Chapter 20
Seeing the confusion on her face, Austin explained, “When Mr. Black doesn’t get enough rest, his gastric issues flare up. And when he’s in pain, he tends to lash out.”
Nadia stayed silent. What does jet lag have to do with gastric issues? Was this his way of excusing Jason’s tantrum this morning she thought.
Whether it was jet lag, gastric issues, or another woman made no difference. He agreed to the divorce, so he doesn’t get to rewrite the terms now. Nadia told herself.
She pushed the door open. The room resembled a five–star hotel suite more than a hospital ward, with a plush lounge area on one side and a clinical bed on the other.
“The past two days have been brutal. Mr. Black hasn’t had any rest. He went straight from a meeting to the red–eye last night. I could barely hold myself up, so imagine how much worse it was for him. My shoulders and back are killing me,” Austin groaned, rotating his neck in an exaggerated stretch.
Nadia caught the hint, but she was here to visit Madge, not to flatter a scumbag.
“The hospital has a rehabilitation center,” she said coldly. “They offer professional massages. You could book an appointment
for him.”
“You know how Mr. Black is,” Austin replied with a shrug. “He doesn’t like being touched.”
When they were newly married, Nadia adored Jason. She would cook, wait for him to come home, and then eagerly try out massage techniques she had learned just for him after dinner.
She was willing to do anything for him. Her hands, once delicate and nimble, had become blistered from hot oil and sore from overwork.
But he never appreciated it. Instead, he accused her of trying to seduce him.
Eventually, she stopped massaging him, and he stopped coming home. Now, when Austin brought it up, Nadia couldn’t help but feel it was just another way to humiliate her.
“Austin, I’m here to visit my mother–in–law,” Nadia said flatly.
“The doctor recommends keeping the patient in a good mood.” With a grin, Austin pushed open the hospital room door. “Mrs. Black, your daughter–in–law’s here. Mr. Black, your wife came all this way because she knows you’re exhausted. She offered to give you a massage.”
‘Did I say that?‘ Nadia stiffened, her mind racing. ‘Since when?‘
“Don’t mind him. A few sleepless nights won’t kill him,” Madge muttered, though her eyes had already softened when Jason walked in. She noticed the weariness in his face and couldn’t help but feel a flicker of concern.
Jason sat off to the side, quietly peeling apples.
Sunlight spilled across liis profile, tracing the sharp lines of his mature features–his brows, nose, and lips. Every angle still hit her where it hurt. She’d memorized that face a hundred times, yet it still made her heart flutter.
“Sit down. It’s not like you bought a standing ticket,” Jason said. His voice was calmer than it had been that morning, cold now and unmistakably tired.
“Was the project going smoothly?” Nadia asked, her tone soft with carefully measured concern. “All that flying must’ve worn
you out.”
Jason looked up, eyes narrowing. “This morning, she was ready to gut me. Now she’s playing the tender, devoted wife?‘
He knew the routine too well. A slight nudge, and she’d bristle like a hedgehog. Offer a little kindness, and she’d soften right on
cue.
Jason wiped his hands on a tissue, then loosened his tie. “Do I get a reward?”
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Chapter 20
Nadia resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Instead, she turned to Madge with a faint smile. “You’ll get your reward after I’ve spoken with Mom.”
Tmy tired. I’ll nap first.” Madge yawned, her voice drowsy. “Don’t leave, Nadia. Stay and eat with me later.”
Hearing Madge’s words, Nadia had no choice but to follow Jason into the adjacent lounge.
Madge kept blinking at Jason, as if telling him, “If you can’t pacify and win her back, don’t bother coming home.”
Jason gave a brief nod and casually tossed an “OK” gesture behind his back as they stepped out of the ward.
Once they were out of earshot, his expression shifted, and his voice turned cold. “Don’t use my mom’s illness to pressure me. You won’t get a cent of the assets.”
“The divorce was mutual. There’s no pressure involved.” Nadia’s tone was measured, despite the unease creeping in.
Jason sprawled out on the couch, pulling a cigarette from his pocket and sniffing it without lighting it. “Mutual? Or was it because I couldn’t satisfy you in bed?”
}
Nadia remained quiet, her silence hanging heavy in the air at his words.
“You booked an appointment with the Andrology Department. Why didn’t you bring me along? What did you tell the doctor? That I can’t seem to get it up? That I don’t last long?” Jason’s voice was icy, his words cutting through the air.
Nadia turned away, fighting the urge to snap.
It was his fault for not letting her into the ward. She had booked the appointment only to disgust him, and he wouldn’t have bothered sending Austin to fetch her if she hadn’t.
Clearing her throat, she forced a calm tone. “Mr. Black, when do you plan on finalizing the divorce?”
Jason stretched out his legs and hooked her ankle with his foot, his gaze cold. “Which part of you needs help being satisfied?”
Nadia feli silent.
“The thrifty Mrs. Black booked a top–tier specialist just for me. How urgent was your need?” Jason’s voice dripped with mockery.
She stumbled onto the sofa, glaring up at him. “You care so much about the greater good, don’t you? So why bother squabbling over something so trivial, like a misunderstanding from five minutes ago?”
He locked eyes with her, his gaze lingering on her reddening ears. “If we don’t clarify this, how are we supposed to draft the divorce papers?”
‘So this is about me refusing to apologize to Abby this morning,‘ Nadia thought, her jaw tightening. ‘He’s just trying to provoke and disgust me into breaking first.
‘Fine. If it’s a fight he wants, I’ll give you one, she thought.
Nadia tucked her hair behind her ear, her smile faint but knowing. “Feel free to call me frigid. Or perhaps you’d like to say my body is the problem? I’ve been on so many supplements over the last three years and still haven’t gotten pregnant.”
Jason leaned over the back of the sofa, his face lowering close to hers, a smirk playing on his lips. “A frigid woman would wear a bunny outfit and sit next to me?”
The urge to punch him surged, but Nadia held back.
He lifted his phone again. “Would a frigid woman book a top specialist to examine my ‘problem‘?”
Nadia had never expected that all her attempts to provoke him would only serve as evidence of her desperation.
“Mr. Black,” she said calmly, “I wasn’t worried about you.”
Jason’s eyes narrowed as he tapped away at his phone. “Since you care so much about whether my manhood is functioning properly, maybe you should get checked yourself. See if you can handle a real man.”
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12:59 PM
Chapter 20
Nadia clenched her fists and forced a smile. “Let’s skip this part. When are we finalizing the divorce?”
Jason paused, studying her for a long moment, before sitting up. “Do you know what the cost of living is like in Brookshire?”
“You can’t even hold down a job serving tea. You sure you can manage rent and your brother’s medical bills after the divorce?” His voice had an edge of condescension.
“Even your car-” Jason continued.
Nadia cut him off sharply. “The dowry was a personal gift. It’s mine.”
Jason’s gaze darkened. “It’s yours, sure. But can you afford to keep it? Maintenance, repairs…”
After today’s events, she knew he had a point. A tiny scratch on the Cayenne had cost her thousands.
Thinking how it was supposed to be Abby’s, she replied with a straight face, “I’ll sell it and get a cheaper one. Lower costs, more stability in the long run.”
Jason didn’t respond right away.
JJust tell me when. I’ll notify my lawyer,” Nadia said, eager to settle things.
Jason tossed his cigarette onto the coffee table, his tone icy. “Depends on my schedule.”
“When do you have time?” Nadia pressed on.
Jason leaned back, his legs propped up on the table, eyes closed. “Depends on how the project goes.”
Nadia stayed silent. ‘What does jet lag have to do with gastric issues? Was this his way of excusing Jason’s tantrum this morning?‘ she thought.
Nadia raised an eyebrow, seeing through the delay. “Are you talking about the overseas project, or is this just another Black Group excuse?”
Jason frowned, his irritation evident. “What’s the rush? Are you going somewhere? There’s nothing about you I’d miss.” He then pressed his hand to his stomach, fingers tapping rhythmically.
Nadia noticed the movement, her attention shifting. She moved closer, warming her hands before gently placing them on his abdomen.
The warmth and pressure seemed just right, and his face relaxed a little.
‘Perhaps Austin hadn’t been lying after all; Nadia thought. ‘Maybe he really is a sharp–tongued devil when his stomach hurts. “Is the pressure okay?” Nadia asked, her voice surprisingly gentle.
Jason inhaled deeply and leaned slightly closer, his eyes flicking to hers. “Use that same energy you had when booking my doctor’s appointment.”
