Nicole stared at the elderly woman, her confusion deepening with every passing second.
"Excuse me, ma'am," she said cautiously. "Are you sure you have the right person? Have you… lost your daughter?"
But the woman wasn't listening.
Her trembling hands wandered over Nicole's face and shoulders, as if trying to confirm she was real.
Tears streamed down her wrinkled cheeks, her voice shaky but filled with gratitude.
"Thank God," she whispered, her hands clasping tightly around Nicole's. "Thank God I've found you. My daughter. My precious daughter!"
Nicole's mouth opened, but no words came out. Too stunned, too baffled by what was happening.
"Ma'am…," she finally managed, her tone soft but urgent, "I think you've mistaken me for someone else. I'm not—"
"Shhh!" The woman interrupted her with a finger over Nicole's lips. "Don't say anything, my dear. You've been through so much. I can see it in your eyes."
Nicole let out a sigh and slowly turned to the taxi driver now visibly irritated.
His hands clung tightly to the wheel as his face scrunched up in impatience.
"Ma'am," Nicole tried again, freeing her hands from the tight grasp. "It is getting late, and it will not be safe for you on the streets. Please just let me know where you live so that I could help you."
And neither did the woman listen, she was too overpowered for that matter.
Already very irritated, the taxi driver tooted on the horn twice. "Hey, are you coming or not? I don't have all night!"
Nicole gave an apologetic glance. "Just give me a second," she pleaded, but this man was beyond his patience limit.
Saying something under his breath, he slammed the door shut, pealed out of there, and left them out in the dark street all by themselves.
Nicole hunched over, groaning loudly in frustration as she turned back to the woman. "Great, now we are stranded. Ma'am, please, where do you live? I will take you there myself if I have to."
But before the woman could answer, or rather ignore her again, the sound of screeching tires broke the stillness.
Nicole turned towards the the sound as a sleek black Rolls-Royce Phantom came to a stop just feet away, sending her heart racing.
The car door opened, and a tall smartly dressed young man got out.
His stormy gray eyes instantly locked on Nicole while his chiseled jaw was tightly clenched in anger as he strode toward them with long, purposeful strides, each inch exuding command and arrogance.
"What did you do to my grandmother?" he demanded in a deep, cold voice.
Nicole blinked, surprised by both the question and his appearance altogether. "What?"
The man halted before her, his eyes boring into her as if he was drilling into her. "I said, what did you do to her? Why is she crying?"
Nicole stared at him, utterly perplexed. "I didn't do anything! She—"
"Enough, both of you!" the old woman suddenly interrupted, her voice full of emotion. "She didn't hurt me, Leo. I found her! She's my daughter!"
Leo's face slipped, his expression flashing to confusion before smoothing out again behind its cold mask.
"Grandma, what are you talking about? This woman is obviously lying."
Nicole's mouth fell open. "Excuse me?"
He acted like she hadn't spoken and addressed his grandmother again. "Come on, let's get you in the car. She's obviously tired and mixed up."
The old woman fought him, grasping at Nicole's arm with an astonishingly firm grip. "No! She's coming with us!"
Leo sighed in exasperation, his patience clearly running thin. "Grandma, please. Let's go. This is ridiculous."
"Ridiculous?" Nicole snapped, her voice rising with indignation. "Your grandmother thinks I'm her daughter, and instead of trying to understand, you're here accusing me of making her cry? What is wrong with you?"
He turned to her, cold eyes, his voice dripping with scorn. "Listen, lady, whatever your name is and the game you are playing, just keep away from my grandma."
Nicole flushed red with anger. "Game? Are you for real? I was trying to help her!"
The old woman's pleas grew louder, but Leo had had enough.
He gently but firmly pried her hands off Nicole and led her toward the car. "We're leaving," he said curtly, ignoring the woman's protests.
Nicole stood frozen, her fists clenched as she watched them drive away.
Her body trembled with a mixture of anger and helplessness.
The audacity of that man!
...............................
The streets were colder, lonesome, as Nicole wandered aimlessly, her thoughts a jumble of chaos in her head.
A week ago, she had had everything, a home, a husband, a life at least that had seemed stable.
And now, she was reduced to this - a woman with nowhere to go, nobody to turn to, and no route forward.
Just stock in the street like a lost sheep.
Nicole walked for what felt like hours, peering down every street for some sign of a hotel or even a small motel.
But the city seemed unyielding, offering nothing but darkness and empty roads.
Finally, she came upon a small shed tucked away in an alley. It wasn't much, just a rickety structure with a wooden bench inside but it was better than nothing.
Exhausted and numb, Nicole slipped inside.
The bench creaked under her weight as she sat down and set her bag beside her.
She folded her arms around herself, trying to ward off the cold of the night.
Her mind replayed the events of the day, each memory cutting deeper than the last.
"Tomorrow," she whispered to herself, her voice shaky. "Tomorrow, I'll find a way. I'll figure something out."
But even as she said the words, doubt crept in. How could she fight against the forces working so hard to destroy her?
How could she rebuild her life when every door was slammed shut in her face?
She lay down on the bench, using her bag for a pillow, and closed her eyes.
The shed was cold and damp, but her exhaustion was too heavy; soon, sleep overcame her.
About an hour later, a sound jolted her back awake.
A faint "whoosh-whoosh" of footsteps cut through stillness, growing louder at each step.
Nicole opened her eyes, heart pounding in her chest, to a shadow figure looming over her.
It was Leo.
"You?" She muttered, her voice trembling. "Again?"
"What are you doing here?" he demanded, his tone low and dangerous.
Nicole scrambled to sit up, her heart pounding. "What are you doing here?" she shot back, fear lacing her voice.