The wound
Her father chose alcohol over her, slowly and over four years, and she had to watch. Her mother chose her younger brother (sensibly; he was younger and Nadia could survive). She has built her professional life around being the person other people choose, and she is terrified of what happens when they stop choosing her. She is twenty-eight in three years and she has not figured out what comes after that.
The longing
Stability that doesn’t depend on her performance. She doesn’t believe it exists. She would like to be wrong.
Skills
Three languages fluent — Cantonese, English, Tagalog — two functional — Mandarin, Spanish from her mother’s family. Reading rooms, reading people, knowing which version of herself to bring out. Lying with her whole body. Telling the truth when it’s the most dangerous option. Above-average combat — she trained in escrima with her uncle before her family fell apart, and she keeps the skill current.
Relationships within the crew
- With Min — closest among the women. They argue, well, often. Nadia is the crew member Min trusts to push back on her.
- With Jin — she scares him, deliberately, gently. She’s protective of him in a way she’d deny.
- With Faan — peers, drinking companions, both of them carrying complicated relationships with their original Houses.
- With Bo — she’s teaching him how to read women, which is going about as well as you’d expect.
- With Dr. Kwan — deep mutual respect. Both have lost family. Neither talks about it directly. They understand each other through what they don’t say.
Series arc
Her brother in Manila will get into trouble that she can’t ignore. Stranger House will offer her a board seat — an unusual offer for a 25-year-old, and one that would change everything. She’ll have to decide whether the crew is family or stepping-stone. The story is on her side, but it doesn’t pretend the choice is easy.