SCORNED EX WIFE Queen Of Ashes (Camille and Stefan)

Chapter 15

Chapter 15

CAMILLE'S POINT OF VIEW

The fist came at my face too fast to dodge. I tried to block like Jason had taught me, but my arms felt heavy as stone. His knuckles grazed my cheek as I stumbled backward.

"Too slow," he barked. "Again."

My lungs burned. Sweat stung my eyes. We'd been at this for almost two hours, and the digital clock on the gym wall showed 5:47 AM. The sun wasn't even up yet.

Jason Winters stood opposite me on the training mat, barely breathing hard. His military haircut and scarred face gave nothing away, no tiredness, no frustration, just cold assessment. As Victoria's head of secu

"I can't,"4 gasped, hands on my knees. "Need water."

"Your sister won't give you water when she's destroying

everything you love," he said flatly. "Your ex-

husband won't offer a break when he's laughing at your weakness,"

The mention of Rose and Stefan sent fresh anger coursing through me. I straightened, raising my fists again. Jason nodded once, approval flickering in his gray eyes. "Channel it. Use it."

He circled me slowly. I tracked his movement, watching for tells we'd discussed yesterday, the slight shoulder drop before he jabbed, the weight shift before he kicked.

There, his right foot pivoted slightly. I ducked the punch that followed, slipping inside his

guard like he'd demonstrated. My counter-

strike hit his ribs, not hard enough to damage but enough to make him grunt.

"Better," he said, stepping back. "You're learning.”

Those words were the closest thing to praise I'd received since this nightmare training began. Three weeks of waking at 4:30 AM for combat lessons with Jason, followed by business classes, language instructi "Ten minute break," Jason said, checking his watch. "Then weapons training."

I collapsed onto a bench, grabbing my water bottle with shaking hands. My body felt like one massive bruise. Even my fingernails hurt.

In the mirrored wall opposite me, a stranger stared back. My once-

had been cut into a sleek bob and dyed a rich, darker shade. My face had thinned from the grueling exercise regiment and surgery, cheekbones now sharp enough

from the doorway. Victoria stood there in her

smoothie in a steel tumbler. "Protein, vitamins, minerals. Drink

grass

to complain.

especially not

improvement," she said, scrolling through messages on

reactions remain inadequate."

"Three weeks ago, my biggest physical challenge was

screen. "And how did this serve you when Rose took everything? discarded you? When those men attacked you in

When

ribs sent phantom pain through my body. I

about fair.

more than my parents' car. "Your meeting

cut me off. "Your Stanford and Harvard credentials

Your childhood in Swiss boarding schools explains your absence from American social circles. The timing is perfect, mysterious heiress emerges just

training knives. Victoria nodded to

Rousseau. Your French remains embarrassingly rudimentary for someone supposedly

a retort. Arguing was

to six. Dinner with the board members at seven." She handed me a tablet. "Their profiles. Memorize

and bios of

executives, all

more details to absorb into my already

focus on knife defense today.

left, Jason held out a hand to pull me up from the bench. If

demonstrating a slashing motion with the wooden trainer." They're

standing closer than

six new bruises and a shallow cut on my forearm where I'd

alone in my suite was bigger than my entire first apartment after college. Italian marble, gold fixtures, towels softer than clouds.

out by my new personal stylist, a navy blue Chanel

My reflection looked

Exactly as Victoria intended.

Since becoming Victoria's adopted daughter, I hadn't driven myself anywhere. Hadn't cooked a meal, made a

Every aspect of my

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