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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 car ride back was silent. Not the comfortable kind. The kind that presses against your ribs, suffocating, a weight that refuses to lift.

Liam didn't say another word after his confession. If Vale turns you against me, I lose everything.

That should have meant something. It should have changed something.

But all it did was prove that I was trapped.

Liam needed me loyal. Vale wanted me free. And I? I just wanted to survive.

When the car rolled to a stop in front of my building, Liam finally spoke.

"You should stay away from Vale."

I let out a breathy laugh. "Pretty sure I don't have a choice anymore."

His jaw tightened, but he didn't argue. Instead, he reached into his coat and pulled out something small—sleek and metallic.

I stiffened as he placed it in my hand, his fingers brushing against mine for just a second too long.

"You're playing a dangerous game, Celeste," he murmured. "And I don't take risks without insurance."

"So this is insurance?" I asked, lifting the weapon. "Or a reminder?"

His eyes locked onto mine, the weight of his gaze heavier than the gun in my hand.

"You belong on my side, Celeste."

Then, without another word, he reached across me, opened the door, and waited.

I stepped out, gripping the gun tighter as the door shut behind me. The car pulled away, disappearing into the night like a phantom.

Instead, I stood there, the cool metal pressing against my palm, my heartbeat uneven.

I was being hunted from both sides.

And no matter what choice I made…

Chapter 39: No Way Out