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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 Kingston was too close.

His presence was suffocating in the best—and worst—way possible. He radiated control, power, and something else I couldn't afford to acknowledge.

Not now. Not when I was standing in the center of his lion's den with a fake file in my hands and a dozen armed guards at his command.

I held my ground, keeping my expression neutral. "So? What's it going to be, Liam?"

"You broke into my vault." His voice was calm, almost too calm. "That's a problem, Celeste."

"I already admitted I was wrong. What more do you want? Blood?"

He tilted his head, amusement flickering in his dark eyes. "I don't need your blood. But I do need to know…" He reached out, fingers brushing the edge of the file. "Are you lying to me?"

Because I didn't know if he was testing me—or if he already knew the truth.

Kai's voice crackled in my earpiece. "Celeste, get out of there. Now."

He reached up—so fast I barely had time to react—and plucked the tiny device from my ear. He rolled it between his fingers before slipping it into his pocket like he had just confiscated a child's toy.

"Cute," he murmured. "Who were you talking to?"

I gave him my best innocent smile. "The voices in my head."

His lips twitched. "And what do they tell you?"

"That I should be running right about now."

He actually laughed. A real, deep laugh that sent a chill down my spine. "That would be a mistake."

Because even though the guards hadn't moved, even though his posture was still relaxed, Liam Kingston didn't need to pull a gun or raise his voice to be terrifying.

"Let's try something different," he said, stepping even closer. "I'll ask you one question. If you lie, I'll know. If you tell the truth, I might let you walk out of here."

"Ask away," I said smoothly.

His eyes locked onto mine, sharp and assessing.

I could feed him a name, spin a story, but Liam wasn't an idiot. If I gave the wrong answer, I was done.

I leaned in slightly, lowering my voice. "What makes you think anyone sent me at all?"

Then—he smiled.

And that's when I knew two things:

Liam Kingston wasn't buying my bullshit.

I was in a lot more trouble than I thought.

Chapter 28: A Dangerous Game