Chapter 21
Nadia continued massaging in silence, though every fiber in her wanted to shove him down and shut him up for good.
But she needed answers, so she swallowed the impulse and forced a faint smile. Her voice remained calm. “It’s been a while since I’ve done this. Let me find my rhythm.”
Jason’s scowl eased, just slightly. She seized the moment.
“Mr. Black, divorce is like a doctor’s visit. If it’s something minor, you don’t drag it out. Quick diagnosis, quick cut, done.” Her tone was breezy, almost professional. “With your connections, we could probably get the papers signed from the comfort of your home. No need to mess up your schedule. I’ll even split the service fees.”
Jason’s glare sharpened. “Say one more word. Try me.”
Nadia’s patience snapped. She shoved him away. “You promised to let me go this morning–now you’re backpedaling again? We’re not kids. Stop throwing tantrums.”
“Looks like the docile rabbit’s finally baring its teeth,” Jason thought.
He clenched his jaw but didn’t snap back right away. He stared at her for a long beat, then finally said, “You want to cut ties, but still count on me to clean up your mess with your father. All the perks, none of the weight. And I’m the one being childish?”
Nadia pressed her lips together.
She couldn’t leave yet, but couldn’t cling to a marriage with no future.
Jason knew her situation too well. He dressed up control as charity, using her desperation like a leash. If she didn’t cut ties now, she’d be discarded once Abby was pregnant, and her father would never take her or her brother back.
Nadia knew she needed to act before that happened.
Her gaze turned cold. “Since Mr. Black took over the company, everything’s been thriving. A divorce is nothing more than routine paperwork to you. But your precious little lover? I doubt she’ll survive the public fallout.”
Jason’s eyes narrowed. “Is that a threat?”
“A reminder,” Nadia said evenly. “If you want to shield your true love, I can step forward and declare that our marriage was a business arrangement. That you and Abby were always meant to be.”
His face darkened.
“Or,” she added, eyes glinting with venom, “I could admit I was the third party all along.”
Jason’s stare went icy. “Do you think the hospital’s emergency response will be faster than me killing you?”
Nadia went still.
After a pause, she muttered, “Let’s just get it over with. We can sign the papers quietly, somewhere private.”
A pillow smacked her in the face. When she looked up, Jason had slammed the restroom door behind him.
Nadia prepared dinner and even served it to Jason. Watching them, Madge assumed the couple had reconciled.
“If that brat ever bullies you again, let me know,” Madge said, her voice sharp. “I’ll make sure his father gives him a warning.”
Nadia forced a laugh, trying to keep things light.
Madge turned to her son, her tone softening. “You’re already at the hospital. Go get checked.”
“I’m fine,” Jason inuttered, chewing something unfamiliar but surprisingly enjoyable.
Madge raised an eyebrow. “Why hasn’t Nadia shown any signs of pregnancy? She got checked, so you should too.”
Jason kicked her under the table, his expression darkening. He stood abruptly.
Chapter 21
“Where are you going?” Madge asked, watching him with concern.
“To get checked,” he replied curtly, already walking away.
Once Jason left, Madge handed Nadia a large envelope.
Nadia opened it and froze. “Mom, what is this?” she asked, her voice shaky.
Madge smiled softly, though there was a trace of sadness in her eyes. “That brat didn’t inherit any of his father’s charm. His father designed this villa himself and proposed to me there. Now, I’m giving it to you.”
Nadia’s hands trembled as she held the property deed. She wanted to refuse, or rather, she knew she should, especially with a divorce looming between her and Jason.
But Madge’s hopeful gaze stopped her.
Her mother’s face, once full of vibrance, now carried the weight of time–graying hair, fine lines deepening around her eyes. It was as if Madge sensed something was coming.
“Mom, this is a gift from Dad. I can’t accept it,” Nadia rejected.
“If he gave it to me, it’s mine. And now it’s yours.” Madge pressed the deed into her hand with an almost desperate insistence. “If he ever makes you cry, just come stay with me. Don’t tell him, and let him panic. Men need to feel insecure sometimes. They forget your worth if you don’t make them remember.”
Nadia opened her mouth to argue, but the words stuck in her throat. Instead, she reluctantly accepted the deed, her heart heavy.
After dinner, Nadia stayed to chat with Madge and only left once Leigh showed up.
After careful consideration, she decided to lock it away in the safe at No. 8 Crest Manor and sent Jason a message.
Jason entered the Bodega Club, looking like he’d just bit into something rotten. Paul and Fred looked up from their billiards game as he walked in.
Paul smirked. “Looks like someone’s having a rough night.”
Jason grunted and lit a cigarette. “Mind your game.”
While Fred lined up his shot, Paul approached Jason and asked, “Still too proud to apologize? Is the wife still pissed?”
Just then, Jason’s phone buzzed.
He raised his eyebrows slightly when he saw it was Nadia’s message, but he chose to wait, letting the message sit unread for a
few moments.
After smoking half a cigarette, he clicked on the message to read it. [You must’ve sold your conscience to the devil. The chicken hearts were tiny, but you ate two. At least that’s something.]
Jason went pale. The cigarette fell from his fingers as he bolted to the bathroom.
‘No way. She actually snuck chicken hearts in with tofu? She knew I can’t stand organ meat. That was payback, his mind raced. ‘No doubt about it.‘
Paul followed him with a glass of water. “What happened now? Let me guess, your wife?” Jason kicked him out. “Shut the hell up.”
Back at home, Kate was finishing up her skincare routine when Nadia walked in, looking completely drained. Kate hit mute on the TV. “What happened to you?”
Nadia launched into the details of the morning’s chaos.
Kate’s jaw dropped. “If that bitch yelled at me, I would’ve thrown hot coffee in her face. Wait–what car was that guy driving?”
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Chapter 21
A Panamera, I think,” Nadia replied.
“A Panamera? And he drinks gas station bottled water?!” Kate’s face mask cracked as her eyebrows shot up in disbelief.
“He drank it. He seemed grounded,” Nadia shrugged.
“He just saved you a small fortune. You should at least buy him dinner,” Kate said, eyes practically sparkling.
“He’s busy. And I barely know the guy,” Nadia responded, not exactly thrilled at the idea.
“Third time’s the charm. Did you get his number?” Kate asked, eyes gleaming.
Nadia leaned away from Kate’s mud–covered fingers. “What exactly is going on in that scheming brain of yours?”
“You’re about to be single, and I’m lining up your backup options. Anyone with a Panamera is worth a second glance. So, what’s he like?”
J
Nadia rolled her eyes. “Doesn’t matter. Jason changed his mind about the divorce. I’ll figure it out later.”
Kate froze. “Wait, didn’t he promise you this morning?”
“Exactly. That’s why he’s a bastard,” Nadia said dryly as she recounted the hospital visit.
Kate burst into laughter. “You booked him an appointment in the Urology Department? Savage! I’m amazed he didn’t strangle you. Honestly? I think he’s obsessed with you.”
There was a time Nadia might’ve believed that. But she’d been hit with reality more times than she could count.
Before she could respond, her phone buzzed. It was her father, Hubert.
Her stomach dropped. She knew Jason wouldn’t just let her little stunt slide.
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