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Once known as the naive and kind-hearted Ava Montague, she was betrayed, framed, and left to die by the very people she trusted most—her fiancé, best friend, and stepmother. But death did not claim her. Instead, a mysterious organization saved her and gave her a new identity: "The Vixen."
With a new face, a new name, and a burning desire for revenge, she returns as Celeste Vauxhall, a woman who plays by no rules but her own. She is no longer the weak, innocent girl she once was—she is now a master manipulator, using charm, intelligence, and deception to dismantle those who wronged her.
But revenge is a double-edged sword. As she gets closer to her targets, she finds herself entangled in a dangerous game of power, love, and deception. And when a mysterious billionaire with secrets of his own enters her life, the lines between vengeance and passion blur. Will she succeed in her mission, or will she lose herself in the very darkness she sought to control?

The Vixen

The Montague Charity Gala was a masterpiece of wealth and deception.

Crystal chandeliers dripped from the ceiling, casting golden light over the ballroom. Waiters in crisp suits weaved between guests, offering glasses of expensive champagne. The air buzzed with laughter, gossip, and carefully concealed ambition.

I stepped inside, my hand resting lightly on Kai's arm.

"Relax," he murmured, his lips barely moving. "You look like you belong here."

That was the trick, wasn't it? To look like I belonged. To move like I had never left.

As Celeste Vauxhall, I was an unknown. A mystery wrapped in silk and diamonds. But as Ava Montague? I had been a name they all knew. A woman who had once danced in this very ballroom, blissfully unaware that I was surrounded by wolves.

I caught sight of Liam and Serena near the center of the room. Liam, ever the golden boy, stood with a glass of whiskey in one hand, the other resting possessively on Serena's waist. They looked perfect together—powerful, enviable, untouchable.

Serena whispered something in his ear, and he laughed, his deep, familiar chuckle sending ice through my veins.

I forced my lips into a slow smile.

"Shall we say hello?" I murmured to Kai.

His smirk was immediate. "Oh, this is going to be fun."

We moved toward them, cutting through the sea of wealth and power like a blade through silk.

Liam noticed me first. His easy confidence faltered for just a second—just long enough. His gaze flickered over me, taking in the dress, the diamonds, the unfamiliar smirk on my lips.

Serena followed his gaze, her polished expression tightening.

"Darling," I purred, extending a hand toward Liam before Serena could react. "You must be Liam Astor. I've heard so much about you."

His fingers closed around mine, warm and firm, but I felt the hesitation beneath.

"And you are?" he asked smoothly, though his eyes searched mine for something familiar.

"Celeste Vauxhall," I introduced myself. "A pleasure."

Chapter 9: The Wolf Among Sheep