The room was dimly lit, the air thick with cigarette smoke. A man sat on the floor, leaning against the cold wall, his white shirt half-unbuttoned and his black hair disheveled. A glass of alcohol rested in one hand, a cigarette in the other. His deep, tired eyes were fixed on a framed photo lying on the floor.

"Nova!" he exhaled sharply, his voice raw with longing and pain.

"You weren't supposed to leave your Gabriel that day," he muttered, pointing at himself before gulping down the entire glass of alcohol in one go. His gaze slowly dropped to the framed photo on the floor.

"N-No... Nova," he whispered her name again, but the weight of alcohol and exhaustion took over. The cigarette and the empty glass slipped from his grasp, hitting the floor with a dull thud as he lost consciousness.

On the other side of the city, sunlight streamed through elegant silk curtains as the maids pulled them aside. The golden morning light kissed the skin of a young woman sleeping on a luxurious bed. Stirring from her slumber, she stretched her arms with a soft smile.

"Mhm! What a beautiful day, just like me!" she hummed to herself.

A knock at the door interrupted her moment. A servant entered, gracefully placing a steaming cup of black coffee on the bedside table.

"Oh, my day can't start without this," Nova said as she took a sip, savoring the rich aroma.

Just as she was about to enjoy a peaceful morning, her phone rang. With a sigh, she set the cup down, picked up her phone, and walked toward the giant glass window.

"Speak."

"Nova, where are you?" A familiar voice, slightly panicked, came from the other end.

"Where do you think, Issac?" she replied with a raised eyebrow.

"Oh God, just come to the company!"

Nova rolled her eyes. "What's so urgent? I just woke up."

Issac's voice was rushed, filled with frustration. "Nova, listen to me carefully."

"Yes, I'm all ears," she responded in an annoyed tone.

"The employees are demanding their salaries."

Nova frowned. "What do you mean? I paid them on the first of the month. I've never delayed salaries before."

Issac let out an exasperated sigh. "Some employees are resigning... Why don't you come and sort this out yourself?"

"Issac? Issac!" Nova called out, but the line had already gone dead.

She groaned, realizing she had no choice. Without another thought, she rushed to the bathroom for a quick shower. After freshening up, she dressed in a white crop top, black bell bottoms, black high heels, and grabbed her signature white Gucci bag.

Walking through the grand halls of her mansion, the scent of vanilla followed her as she made her way to the main gate. "Hand me the keys," she ordered the driver. Without hesitation, he complied, and the guards opened the gates. She got into her car and drove straight to her company.

"Nova... please, come back."

Gabriel jolted awake, his heart pounding. His head throbbed from last night's heavy drinking. He ran a hand through his messy hair, trying to shake off the lingering dream—or rather, the nightmare that haunted him every night.

Dragging himself to the bathroom, he turned on the warm water and stepped into the bathtub, letting the heat soothe his aching body. After his morning routine, he emerged, dressed in casual clothes, and flopped onto his bed. His fingers absentmindedly scrolled through his phone until something caught his attention—a job portal.

One particular listing stood out: Bright Future Inc. – Urgent Hiring!

Just as he clicked on it, a soft knock on the door made him pause.

"Gabriel, dear!" His mother's gentle voice carried through the room.

He already knew it was her, so he didn't hesitate. "Yes, Mom?"

Opening the door, she walked in, carrying a breakfast tray. "Here, eat something. You've been working so hard... You'll find her." She patted his back reassuringly.

His grip tightened on the tray. "I will find her, no matter what it takes."

His mother smiled, understanding his determination, before leaving him in privacy. Gabriel set the tray aside, his focus returning to his phone. His eyes scanned the company's website, his mind already forming a plan.

"This company is hiring urgently..." he murmured to himself.

Meanwhile, at Bright Future Inc., Nova stepped out of her car, standing in front of the grand glass building. Her heels clicked against the marble floor as she entered, exuding confidence. The guards greeted her with a respectful nod, and she returned the gesture before making her way to the elevator.

The moment she stepped onto the sixth floor, chaos greeted her. Employees were in distress, voices overlapping as complaints filled the air. But the moment Nova walked through the corridor, a commanding presence followed her. One by one, the employees fell silent.

She entered her office, already rubbing her temples in irritation. Issac was waiting for her inside, his expression frantic.

"Where were you, Nova? Do you even know what's happening right now?" he demanded, out of breath.

Nova rolled her eyes. "Issac, you asked me to handle it, so stop wasting my time and let me see the issue."

Knowing it was best not to push her any further, Issac slumped into a chair, his hands trembling. Nova called the Chief Financial Officer and demanded the Employee Remuneration Report.

Something wasn't adding up.

"Issac, go to our website and call every applicant for an interview today. We can't afford to lose employees," she instructed. "And make sure those who resigned don't step back into this building."

Issac nodded and was about to leave when Nova added, "And you'll be handling the interviews. Also, make sure they sign a contract stating they can't resign unless I allow it." A small, mischievous smile curled her lips.

Issac sighed and left, knowing better than to argue with her.

The moment he was gone, Nova's expression darkened.

"I won't let this matter slide."

She opened her laptop and began investigating.

Meanwhile, Issac called in 30 candidates for interviews—17 men and 14 women. He spent the next few hours carefully selecting potential employees.

Then, a young man—around twenty-six years old—stepped into the building. He had greasy hair, large spectacles, and a school backpack slung over his shoulder, looking every bit like an awkward nerd.

"Excuse me, I'm here for the interview," he said politely at the reception.

The receptionist nodded. "This way, sir."

She directed him to the sixth floor, where he soon found himself in front of the General Manager's Office.

Knocking lightly, he heard a deep voice respond, "Come in."

Gabriel stepped inside and greeted Issac.

"Good morning. I'm here for the interview."

"Have a seat," Issac instructed.

Gabriel sat down.

"Introduce yourself."

Clearing his throat, Gabriel responded, "My name is Gabriel Gray. I'm twenty-six years old and a software engineer. I have a degree in Ethical Hacking and cybersecurity."

Issac raised an eyebrow, intrigued.

After half an hour of discussion, Issac nodded in approval. "Impressive. You're in. You can start today, but first, sign this contract."

Gabriel took the contract without reading it and signed. "I trust you, sir."

Issac smiled. "Welcome aboard."

Moments later, he rushed into Nova's office.

"Nova, I'm done with the interviews. Did you find anything?"

Nova, deep in thought, barely acknowledged him. "This isn't about missing salaries—someone hacked our financial account."

Issac smirked. "No need to hire a hacker, Nova. We already have the best one."

Issac called reception. "Send Gabriel Gray to the CEO's Office."

Minutes later, Gabriel arrived.

Nova turned around, her coffee in one hand, her other tucked into her pocket.

Her gaze met Gabriel's.

The moment their eyes locked, her breath hitched.

"Good morning, Ma'am Nova," he greeted with a smirk.

A name from her past. A man she tried to forget.

Something was very, very wrong.