Chapter 12
Scandal surrounded Abby like a storm cloud, and her silence only fed the fire, taken by many as a quiet confession.
Doran’s scramble for money likely stemmed from the fear that Nadia would be worthless to him once she was cast aside.
The Skyline Trade Plaza was a hub of industry elites, including some of the city’s top legal minds. Before returning to her studio, Nadia sought out Scott Fairbank, a lawyer she knew, and laid out her case.
“You want to split his assets fifty–fifty?” Scott wiped his brow. “That’s going to be tough. Going up against Jason Black’s legal team is no joke.”
“What if I back down a bit?” Nadia had never truly wanted the money. This was about making Jason sick with regret.
Scott paused. “The issue is whether Mr. Black will agree to a divorce. If he refuses, it could drag on in court for months. Unless you have solid evidence of wrongdoing, the court usually pushes for reconciliation.”
Nadia tightened her grip on her bag strap, bitterness rising as she recalled how Jason had done everything for Abby except give her the name of a wife.
She then remembered how their marriage had been kept in the dark. If it surfaced now, Abby would be ridiculed as the other woman, and that was likely why Jason wouldn’t allow a divorce.
“In that case, visit him tomorrow. Let him draft the divorce agreement as he deems fit,” Nadia said coolly. “I won’t contest it. Just keep it quiet and make sure her reputation stays untouched.”
Scott acted fast. By the next morning, Jason had already received the news.
The Black Group was shrouded in tension that morning. Executives walked on eggshells, and even the secretaries didn’t dare breathe loudly.
Austin brought coffee to the president’s office and nearly hit the fire alarm when he saw the haze of smoke hanging in the air. Jason sat at his desk with a cigarette smoldering between his fingers, a sight Austin had only seen once before.
Shortly after, Austin sent a text message to Nadia for instructions.
Nadia then found out that every time Hubert had asked her to buy supplements for her mother–in–law, he had quietly checked with Jason about their effects. What had seemed like a harmless concern had always been a way to track her place in Jason’s life.
Hence, Austin wanted to know how to respond this time.
Nadia hadn’t expected Hubert to play this card, and the realization left her shaken. If Jason turned his back on her now, she’d be left alone to deal with the fallout.
To keep the divorce on track, she knew she’d have to tread carefully and make peace with him, at least on the surface.
Nadia called Austin to get a read on Jason’s mood, but he cut the call short, claiming that Jason was busy.
She called again an hour later, but the line was still busy. By the third attempt, Nadia knew something wasn’t right.
After work, Nadia found herself pulling up outside the Black Group office building, as if something beyond her will had brought her there. Noticing the lights still on in the president’s office on the 36th floor, she pulled out her phone and opened WhatsApp.
She messaged Jason on WhatsApp. [Call me back when you’re not busy.]
He replied instantly: [Are you ordering me around?]
“What a bastard,” Nadia muttered. “Why is he always so petty?”
Nadia replied. [My dad has some new supplement recommendations, but a few are rare. I’ll send you a photo. Get someone to buy them and send them to Mom.]
The same reply came through again. [Are you ordering me around?]
t/a
12:57PM
Chapter 12
If she hadn’t seen the typing indicator flash on, she would’ve assumed he’d set an auto–reply.
Nadia inhaled deeply, trying to rein in her irritation. [I only want the rejected jewelry. I won’t touch your assets.]
After a moment of staring at the screen, she typed: [Fine. Forget the jewelry.]
Her fingers struck the keyboard with such force that it seemed she might crack it, but just as she was about to hit send, her phone lit up. Jason was calling.
“I’m going on a business trip tomorrow. Pack my suitcase.” Jason’s voice came through the phone as she answered the call.
“Excus- what?” Nadia blurted out.
“Pack it like you always do, and I’ll help you,” Jason responded.
She bit her tongue and forced a calm reply, “Alright.”
Nadia used to love packing for him, worried he’d catch a chill or feel out of place, always slipping in little trinkets and handpicked accessories to maké his trip easier.
He’d call her naggy, then throw away the custom plush dolls she made for him. Still, every time, she’d quietly tuck one back in. Now, he was the one asking her to help with his luggage, using the gentlest tone she’d heard from him in days. Her chest tightened.
Neither spoke again. They sat in silence with their phones pressed to their ears.
An old online thread surfaced in Nadia’s mind. She vaguely remembered the title: [If your husband gave you 30 thousand dollars a month but never came home, would you take it?]
One of the top replies was stuck with her: [If you hesitate even for a second, you’re insulting the value of money.]
By that logic, Jason was a top–tier deal–unlimited spending, a luxury home, a sleek car, and a live–in staff. He was handsome, accomplished, and unfailingly generous to the Woodwards.
Compared to those broke, drama–prone men who looked like they lost a bet with genetics, Jason really wasn’t a bad deal.
Even Doran called him a loyal man. And to be fair, he was indeed faithful to Abby, unlike his friend Paul, whose rotating cast of girlfriends could staff a finishing school.
Perhaps if Nadia had been a little more understanding, she could have lived with it.
Just as she was about to compromise, she heard a familiar woman’s voice over the phone, “Jason, I’m out of the shower.” Nadia snapped back to reality.
‘So stupid, she thought, recognizing she was gaslighting herself again.
Her mind raced. ‘Why am I even making excuses for him? Brookshire’s full of men, and I sure as hell didn’t need one like him.’ “Alright,” she said coolly, then hung up.
Right as the call ended, a red Lamborghini rolled into the underground garage of the Black Group.
Jason’s face darkened. The sudden change in Nadia’s tone had gotten under his skin. His handsome features tightened with irritation.
“I didn’t mean to spill the coffee,” Abby pouted, placing a plush toy on his desk. She glanced at him, hiding a flicker of doubt. “When did you start liking these things?”
Jason silently tucked the toy into a drawer and leaned back in his chair. His gaze sharpened. “Cut the fluff. What do you want?” Abby twirled her finger against the edge of the desk. “About the embroiderer…”
Jason cut her off coldly. “From now on, keep your mouth shut. No media, no statements.”
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Chapter 12
Abby forced a smile at his response.
Jason had gotten her the double, and she’d paid the double to keep quiet. As long as the director stayed silent, the audience would never know. Since no one dared to challenge Jason, all eyes would be on her the moment the show aired.
“Paul doesn’t like me,” Abby said softly. “If he finds someone better, I’ll step aside. I don’t want to get in the way of your friendship.”
Jason shot her a sharp, penetrating look, as though he saw right through her.
Abby averted her gaze, guilt flashing across her face.
There was a knock at the door, and Austin entered moments later. “Ms. Pauley, your agent’s car is downstairs.”
Abby told Ivory she had planned to ride with Jason, but it was obvious that Austin had deliberately called Ivory to come pick her up.
With the door wide open, she had no choice but to grab her bag and leave.
When Austin returned, he found Jason wiping the plush doll’s face with a tissue. The once–white fabric was stained brown with coffee.
“Should I send it to the cleaners?” Austin asked carefully.
Jason didn’t respond. He stuffed the plush into his pocket and stood. “Find out who the guy was at the food truck with her.”
Nadia didn’t have many friends. One of them was Kate, but as a public–facing singer, she would never risk her image by being spotted at a greasy street stall.
‘If Nadia had the nerve to send a lawyer, then she must’ve found someone more reliable than any miracle supplement on the market, Jason thought grimly.
