They were supposed to stay on opposite sides of every screen. Instead, Harrison Drax stepped into her life with a contract and a six-month deadline. Help him secure the deal with Vale Company, play the role of his wife, and walk away when it’s over. No attachments, no promises. The goal was power, protection, and revenge. Lena almost laughed in his face. Then she reviewed the terms again and realized that leaving might cost more than staying. She was Nova—the hacker no one could trace. He was Cipher—the CEO most people were wise enough to fear. Three years in Germany had been her attempt at a clean break. She returned home expecting her mother’s car in the arrival zone. The space remained empty. Instead, a nurse called. By the time Lena reached the hospital, her mother was dead. Official version: accident. It had never been true. At home, her father could barely meet her eyes. Diane moved through the house as if she had always belonged there—cooking, opening doors, smiling too easily. Something about that smile made Lena’s skin prickle. So she stopped grieving and started digging. As Nova, she followed traces no one else saw. Timestamps that didn’t match. Names that meant nothing. Gaps that felt deliberate. The deeper she went, the clearer it became: her mother’s death had not been an accident. Harrison’s offer complicated everything. He knew more than he should. The contract began to feel like the only shield she had left. And the closer they got to the truth, the harder it became to tell where the deal ended and something far more dangerous began. Some vows are written in code, while some secrets refuse to stay buried.