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-
My face had thinned from the grueling exercise regiment and surgery, cheekbones now
said from the doorway. Victoria stood there in her impeccable
a green smoothie in a steel tumbler. "Protein, vitamins, minerals. Drink it
taste was awful-like liquified grass
I'd learned not to complain. Victoria didn't
especially not from
improvement," she said, scrolling through
reactions remain inadequate."
before," I muttered, gulping the vile smoothie. "Three weeks ago, my
eyes flicked up from her screen. "And how did this serve you when Rose took everything? discarded you? When those men attacked you
When
of fists connecting with my ribs sent
care about fair. It respects
that probably cost more than my parents' car. "Your meeting with Japanese investors is at nine. After that, corporate finance with
"Your Stanford and Harvard credentials have been
in Swiss boarding schools explains your absence from American social circles. The timing is perfect, mysterious heiress emerges just as public
returned, carrying a collection of wooden training knives. Victoria nodded to him and turned
lessons with Madame Rousseau. Your French remains embarrassingly rudimentary for someone
a retort.
board members at seven." She handed me a tablet. "Their
faces and bios of twelve
all
details to
"Jason, focus on knife defense today. The weakness in her left
me up from the bench. If I expected gentleness after Victoria's demanding
said, demonstrating a slashing motion with the wooden trainer." They're
standing closer than
a shallow cut on my forearm where I'd failed
aching muscles. The bathroom alone in my suite was bigger than my entire
personal stylist,
My reflection looked
Exactly as Victoria intended.
the door with hissual stoic expression. Since becoming Victoria's adopted daughter, I hadn't driven myself anywhere. Hadn't cooked a meal, made
my existence was
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UJfkvJuTVu/232PFge6SEFf2aBzJPs2y/h/5ElWrvCuFFWHLfA47BgNkipeQ4cMHIXce5oIMkEdjttMnMOo2etOOt8lCbdPV+e2KFiCL
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