SCORNED EX WIFE Queen Of Ashes (Camille and Stefan)

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

STEFAN'S POINT OF VIEW

The scotch burned going down, but I poured another anyway. My third? Fourth? I'd lost count somewhere between signing those divorce papers and watching Camille walk away.

Our wedding photo still sat on my desk, mocking me. Camille's genuine smile, my distracted eyes, already looking past her, always looking for Rose.

Rose.

Even her name felt like betrayal now.

My phone lit up with another message from her: "Darling, stop drinking and come over. We should celebrate."

Celebrate. Like we hadn't just destroyed someone who loved us. Someone who'd given me three years of devotion I never deserved.

The memory hit me like a punch to the gut.

"Stefan?" Camille's voice was small, uncertain. "Did I do something wrong?"

I looked up from my laptop, irritated at the interruption. She stood in the doorway of my home office, holding a plate of something that smelled amazing.

"I made that pasta you mentioned. The one with truffles?" Her eyes were hopeful. "Rose gave me the recipe..."

Of course she had. Rose had made that pasta for me in Rome, years ago. Back when we were... whatever we were.

"I'm busy." I didn't even look at the plate. "Just leave it."

"Oh." A pause. "It's just, you've been working late all week, and I thought..."

"Camille." My voice sharp with an anger that wasn't really meant for her. "I said I'm busy."

She left the plate and disappeared, quiet as always. The pasta sat untouched until morning, a perfect recreation of a memory that belonged to another woman.

I hurled my glass at the wall, watching crystal shatter like the life I'd built on lies.

Every missed dinner, every forgotten

again. Mother

Rose. Are you alright? Do you need anything? I always said Camille

remembering another moment I'd

poured me another drink. We were alone in my office after another disastrous family dinner. "Maybe if you gave her

bitterness from my voice. "Teaching her all the ways

about her was practiced. "Are

with unspoken history. Four years of passion and plans,

really leave?" The question slipped out, colored

familiar and forbidden. "Camille needed a

I couldn't remember anymore. Everything from that time felt hazy, manipulated. Like watching a play where I'd forgotten

whispered, too close now. "More than I ever

something different.

this one from last week. The moment

Camille's smile was bright, genuine. Always

in my briefcase, Rose's perfume still lingering on my clothes from

can't." I grabbed my keys, avoiding her eyes. "Early

cracked slightly. "Will you be home for

"Don't wait up."

how to

perfume she'd worn in Rome, all those

said, stroking my

look in her eyes when she'd seen

me from the

coiffed even

alone in the

"Not now, Mother."

room, surveying the broken glass with disapproval. "Rose is

and broken. "Like you

girl was never right for you." Mother's

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