SCORNED EX WIFE Queen Of Ashes (Camille and Stefan)

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.

missed dinner, every forgotten anniversary, every time I'd chosen

again.

just heard from Rose. Are you alright? Do you

the phone, remembering another moment

Rose's voice was gentle as she poured me another drink. We were alone in

couldn't keep the bitterness from my voice. "Teaching her all the ways to be

Everything about her was practiced. "Are you saying you

unspoken history. Four years of passion and plans, ended

did you really leave?" The question slipped out,

She touched my cheek, familiar and forbidden. "Camille needed a chance at

felt hazy, manipulated. Like watching a

too close

said something different. They

from

favorite breakfast." Camille's smile was bright, genuine. Always so damn genuine. "Happy

divorce papers burned in my briefcase, Rose's perfume still lingering on

I grabbed my keys,

you be home for dinner?

"Don't wait up."

planning how to break the news. She'd

in Rome, all

my hair.

The look in her

startling me from

even at

darling. Drinking alone in

"Not now, Mother."

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

you were worried about

for you." Mother's voice hardened. "Rose, on