Love Burned, She Rose Unscathed

With a sneer, the woman's gaze raked over Nadine from head to toe. "Well, look at you. That outfit doesn't exactly scream 'respectable lady,' does it? All dolled up, but who knows how many guys you've entertained last night?" Nadine was dumbstruck.

She hadn't expected such a vile barrage of insults, a direct attack on her character.

"You... you" She was so furious, she was shaking.

But to hurl back insults in the same manner? She just couldn't stoop to that level of filth.

"Me, me, me, what? Got your tongue tied, can't speak clearly? Guess your overnight rate must be on discount, huh? Fifty? Seventy? Surely not a hundred bucks? You think you're worth that much?"

Nadine's cheeks flushed with anger, "I won't stoop to arguing with someone as vile as you, utterly nonsensical, unreasonable, and filthy to the core!"

"Oh, getting fancy with your words now? I can do that too-flirt, shameless, harlot, lowlife!"

Nadine was speechless.

"I... I won't stoop to your level. There's no point. You're only fit to be compared with swine."

she turned on her heel and strode away, the click of her high

are better company than a

sinking into a mud puddle and ruining her

lived in, with such trashy neighbors. Today

As for the contract...

Madge would surely come crawling back to renew. The publishing market had seen a major shakeup over the fast decade, with physical book sales struggling. Madge's fame had waned, and having withdrawn from social media, she was out of touch with the latest industry

else but Nadine would even consider working with her, let alone

the

it, the more she regretted coming. Not only had she been snubbed, but she also had to endure a tirade from a lunatic.

Didn't Mr. Cole's family move out?" A neighbor

of his, I guess. Banging on my door early in the morning, woke me

Cole's relative? They should've gone to

rolled her

Cole's mansion, though? It's huge, so lavish, with several floors and two gardens. When we visited

heard, the sourer her expression