The soft glow of multiple monitors flickered in the dimly lit apartment, casting eerie neon reflections across the metallic furniture. The hum of machinery filled the air as Lyra Xian cracked her knuckles, her fingers dancing over the holographic keyboard at lightning speed.

Lines of code flashed before her icy blue eyes, her expression calm and composed. She wore a sleek black hoodie, the edges of her silver hair peeking out as she leaned forward.

"Almost there..." she whispered to herself, her lips curling into a smirk.

On the largest screen, the firewall of Vaughn Industries was displayed—a fortress of digital security, unbreakable to the average hacker. But Lyra was far from average.

She was Shadow Ghost, the world’s most elusive hacker.

Her fingers moved faster, a flurry of commands executing at her will. A red warning popped up on the screen:

Unauthorized Entry Detected. Security Breach in Progress.

Lyra chuckled. "Too slow, Vaughn Industries."

Within seconds, the digital fortress crumbled, revealing layers of encrypted data. Financial records, private dealings, security logs—every dark secret of Ethan Vaughn, the ruthless CEO, was now at her fingertips.

She didn’t care about his money. She wanted information.

Lyra scrolled through files until she found it—classified documents from twelve years ago. Her breath hitched. This was it.

The proof that Vaughn Industries was linked to her family’s downfall.

Her heartbeat quickened as she decrypted the first few lines—only for her screen to flicker violently.

Access Denied.

The words flashed in bold red letters, followed by a taunting message:

“Nice try, Shadow Ghost. But you’re not the only one watching.”

Lyra’s smirk faltered.

Someone was inside the system. Someone fast.

A new line of code appeared, trying to trace her location. She had seconds to escape.

Her fingers flew across the keyboard, activating a decoy IP while setting off a fake breach alarm to distract the intruder. The security system of Vaughn Industries went into full lockdown mode, sending alerts across all servers.

Perfect.

Lyra exhaled sharply, terminating the connection. Her screens went black, her identity secured.

But her mind was racing.

That wasn’t just some security bot. That was a person.

And there was only one person skilled enough to challenge her in real time.

Ethan Vaughn himself.

---

Meanwhile – Vaughn Industries

"Sir, the firewall has been breached!"

Inside the corporate tower of Vaughn Industries, alarm bells blared as security teams rushed to contain the chaos. Employees whispered in panic, watching as their database was being ripped apart in real-time.

Ethan Vaughn stood in the center of the crisis, his sharp gaze locked on the glowing screen in front of him. Unlike his subordinates, he remained eerily calm.

Dressed in a black tailored suit, his commanding presence exuded power and precision. A cigarette smoldered between his fingers, untouched, as he scanned the lines of code flooding the system.

"Shadow Ghost," he murmured, recognizing the hacker’s signature moves instantly.

A smirk tugged at his lips. So, the legendary Shadow Ghost had finally made a mistake.

"Trace their location," he ordered, exhaling slowly. "I want to know exactly where they are."

His cybersecurity expert hesitated. "Sir, they covered their tracks too well. Whoever they are, they knew exactly what they were doing."

Ethan’s smirk faded. “Then find another way.”

His dark eyes gleamed with challenge. This hacker—this Shadow Ghost—had infiltrated his system effortlessly.

That meant two things:

One, they were dangerous.

Two, he wanted to meet them.

And when he did, they would regret ever crossing him.

---

Back at Lyra’s Hideout

Lyra leaned back in her chair, her heartbeat slowing as she analyzed the data she managed to extract.

It wasn’t enough. She needed more.

Her lips curled into a mischievous smirk.

"Guess I’ll have to meet you in person, Ethan Vaughn."

And with that, the game began.

---

End of Chapter 1

The scent of freshly brewed coffee filled the air as Lyra Xian stepped onto the pristine marble floors of Regis Academy, the country’s most elite private school. She adjusted the strap of her backpack, her silver hair neatly tied back, making her appear unassuming—just another ordinary scholarship student.

But beneath that disguise, she was anything but ordinary.

Her real mission?

Uncover the truth about the Xian family—the one stolen from her.

Her sharp eyes scanned the grand hall. Wealth dripped from every corner, from the crystal chandeliers to the students draped in designer brands. The very same students who wouldn’t hesitate to look down on someone like her.

Perfect. Let them underestimate me.

Just as she turned towards her classroom, a mocking voice stopped her in her tracks.

"Oh? What’s this? The school must be getting desperate if they’re letting in strays now."

Lyra’s gaze snapped to the speaker—Seraphina Xian.

The girl who had stolen her name, her family, her entire life.

With long waves of golden hair and a designer uniform tailored to perfection, Seraphina looked every bit the pampered princess she pretended to be. Her lips curled into a smirk as she crossed her arms.

Behind her stood a group of students, all watching eagerly, waiting for a show.

Lyra’s fingers twitched. She could crush Seraphina in seconds—with words, with fists, with hacking. But not today.

Not yet.

She forced a small, polite smile. "Good morning."

Seraphina blinked, momentarily caught off guard by Lyra’s calm indifference.

"Do you even know who you’re talking to?" she scoffed, flipping her hair dramatically. "This is Regis Academy, not some public charity."

Lyra tilted her head. "Oh, my mistake. You just have that… free-sample energy."

The students gasped, barely holding back their laughter. Seraphina’s smile twitched.

Before she could retort, an unexpected voice cut through the air.

"That’s enough."

The crowd instantly silenced.

Lyra turned—and met intense, dark eyes.

Ethan Vaughn.

---

Meanwhile – Ethan Vaughn’s POV

He hadn’t expected her.

When Ethan walked into the academy this morning, the last thing he anticipated was running into Shadow Ghost herself.

Of course, she wasn’t Shadow Ghost here.

Here, she was just Lyra Xian, a supposed nobody.

But Ethan was no fool.

That quick wit, that sharp gaze, the way she remained unaffected even under pressure—this girl was hiding something.

And he didn’t believe in coincidences.

"That’s enough, Seraphina," Ethan repeated, his voice calm but firm.

Seraphina turned to him, eyes widening. "Ethan—!"

His icy stare shut her up instantly.

"Go," he ordered.

She hesitated, throwing one last glare at Lyra before storming off, her minions trailing behind.

Ethan’s gaze flickered back to Lyra.

She looked up at him, calm, composed, unreadable.

For some reason, that annoyed him.

"You’re new," he stated.

Lyra arched a brow. "Very observant of you, Mr. Vaughn."

That smirk—it was almost taunting.

Ethan’s eyes narrowed. "What’s your game?"

She tilted her head innocently. "Game? I’m just here to study, same as everyone else."

Liar.

His gut told him this girl was dangerous.

He just didn’t know how yet.

But he’d find out.

And when he did, she’d regret ever stepping into his world.

---

End of Chapter 2

Lyra stood her ground as Ethan Vaughn’s sharp gaze bore into her. He was dangerously calm, his towering presence radiating a quiet intensity.

She had seen his face before—on magazine covers, in business news, in the financial world where he was a king. Yet, here he was, in a high school hallway, questioning her as if she were an anomaly.

What the hell was the CEO of Vaughn Industries doing at Regis Academy?

Lyra’s mind worked fast, calculating every possibility. Was this a coincidence? No. Ethan Vaughn never did anything without reason.

So, why was he here?

She kept her expression calm, unreadable. "You’re awfully invested in a high school squabble, Mr. Vaughn."

Ethan’s lips curled into a smirk—one that didn’t quite reach his eyes. "I don’t waste time on squabbles, Miss Xian."

The way he said her name sent a prickle of unease down her spine. He was studying her.

"Then why interfere?" she asked smoothly.

His smirk deepened, but there was something dangerous in his eyes now.

"Because I don’t like things I can’t predict."

Lyra stiffened. Was that a warning? Or a challenge?

Before she could respond, a voice called out from behind them.

"Mr. Vaughn, the meeting is about to start."

Lyra turned slightly, her eyes widening when she saw two professors and the academy’s headmaster standing nearby, waiting for him.

Understanding clicked.

Ethan Vaughn wasn’t here as a student. He was here as a board member.

Of course. Regis Academy was the top elite school, and Vaughn Industries had a major sponsorship.

That meant Ethan had authority here—more than a normal CEO, more than a student, more than a teacher.

This was his territory.

And she had just stepped into it.

Ethan’s eyes glimmered with amusement as he noticed her realization. "We’ll meet again, Lyra Xian."**

Then, without waiting for a response, he turned and walked away, his long strides confident, dominant, completely in control.

Lyra let out a slow breath as he disappeared into the faculty wing.

She had hacked into Vaughn Industries last night.

And now, less than 24 hours later, Ethan Vaughn himself had confronted her.

Coincidence? No. He suspected something.

Damn it.

She had worked years to keep Shadow Ghost’s identity a secret, but now, one mistake had caught the attention of the most dangerous man in the city.

Lyra sighed and turned toward her classroom. She needed to lay low. At least for now.

Or at least, that was the plan—until she walked into the room and saw her assigned seat.

Right next to Ethan Vaughn.

---

Meanwhile – Ethan Vaughn’s POV

Ethan walked into the faculty meeting, but his thoughts were elsewhere.

Lyra Xian.

That name had never appeared in any important social circles, business records, or media.

Yet, when he looked into her eyes, he saw someone calculating. Someone dangerous.

He had spent years dealing with corporate snakes, hackers, and competitors, and his instincts were never wrong.

That girl wasn’t just some random scholarship student.

She had a purpose.

And he intended to find out exactly what it was.

As he took his seat at the board meeting, his phone vibrated. He glanced at the screen, his amusement growing.

Security Alert: Unauthorized Breach Attempt Last Night – SHADOW GHOST Identified.

Shadow Ghost.

The same hacker who dared to break into Vaughn Industries.

The same hacker who disappeared before he could track them.

His smirk returned. No coincidences.

Lyra Xian… I don’t know who you are yet.

But soon, I will.

And when I do… you’ll regret ever stepping into my world.

---

End of Chapter 3