SCORNED EX WIFE Queen Of Ashes (Camille and Stefan)

Rose point of view

I paced my penthouse living room, plone clutched so tightly in my hand that my knuckles turned white. The news notification still glowed on the screen: "Kane Industries Acquires Moretti Global Logistics in Surp Uncle Fabio's company. My last financial lifeline. Gone,

The vodka bottle on the bar called to me, promising temporary relief from the suffocating pressure

crushing my chest. Three weeks of systematic destruction had left me raw, exposed, and increasingly desperate. First my company. Then my reputation. Now my godfather's business

The doorbell rang, its shrill tone slicing through my spiraling thoughts. I ignored it, just as I'd been ignoring most intrusions from the outside world. Probably another reporter hoping to document my "fall from gra The bell rang again, followed by pounding that made the door shake.

"Rose! I know you're in there!"

Stefan. I froze, glass halfway to my lips. I hadn't seen him since the embezzlement news broke, since he'd looked at me with such disgust in my father's office.

The pounding continued. "Open this door, Rose! We need to talk!"

His voice held something I'd never heard before, not just anger, but a dangerous edge that sent shivers down my spine. Against my better judgment, I moved to the door and pulled it open.

Stefan looked terrible. His normally perfect appearance had deteriorated into something almost unrecognizable, wrinkled shirt, dark circles under bloodshot eyes, hair uncombed. But it was his expression that tr "Why aren't you answering my calls?" he demanded, pushing past me into the apartment.

"Hello to you too," I said, trying for sarcasm but achieving only a thin, brittle tone. "Please, come in."

"This isn't a social visit." He spun to face me. "I just got off the phone with your father."

My stomach dropped. "And?"

"He wanted to warn me that you were being difficult about the joint statement. Said you were refusing to sign the paperwork canceling our wedding plans."

I crossed my arms defensively. "Why should I? This will all blow over eventually. The media will find someone else to destroy. We can postpone the wedding, not cancel it Stefan stared at me like I'd grown another head. "Are you serious? After everything that's happened? After the lies, the affairs, the stolen designs, you still think there's a future for us?" "Of course there is," I insisted, moving toward him. "People have short memories, Stefan. In six months, no one will care about these ridiculous scandals."

"Ridiculous scandals?" He backed away from my approach You stole other designers' work. You slept with married men to advance your career. You embezzled from your own company!" "Those are just business realities!" Frustration made my voice rise. "Everyone does these things! They only look

BONUS

them in the most negative

as 'bustness realities.“” "The woman you thought you were going to marry never existed!" I snapped, anger suddenly boiling over. "She was a character

"That's not fair...

verging on hysterical. "None of this is fair! Someone with unlimited resources has systematically destroyed everything I've built! My company, my reputation, my financial security, all "Maybe you do," Stefan said

stopped me cold.

exactly what's happening," he repeated, voice hardening. "Maybe these 'ridiculous scandals" are just your past catching up with you. Maybe this is what justice looks like." "Justice?" The word tasted

themselves judge and jury of

"I don't

exactly who you really are. Someone who takes what they want

about hurting people!" The words burst from me as my control finally shattered. "You were married when we started sleeping together again! You signed divorce papers on

back as if I'd physically struck him. "That's different.

caused pain?" I advanced on him, years of carefully hidden resentment suddenly pouring out. "You were so eager to believe

try to make this about our past. This is about who you are now. What you've done." "Who I am?" I laughed, the

I

closer until we were inches apart. "Wouldn't have done everything necessary to get

face drained of color as

just say?" he

Too

fury. My mind raced for explanations, for clarifications, for

Chapter 69

came out wrong...." I stammered, cold fear replacing

Stefan repeated, backing away from me. "You said her accident cleared the

happen.

"No! That's not...."

something to do with Camille's death?" His voice was barely audible, but each word struck

me before I could stop it, the pressure of weeks of