SCORNED EX WIFE Queen Of Ashes (Camille and Stefan)

Chapter 9

Victoria stopped at a heavy wooden door, unlocking; it with key from her robe pocket. Inside was a home gym. unlike any I'd ever seen, state- of-the-

art equipment, mirrors covering one wall, a boxing ring taking up the center of the room.

She flipped on lights that mimicked daylight, making; me blink at the sudden brightness. Without a word, she crossed to a cabinet and extracted hand wraps and boxing gloves "Put these on."

I took them, bewildered. "Victoria, it's the middle of the night."

"And you're awake, drowning in self-

pity instead of planning your resurrection." Her voice wasn't cruel, just matter-of-

fact. "So put them on."

My hands trembled as I wrapped them, clumsy from Inexperience. Victoria watched, neither helping nor criticizing, until I managed to secure the gloves.

"Hit that." She pointed to a heavy bag hanging in the corner

I approached it uncertainly. "I've never boxed before."

"I'm not teaching you to box. I'm teaching you to channel your rage." She positioned

herself behind the bag, holding it steady. "Now hit it. Hard as you can."

Feeling foolish, I threw a weak punch. The bag barely moved.

Rose's face when she saw

again, putting slightly

you?" Victoria's voice hardened. "Think of Stefan signing those divorce papers on your anniversary. Think

Heat bloomed

I threw another punch, then another, each one harder than

last

them laughing in that

wearing my ring, Stefan in the tie I'd given him. Something snapped inside me. My "Yes!" Victoria's approval

attacked you. Think of your

leather again and again. Each punch carried away a piece of furt, of betrayal, of worthlessness. I

a towel without comment. I wiped my face, suddenly exhausted but oddly cleaner somehow, Like

the last time," Victoria said, unwrapping the gloves from my hands. "The last time you break for them. The

seeing not pity but recognition. Understanding. She knew this journey because she'd

herself.

checked her watch, a

probably cost more

"In exactly four hours, you'll meet with the lawyers to finalize the adoption papers. By noon, you'll be legally Camille Kane. By evening, you'll have begun your education in fina She tossed the

before it can be transformed. But from sunrise onward, your are no longer their victim. You are my protégé. My heir. My

hung in the air between us, weighted with expectations and possibilities. I straightened

if I'm not strong

blade. "Strength isn't something you're born with. It's something you build, one painful brick at a time. And you, Camille, have been gathering bricks for years without knowing it." She moved toward the door, pausing with her hand on the light switch. "Each betrayal, each disappointment, each moment they underestimated you

are your

we construct something

hallways that would soon become familiar. My home. My fortress.

bedroom door,