SCORNED EX WIFE Queen Of Ashes (Camille and Stefan)

Chapter 58

Stefan stared at the offer letter on his desk mitil the words blurred together. Thirty cents on the dollar. For shipping routes his grandfather had established. For contracts his father had nurtured. For a legacy thre Thirty cents on the dollar. A number designed to wound as much as to acquire.

Behind him, the Rodriguez Shipping headquarters

buzzed with the frantic energy of a dying animal. Staff packed personal

belongings into cardboard boxes Security escorted tearful employers to the elevator. Phones rang unanswered throughout the building as news of their financial collapse spread through the industry.

Three hours earlier, the board had voted to remove him as CEO. Only his father's intervention, and their family's controlling shares, had prevented his complete dismissal. Now he clung to the title of "Executive "They're waiting for your answer," Eduardo Rodriguez said from the doorway. At sixty-

two, his father looked a decade older than he had a month ago, Lines of worry had carved themselves permanently into his face. The proud posture that had intimidated

boardrooms for forty years now showed the slight curve of defeat.

"Kane Industries can keep waiting," Stefan replied, crumpling the offer letter in his fist. "I won't sell our Asian routes. Not to them. Not at any price."

Eduardo moved into the office, closing the door behind him "It's not about pride anymore, son. It's about survival. Without those routes, we lose access to our largest markets. Without the

cash from selling them, we can't make payroll next week."

"We'll find another way." Stefan stood, moving to the

window that overlooked the harbor where Rodriguez ships had once dominated the skyline. Now only three vessels bore their flag, the rest sold or repossessed in desperate attempts to generate operating capi "What other way?" Eduardo's voice held no anger, only exhaustion. "Eastern Capital passed on our loan request. Banks have frozen our credit lines. Suppliers demand payment in advance for fuel and materials "We still have friends in this industry. Relationships built over decades."

"Friends?" Eduardo

laughed without humor. "Where are these friends now? Henderson Freight signed with Marunouchi yesterday. Pacific Partners canceled our maintenance contract this morning. Everyone's jumping from what th Stefan pressed his

forehead against the cool glass. Below, workers streamed from the Rodriguez building, carrying boxes of personal items, years of service ended with impersonal severance papers and security escorts.

"Someone is behind this," he said quietly. "Someone with resources and motivation to destroy us systematically." "Does it matter? The result is the same."

Stefan turned to face his father. "It matters if we can identify them. Fight back. Expose whatever game they're playing."

Eduardo sank into a visitor chair, suddenly looking every year of his age and more. "This isn't a conspiracy, Stefan. It's business. We overleveraged our Asian expansion. We didn't diversify our client base prope The timing is too perfect," Stefan insisted. "Every attack precisely when we're most vulnerable. Every blow calculated for maximum damage."

His father studied him with eyes dimmed by fatigue. "And who would have both the resources and motivation for

+25 вони

such a campaign?"

his desk, staring at the crumpled offer from Kane Industries. "But this offer it feels personal, Deliberately insulting Designed to bumiliate as much as to acquire" "Victoria Kane is

the letter, studying the signature at the bottom. Not

different hand. Elegant, precise, somehow familiar though he couldn't place it. "It's

"The girl who appeared out of nowhere a year ago?

where Pierce had placed that diamond necklace around Camille Kane's throat.

feeling that strange sense of déjà vu he'd experienced since first seeing her in person at the Metropolitan Museum fundraiser months ago. "But something about He left the thought unfinished, unable to articulate the nagging feeling that he

destruction of Rodriguez Shipping was simply bad luck, bad timing, bad management decisions coming home to roost all at once. Perhaps the insulting offe But Stefan's instincts screamed otherwise. The

pain of watching, everything he

in an hour from Rose. He ignored it again, unwilling to deal with her increasingly desperate attempts to reconcile. Her own empire lay

her

judgment. Time to understand what had happened to their lives in such

Kane offer expires at five," Eduardo reminded him, glancing at his watch. "That's thirty minutes from now." "Then they'll have their answer in thirty minutes." Stefan

find another way." Stefan's voice

even him. "This company survived the Depression. Survived

"How?"

yet." Stefan moved to the credenza where three model ships stood in glass cases,

purchased to start Rodriguez Shipping. "But I won't surrender my grandfather's legacy for thirty cents on the dollar, Not to Kane

shadow of pride crossed Eduardo's face. "You sound like him now. Stubborn. Determined. Perhaps a little foolish

Great Depression with a single boat and more courage than capital?"

reject Kane's offer, we'll need to take drastic measures. Sell the headquarters building Liquidate the pension fund. Possibly even sell our fam The

made Rodriguez Shipping special. What had made it theirs. But Stefan nodded, accepting the harsh

Eduardo squeezed his shoulder, a silent gesture of support that meant more than words. Then he let Alone, Stefan returned to the window, watching darkness fall over the harbor. Lights began appearing on the remaining ships, pinpricks of brightness against the gathering gloom. Like hope in the face of overwh Another text followed from the CFO: *Without the Kane money, we default on loans tomorrow. Complete

that represented the beginning of Rodriguez Shipping

single cargo vessel

it was time to return to those roots. To strip away everything but the core of what had made the company great. To rebuild from foundation rather than try to save a structure that might be too damaged His intercom buzzed, his father returning from the meeting with Kane Industries representatives. "They're gone," Eduardo reported, voice tight with controlled emotion. "Their lead negotiator seemed almost... pl "Of course she

and offer fifteen cents instead of thirty." "Perhaps." Eduardo paused. "But she said something strange

sharpened. "What

some losses can't be measured in dollars and cents. Some debts can't be

sent an unexpected chill down Stefan's spine. Not a business communication. A personal one. Confirmation of what he'd suspected, this wasn't just predatory

in a way that.." Eduardo hesitated. "In a way that reminded me of

heiress who had appeared. from nowhere. Who now seemed determined to destroy Bocipuez Shipping

mind continued toiming over the puzzle of Camille Kane. The strange familiarity. The targeted atta Something was missing Some connection he couldn't quite make. Some truth hiding just beyond

to return. Just a skeleton crew remained, those essential to ke His office door opened again, his father

once thirty had filled the boardroom. Five grim

are calling their loans tomorrow," the CFO

thirty-seven