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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

Liam's words hung between us, heavy and deliberate.

"Are you playing the game… or are you being played?"

I didn't flinch. Didn't let my expression betray the flicker of doubt that tried to claw its way up my spine. Instead, I smiled. Slow. Calculated.

"Funny," I mused, swirling the drink I had no intention of drinking. "You almost sound like you think you're the one holding the cards."

Liam chuckled, tapping his fingers against the glass. "You're sharp, Celeste. I'll give you that. But being sharp doesn't mean you see everything."

He leaned in slightly, his voice dropping just low enough that I had to focus to catch every word.

"You think you've been making all the moves. Stirring the pot. But every step you've taken, every enemy you've made, every deal you thought you controlled—it was all predicted."

I felt Kai shift beside me. He didn't like where this was going. Neither did I.

"Predicted by who?" I asked, my voice steady.

Liam smirked. "By the people who actually run this city."

Something about the way he said it sent an uncomfortable prickle down my spine.

"You mean you and Serena?"

He shook his head. "We're players, just like you. But there's a bigger game at play, Celeste. One you walked into thinking you were the queen—when really? You were the bait."

I let out a short laugh, though the ice in my veins was very real. "Cute story. But if that were true, why tell me now?"

Liam's gaze darkened. "Because the real game is about to start. And you need to decide—are you going to keep playing blind?"

The air between us pulsed with something unspoken. A warning. A challenge.

I pushed my chair back and stood, smoothing out my dress. "Thanks for the concern, Liam. But I'll decide my own moves."

"Then let's hope you choose wisely, Vixen."

I turned and walked away, Kai falling into step beside me.

As soon as we were out of earshot, he muttered, "That was unsettling."

I exhaled slowly. "I don't know."

But as we stepped into the night, one thing was clear—if Liam was telling the truth, then I had been looking at the wrong enemies all along.

Chapter 19: The Illusion of Control