Lyla Monroe (Nova Kingsley)
“I’m not going to sleep next to you,” I said bluntly, adjusting the seatbelt across my lap as the private jet sliced through the sky on our flight back to New York.
Luca didn’t even flinch. He just leaned his head back on the seat, eyes closed. “You’ll have your own room.”
“Good,” I muttered. “Because this is not… this isn’t a honeymoon. This is just a business transaction. We’re not playing house.”
He opened one eye and looked at me. “You wanted to play house?”
I scoffed. “With you? No.”
He sat up now, both eyebrows raised. “Nova… I don’t even know you. You’re a stranger in my house. Stranger danger.”
I blinked at him. Did… did Luca Steele just crack a joke?
It felt so strange to talk to him like this. Not in a meeting room, not in hushed tones scribbling notes, but openly as his… wife.
Two years of quietly observing him behind a screen, watching his moods shift with a single glance, and never—ever—talking back. And now here we were, exchanging snarky jabs at 30,000 feet.
He was still cold. Still brooding. Still sharp-edged like a freshly filed blade.
But this side of him—the sarcastic, dry-humored one—I hadn’t seen that before. And honestly? I kind of liked it. Just a little.
When we landed in New York, I expected to go straight to the apartment. But as we stepped into the car, Luca slid in beside me and said, “We’re going to the office first.”
I blinked. “Why?”
“I need to introduce you.”
“To who?”
“The board. The staff. You’re my wife now.”
I let out a tired sigh. “Luca, I don’t want to see them. They’re not my people.”
He turned his head, that cold stare tightening. “You’re my wife now. Whether it’s for business or not, that’s literally what the papers say. I won’t walk back into Steele Enterprises with people whispering rumors. They’ll know who you are. Period.”
I groaned and leaned back. “Fine.”
***
The elevator ride up to the 25th floor was quiet. My nerves buzzed. I had walked these halls before, but never like this.
As Lyla Monroe, I was nothing but a foot mat in the company. People barely looked at me. If they did, it was with pity or mockery.
But now?
Now, as Nova Kingsley—billionaire heiress, CEO’s wife, wife—everyone stared. I could feel their wide eyes on me. Mouths slightly open. Some even stood when I passed.
Nova got respect.
Lyla was invisible.
Luca introduced me to each department as his wife. His voice never wavered. No smirk. No hesitation.
And then—bam.
I bumped into someone hard. Cold liquid splashed across my dress.
“What the f—” I stopped, looking down at the mess. Then I looked up.
Blonde hair. Tight skirt. Five-inch stilettos. Cat eyeliner sharp enough to kill.
“Oh, my bad,” she said with a fake smile, casually tossing her empty iced coffee into a nearby bin.
Luca walked over, his jaw tight. “This is my new secretary. My old one decided to run off and get married.”
I narrowed my eyes. Excuse me? That’s how he chose to word it?
“This is Penny. Penny, this is my wife, Nova.”
I forced a smile. “Hi, Penny.”
She looked me up and down. “Since when did you get married?” she asked Luca, barely glancing my way.
Luca gave her a look so sharp I thought she’d explode on the spot. “That’s none of your business.”
I nearly laughed. The look on her face—pure disbelief.
Oh dear Penny, you really thought you had a chance? Poor thing.
But then I paused. Wait a second.
This wasn’t the Penny I hired. The Penny I interviewed had glasses, a buttoned-up blouse, and a bun so tight I swear her thoughts were held hostage. She sent a very different headshot. A modest one. Professional.
This Penny? Her skirt was one sneeze away from scandal.
I side-eyed her. “Nice to meet you,” I said sweetly, and followed Luca as we walked past.
I needed air. I needed a second. So I turned down the hallway, heading for the restroom. But halfway there, I heard footsteps behind me.
I turned slightly.
Luca.
“I’m just going to the restroom,” I said quickly.
He tilted his head. “How do you know it’s down there?”
Shit.
My heart skipped. “Uh… isn’t that where most restrooms are in corporate buildings?”
Luca narrowed his eyes.
I shrugged. “Back corners. Hidden hallways. Basic design. It’s not rocket science.”
He didn’t say anything for a moment. Then he nodded. “Fine. Hurry up. I need to introduce you to the board of advisors next.”
I nodded back, giving him a quick smile. “Got it.”
As he walked away, I exhaled deeply. That was too close. Lyla Monroe knew this building like the back of her hand. Nova Kingsley was supposed to be seeing it for the first time.
I needed to be way more careful.
