The Villains Must Win-Chapter 51: Alexander Vale 1

And Ethan? Well, he did what all emotionally devastated male leads do—he threw himself into work, built an empire, and became richer than everyone just to prove a point. He made sure that when he finally returned, it wasn’t just to reclaim Riley but to crush Alexander into financial oblivion.

And oh, crush him he did.

Ethan exposed Alexander’s fraudulent dealings, sending the once-powerful man into a downward spiral of bankruptcy and disgrace.

Too proud to face prison time, Alexander took the ultimate escape route—his own life.

And Riley? She and Ethan rekindled their love, realizing they had wasted years apart because of one stubborn villain.

A classic ending. A fairytale, even.

But this time?

No fairytale would unfold. Not under my watch.

"Alright. Who am I going to be?" I muttered, glancing at my reflection.

The moment I laid eyes on the woman in the mirror, I froze.

Long, thick waves of deep red hair cascaded past my waist, framing a face that could stop traffic. Sharp ash-gray eyes, sultry yet piercing. A beauty mark just beneath my left eye added a touch of seduction. And the body—dear god, the body. Let’s just say, I was generously gifted in all the right places.

I experimentally gave my chest a lift. Solid. Very solid.

"Damn," I murmured, giving myself an approving nod.

I had become Celeste Hart.

Ethan Carter’s current girlfriend. Or, well . . . one of his many placeholders—temporary fixes for the gaping void Riley left behind.

Another cannon fodder.

Not that I mind. It was better this way. I like the challenge.

The first thing I noticed when I came to my senses was that I was in some kind of high-class restroom. And I mean high-class. The kind of place where the mirrors had golden accents, the sinks looked like they belonged in a five-star hotel, and the air smelled like rich people and overpriced vanilla-scented candles.

I blinked at my reflection, then down at the sleek, ultra-modern toilet. Fancy.

Then my gaze landed on my phone, and everything clicked.

Oh. Oh.

Today was the day.

The day Riley Evans was supposed to meet Ethan Carter again. The day their oh-so-tragic love story would reignite like a slow-burning dumpster fire.

And me?

I was supposed to be out of the picture.

Because up until yesterday, I had been Ethan’s secretary. His secretary. But not anymore.

I exhaled and ran a hand through my thick red waves, taking in my new, ridiculously sexy reflection. Then, experimentally, I lifted my breasts, adjusting them for maximum effect. Yup. Still there. Still defying gravity.

My short white bodycon dress hugged every curve like it had been tailor-made for a seductive villainess, which, now that I thought about it, was basically what I was aiming for.

Unfortunately, the dress was also just a little too short for my liking. One wrong move and I’d be flashing my assets to the entire office.

I tugged at the hem, trying to preserve the last shreds of my dignity, before giving myself one final once-over in the mirror.

Alright. Game face on.

This time, I was determined to get a perfect score.

If Riley Evans wanted her happily ever after, she was going to have to work damn hard for it.

I cracked my knuckles, flashed myself a winning grin, and sashayed out of the restroom like a woman on a mission.

Time to rewrite this story. And this time?

I was getting that ending. The one that would blow that bunny’s mind.

=== 🖤 ===

The moment Celeste walked back into the office, Ethan barely looked up from his paperwork. His voice was cold, clipped.

"What took you so long?"

He didn’t expect an answer—just another excuse from the woman who had spent most of her time clinging to him, using her beauty like a weapon. But when he finally glanced up, his pen froze mid-signature.

For a moment, he thought he was looking at a stranger.

This wasn’t the Celeste Hart he knew.

The Celeste he remembered was loud, vulgar, desperate to please him with exaggerated displays of affection and sultry whispers.

The woman standing before him now? She was poised.

Draped in a luxurious fur coat, her fiery red hair cascading over her shoulders, she exuded confidence, sophistication—like she owned the very air in the room.

Ethan’s brows furrowed slightly. Could someone really change this much within minutes?

Even Riley, who had been quietly seated in front of his desk, cleared her throat, breaking the tense silence.

Ethan quickly composed himself. He pushed down the slight unease curling in his gut and gestured toward the seat across from Riley.

"Celeste, have a seat."

She moved with practiced ease, settling down like she belonged there. A slow, knowing smile curved her lips as she turned to Riley.

"You must be the new secretary."

Her tone was polite, almost friendly, but there was something in her eyes—an amusement that made Riley stiffen.

Riley Evans was beautiful in a soft, delicate way. With her golden blonde hair and striking blue eyes, she was every bit the classic heroine—polite, composed, and radiating that good girl, damsel in distress aura male leads fell for in every romance novel.

Celeste extended a hand.

"My name is Celeste Hart," she said smoothly, "Ethan’s ex-girlfriend and apparently ex-secretary." She emphasized the words just enough to make Riley’s eyes widen in shock. "Before I retire, it’s customary to stay for a few days to show you the ropes, so . . . welcome."

Riley’s gaze flickered between Celeste’s outstretched hand and Ethan, confusion written all over her face.

"W-what?" she stammered. "Ex-girlfriend?" She frowned, her blue eyes darting to Ethan, silently demanding an explanation.

Ethan, for the first time in a long while, found himself at a loss for words.

This wasn’t how he had expected things to go. He had prepared for a tantrum. He had even stationed security nearby, anticipating that Celeste would cause a scene—screaming, crying, refusing to leave. But instead, she was calm. Almost . . . detached. Like none of this mattered to her.

It was unsettling.