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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

I had been in plenty of bad situations before. Held at gunpoint, cornered by men who wanted me dead, chased through the streets with nothing but my wits to save me.

But standing face to face with Liam Kingston, after robbing his vault, was a whole new level of screwed.

He didn't look surprised. That was the worst part. He just stood there, one hand in his pocket, the other swirling his drink like this was all some kind of game.

"Celeste," he said again, his voice smooth. Too smooth. "You look stunning tonight."

I forced a smile, despite my heart hammering against my ribs. "Thanks. I do try."

His gaze flickered down—like he already knew I had taken something.

"Care to tell me why you're in my vault?"

I tilted my head, feigning innocence. "Would you believe me if I said I got lost?"

A ghost of a smirk tugged at his lips. "Lost? Interesting. Because from where I'm standing, it looks like you were very sure of where you were going."

The guards behind him tensed, hands resting near their weapons. I could hear Kai's voice in my ear, whispering curses, but I tuned him out.

I had seconds to turn this around.

I took a slow step forward, keeping my movements controlled. "Alright, you caught me. I was curious. You have an interesting collection, Liam."

He arched a brow. "And what exactly caught your interest?"

Liam's expression didn't change, but I saw the flicker of interest in his eyes. He wasn't expecting that answer.

"Someone told me you had information on me. I wanted to know what you knew."

Then—Liam chuckled. Low, deep, dangerous.

"And you thought breaking into my vault was the best way to get answers?"

"I figured you wouldn't just hand it over if I asked nicely."

He took a slow sip of his drink, studying me.

That's when I knew I had one chance.

I reached for the inside of my dress and pulled out the file. Not the real one—the fake one I had tucked away just in case.

His eyes followed the movement, and I saw the moment he took the bait.

"Here," I said, holding it out. "I took it. You caught me. Now, what are you going to do?"

"That depends, Celeste." His voice was softer now, almost intimate. "Do you want me to punish you… or let you go?"

Because the way he said it… it wasn't just a threat.

It was a promise.

Chapter 27: Caught