Nova's POV
Twelve hours wasn't a deadline. It was a power play.
Leon Hale didn't give time he baited traps.
I sat at the edge of my bed, still wearing yesterday's clothes, the folder spread across my lap like a guilty confession. Ten million dollars. Six months. A marriage on paper and nothing more.
At least, that's what the contract said. But I knew better.
Nothing about Leon Hale ever came without a cost, there was always a heavy price to pay at the end.
I stared at my mother's pill bottles lined up on the dresser.
Even the labels looked tired.
I could hate him all I wanted. But I couldn't ignore the truth.
This contract would save her life.
And maybe, if I was smart, it would save mine too.
I grabbed a pen and headed out.
Leon's POV
She showed up at my office at exactly 8:59 AM.
No makeup. No fake smile. Just a coat that didn't belong to her and eyes that had stopped hoping years ago.
She tossed the folder onto my desk and leaned forward.
"Let's get this straight," she said. "This is fake. I don't cook, I don't clean, and I especially don't play doting wife."
"I wouldn't insult your intelligence by expecting that," I said smoothly.
"Good. Because I'm not here to save your reputation. I'm here to sell mine."
She uncapped the pen and signed her name with three bold strokes.
The air between us shifted—just slightly.
I took the pen, signed beneath her name, and sealed our future in ink.
And just like that, I was a married man.
Nova's POV
The lawyer watched us both like a referee in the ring.
"Effective immediately, the two of you are legally bound under the terms in section three," he said, tapping the contract. "You'll need to live together. Attend public events. Share one social media post per week to maintain optics."
"Optics," I muttered. "Right. Because nothing says love like likes and hashtags."
Leon said nothing. He just stood, adjusted his tie, and looked down at me like I was a business deal he'd just closed.
I wanted to scream.
Instead, I stood too.
"When do I move in?"
He handed me a silver keycard. "Now."
Leon's POV
She hated the penthouse the moment she walked in.
"Of course it's sterile," she muttered, dropping her coat onto a white couch that probably cost more than her college tuition. "You live like a robot."
"It's clean."
"It's dead."
"It's plain."
I ignored her and walked to the kitchen. "Your room is down the hall. Third door on the right. We'll sleep separately."
"Obviously." She said while rolling her eyes like it was going to the inner depth of her head
"Unless PR needs a photo-op. In which case, you'll smile and let me hold your hand."
She raised a brow. "Is there a section in the contract for fake orgasms too?"
I didn't flinch. "Only if you fake them well enough."
Nova's POV
He walked off before I could find something to throw at his head.
God, he was insufferable.
I marched down the hallway, slamming my new bedroom door behind me. It was bigger than my old apartment and colder than a morgue. Everything was gray, white, or chrome. Not a speck of warmth in sight.
Just like him.
I sat on the edge of the bed and stared at my ring.
It wasn't even real gold. Just a shiny band for appearances.
But it was there. On my finger. Mocking me.
Mrs. Nova Hale.
I gagged. The thought of it made me sick but hey what else could I have done.
Then the knock came.
Leon's POV
She opened the door half a crack, eyes narrow like she wanted to kill me which she probably does.
"What?"
I held up a small velvet box. "For the engagement party tonight."
She took it warily, opened it, and stared.
"A necklace?" she said. "Why?"
"Because it'll distract people from how miserable you look."
She rolled her eyes. "Charming."
"Wear something red," I added. "It's a merger event. Power colors matter."
She was already closing the door.
"One more thing," I said.
She paused.
"No matter what happens tonight," I said, voice low, "you smile. You laugh. You look like you love me."
She gave a sarcastic grin. "Oh, I already look like I want to stab you. That's basically the same thing."
The door slammed.
I smiled.