SCORNED EX WIFE Queen Of Ashes (Camille and Stefan)

The sunlight streaming through the windows of the Rodriguez Seattle family estate felt like a mockery to Stefan. Once, this light had illuminated generations of family success. Now, it merely highlighted the dust Stefan sat alone in his father's study, nursing a glass of whiskey despite the early hour. The room still smelled of Eduardo's cigars and leather-

bound books, a scent that had once meant security

and legacy. The carved mahogany desk where his father had taught him to review shipping manifests seemed smaller now, diminished like everything else in his life.

The sound of tires on gravel jolted him from his stupor. He moved to the window, watching the black town car roll to a stop. His stomach tightened. His parents were home.

Eduardo Rodriguez emerged first, his once-

commanding posture now slightly stooped. The past weeks had weathered him visibly. He helped Emily from the car with practiced tenderness, his hand at the small of her back. Stefan's mother looked thinner, her designer outfit hanging loosely where it once fit perfectly. The Italian retreat meant to shield them from the public humiliation of their family's downfall had clearly failed to provide sanctuary. Stefan took a long swallow of whiskey, steeling himself, and strode to the foyer.

"Mother. Father." His voice echoed in the entrance hall.

Emily's eyes found his, hardening instantly. "Where is she? That woman who destroyed us?"

No greeting. No embrace. Stefan expected nothing less.

Eduardo sighed heavily, passing their luggage to the remaining housemaid. "Emily, please. Let's at least sit down first.”

Stefan led them to the sitting room, once the pride of his mother's decorating prowess. The crystal decanters caught the light as he poured drinks with shaking hands.

"Camille isn't here," he answered finally. "She has no reason to be."

Emily snatched the glass from his offering hand. “She has every reason! To gloat, to witness our suffering. Isn't that what she wanted?"

"That's not who she is," Stefan said quietly.

"Who she is," Emily spat, "is a vengeful, manipulative...."

“Enough!” Eduardo's palm struck the side table, rattling the decanters. "Our son betrayed her, Emily. Or have you conveniently forgotten that part?"

The silence that followed felt volatile. Stefan sank into an armchair, suddenly exhausted.

"The board called an emergency meeting," Eduardo said flatly. "While we were away, they voted to accept Kane Industries' offer to purchase our remaining assets." Stefan nodded numbly. "I know."

"You know?" Emily's voice rose. "And you did nothing to stop it?"

"What would you have me do, Mother? The debt they've acquired gives them controlling interest. It was always going to end this way."

Emily's face flushed with rage. "This estate has been in the Rodriguez family for four generations! Your great-

grandfather built it with his bare hands after arriving with nothing but determination."

"And I lost it with nothing but arrogance," Stefan finished bitterly.

the window, gazing out at the gardens his wife had meticulously designed. "We have three weeks before we must vacate." The finality of those words hung in

to speak with Camille," Stefan admitted. "She

Victoria Kane's puppet now. That woman has orchestrated this entire

gaze directly. "Camille orchestrated this. Victoria gave her

you admire her for it?" Emily's voice dripped

Did he admire Camille for methodically dismantling everything he'd taken for granted? For revealing herself not as a victim but as an architect of justice? "Yes,"

shattered against the wall, amber liquid streaking the

she hissed. "I warned you about her. She was never good enough for this family. No class, just a pretty face with ambition

he'd wallowed

good enough, it was me. Camille gave everything to our marriage while I treated her as an accessory. She built herself from nothing through hard work and

of her sophistication, her fashion sense, her social graces." His voice "Don't you dare blame your mother for your failings," Eduardo interjected, but his reprimand lacked conviction. Stefan stood, suddenly unable to remain still. “I don't. The blame is entirely mine. But I won't let you Emily turned away, her shoulders rigid. "She's

ruined us. Rose helped. All Camille did was make

The silence between them stretched painfully before he spoke

night before your wedding

Not about her, about you. I wondered

"I should have spoken

truth of those

Eduardo continued 'It's modest by our standards, but it's paid for Vo mother and I will go

me?" Stefan asked, though he already knew

expression was uncharacteristically gentle.

protested. "There's nothing to fix!

"has shown more backbone than anyone who's ever married into this family. If our son has any hope of salvaging his future, it lies with her." "She won't take me back," Stefan said. "I've already

course she won't

But there might be a path to redemption that doesn't involve

"This is a nightmare. My son, begging

The same name she had when you welcomed her into this family,

world, our obligations. She wasn't going to embarrass us at every turn, she doesn't

truly seeing her perhaps for the first time. The shallow values, the obsession

you know that? She paid them to attack her

of color.

of me. She wanted Camille gone so badly she was willing to have

tell me again, Mother, about

mouth opened and closed, no words

"1

irony," Stefan continued, a bitter smile twisting his lips, "is that if Rose had

her, but Rose had to arranged to

seemed to

eyes with one hand, the gesture of a man who could no longer bear to witness

estate early," Stefan said, surprising himself with the steadiness of his voice. "Both of