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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

Vale's office was exactly how I remembered it—cold, sleek, and suffocating with power.

The kind of place where deals were made, loyalty was bought, and people disappeared.

I stepped inside like I belonged there. My heels clicked against the marble, my heart thudded against my ribs like it was trying to make a break for it.

Vale looked up from his desk, his piercing gaze sweeping over me like a scanner.

"Celeste," he said, standing slowly. "You're a sight for sore eyes."

Liar. He looked about as sore as a snake in silk sheets.

"I need to talk to you," I said, injecting just enough tremble into my voice to sell the fear. "Something… happened."

His brow arched. "Go on."

I swallowed and stepped closer, tugging my coat tighter like I was trying to hold myself together. "Someone broke into my apartment last night." I paused. Let the tension hang. "He tried to kill me."

Vale's eyes darkened. "Are you alright?"

I gave him a soft, shaky nod. "Barely. I… I think it was Liam."

His expression didn't change much, but I noticed the subtle tightening of his jaw.

"Liam?" he repeated, as if tasting the name. "Why would he do that?"

"He's been acting strange," I whispered, stepping closer. "Disappearing. Asking questions. He told me you're using me. Said I'm just a pawn in your war."

A muscle in Vale's cheek ticked. That was good. He was buying it—or he was pretending to. With him, it was always a poker game.

"Did you tell anyone else?" he asked.

I shook my head. "No. I didn't know who to trust."

He nodded slowly, moving from behind the desk. "You did the right thing, coming to me."

But I gave him the look he wanted—wide-eyed, desperate, and completely sold.

He reached out and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear like he hadn't possibly ordered my death days ago.

"You're safe now," he said softly. "I'll handle Liam."

Because while he was busy "handling" Liam, I was going to plug in the flash drive and burn down his kingdom from the inside.

And this time, I wouldn't be the one running.

Chapter 47: Dangerous Games