His Boss Had Really Rubbed Off On Her

A sleek, black Cayenne drove at a commanding speed through the towering pine trees lining the private roads out of Wyatt Estate.

In the spacious back seat, Nova sat with an elite corporate tablet in hand, her slender fingers rapidly scrolling through highly classified financial data. Her face was completely devoid of emotion, her entire body radiating an unapproachable aura.

The man in the driver’s seat, Reese Fletcher, her deputy and special assistant, made a sharp turn onto the main highway before glancing at her through the rearview mirror.

"Boss, you're really leaving that man for good?" Reese couldn't help but ask, a grin tugging at his lips.

"Otherwise?" Nova didn't even look up from her screen, her voice dripping with cool indifference. "The three-year contract is up.”

Reese let out a low, deeply respectful laugh of pure admiration. "You really haven't changed at all, Boss. Still as ruthless and decisive as ever. That man has no idea what kind of entity he just lost."

Nova’s perfect brows creased slightly, but she remained silent, her fingers continuing to execute multi-million dollar trades on her screen.

A few minutes later, the Cayenne pulled smoothly into the VIP parking lot of a high-end restaurant.

This was the neutral ground she had chosen to meet Lucien’s top assistant, Hayden Smyth, to officially sign the papers. Hayden had foolishly wanted to bring the documents to the estate, but Nova had flatly refused. She wanted no trace of her real departure happening under Lucien's cameras.

Nova stepped out of the car, her black maxi dress fluttering in the wind, looking like an untouchable queen as she walked into the establishment.

She scanned the room once and immediately spotted Hayden sitting nervously at a corner table. Hayden saw her too and instantly stood up, waving respectfully.

Nova strode over, sliding into the seat with an effortless, dominant grace, crossing her legs in silence.

"Mrs. Delacroix, I—"

"Miss Vega," Nova interrupted him instantly, her voice cutting through the air.

Hayden choked on his breath, blinking in shock.

"We are getting divorced," Nova stated flatly, leaning back in her chair. "You had better get used to calling me by my name."

"Ah... yes, Miss Vega," Hayden stammered, tensing up under her sudden, crushing aura.

He hurriedly opened his leather briefcase, retrieving two thick legal documents and placing them carefully before her. "This is the final divorce agreement our legal department prepared. According to the prenup you signed three years ago, you will be given a luxury villa, two supercars, and a substantial multi-million dollar cash settlement—"

"I will be donating everything to the Delacroix family charity," Nova interrupted him again, her tone bored.

Hayden’s jaw instantly dropped. "What?"

According to the contract, Lucien had offered her those assets to ensure a clean break. He must have wanted to make sure she was taken care of so she wouldn't cause trouble for him and Gwen later.

But Nova wanted none of it. Accepting his money meant leaving a lingering tie between them, giving him a paper trail to track her movements.

Hayden was taken aback.

"But, Boss..."

Lucien wouldn't be happy if he found out she wasn't willing to accept the settlement.

"If your legal department can't process a simple charity donation, do whatever the hell you want with the money," Nova said indifferently. "I don't care."

She picked up the documents, her sharp eyes scanning the clauses at a terrifyingly rapid speed.

Hayden watched her in bewilderment.

The gentle and easygoing Mrs. Delacroix he had known for three years was completely gone. The woman sitting in front of him right now possessed a terrifying dominance that felt on par with his own Boss.

Nova finished reading, looking up with cold, piercing eyes. "Do you have a pen?"

Hayden immediately pulled a luxury fountain pen from his pocket and handed it over.

The long speech of persuasion he had prepared died in his throat as Nova flipped to the final page and signed her maiden name, Nova Vega, with flawless, rapid strokes.

There was no hesitation. She looked almost ecstatic to erase his boss from her life.

Nova put the pen down calmly, grabbed her designer bag, and stood up, looking down at the stunned assistant.

"Thank you for bringing the papers so quickly, Hayden. Please make sure your Boss signs his side immediately. I don't like lingering paperwork."

Without waiting for his reply, she turned on her heel and strode out of the restaurant, her long strides confident and free.

Hayden remained frozen in his seat for a full minute, staring blankly at the two signed documents. He let out a shaky sigh, sweating profusely as he gathered his things and walked to the counter to pay.

As he stood by the glass entrance, his eyes accidentally flickered toward the parking lot outside.

Through the window, he saw a man step out of a luxury black Cayenne. The man smiled, opening the rear door for Nova.

As Nova climbed in, she said something that made the man throw his head back and laugh warmly, a sight of pure intimacy.

Hayden’s eyes widened. His phone nearly slipped from his grasp.

He knew that man!

That was Reese Fletcher, the Vice CEO of XC.

Although XC was not exactly as prominent as the Delacroix Group, it was doing quite well for itself.

What the hell was its Vice CEO doing, opening a car door for Mrs. Delacroix?!

Hayden rushed to the glass door to get a closer look, but the Cayenne had already sped away, leaving a cloud of dust behind.

Panicking, his heart hammering against his ribs, Hayden frantically pulled out his phone and speed-dialed Lucien’s personal line.

***

The black Cayenne pulled up to a massive villa on the outskirts of the city.

The moment the car stopped, the grand iron gates swung open, and twenty elite, muscular men dressed in black suits rushed out in perfect synchronization.

They lined up in a flawless, orderly military formation at the entrance.

Reese quickly stepped out, opening the door for Nova.

The moment her heels clicked onto the pavement, the twenty heavily armed men bowed deeply at a perfect ninety-degree angle, their voices booming through the estate grounds:

"WELCOME HOME, BOSS!"

Nova paused, her lips twitching slightly as she looked at the ridiculous, exaggerated display of muscles and black suits. She shifted her sharp gaze directly toward Reese.

Reese sheepishly scratched the back of his neck, grinning like a fool. "Boss... don't look at me like that! It's not my fault! Fabian leaked to the base that you were finally coming home today. The boys wanted to show their respect. And apparently, a peerless, beautiful goddess like you shouldn't be living alone anymore."

Nova raised a brow at his shameless attempt to dodge blame. She turned back to the elite guards, her voice dropping into a commanding, quiet tone.

"Dismissed. Having this many people stationed at the front gates will attract unwanted eyes. Spencer and Jordan will stay. The rest of you, return to base immediately."

Spencer and Jordan immediately glanced at each other, letting out dark, competitive hisses. They were one of the top assets of the syndicate, and they despised each other.

Nova’s lips curved into a rare, genuinely amused smile as she walked past them, stepping into the grand, luxurious villa.

The space was beautifully lit, towering marble pillars stretching to the ceiling. It was just as she remembered it before she went into hiding for three years.

Strangely, looking at the immense wealth around her, she was briefly reminded of the Wyatt Estate. A cold flash of memories passed through her mind before she ruthlessly crushed them.

That past was officially dead. Nova Vega was back.

***

Back at the Wyatt Estate, the atmosphere was freezing.

The moment Lucien strode through the front doors, Madame Greene approached him with a pale, trembling face. "Master... you're finally back. Madam... Madam packed her bags and left hours ago."

Lucien stopped dead in the center of the foyer, his hand tightening around his tie.

He already knew she had met Hayden and signed the papers. Hayden had called him in a state of utter panic, briefing him about Reese Fletcher and how Nova had rejected the multi-million dollar settlement.

But Lucien hadn't expected her to be completely gone by the time he stepped foot in the house.

"Sir...?" Madame Greene called out nervously when he didn't move.

Lucien snapped out of his trance, his expression hardening as he gave a curt, freezing nod. "I see."

He didn't waste another second, rushing up the grand staircase with long, predatory strides. He threw the heavy oak doors of their master bedroom open.

His gray eyes narrowed.

The room looked normal at first glance. Everything was meticulously clean and untouched. But when his gaze swept over the vanity and the closet doors, he noticed the total absence of her personal items.

He ripped the walk-in closet open.

His suspicion was confirmed. Every single dress, shoe, and accessory she owned had been cleared out. The racks were barren. She hadn't left behind a single trace of her three-year existence in his life.

His usually impassive face hardened into a severe frown.

She had really left. She had signed the papers without asking for a single dime, and vanished into thin air with another man.

Lucien whipped his phone out, dialing his assistant's line. The moment Hayden picked up, Lucien roared into the receiver, his voice booming with fury:

"Find out exactly where the hell my wife has gone right now!"