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.

she saw you at the

slightly

have? After what she did to you?" Victoria's voice hardened. "Think of Stefan signing those divorce papers on your anniversary.

Heat bloomed

I threw

last

of them laughing

your replacement." The image from my nightmare flashed before me, champagne glasses clinking, Rose wearing my ring, Stefan in the tie I'd given him. Something

who attacked you. Think of your parents choosing Ilose over you for fourteen

a piece of furt, of betrayal, of worthlessness. I hit until my arms burned and

I finally stopped, chest heaving, Victoria released the bag and handed me a towel without comment. I wiped my face, suddenly exhausted but oddly cleaner somehow,

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

seeing not pity but recognition. Understanding. She

herself.

She checked her

probably

old apartment. "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

must be acknowledged before it can be transformed. But from sunrise onward, your are no longer

between us, weighted with expectations

if I'm

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.

are your building

we construct something magnificent from

that would soon become familiar. My

my bedroom door, Victoria paused.