All Chapters of The CEO's Stepdaughter: Chapter 71 - Chapter 80

Niccola FairchildThe loud voices coming from downstairs wake me from my slumber. I sit straight on the bed, and Steph follows my lead. Her eyes widen as she recognises the voices coming from downstairs, almost at the same time I do. I rub my eyes as Steph stands and walks out of the room. I follow her quickly, stopping her. “Let me see what is going on, don’t go down,” I say, and Steph nods. I run down the stairs to find Cole in front of a drunk Sawyer. Scratch that. A very, very, very drunk Sawyer. A stumbling kind of drunk Sawyer. “There she is, this is all your fault,” Sawyer says, pointing his finger at me. My eyes widen as Cole keeps standing in front of Sawyer as he tries to reach me. “What did you say to her?” Sawyer demands to know, and I stay quiet, watching as he stumbles and slurs his words. I have never seen anyone so drunk being able to stay standing.

Cole SutcliffeI stand, placing Niccola on the floor as I walk to my desk. I open the first drawer, and there it is, the box with my mother’s ring. I smile as I retrieve it and walk to Niccola. Niccola is standing in the middle of the place where I chose to build my career, and now I am choosing to build my future instead. I hold my mother’s ring, beautiful and timeless, with the promise of a beautiful life together. Niccola looks at me, and I know this is where I belong and who I belong with; losing everything is nothing compared to the possibility of losing her. I kneel on the floor as I look into her shiny, beautiful green eyes, pooled with tears, as she realises what is about to happen. “I know this isn’t romantic, but this is the place where I learned how to build something that lasts,” I let out as I look around the cluttered desk and then focus on her eyes again. I lift the ring as I add, “This was my Mom’s; she wore it every day until the day she gave it to me so I could giv

Niccola Fairchild“And yet, you are still here, with me,” I say. That made him still as he examined me. I stand and walk around the counter, joining him on the other side. “Okay. Let’s talk practically, no hypothetical scenarios, and no dramas. Real talk,” I say, and Cole nods. “What do you still have?” I ask.Cole thinks for a little while, and then he drinks some of his coffee. “Time, a brain that is still working and contacts who owe me favours,” he says, smiling, “and you,” he adds. My heart skips a beat at his reply, and I can’t help but smile. “You don’t get to list me like an asset,” I say as I press my hip against the counter, as I always did. “I know,” he adds quickly, “I just….” He stops as if searching for the right words, “You’re choosing this, you’re choosing to be publicly shamed for being

Cole SutcliffeDinner was a fucking terrible idea. That was my first thought as I watched Niccola straighten the table for the third time; her movements are careful and precise. She did that when she was nervous or anxious. She tried to control the smallest thing so the big ones wouldn’t spiral. Last time my parents came to our house ended with Niccola leaving with Phillip, and me being arrested for domestic Violence the morning after. And tonight, hell, we are telling them we are going to have a baby. We are both terrified the news will spread like wildfire on social media when she goes for scans. People will recognise her on the street, and that will be it.I lean against the dining room doorframe, the faint but constant weight of the ankle monitor reminding me of what I was now allowed to be. “I think you’ve moved that knife four times,” I let out. Niccola shoots me a look that if it could kill, I would be fucking dead. “Your mother pays attention to details,” Niccola says, shrugg

Niccola FairchildToday we have a meeting with Anne. It has been weighing on Cole. I can tell by his posture and the quietness of his demeanor. She is coming over to discuss the trial. It has been scheduled. Obviously, my mother wanted to settle the case for millions, but Cole said no from the beginning. Anne arrived at ten as scheduled. She arrived without ceremony, that was the first thing I noticed, how she didn’t knock like she was asking for permission to enter, but like she belonged here. Cole opened the door as my morning sickness has been terrible today. I watched as his shoulders straightened the second he saw her and watched as he went very still. He was not scared. He was controlled.“Niccola,” Anne said, offering me a small smile before she moved on and walked straight into our dining room. She set her briefcase on the table and sat down as if this were a normal procedure.