gear before entering the operating room.With a weak voice, Damian called out, "Sis." I immediately broke down in silen
NICOLEWhat the hell was Marcus doing here?!The nurse seemed to have heard me and raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me, Miss Zachary?"I shook my head, realizing that I had spoken out loud. "Nothing, sorry. Where is he?""He's waiting for you in the lobby," she said and gestured towards the door.I nodded and got up from the chair. I quickly brushed my hair with my fingers and straightened my dress before heading out of the room.If there was anything I was anxious about, it was unnecessary attention. It would go round the whole world, that Marcus the son of a world class actress came to look for a regular girl. When I finally reached the lobby, I saw him leaning against a pillar in the hallway, his left leg crossed over his right, and his arms folded. Lord, he was a beautiful specimen to look upon. He looked at me and stood straight.“Hi, Love,” he said and waved at me. I looked back and pointed at myself.“Me?” I whispered and nodded, feeling a little flustered.I sighed and walked faste
NICOLE"Damian is awake?" I asked, exchanging looks with Marcus. Without waiting for Nina to respond, I rushed towards the elevator.Together, we hurried down the hallways and arrived at Damian's room, where we saw a flurry of doctors and nurses rushing in.Damian was sitting up and flashing a smile at the nurses who were tending to him."Mr. Damian, are you feeling alright? Any discomfort or pain?" asked the neurosurgeon, to which Damian nodded in response."I'm doing okay, Doc. Just feeling a little dizzy, but overall I'm fine," Damian replied.“Damin," I called out as he turned to face me at the door, his eyes lighting up at the sight of me."Nicole," he replied, his voice full of warmth and affection.I wiped away the tears that were streaming down my face and walked towards him. He grabbed my hand and held it tightly."Sis," he said, his voice filled with emotion. "I've missed you so much, Sis," he continued, holding onto my hand even tighter.I turned towards the doctor and aske
NICOLE "Is that Marcus Russell?" Darla exclaimed with such excitement that her loud voice startled Damian from his slumber."Shh, Darla!" I cautioned her, trying not to wake Damian any further.As Marcus rose to his feet and wiped his face, I couldn't help but notice his tousled hair, likely a result of sleeping on the couch."Wow, it really is Marcus!" Darla exclaimed, her bags falling to the ground in her excitement."Hello Marcus, I'm Darla Zachary and I'm a huge fan of yours," she gushed, her eyes wide and shining as she looked at him in awe.Marcus reached out and took her hands, shaking them warmly as a smile spread across his face.“I'm always excited to see you on the red carpet and in your photoshoots, and I used to be a big fan of your music as well," Darla expressed."Thank you, Darla," Marcus replied with a grin. "It seems like you have a lot of admiration for me."Darla blushed and looked away. "Please, just call me Darla."As the conversation continued, I cleared my thr
MARCUSI sat across from Nicole's mother, Mrs. Zachary, feeling incredibly uneasy. I knew that this meeting was going to be intense. Her eyes locked onto mine, and I felt as if I was being interrogated. Every time I opened my mouth to speak, I felt like she was dissecting my words.I had just confessed to her that I loved her daughter and let's just say the atmosphere wasn't pleasant. I could only imagine what was going through her mindMrs. Zachary's face remained stoic, but her eyes betrayed a hint of surprise. "I see. And what does this have to do with me?"I took a deep breath. This was not the response I was hoping for. “I want to ask for your blessing to marry her.""Absolutely not," she said firmly.I was taken aback. "I'm sorry, what do you mean?"Mrs. Zachary took a deep breath and leaned back in her chair. "I'm sorry, but I have to be clear. I cannot allow you to marry my daughter," she said firmly.As soon as the words left her mouth, I heard gasps from Nina and Darla, who
NICOLE I could tell that my mother was incredibly upset. Her face was filled with anger, and it was clear that she was very angry about something. I had never seen her so mad before, and it was worrying to see her like this. As I looked on, Marcus slowly got up from his seat and made his way out of the room. He even gave me a peace-out sign before he left.Feeling confused and upset, I turned to my mom and asked her, "Mom, why did you do that?" I couldn't understand what had caused her to react in such a way, and I was desperate for an explanation.My mom gave me a disapproving look that made me feel uneasy. "Have all the men on earth suddenly vanished that you had to settle for Marcus?" she asked, her tone laced with sarcasm.I was taken aback by her comment. I couldn't understand why she was being so harsh towards Marcus. So, I frowned and replied, "What's wrong with getting married to Marcus? You still haven't given me a valid reason for your disapproval."I was determined not to