The silence that filled the room was suffocating, but I barely noticed it.
All I could see was Nicole, standing there, her voice quivering as she announced her pregnancy. I’d always dreamed of having children one day, of building a family together.
Yet, hearing this now, my mind spun in a hundred different directions, each one darker than the last.
I tried to read her face, to understand if any of this was true. I wanted so badly to believe her, but how could I?
The evidence, the betrayal, the lies, it all weighed heavily on me, too much to just ignore.
My gaze hardened, but deep inside, I felt a crack. For just a moment, a part of me wanted to trust her again. Maybe I was wrong.
Maybe she wasn’t lying, and I was about to throw away the woman I loved and our unborn child.
But before I could even consider it, my mother’s voice cut through my thoughts. “You can’t be falling for this, Taylor! After everything she’s done, you actually believe her? She’s lying! Can’t you see she’ll say anything to keep you from leaving her?”
I clenched my fists, torn between anger and confusion. Nicole’s face crumpled, and her voice shook as she pleaded, “I’m not lying! I told Sarah. She knows!”
Sarah, who stood off to the side, looked at Nicole coldly. “Stop trying to drag me into your web of lies, Nicole. You didn’t say anything to me about a pregnancy.”
I felt a surge of fury and then, emptiness. My own best friend was confirming what I’d feared all along: Nicole was a liar.
Her betrayal was as vivid as the look of hurt on her face. I turned away, unwilling to let her see the devastation she’d caused.
“Get out of my house,” I ordered, my voice low and cold. She flinched, as if I’d slapped her, and that tiny, guilty part of me stirred, but I silenced it.
She stepped closer, her eyes wet with desperation. “Taylor, please, I just told you I’m pregnant. Are you really throwing me out?”
Her words were like poison, twisting the knife deeper. I laughed bitterly, hollowly. “I’m done with your lies, Nicole. I want you out of my life. I don’t just hate you—I despise you.”
As the words left my mouth, I felt the finality of them settle over me.
A part of me felt shattered, but I couldn’t let myself feel that way. She’d betrayed me. She deserved every bit of anger I had left.
“Fine,” she whispered, wiping her eyes and standing straighter, as if summoning every bit of strength she had left. “Give me the papers. I’ll sign them.”
She didn’t wait for me to respond. Instead, she walked over to the table, signed the divorce papers without a second glance, and handed them back to me.
I stared down at her signature, barely able to believe what had just happened. It felt like a lifetime between us had been erased in a single, hasty scribble.
“Here,” she said, her voice hollow. “You got what you wanted.”
I took the papers from her, trying to maintain my composure. “Let me know where to send your things.”
I turned my back on her, forcing myself to walk away, to put distance between us as quickly as possible. She was out of my life now, and I couldn’t look back.
Upstairs, I locked myself in my room, leaning against the door and closing my eyes.
My whole life felt like it had been uprooted, twisted, and I didn’t even recognize myself anymore.
I should have felt relieved, free of the woman who’d betrayed me but all I felt was emptiness.
My mother’s footsteps sounded in the hall as she came to check on me. She knocked, her voice soft but reassuring. “You did the right thing, Taylor. She’s out of your life now, and you don’t have to let her manipulate you anymore.”
I tried to nod, to let her words comfort me, but deep inside, I felt like I was missing something. What if, against all logic, Nicole was telling the truth?
I paced the room, trying to shove the doubt aside. She was a liar.
She was only telling me what I wanted to hear. But why, then, did that nagging sense of uncertainty refuse to let go?
I remembered the look on her face when she said she was pregnant, the desperation in her eyes, the way her voice had trembled. She’d seemed so sincere, so genuinely afraid.
I wanted to trust her, even though I knew better. But what if, somehow, my mother was wrong?
I slumped onto my bed, burying my head in my hands. My heart wanted to believe Nicole, but my mind screamed that she’d betrayed me.
Every shred of evidence said she was guilty; my own mother, my family, and Sarah all stood against her.
The knock on my door pulled me from my thoughts. It was my mother again. “Taylor, darling, come downstairs. I don’t think you should be alone right now.”
I nodded and rose, forcing myself to push the thoughts aside as I followed her down the stairs. Everyone else had left the room, and we walked in silence to the empty living room.
“I know this has been hard on you,” she said, putting a gentle hand on my shoulder. “But you’ll move on. Soon, you’ll see that she was never right for you.”
I tried to listen, tried to accept her reassurance. But when I turned to look at her, there was something in her eyes I hadn’t noticed before; a hint of triumph, of satisfaction.
It left a bitter taste in my mouth.
Without another word, I turned and walked toward the window, watching the rain start to fall outside. It wasn’t supposed to feel like this.
Losing Nicole was supposed to make me feel relieved, but instead, it felt like I’d just ripped out a piece of myself.
And just as I was beginning to drown in the flood of confusion, I saw it: Nicole, stumbling down the street, clutching her stomach, her face twisted in pain.
Hi, everyone, I'm so excited to begin this new story, and I hope you enjoy it.😊
The ENDNicole sat behind her desk, staring out the large glass window of her office, lost in thought. The morning had been a blur of meetings and paperwork, but her mind was elsewhere. The past weeks had been stormy: their victory against the Fury family, reclaiming what she lost, and finally getting justice from the wrongs done to her. Yet deep down, she knew there were still loose strings to tie.A soft knock at her door pulled her out of her musings. It was Emilia peeking inside. "Ma'am, you have a visitor.""Who is it?" Nicole asked, assuming some other business partner or yet another journalist looking for an interview.Emilia hesitated. "It's Taylor Fury."Nicole's breath hitched. Taylor? Here? Of all people?"Let him in," she said, though her voice did not reflect the sudden turmoil that had risen in her chest.The door swung open, and Taylor walked in, his usual arrogance replaced with something unfamiliar -- humility.He looked different, almost worn down, as if the weight
The evening air was crisp and filled with the comforting hum of city life as Nicole stepped out of the car, her heels clicking lightly against the pavement. The weight of the past weeks still weighed upon her shoulders, but tonight she was determined to try to escape it, if only for a few hours. She adjusted the coat draped over her shoulders and nodded at the bodyguards on either side."You're dismissed for the night," she said. "I'll be fine here."Collins hesitated. "Boss, are you sure? We can wait outside."Nicole gave him a small smile. "Go home. You both deserve the rest. Come back in the morning."Carter exchanged a glance with Collins before giving a reluctant nod. "Alright, but call if anything happens...""Thank you, Carter," Nicole said, cutting him off. "Nothing will happen. See you both in the morning."With that, she turned and made her way toward the entrance of Leo's home.Warmth enveloped her as she stepped inside to the delicious smell of roasted chicken and spices
The courtroom was packed, the air thick with anticipation. Journalists lined the back row, their pens ready to capture the final moments of a trial that had gripped the city. Mumbles went throughout the audience in hushed tones as everyone threw theories on what the verdict was. Some actually felt Veronica Fury would get to walk free while others believed that for once, the woman would pay her due time in prison. Nicole sat at the plaintiff's table with an unreadable expression on her face. In her elegant, yet simple, black suit, she was a vision of confidence, but deep inside her, there was a tempest going on.She had fought for this day, spent years gathering the strength to bring Veronica to justice, and now it all came down to this -- the final decision. Her lawyer, an astute woman, rose from her seat and made her way to the center of the courtroom. She squared her shoulders, adjusted her glasses, and took a deep breath before she began her final statement."Your Honor, ladi
The Fury mansion was shrouded in an eerie silence as Taylor and Sarah sat in the dimly lit living room, their eyes fixed on the television screen. It had drained them for these past few weeks, the feeling in the room, that of defeat, hung in the air heavy. Veronica sat back in one corner, her expression unreadable, with a firm clasp on the leather chair's armrest. The evening news was on, first with politics, current events of interest around the world, when the voice of the news anchor changed.To their most shocking scene,was the declaration of the sale of Taylons Enterprises to its new owner. The company, which suffered serious financial setbacks, has been acquired by no other person than Nicole Okeke, Chief Executive Officer and President of Okeke Group.On the screen was a clear shot of Nicole, standing right in front of the headquarters of the company; the newly installed Okeke Group logo was emblazoned above the entrance. Her poised figure and calm demeanor seemed to say a
Nicole descended the courthouse steps with practiced grace, her expression unreadable as the mob of journalists and reporters surged forward. Cameras flashed like wildfire in the gray sky. Facing them, stream of voices went hysterical, with every other reporter screaming their questions louder than the last. "Ms. Okeke, do you really feel the court will be on your side?" "Ms. Okeke, are you just out to get the Fury family out of personal revenge?" "How do you reply to claims that this case has absolutely nothing to do with justice but it is, in reality, a personal vendetta?"Carter stepped in front of Nicole, the chaotic crowd pushing in against him as Collins held open the car door only a few feet away. The bodyguards' security at this moment was fierce."Back off!" Carter barked, his voice firm as he pushed a microphone away from Nicole's face. Nicole, however raised a hand to call off her bodyguards. "It's ok," she said, voice calm, but commanding. The reporters now reduced
The courtroom was unusually quiet that morning, the weight of the trial bearing heavily on everyone present. Nicole sat at her table, fingers intertwined, and watched as the judge took his seat. Her lawyer was looking over the day's agenda, but Nicole was elsewhere. She was preparing herself for yet another painful revelation. She barely knew what was coming. The prosecuting council stood up and called their next witness: "We would like to call Sarah Fury to the stand."Veronica's eyes quickly widened in shock. How was this possible? Nicole's head snapped up, and her eyes shot wide in incredulity. She leaned to her attorney, who avoided her gaze but just fidgeted with her notes. "Sarah?" Nicole whispered with a hint of confusion and accusation. "It was their decision," her lawyer said very quietly.The lawyer finally looked back at her. Her expression cautioned her. "They came to me days ago, and I thought it best to let their testimonies speak for themselves."Before Nicole co
The courtroom was packed, a sea of tense faces and curious eyes as the trial resumed. Journalists, family members, and curious onlookers filled the benches, whispering in hushed tones about the drama that had unfolded so far. Nicole sat at her table, calm but resolute. Her lawyer sat beside her, a folder full of evidence spread across the desk. Across the room, Veronica sat upright and stone-faced, her expression unreadable. Beside her was her lawyer, a man with a name for dismantling even the most solid cases.The judge entered, and the bailiff called for silence. "This court is now in session," he announced, his voice echoing through the tense space. The judge nodded for the prosecution to begin, and Nicole's lawyer stood, buttoning her suit jacket as she approached the bench. "Your Honor, we call our next witness to the stand," she said, her voice steady but firm.The door of the courtroom opened, and the hesitant steps of the maid who once tried to poison Nicole entered. She
The hum of the air condition filled Nicole’s office as she sat at her desk, reviewing documents related to the court case. The weight of everything was beginning to take its toll, but she refused to let it show. This wasn't just a battle for justice; this was personal, an almost instinctual need to regain what had been taken from her. A soft knock at the door broke into her reverie. She looked up and let in Emilia, who wore a tight look about her features."Taylor and his wife are here, requesting to see you," she said softly.Nicole's brow arched high, her surprise tempered by having anticipated this turn of events all along. "Let them in," she said finally, her voice even and icy. A few moments later, Taylor and Sarah entered the room, a mixture of unease and regret showing on their features. The former was a bit older; his once sharply etched face had softened in the aftereffects of his recent actions.Sarah stood a little behind him, her hands clasped tight together, as if to
The courthouse buzzed with tension as the crowd filled the courtroom for the first hearing. Journalists lined the hallways outside, flashing cameras, and voices in a chaotic symphony of questions and assumptions. Inside, the atmosphere was no less charged. The courtroom was divided, onlookers whispering their speculations about the high-profile case that had drawn public attention. Veronica sat at the defendant's table, her posture rigid, her face pale but composed.Her attorney leaned forward and whispered something to her; she nodded slightly in affirmative.Behind Veronica, Taylor and Sarah were seated, a mixture of concern and disbelief carved on their faces.Taylor's eyes continued darting to Nicole, who, appearing in court with her attorney, exuded a silent, unbreakable confidence.Her bodyguards Collins and Carter stood outside the door and guard.The judge walked in, an imposing woman in her fifties, and onto the wood came the gavel. "This court is now in session," she sai