Chapter 35

Nina’s POV

I woke up with a start, my heart thudding in my chest. Sunlight peeked through the curtains, casting a soft glow across the room. The events of the day swirled in my mind—the impending charity banquet, the chance to stand tall and confront Jordan and Alexa, and, of course, the ongoing charade with Mark. Taking a deep breath, I tried to ground myself. Tonight would be my moment, a chance to claim my place and prove I wasn’t the broken, discarded woman they thought me to be. I needed to be prepared, and above all, I needed to look powerful.

Mark had driven me to my new apartment after our courthouse encounter, which gave me a bit of time to breathe and collect myself. I wouldn’t move into his house just yet, not until after tonight. It was a calculated decision—a way to maintain a level of control over my own life and avoid appearing too reliant on him. Checking the clock, I saw it was nearly 7 p.m. I had just under an hour to get ready, but everything wa