Lady Warrior's Warth on Divorce Day novel Chapter 9

Chapter 9

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Zoya froze, his words hitting like a slap. Before she could respond, he barreled on. “And throw in that Jasmine’s your friend. Say you were worried about her, so you asked me to watch out for her.”

She stared, stunned. “Nicolas, you got no shame? You really gonna stand there and say that with a straight face?”

Her mind flashed back to the moment when gunfire erupted, and he shoved her aside. She turned to see him shielding Jasmine instead. The betrayal cut deep.

Three years of marriage, and she’d thought, even without love, there’d be some loyalty, some scrap of respect.

But that moment showed her the truth: when it mattered, he’d drop her like she was nothing.

“Jasmine’s finally a co–pilot,” Nicolas said, like it excused everything. “A scandal like this could tank her career, kill any shot at moving up.”

Zoya almost laughed. ‘What a saint. Always looking out for Jasmine.‘,

Never mind that when he was at his lowest, Jasmine had walked out on him. Meanwhile, Zoya–his wife–had stayed, built a business with him, shared every struggle.

“No chance,” she said, her voice cold and hard.

“What?” Nicolas blinked, like he couldn’t believe she’d shut him down.

“I’m not lying to the world for you,” Zoya said, her tone sharp as a blade. “We both know it’s no mix–up. And Jasmine’s no friend of mine.”

His face darkened. “Zoya, you trying to destroy her?”

“You’re the one who forgot you’re married and played around with her. That’s what’s destroying her,” she shot back.

“I didn’t cheat!” he barked. “I’ve never done you dirty. She’s just a friend!”

“Some friend,” Zoya scoffed. “The kind you ditch me for all night? The kind who snaps her fingers, and you’re out the door?”

“She just got back to Ranard City,” Nicolas said, like it was the most normal thing. “She’s a new co–pilot, got a lot of networking to do. I’m just helping her out.”

“Helping her,” Zoya repeated, her voice sharp enough to draw blood. “So much that you bailed on me when I needed you to pick up my parents‘ ashes. That kind of help?”

“You’re dragging up old crap now?” Nicolas snapped, exasperated. “I’m just asking you to say a few words to help her. What’s so hard about that?”

Zoya stared at the man she’d married, his words so flippant they burned. ‘What’s so hard? Is he kidding?‘

“If Jasmine’s such a big deal, why didn’t you divorce me when she came back?” she asked, her voice steady but cutting.

“If you’d told me you loved her, I’d have let you go. No drama. Then her precious reputation wouldn’t be in the trash.”

Nicolas’s jaw clenched. “I’m not divorcing you. I made a vow, Zoya. I haven’t forgotten it. I swore I’d never betray you.”

That vow–I’ll never betray you–sounded like a cruel joke.

“You’re not staying married because of some vow,” she said, her voice low and bitter. “You just don’t want people saying you got rich and ditched the wife who had your back. You want it all–your fling with Jasmine and your squeaky–clean image.”

Chapter 9

“And if you meant that vow, why do you let your buddies trash–talk me? Humiliate me?

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“Why’d you blow off picking up my parents‘ ashes just because Jasmine’s mom twisted her ankle? Nicolas, those were my parents! And I couldn’t even bring them home.”

Her words hit like punches, and Nicolas’s face went white.

He stood there, silent, like he’d been gut–punched. After a long pause, he finally spoke. “I know you’ve been through hell. I’m sorry. How about this? This weekend, I’ll go with you to visit your parents‘ graves. I’ll tell them I screwed up, that I should’ve been there.”

Her phone buzzed. It was Eowyn.

“Hey, you free today?” Eowyn’s voice was bright, a little too excited. “Wanna hit the racetrack with me?”

“The racetrack?” Zoya asked, thrown.

“Yeah, I heard Wren’s gonna be there. Figured I’d try to catch his eye, maybe work some connections. But I’m not going

12:05 Tue, Oct 21

Chapter 9

alone–too nervous,” Eowyn said, half–laughing.

Zoya pictured Wren–his sharp, handsome face and those cold, dead eyes. That guy was trouble.

“You into him or something?” she asked.

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Eowyn choked on a laugh. “Hell no, I’m not crazy. It’s just business. Word is, the Richmond family’s looking to invest in drones, and my company’s got some drone tech going. I just wanna get in on it, you know?”

Zoya hesitated. Something about Wren screamed danger, and her gut told her to steer clear.

“Come on, Zoya, pretty please?” Eowyn teased, her voice playful. “Be my wingwoman.”

Zoya sighed. “Alright, fine.”

But when she got to the racetrack, her stomach sank. There was Nicolas–Mr. “Big Meeting“-decked out in riding gear, trotting next to Jasmine on horseback.

The two of them looked like some lovesick couple from a sappy rom–com.