Page 10 of Snow

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.”