SCORNED EX WIFE Queen Of Ashes (Camille and Stefan)

Chapter 37

Stefan hurled his crystal tumbler against the wall of his home office. The sound of shattering glass matched the chaos in his mind. Forty percent. His company stock had dropped forty percent in a single day. Bil

His phone kept buzzing, board members, investors, his father. All demanding answers he didn't have. How had Kane Industries outmaneuvered them so completely? The takeover of Pacific Maritime shouldn't h Yet here he sat, watching his family's legacy crumble through real-

time stock updates on his phone screen. Each notification drove the knife deeper.

"Darling?" Rose's voice drifted through his office door. "Can we talk about the wedding plans? The planner needs final numbers for-"

"Not now." His voice came out harsh, rough from hours of emergency calls.

She entered anyway, dressed for the evening in a red designer dress that probably cost more than his employees made in a month. "The venue won't hold our date forever. We need to confirm..."

"The date? Stefan spun to face her, rage boiling over. "You want to discuss wedding dates while my company burns? While everything my family built over generations disappears?"

Rose stepped back, unused to seeing this side of him. "The business troubles are temporary. Your father will...”

"My father?" He laughed, a bitter sound that scared even himself. "My father hasn't returned my calls since the stock crash. The board is meeting tomorrow to discuss my removal as CEO. And you want to talk a "Stefan, please." She moved toward him, reaching for his arm. "We'll figure this out. Kane Industries can't..."

"Kane Industries." The name tasted like poison on his tongue. "That woman...

there's something about her. Something familiar that I can't place."

"Camille Kane? Don't be ridiculous. She's lived in Europe most of her life. We only met her recently at..."

"I know what she told

desk, making Rose jump. "But every time I see her, every time she speaks... it's like a memory I can't

replacing her previous concern. "Perhaps you're attracted to

ice water. "This isn't about attraction. This is about our entire

depends on maintaining appearances," Rose snapped back.

"Connections?" Stefan

her to step back. "Is that what I am to you? A

I love you. I've

mean since London Since you

hung between then, heavy with unspoken accusations. Rose's face paled

to discuss Camille," she

Stefan turned away, unable to look at her. "Such a nice, clean word

stock alert. Another drop. The numbers blurred before

should postpone the wedding announcement,"

company stabilizes." "Postpone?" Rose's voice rose sharply. "We

whirled back to face her. "Don't you understand?

My position, my family's respect, my entire future! And all you care

Stefan had seen her cry too many times to trust

dangerously low. "Like you helped Camille? Is that the kind

offering?" The color drained from Rose's face. For a moment, real fear

lately." Stefan moved to his bar, reaching for another glass. "Seems to

nails digging into her palms. "What do you want me

him. "Care about something real! Something beyond your next social event or

care about you," she

the bar's mirror. "Or do you care about what I represent? The name,