Nova’s POVI was not sure what I expected after my answer. Maybe silence. Maybe another question. Maybe Ronald would rise from the table and declare the whole thing a waste of his time. But instead, something strange happened. He nodded slowly.“I respect that,” he said, and I could have sworn the words scratched against his throat on their way out. “It takes a certain kind of resolve to come from nowhere and still sit at this table.” I blinked and glanced at Levi. Did Ronald Adams just compliment me? Well, I think he did when I presented Project Phoenix. But this is quite different."Thank you," I replied cautiously, observing him as though he could vanish if I looked too intently. There was a moment of silence that made the room feel somehow warmer. Like a window was opened in a home that had been locked up for far too long. “You surprised me today,” Ronald added, his tone almost casual as he picked up his spoon again. “I thought I was dealing with another strategist. But th
Nova’s POVThere was something comforting about routine.The office smelled of fresh-brewed coffee and paper, a scent I was learning to associate with comfort rather than chaos. My heels clicked softly against the floor as I walked through the corridors, nodding politely at the receptionist, and trading smiles with some of the interns who still looked slightly intimidated by me.“Good morning, Mrs Adams,” one of them chirped.I paused for half a second, just enough to register the name. I wasn’t used to hearing it so freely from people who hadn’t known me before—who hadn’t seen the ruins I came from. But now it was sewn into their vocabulary like it belonged.“Morning, Sophie,” I replied warmly. “And just Nova is fine.”She blushed a little and nodded before hurrying off.After a brief check-in with my assistant and a ten-minute sync-up meeting with the junior marketing team (who were eager, if a bit clumsy with their projections), I returned to my office, half-distracted by thoughts
Nova's POVThe echo of Naomi’s laughter lingered in the air like a curse.I stood frozen in the corridor, my breath caught halfway in my throat, the corners of my mind vibrating with shock. She had just walked away like a villain from a badly written drama, gleeful and menacing, as though she'd finally dropped the grenade she’d been waiting to explode for years. Her voice still rang in my head, clear and poisonous:“I doubt Levi knows about your past… Your marriage with Jace? Someone has to tell him. He needs to know his wife is a liar.”A chill wrapped around my spine. For a second, I couldn’t move, couldn’t breathe. The pristine hallways of the Adams Enterprises office suddenly felt like a narrow tunnel caving in on itself. I turned on shaky legs and darted into the nearest restroom.The moment I locked the stall door, I pressed my back against it and let my bag slip from my fingers.It hit the floor with a soft thud.My hands trembled.Naomi. Of all people.How could someone so
Nova's POV By the time the restroom door was shut behind the last gossiper, I still hadn't moved. I remained perched on the toilet seat, arms folded tightly over my chest, chin trembling though I wasn’t crying. I was past crying. What I felt now went deeper than sadness—it was awareness, a grim sense that the world I’d stepped into wasn’t just demanding, it was ruthless. It didn’t care that I had fought tooth and nail to get here. To them, I was still disposable. An outsider. A gold digger. It was something I was trying to avoid being called. And now Naomi was threatening to destroy it all. I forced myself to take long, steady breaths. Still, I hadn’t decided yet. Should I just tell Levi the truth myself? About Jace? About the past that I had tried so hard to leave behind? Or should I fight fire with fire and start digging into Naomi's skeleton-laced closet? It was tempting. She had to have her secrets. Everyone did. But that was a decision for later. Right now,
Nova's POVSoft jazz playing softly in the background blended seamlessly with clinking glass and hum of laughter in the cosy downtown restaurant of Max's, where I always felt at home. Low-key lit, the room was bathed in the warm light of amber and filled with oak and whiskey scents from bygone eras. Levi's warm hand in mine as we walked in, our fingers intertwined in that comfortable manner that had become second nature. The moment Max caught sight of us, he flung a bar towel over his shoulder and smiled like the devil himself."Well, well, look who finally managed to spare some time for the little people," he teased, hugging me first, then playfully whacking Levi on the back. "The Mr. and Mrs. Adams."I hugged Max back, beaming. "Missed you too."Levi grinned, his eyes locking with mine with that glint. "We would have made it earlier but someone spent thirty minutes choosing a dress."I pushed him playfully. "You enjoyed every minute.""Every single one," he admitted, his voice dipp
Nova's POV "You're a barren woman! A failure as a wife and a daughter-in-law! When I was your age Jace was already 5! When will you give me a grandchild? ” Sarabi, my mother-in-law, screamed in my face. “I'm not barren. The doctors said we just need more time.” I replied. I've been trying to explain this to her for 5 years since I married Jace but she never stopped torturing me. Instead, the torture grew worse with every passing day. “For what exactly? The only thing you do is to spend my son's hard-earned money. Jace can do so much better than a gold digger like you!” Sarabi said and walked out but not before pushing the tray of tea cups to the floor. Leaving a mess I had to clean up. But I knew that this was far from over. Sarabi would not rest until she had destroyed me. Until she had proven her superiority over me. But she was never like this, I vividly remembered how nice she was when I dropped out of school to support Jace. How supportive she was when I had to work mult
Nova's POVI groaned as I slowly tried to open my eyes, I had to squint them just to concentrate on the bright light shining above me. I looked round to see I was in a room, a hospital room to be exact. I was surrounded by beeping machines and sterile white walls. A faint smell of antiseptic hung in the air.A gentle voice spoke beside me. "Welcome back. I am Dr Smith. You've been out since last night."I tried to sit up, but a sharp pain in my stomach made me gasp. Dr Smith quickly pressed a button, and a nurse rushed in to adjust my bed."What...what happened?" I stammered.Dr Smith lowered his gaze and spoke softly, "You were brought in last night, bleeding heavily. We had to perform emergency surgery to save your life."My mind was foggy, but memories began to resurface. The engagement, the argument with Jace, the slap, the fall...and lastly the blood. Everything that happened was real.But Dr. Smith's next words shook me to my core. "Unfortunately, we were unable to save the baby
Nova's POV Two Weeks Later It had been two weeks since I'd left my old life behind, and I was slowly starting to feel stronger. Working as a bartender in Las Vegas was a far cry from my old life, but it was a fresh start. Max, the man I met in front of my house that unfortunate day took me in. After explaining my problem to him he let me stay and we ended up moving out of that house together. Just to get closer to his workplace in Las Vegas. Max appeared at my side. "Nova darling, I need your help," he said. "What's up?" I asked, following him as he nodded towards the VIP section. "One of the girls is having some trouble with a customer," he said. "I need you to go and calm things down." I nodded, making my way over to the VIP section. Since the day I met Max my self-esteem actually improved, I wouldn't say 100% but I was finally able to speak up for myself and also confront people. Normally, I would just apologise for everything even though I wasn't at fault. As I approached,
Nova's POVSoft jazz playing softly in the background blended seamlessly with clinking glass and hum of laughter in the cosy downtown restaurant of Max's, where I always felt at home. Low-key lit, the room was bathed in the warm light of amber and filled with oak and whiskey scents from bygone eras. Levi's warm hand in mine as we walked in, our fingers intertwined in that comfortable manner that had become second nature. The moment Max caught sight of us, he flung a bar towel over his shoulder and smiled like the devil himself."Well, well, look who finally managed to spare some time for the little people," he teased, hugging me first, then playfully whacking Levi on the back. "The Mr. and Mrs. Adams."I hugged Max back, beaming. "Missed you too."Levi grinned, his eyes locking with mine with that glint. "We would have made it earlier but someone spent thirty minutes choosing a dress."I pushed him playfully. "You enjoyed every minute.""Every single one," he admitted, his voice dipp
Nova's POV By the time the restroom door was shut behind the last gossiper, I still hadn't moved. I remained perched on the toilet seat, arms folded tightly over my chest, chin trembling though I wasn’t crying. I was past crying. What I felt now went deeper than sadness—it was awareness, a grim sense that the world I’d stepped into wasn’t just demanding, it was ruthless. It didn’t care that I had fought tooth and nail to get here. To them, I was still disposable. An outsider. A gold digger. It was something I was trying to avoid being called. And now Naomi was threatening to destroy it all. I forced myself to take long, steady breaths. Still, I hadn’t decided yet. Should I just tell Levi the truth myself? About Jace? About the past that I had tried so hard to leave behind? Or should I fight fire with fire and start digging into Naomi's skeleton-laced closet? It was tempting. She had to have her secrets. Everyone did. But that was a decision for later. Right now,
Nova's POVThe echo of Naomi’s laughter lingered in the air like a curse.I stood frozen in the corridor, my breath caught halfway in my throat, the corners of my mind vibrating with shock. She had just walked away like a villain from a badly written drama, gleeful and menacing, as though she'd finally dropped the grenade she’d been waiting to explode for years. Her voice still rang in my head, clear and poisonous:“I doubt Levi knows about your past… Your marriage with Jace? Someone has to tell him. He needs to know his wife is a liar.”A chill wrapped around my spine. For a second, I couldn’t move, couldn’t breathe. The pristine hallways of the Adams Enterprises office suddenly felt like a narrow tunnel caving in on itself. I turned on shaky legs and darted into the nearest restroom.The moment I locked the stall door, I pressed my back against it and let my bag slip from my fingers.It hit the floor with a soft thud.My hands trembled.Naomi. Of all people.How could someone so
Nova’s POVThere was something comforting about routine.The office smelled of fresh-brewed coffee and paper, a scent I was learning to associate with comfort rather than chaos. My heels clicked softly against the floor as I walked through the corridors, nodding politely at the receptionist, and trading smiles with some of the interns who still looked slightly intimidated by me.“Good morning, Mrs Adams,” one of them chirped.I paused for half a second, just enough to register the name. I wasn’t used to hearing it so freely from people who hadn’t known me before—who hadn’t seen the ruins I came from. But now it was sewn into their vocabulary like it belonged.“Morning, Sophie,” I replied warmly. “And just Nova is fine.”She blushed a little and nodded before hurrying off.After a brief check-in with my assistant and a ten-minute sync-up meeting with the junior marketing team (who were eager, if a bit clumsy with their projections), I returned to my office, half-distracted by thoughts
Nova’s POVI was not sure what I expected after my answer. Maybe silence. Maybe another question. Maybe Ronald would rise from the table and declare the whole thing a waste of his time. But instead, something strange happened. He nodded slowly.“I respect that,” he said, and I could have sworn the words scratched against his throat on their way out. “It takes a certain kind of resolve to come from nowhere and still sit at this table.” I blinked and glanced at Levi. Did Ronald Adams just compliment me? Well, I think he did when I presented Project Phoenix. But this is quite different."Thank you," I replied cautiously, observing him as though he could vanish if I looked too intently. There was a moment of silence that made the room feel somehow warmer. Like a window was opened in a home that had been locked up for far too long. “You surprised me today,” Ronald added, his tone almost casual as he picked up his spoon again. “I thought I was dealing with another strategist. But th
Nova's POVBefore noon came, the quiet calm of the morning had entirely dissipated, replaced by an escalating level of tension that increasingly clutched at my chest with every second.Levi had remained quiet not in that icy, detached manner but that laser-like, calculating approach I was picking up was his kind of armour. He had barely spoken since the text messages, just kissed my temple and retreated into the home office to place some calls. Or maybe he simply had to take a couple of deep breaths in solitude before stepping into whatever ambush his grandfather had set for him.I dressed in a dress that struck a balance between poised and untouchable. Black, silky smooth silk clung to my curves without broadcasting them. I had on a simple gold chain necklace Levi had given me two weeks earlier. It was not about impressing Ronald Adams it was about protecting myself. Like a coat of war paint, I could not go into battle without it.While I was getting ready, I studied my face. The
Nova's POVThe sky was still painted with the faintest shades of lavender and grey when I woke.A sliver of golden light reflected through the curtains, spreading across the bed where Levi was still sleeping soundly beside me, or maybe I just thought he was.His side was warm, and the sheets were rumpled, but empty. I sat up slowly, removing the hair from my face.My body ached in the best way from last night, and still, I put on a small smile on my face. It was rare to feel this kind of calm and this kind of safety.I pulled on one of Levi’s shirts and a pair of shorts, then I walked out of the bedroom with my bare feet.The wooden floor was cool against my feet as I made my way down the sweeping staircase, my hand trailing along the polished railings.A family photo hung crooked on the wall, I straightened it without thinking, then paused, I was surprised by how natural the gesture felt. When did I start feeling like this was my home too?The house was still quiet, the kind of sile
Levi's POVI watched from a distance as Nova stepped into the cab, the door shutting with a dull, final thud. She didn't glance back. Not once. Her spine was straight, shoulders squared—the posture she wore like armor when she needed to prove something to herself.Jace did look back, though.The bastard stood there like a statue, briefcase clutched in his white-knuckled grip, face drawn tight with something that looked too much like longing. Watching her leave like he had a right to miss her. Like he had a claim to the empty space she left behind.My jaw clenched so hard it sent a sharp ache along my temple, radiating down my neck. I hadn't realized I'd moved closer to the glass, my reflection faint in the office lobby's tall windows. Night had fallen hours ago, blurring the world outside into a hypnotic stream of streetlights and dark shapes.I told myself to move. To stop giving him space in my head. To walk away like she had. But something in me resisted, rooted to the spot.The
Nova's POVHe changed overnight. Jace was cold, selfish, and cruel. Jace was suddenly someone else. The shift was not noticeable.It was glaring, deliberate, and almost laughable if it did not twist something in my chest with each manufactured smile he directed my way.Gone was the complacent, untouchable man who tore through my life without so much as a backward glance.The man who once told me I meant nothing to him after years of marriage and usage and he turned his back on me. In his place stood someone softer. Too soft.His smile came with an edge of sadness now, his eyes carried a weight I was not convinced was real.He had even dressed differently, in a subdued charcoal suit instead of his usual sharp navy, like he was in mourning for something he had willingly thrown away.He started the day by holding the elevator for me, even though I saw him press the "close" button just yesterday when I was five steps away, pretending not to see me as the doors were shut.I had to wait an