Chapter 7
Nadia was cruising to meet Clive when she got word that a ritzy herb shop had just scored a batch of top–tier wild reishi mushrooms.
Kate had been going on about how the director Rex Males, who’d given her a major break, was wild for the stuff. Since Kate had just nabbed a song for Rex’s new movie, she wanted to send him a little something to say thanks.
Nadia was mid–maneuver, backing into a parking spot, when a red Lamborghini roared in and jacked her space. The woman driving parked like she’d flunked driver’s ed and strutted off without a backward glance.
Muttering under her breath, Nadia parked farther out and hiked to the shop, only to spot the same woman already inside.
“Hi there!” the clerk chirped, all sunshine.
“Hey, can I see that century–old wild reishi mushroom you just got in?” Nadia asked.
“Sorry, ma’am, that one’s already sold. We’ve got some killer cultivated mushrooms, though!”
Nadia shook her head. “I’m good, thanks.”
She was about to bounce when a voice stopped her. “You’re Nadia, right?”
The Lamborghini chick sauntered over, arms crossed, sporting a smirk that screamed trouble. “That Cayenne you’re driving? It was supposed to be Abby’s. The plate’s her lucky number. That’s how I knew it was you.”
Nadia’s eyes narrowed. She clocked this woman instantly.
The clerk handed over the packaged mushroom with a pen and notepad. “Could you fill out the pickup info? We need to confirm with Mr. Black.”
Nadia’s fingers tightened around her phone. In Brookshire, only one “Mr. Black” had the cash to splurge on rare ginseng, and she didn’t need a Ouija board to know who.
The woman leaned in, all smug. “You know Abby Pauley, yeah? Goldspire Awards nominee? This is for her. Can’t share her info, so just put my name down–Ivory Jenning, her agent.”
Nadia’s face didn’t budge–not a hint of shock or fury, just pure ice. But inside? Her heart was being shredded.
Abby gets a tiny scratch, and Jason’s dropping a fortune on ginseng to “patch her up“? Gotta give it to him–he sure knows how to spoil his side chick.
When Nadia didn’t bite, Rachel kept poking. “Didn’t expect you to be such a snake, Ms. Woodward. All sweet and classy, but stealing what’s not yours?
“You can take the man, but his heart’s off–limits. What’s the point? Do yourself a solid and find a guy who’s actually into you before you’re left out in the cold.”
“Abby put you up to this?” Nadia tilted her chin, a wicked spark in her eye. “Guess trash sticks together. She’s out here playing homewrecker, and you’re her little attack dog yapping at the wife.”
Nadia’s whole vibe shifted–sharp, untouchable, like she was born to steal the spotlight. Rachel was out of her league. “Abby was with Jason first!” Rachel snapped, face turning pink. “You swooped in when they broke up. You’re the sidepiece!” “Still single, Ms. Jenning?” Nadia flicked her hair, cool as a cucumber. “You should start scoping out husbands in preschool. Nah, better yet, hit up the maternity ward. With how much you despise mistresses, you’re basically doomed to be one.”
Ivory’s face went full–on cherry–red, her comeback stuck in her throat.
Nadia smirked, her voice low and deadly. “You want that mushroom? Fine. Tell the clerk to chop it in half. My husband paid for it, so I’m claiming my share. Try to take it all, and I’ll have our marriage certificate blowing up online by midnight. Everyone will know Abby’s a shameless man–stealer.”
Ivory froze. She’d heard Nadia was a pushover, but this woman was a straight–up queen.
1/3
Chapter 7
She’d come to drag Nadia and scare her off, but now she was the one choking on her words.
The clerk hung up a call and hustled over. “Mrs. Black, I’m so sorry. Mr. Black’s on his way. Just a moment, please.”
This day was a total soap opera.
The assistant’s call had been on speaker, and when Jason’s voice came through, the clerk nearly jumped out of her skin.
Nadia wasn’t about to stick around to watch her sleazeball husband swoop in to play hero for his mistress, but Ivory and the clerk were blocking her way out.
Jason must’ve been close because he showed up in a heartbeat.
The guy was nearly six–foot–three, rocking a tailored suit that screamed big money. When he strolled in, long legs eating up the floor, it was like he brought a tidal wave of charisma with him.
That energy? Straight–up electric. The way he moved, that chiseled frame, that swagger–it was enough to make anyone’s knees buckle.
Nadia let herself get caught up for a hot second before her senses snapped back. The looming figure stopped right in front of her, his deep voice cutting through the air. “Enough games, Nadia. Time to go home.”
“What, you got cotton in your ears?” She tipped her head back to lock eyes with him. “Let me make it real simple. I’m done with No. 8 Crest Manor. I’m not going back. Not now, not ever.”
She spun toward the door, but Jason’s assistant, trailing him like a shadow, stepped in her way. “Mrs. Black, Mr. Black came all this way for you.”
To haul my back to playing his perfect little housewife? No thanks,‘ she thought bitterly.
Austin Watts, the assistant, was Jason’s loyal sidekick–screening her calls, tossing her half–baked excuses whenever she reached out.
“Austin, you’re such a good boy,” Nadia said, her tone dripping with sarcasm. “Not only do you snap at his heels, you practically wag your tail for him.”
“Nadia.” Jason’s voice turned razor–sharp, slicing through the tension. “Keep pushing, and you’re only screwing yourself. Move back home. Paria Fashion Week’s coming up–buy whatever your heart desires.”
Clothes, purses, sparkling jewels… Time and again, Nadia had let his lavish gifts patch things up, convincing herself that his spending proved she still mattered.
He just wasn’t the mushy, romantic type, she’d told herself.
But then Abby rolled back into town, and suddenly Jason was all sweet words and soft touches–things he’d never once shown Nadia.
ཤྩ་ཙན་ཚ་ཚཚོ་ཨཽནན་ཟེཝ་ ཚ་
She crossed her arms, shielding her aching heart, and let out a biting laugh. “Save your cash for Abby’s hype squad. With her acting? That Goldspire Awards nomination must’ve cost you millions. We’re still married, Jason, Half your money’s mine, but I won’t fight for it. Call it my wedding gift to you and your new sweetheart.”
Ivory finally found her nerve, scrambling for a comeback. “Mrs. Black, Abby earned that nomination fair and square. She looks up to Mr. Black, sure, but she’s not some homewrecker. Don’t go spinning stories over some random mushrooms.”
‘Random?‘ Nadia almost laughed. That box of rare wild ginseng was worth eight figures, minimum.
“Oh, if it’s no big deal…” Nadia shot Ivory a dazzling, razor–sharp smile, “then I’ll just take those ‘random‘ mushrooms. Go pick out something else to shower your girl with.”
That one–of–a–kind reshi mushroom would be the ultimate flex for Kate.
Nadia had planned to max out Jason’s black card, but since he was footing the bill himself, it saved her the trouble.
Whatever else he wants to shower Abby with?‘ she thought. ‘Go for it. Just keep it far from my line of sight
She waved at the waiter, but before she could finish, Jason’s hand shot out, grabbing her wrist. “You don’t even touch that stuff
