Chapter 1: Divorced

Nadia's POV

I pushed the front door open with some difficulty, my muscles aching from my double shift at the volleyball gym. The tension was already knotting up between my shoulders as I walked deeper into the house.

As I turned the corner into the living room, the smell hit me—strong and sour, like cheap vodka and stale beer. I knew that smell too well. There she was, my mom, Aria, slumped over the dining table. An empty bottle lay on its side next to her head. My chest tightened at the sight. This wasn’t new, but the heaviness in the air was different.

“Mom,” I said softly, knowing she probably wouldn’t answer. I moved closer, my steps slow, careful. I reached out and shook her shoulder gently. “Mom, wake up.”

She stirred, a low groan escaping her lips. Her eyes fluttered open, bloodshot and glassy. “Nadia…” she slurred, her voice thick from sleep and alcohol. “You’re home…”

“Yeah, I’m home,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady, but the irritation was there, simmering just beneath the surface. “Let’s get you to bed, okay?”

With the same practiced ease I’d used a hundred times, I slipped my arm under hers and pulled her to her feet. She leaned heavily against me, muttering something I couldn’t understand as I half-dragged her down the hall to her bedroom. When we reached the bed, I laid her down and pulled the blanket over her.

Just as I turned to leave, her hand shot out and grabbed my wrist. “Nadia, wait,” she mumbled, blinking up at me, her eyes suddenly clear. “I… I need to tell you something.”

I froze, a sense of dread pooling in my stomach. “What is it, Mom?”

“We’re moving,” she blurted out, the words slurred but unmistakable. “Your father and I… We finalized the divorce. We’re moving in with Aiden tomorrow.”

It felt like the ground had disappeared from beneath me. “What?” I barely managed to get the word out.

“It’s done,” she said, sounding almost… relieved. “I’m finally free of him. Your father was always so… focused on his work. He never cared about us, about me.”

I stared at her, my mind struggling to catch up. “You finalized the divorce? Just like that?”

“Yes,” she said, her voice surprisingly steady despite her state. “And we’re moving in with Aiden. He’s… Different. He actually cares.”

“Aiden Gray?” I could hardly believe what I was hearing. “As in, the Aiden Gray? Mason and Ethan Gray’s father?”

“Yes, Nadia,” she replied, a hint of irritation creeping into her tone. “We’ll be living with him. And you’re transferring to their school on Monday.”

My heart sank. “You can’t just decide this without asking us! Jasper’s not going to agree to this.”

“Jasper will have to deal with it,” she snapped, her eyes narrowing. “We don’t have a choice, Nadia. Your father’s company went bankrupt. The bank is taking the house. We have nowhere else to go.”

A surge of anger rushed through me. “So, you’re just making decisions for us now? Without even telling us?”

Her expression softened, just a little. “I did what I had to do, Nadia. And so will you.”

I couldn’t stand it anymore. I turned away, my chest heaving with barely controlled rage. I couldn’t even look at her right now. Without another word, I stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind me. I needed air. I needed to breathe. I needed to think.

I locked myself in my room, leaning against the door as I tried to steady my breathing. My hands were shaking as I fumbled for my phone and dialed Dad’s number. He picked up after a few rings, his voice warm and familiar.

“Nadia? Is everything okay?”

“No, Dad, everything is not okay,” I snapped. “Mom just told me you finalized the divorce, and now we’re moving in with Aiden Gray tomorrow. She didn’t even ask us! How could you let this happen?”

There was a long sigh on the other end. “Nadia, I’m sorry. I wanted to tell you myself, but… I’m not in a position to take care of you and Jasper right now. Things are… complicated. And your mother… she’s made her choice.”

“Complicated?” I echoed in disbelief. “You’re my dad. You’re supposed to take care of us, no matter what.”

“I know,” he said softly, and I could hear the guilt in his voice. “But Nadia, Aiden is… he’s one of the richest men in the city. He can provide for you and Jasper in ways I never could. This could be a good opportunity for you.”

“Opportunity?” I couldn’t keep the bitterness out of my voice. “Dad, do you even know who his sons are? Mason Gray and Ethan Gray—they’re the most dangerous guys at that school.”

“I know, honey,” he replied, his tone soothing. “But just give it a chance. You might be surprised.”

I hung up on him, throwing my phone onto the bed. That was it. No fight, no promises. Just resignation.

I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to block it all out—the noise, the thoughts, everything that was making me feel like I was about to explode. My chest felt tight, like I couldn’t breathe.

I wanted to scream, to break something, to do anything to release this pent-up frustration. I needed out—needed to escape from the suffocating tension that filled every corner of this house. Through a haze of rage, I trashed my room, threw books off the shelves, ripped down posters—anything to vent the storm inside me. But it didn’t help. It just left me in a wrecked room, feeling more lost than ever.

Hours later, I heard the front door creak open, followed by Jasper’s footsteps. Great. Just what I needed. He stopped outside my door and knocked softly. “Nadia? Can I come in?”

I hesitated, then sighed. “Yeah, come in.”

Jasper pushed the door open, his face calm, too calm. I could already tell he wasn’t going to say anything that would help. “I heard from Mom,” he said quietly. “I guess you know about the move.”

“Yeah, I know,” I muttered, glaring up at the ceiling. “And you’re okay with this?”

He shrugged, like we were discussing the weather. “What choice do we have, Nadia? Dad’s not in a position to help us, and… well, Aiden’s place is better than nothing, right?”

I sat up, staring at him in disbelief. “How can you be so calm about this? Don’t you care about Dad at all?”

Jasper sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Of course I care, Nadia. But we have to be realistic. We can’t change what’s happening. We just have to deal with it. Sometimes, you just have to roll with the punches, you know?”

His nonchalant attitude was driving me insane. I didn’t say anything. I couldn’t. I turned away, my mind spinning with everything that had happened. How could he just roll with it? I didn’t want to roll with anything. I wanted to fight back. I wanted things to be different. But right then, I felt so tired, so overwhelmed, I didn’t even know where to start.

I grabbed my jacket and stormed out the back door, not caring about the cold night air that bit into my skin. I had to get away, even if just for a little while. Anywhere but here.

I pulled out my phone and dialed Daisy’s number, my fingers trembling. She answered on the first ring, her voice laced with concern. “Nadia? What’s going on?”

“I can’t stay here, Daisy,” I said, my voice breaking. “I need to get out. Can you meet me at the club? I need… I just need to get away.”

“Of course. I’ll meet you there in twenty,” she replied without hesitation. “Just hang in there.”

When I reached the club, the bass was already thumping through the walls, the heavy beat vibrating through my feet. I pushed the door open, stepping into the chaotic warmth of flashing lights and a packed dance floor.

I spotted Daisy waving at me from the back of the room near the bathroom, her face a mix of worry and relief. I made my way through the crowd, ignoring the hands that brushed against me and the eyes that lingered a little too long.

“Nadia!” Daisy shouted over the pounding music, pulling me into a tight hug as soon as I reached her. “What happened?”

I pulled back, trying to stay close to the wall. “My parents… they’re divorced. And my mom’s dragging us to live with her new boyfriend, Aiden Gray. We’re moving tomorrow.”

Daisy’s eyes widened, her lips forming a small “O” of surprise. “Aiden Gray? As in, Mason and Ethan Gray’s dad?”

“Yeah,” I said, grabbing the drink she had waiting for me and taking a long sip. “And starting Monday, I’ll be going to their school.”

Her shock quickly turned into something else—a mix of excitement and envy. “Oh my god, Mason and Ethan Gray… They’re, like, the most talked-about guys at school. And you’re going to be living with them?”

I rolled my eyes. “Yeah, well, I’m not interested. I just want to get through this year and get to Oxford. That’s all I care about.”

Daisy leaned in closer, her eyes glinting with curiosity. “Still, it could be… interesting. Living with the Grays. You might even end up liking it.”

“Doubt it,” I muttered, finishing my drink. “They’re the last people I want to be around right now.”

Before Daisy could respond, I felt someone brush past me, hard enough to jostle me forward. I spun around, ready to snap at whoever it was, but my words caught in my throat when I saw him.

Mason Gray.

For a split second, our eyes met.

He was taller than I’d expected, his six-foot-one frame towering over me, and built like an athlete—broad shoulders, muscular arms. He had that dark hair that fell just right over his forehead, his blue eyes piercing even in the dim light of the club.

But it wasn’t just him that caught my attention. Leaning against the sink in the dimly lit bathroom hallway was a girl—big-breasted, wearing a tight, low-cut top that barely contained her curves. She was smirking, looking at me with a mix of pride and disdain, as if she already knew her place by his side.

Mason’s eyes flicked to her, and then back to me. I could feel his gaze, cold and assessing, lingering on me for a second too long. The corner of his mouth lifted into a slight smirk as he took a step closer.

And damn, he was handsome. I hated to admit it, but my heart did a stupid little flutter in my chest. His eyes were cold, just like mine were, when I glared back at him, sizing him up.

But as much as I wanted to look away, I couldn’t.

For that brief moment, the noise, the crowd—everything else faded. It was just him and me, locked in a silent stare.

I lifted my lips into a sneer, letting him know exactly what I thought of him. He got the message—I could tell by how his eyes narrowed slightly, that flicker of something passing through his icy gaze. But he didn’t say a word. Instead, he just pushed the door to the hallway open and walked out, like he had better things to do than waste time on me.

Fine. Two could play that game.