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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

Damien Laurent didn't do unannounced visits.

If he was at my doorstep in the middle of the night, it meant one thing—trouble had already arrived.

Kai didn't lower his gun, and I didn't blame him. Damien had a habit of playing both sides, and trust was a currency he spent freely but never replenished.

"What do you know?" I asked, keeping my voice neutral.

Damien leaned against the doorframe like he had all the time in the world. "Let me in, and I'll tell you."

Kai's grip on his gun tightened. I caught the way his fingers flexed, the silent calculation happening in his head—could he shoot Damien before he made a move? Probably. Would it start a war? Definitely.

I sighed. "Put the gun down, Kai. If Damien wanted me dead, he wouldn't knock."

Kai didn't look happy about it, but he obeyed, tucking the weapon away as I stepped aside.

"Make it quick, Damien. I'm not in the mood for games."

He smirked. "Funny. Neither is the person watching you."

The room tensed instantly. I didn't flinch, but my pulse quickened. "So you do know who they are."

Damien strolled inside, hands in his pockets like he owned the place. "I know of them. You're not just being watched, Celeste. You're being studied."

Kai scoffed. "That supposed to make us feel better?"

Damien ignored him. His gaze stayed on me, sharp and assessing. "Whoever they are, they've been tracking your every move. And now? They're getting closer."

"Because they're waiting for you to make a mistake."

"And what do you get out of warning me?" I asked.

Damien shrugged. "A favor, maybe. Or maybe I just don't like the idea of someone else playing with my favorite little fox."

Kai rolled his eyes. "You're full of shit, Laurent."

"I've been called worse." Damien's lips quirked, but the amusement didn't reach his eyes.

I exhaled, folding my arms. "So what's your advice, oh wise and mysterious one?"

Damien tilted his head. "Be careful who you trust. And don't assume you're the one setting the traps."

He turned to leave, pausing at the door. "Oh, and Celeste?"

His smirk returned, but there was something unreadable behind it. "Next time you feel someone watching you? Don't turn your back on them."

Kai let out a frustrated sigh. "I hate that guy."

I barely heard him. Because Damien's warning wasn't what unsettled me.

It was the fact that deep down… I already knew he was right.

And that meant the real game was just beginning.

Chapter 22: The Devil’s Warning