Chapter 1

The lights of the Silicon Valley gala were blinding, reflecting off champagne flutes and diamond necklaces.

Ava Chen stood beside Julian Vance, tech billionaire, her fiancé.

Tonight was their engagement announcement.

Her father, a retired diplomat, and her brother, an investigative journalist, were supposed to be here, proud. They were delayed.

Ava smoothed the silk of her gown, a nervous flutter in her chest. This was it.

Julian raised his glass, a charismatic smile plastered on his face. "To us, Ava. To our future."

The crowd murmured approval.

Then, the ballroom doors opened.

A woman stood silhouetted against the hallway light.

Seraphina Reed.

Julian' s ex. The "White Redwood," as some called her for her ambition and icy beauty.

Julian froze. The smile vanished.

He dropped Ava's hand as if it burned him.

"Seraphina?" His voice was a choked whisper.

He moved, almost ran, towards Seraphina, leaving Ava standing alone on the dais.

The engagement, a staffer whispered to the confused guests, was "indefinitely postponed."

Ava watched Julian reach Seraphina, his eyes devouring her.

And in that moment, Ava understood.

She looked at Seraphina, truly looked. The woman was a mirror image, a slightly sharper, colder version of herself.

The realization hit her like a physical blow. She was a substitute. Julian's affection had never been for her.

Later, in the penthouse Julian had given her, Ava stared at her reflection.

Seraphina. It was all about Seraphina.

A knock. Seraphina herself walked in, uninvited, a small pot of steaming herbal tea in her hands.

"Ava, darling. Julian is so consumed. I thought you might like some tea."

She moved closer, her smile not reaching her eyes.

"He always did say I made the best."

Then, a stumble, a gasp. The boiling tea splashed across Ava's hand.

Ava cried out, pain shooting up her arm.

Maya Rodriguez, Ava's loyal assistant and friend, rushed forward. "What did you do?"

"An accident," Seraphina said, her eyes wide with false innocence.

Just then, Julian strode in. He saw Seraphina looking distressed, Ava clutching her burned hand, Maya glaring.

"What the hell is going on?" Julian roared, his face thunderous. He looked only at Maya. "Are you threatening Seraphina?"

"She burned Ava!" Maya cried.

"It was an accident, Julian," Seraphina murmured, clinging to his arm. "Maya startled me."

Julian turned on Maya. "Get out of my sight. You're fired."

"No, Julian, please," Ava said, her voice trembling from pain and shock. "It was my fault. I bumped into her."

She had to protect Maya.

Julian looked at Ava, his gaze cold. "Don't cause trouble, Ava."

He led Seraphina away, cooing reassurances.

The next day, Maya was dead.

A hit-and-run.

The police called it an accident.

Ava knew better. The dread in her heart turned to ice. Julian was ruthless. Seraphina was a viper.

Her hope, her naive belief in love, shattered into a million pieces.