CHAPTER FOUR #2
Nova tilted her head. She was trying to decide how she wanted Rick’s betrayal to play out.
Her mom walked back into the room and took her seat next to Nova’s dad. She shot Nova daggers; clearly she still had her panties in a twist over Nova’s attire.
Nova walked toward the middle of the table, where the lone empty chair sat, which she assumed was for her. Once she was seated, she picked up the crystal flute in front of her and took a sip of the mimosa before locking eyes with her dad.
“I’m just wondering why you needed me to bring you the documents when Rick could have brought them himself.”
“I told you, Rick was out of town, and I needed them today,” he answered, sounding annoyed that he had to respond to her statement.
“Well, like I said, when I stopped by Rick’s place, he was home.”
Her dad, along with Rick’s parents, looked surprised when they heard that. Her dad’s bushy eyebrows scrunched together.
Rick’s mom, Cece, dabbed her mouth with her napkin. “Oh. Well, is Rick coming?”
Nova gave a small, sarcastic laugh and shook her head. “Oh no. I doubt that he’ll be joining us today.”
There was a pause, and everyone at the table exchanged glances.
Nova took another sip of her mimosa before setting it down and pulling her phone from her purse. She pulled up the video and hit the share button. A few more taps, and her parents’, Rick’s parents’, and her brothers’ phones all pinged or buzzed with incoming messages.
“I’m pretty sure that brunch would be too awkward after I walked in on him hosting a hands-on team-building session with Piper from the office. Check your phones.”
Nova’s words hung in the air for a second before everyone at the table seemed to move at once, pulling their phones from pockets and purses.
Her father was the first to find the video.
His mouth opened, then shut. Apparently, he was at a loss for words.
Her mother gasped as her hand flew to her mouth.
Across the table, both of her brothers stared at their screens in stunned silence before Wallace muttered a curse under his breath.
Rob, on the other hand, looked pissed off.
Rick’s mother let out a sharp intake of breath and covered her eyes for a second, as if she wished she could unsee what she had just watched.
His father dropped his fork and clenched his jaw.
The cheerful atmosphere that had filled the room moments earlier vanished completely, replaced by a heavy, suffocating silence as everyone processed the unmistakable sight of Rick and Piper tangled together in bed.
Her father, who suddenly looked like one of those cartoon characters whose heads were about to explode, abruptly stood up from the table.
“My office now!” he barked, looking directly at Nova.
Nova stayed where she was and watched as Rick’s parents stood up and followed her mom and dad out of the room.
She wasn’t in a rush, knowing full well that everyone would pin it on her being the one who was at fault. She grabbed her mimosa and downed the remainder of the drink before standing, then making her way down the long hallway toward the east wing of the house, where her dad’s office was.
As soon as she entered the office, the door slammed shut behind her, and her father unleashed his fury on her.
“What in the hell were you thinking with that little stunt of yours? Are you trying to embarrass this family?”
Nova looked at her dad. Her expression was surprisingly calm, as though this was exactly the reaction she had been expecting.
“You’re saying that I embarrassed this family? You mean by exposing the truth?”
Rick’s mother stepped in next, her tone sharp and nasty.
“That was completely inappropriate. Whatever happened between you and Rick should’ve been handled privately.
Not broadcast like some reality TV moment!
For heaven’s sake, if that video gets out, it could ruin his campaign. Is that what you want?”
“Exactly,” Rick’s father added. “You humiliated our son. You humiliated us.”
Nova clenched her fists by her side. Her heart was pounding, and it wasn’t from fear, but from rage.
Her mother, ever the fake, graceful diplomat, folded her arms. “Nova, sweetheart, we understand that you’re hurt. But things like this…well, they happen. You can’t let one mistake derail everything you and Rick have built together.”
“One mistake,” Nova repeated, slowly. “You mean the mistake where he slept with someone else?”
Her father frowned, already growing impatient. “You’re being dramatic. Many men have made similar ‘mistakes.’ It’s just how the world works at that level. You don’t throw a relationship away over something like this.”
Those were the words that sparked the fuel.
Nova’s head snapped up, and her voice, though calm, had a hard edge beneath her words that was impossible to miss.
“You mean to tell me that I’m supposed to smile, nod, and just accept that Rick plays ‘Hide the Bone’ with another woman? Because that’s the game everyone here plays?”
She turned her attention to Rick’s parents. “You dare to say that I humiliated you, when it was your upbringing that taught your son that loyalty is optional when it comes to a life partner.”
She then turned back toward her parents. “And you two. You taught me to be better, to have integrity, to lead with strength, but now you want me to swallow my pride and pretend like none of this matters? Like, I’m the problem for not staying quiet?”
Her father’s jaw clenched. “Watch your tone, young lady.”
“You know, the only reason I even stayed with Rick this long was that I thought maybe, just maybe, that you were right. That he was ‘good for my image.’ That he fit into the world you wanted me to be a part of. But now that I know what kind of person he truly is, I can’t believe I spent years letting other people tell me what was best for my life when they couldn’t even see what was standing right in front of them.
But then again, all of you condone that type of behavior, so it doesn’t matter. ”
Rick’s mother gasped. “How dare you speak of us that way!”
Nova tilted her head slightly.
“How dare I?” Nova let her words hang in the air for a moment. “Mrs. Montgomery, I just walked in on your son in bed with another woman. I think we’ve passed the point where you feel that you’re entitled to be offended.”
“Now hold on—” Rick’s dad jumped in, but Nova stopped him.
“No. You don’t get to interrupt me. I’ve had—”
“Enough!” Leonard shouted, his voice cracking through the room like a whip.
Her dad stepped closer, his eyes blazing. “I will not tolerate this disrespect from you. You need to apologize right now.”
For a split second, she almost gave in to those old instincts to do what she was told. But she quickly reminded herself that she wasn’t that person anymore.
Nova slowly straightened her shoulders and met her father’s furious stare head-on.
“No. I’m not sorry for one damn thing I’ve said.”
Her dad took a big breath and looked at Rick’s parents. “Could you excuse us? My wife and I need to have a moment alone with our daughter.”
As soon as Rick’s parents were gone, her dad slowly walked toward his desk, then turned back toward her and leaned on it. Her mom joined him, standing by his side.
“Nova—” he started to say, but she cut him off.
“No! I don’t want to hear it. You know, most fathers that I know would be furious if their daughter’s boyfriend cheated on them.
But you,” her voice broke, anger laced with something deeper, sharper.
She wouldn’t cry. “You’re more concerned about reputation than what he did to me, and how his infidelity affected me. ”
His lips were pressed into a thin line. But there was no shock or outrage. Only an exasperated sigh, as if Nova had just told him the country club raised their dues again.
“You’re not surprised,” Nova said flatly, the realization slamming into her like a truck. “You knew.”
Leonard folded his hands neatly in front of him. “Rick is ambitious. Men like him have tendencies. You should have understood that.”
Nova’s jaw dropped. “Understood? You have been pushing me to tie myself to a man you knew who was cheating on me!”
Erica, ever the passive spectator, tapped her manicured nails nervously against the desk but didn’t say a word.
“You’re being emotional,” Leonard said, his voice calm and patronizing. “Relationships in our world are complex. You will benefit from being tied to Rick regardless, especially when he’s elected as the next governor.”
Nova’s blood boiled. Benefit? This was her life, not a damn business transaction.
“You don’t care about me,” she hissed, trembling with rage. “All you care about is image and reputation.”
Leonard gave a dismissive shrug. “Sacrifices are necessary for success, Nova. I thought you understood that by now.”
Something inside Nova snapped. “Oh, I understand completely now. And that’s fine. You can keep protecting the image. But I’m done sacrificing my happiness to help maintain it.”
“What is that supposed to mean?” Her dad asked.
“It means that I’m done. I’m done with Rick. I’m done with the firm. And I’m done with you dictating my life.”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Leonard said, his tone sharper now. “You have a future there.”
“No,” Nova cut him off. “I had a future there. One you chose for me. But as of today, I’m choosing a different one.”
Erica finally spoke, her sickening, fake-sweet voice pleading. “Nova, darling, let’s not make a scene.”
Nova barked out a bitter laugh. “You think this is a scene? A scene would have been me throwing things. A scene would have been me dragging Piper out of that bedroom by her hair. A scene would have been me posting that little video for the entire world to see. What you’re witnessing right now is actually me showing remarkable restraint. ”
“Nova—” her mother started again, but Nova cut her off before she could say another word.
“No. I don’t want to hear it. No more excuses, no more lectures, and no more speeches about family, appearances, or doing what’s expected of me.”
She looked at her parents.