SCORNED EX WIFE Queen Of Ashes (Camille and Stefan)

Chapter 7

ROSE'S POINT OF VIEW

My phone buzzed while I was getting my nails done. Normally, I'd ignore it, Tuesday afternoons are my me-

time, after all. But something made me look. Maybe it was intuition. Maybe it was fate. Maybe it was just that delicious feeling I'd had all morning, like something wonderful was about to happen.

The headline made me smear the perfect French manicure Julie had just finished on my right hand.

"LOCAL WOMAN FEARED DEAD AFTER CAR FOUND IN RIVER"

My hands shook as I clicked the link, not caring about the ruined nail polish. There it was, in clean black and white: Camille Elizabeth Lewis, age 25, presumed dead after her car was discovered in the Morton R "Oh my God," I whispered, but inside, fireworks were going off. Champagne corks were popping. Every cell in my body wanted to jump up and dance.

"Everything okay, Miss Lewis?" Julie asked, concerned about my trembling hands.

I forced my face into the appropriate expression of shock and grief. "My sister... there's been an accident. I... I need 10 go

The drive home was torture, having to keep my face properly devastated while my heart soared like a bird finally freed from its cage. I barely made it through my front door before the laughter bubbled up, wild a

She'd

actually done it. My pathetic, clingy little sister had finally done something right. She'd disappeared

exactly like I'd arranged, right down to the car in the river. Those gays I hired through three different cutouts had followed my instructions perfectly.

I poured myself a glass of the Cristal I'd been saving for a special occasion. This definitely qualified. Taking my phone and the champagne,

in my favorite window seat, the one with the perfect view of the garden

were everywhere now. Local news,

last. The photos they'd chosen were perfect, Camille always photographed terribly, looking washed- out and uncertain next to my carefully curated glamour. Even

shadow.

raising my glass to the

rang, Stefan, right on cue. I took a deep breath, arranged my voice into something appropriately broken. "Baby?" I let my voice crack. "Did

He sounded genuinely upset, the fool'I'm on my way over. You shouldn't

alone right

together," he promised. ended the call and stulled at my reflection in the

years

be

around drawing curtains, ating the perfect stage set for my performance. The grieving sister, devastated by loss, turning to her

for support... it was almost

again, Mommy this time.

Her voice was thick with tears. "Please tell me

a sob. "They found

no..." The raw pain in her voice sent a thrill through me. This was what I'd wanted all these

pale imitation of a sister. "The police think..." I paused for effect. "They think she might have

on purpose. She's been

depression, the careful suggestions that she wasn't coping well with life. Everyone would believe

more," Mom wailed. "Should have been

while inside I was dancing "But

caught sight of a photo on the mantel, me and Camille at her wedding, her maid of honor dress carefully chosen

Were."

Stefan, right on time. I set down the photo and checked my makeup in the hall mirror. The