SCORNED EX WIFE Queen Of Ashes (Camille and Stefan)

Chapter 91

The crystal vase shattered against the wall, water and roses exploding across the cream-

colored paint. Rose grabbed the next item within reach, a heavy silver photo frame and hurled it at the television where her parents' faces still filled the screen.

"Liars!" she screamed, her voice raw. "Filthy, worthless liars!"

The frame cracked the television screen, splitting her father's image in two before the picture went black.

Rose stood in the middle of Herod's penthouse living room, chest heaving, hair wild around her face. The elegant space lay in ruins around her, furniture overturned, glass broken, papers scattered across the fl else to destroy.

"Fourteen years!" She kicked over a side table, sending a lamp crashing to the floor. "Fourteen years playing the perfect daughter! The supportive sister! And they throw it away for her?" She grabbed a leather-

bound book and tore it in half, pages fluttering around her like wounded birds.

"After everything I did to make them love me! After everything I endured in that house, pretending to be grateful, pretending to belong!"

Her voice broke on the last word, anger momentarily giving way to something darker and more painful. She pressed her hands against her eyes, willing away

the burning tears.

Behind her, the elevator doors opened silently. Herod Preston stepped into the chaos, surveying the destruction with raised eyebrows.

"I take it you've seen the press conference," he said dryly.

Rose whirled toward him, eyes blazing. "Did you know? Did you know they would do this?"

"If I had known your parents would suddenly develop backbones, I

would have taken preventive measures." Herod carefully stepped over broken glass, making his way to the bar. "The timing is... unfortunate." "Unfortunate?" Rose laughed, the sound harsh and brittle. They've empty bottle of wine and drank directly from it, red liquid spilling down her chin, "And those journals! Those damned journals I thought I'd destroyed!" She slammed the bottle down. "How did they get them? How "I want him destroyed too," Rose hissed, pacing like a caged animal.

"Him, Camille, Victoria, my parents, Stefan, all of them. I want them to suffer for this humiliation."

She paused by the window, staring down at the street where reporters had gathered outside the building. News of her parents' accusations had spread quickly, drawing media vultures hoping to catch her reacti "I can't even leave," she whispered, a new note of panic entering her voice. "They're waiting for me down there. Cameras. Questions. All those people who believed me yesterday, now looking at me like I'm a m Herod watched her, swirling his drink thoughtfully. "Sit down, Rose."

"I don't want to sit!" she snapped. "I want to...".

"Sit. Down." His voice hardened, the casual facade dropping momentarily.

Something in his tone cut through her rage. Rose sank onto the edge of a chair, shoulders still rigid with fury. Herod took the seat across from her. "Do you know why most revenge plots fail?"

"I don't need a lecture," she seethed.

"What's happening right now is you losing control."

hand dismissively. "The question is not whether you have the right to be angry. The question is whether your anger serves our purpose.” His calm only infuriated her further.

Kane Industries stock is recovering. Camille's reputation is

setback," Herod cut in.

You're not the one they're calling a liar and manipulator on every news channel.

glass down carefully. "The difference is that I channeled that feeling into something productive. A plan. A purpose. Not..." he gestured at the destroyed room,

abandon our efforts because of this setback, or we

to pull herself together. "What exactly is phase two? You've

know them." Herod stood and moved to his desk, retrieving a tablet from the drawer. "The Phoenix Grid project breaks ground in two weeks. The site is prepared,

distribution nodes. Our contact inside Kane Engineering has already substituted them for

the diagrams, not understanding the technical aspects but recognizing the importance of what she was

said, a thin smile appearing. "The system will operate perfectly during the demonstration and initial testing. The flaws will only manifest under full load conditions, approximately six to

"And when it fails?"

I'm not that reckless, but catastrophic from a business perspective. Complete system failure across multiple cities simultaneously, Hund Rose's

head, she bears ultimate responsibility." Herod nodded. "Particularly when

problems..... problems she

you've manufactured,"

pleased with himself. "When

harder and more focused. "And the timing? After today's disaster, they'll be

chair. "You disappear from public view. Retreat. Appear defeated. Let Kane Industries recover, let Camille bask

at the floor, seeing not

outburst but the future Herod described. Camille's fall from grace. Victoria's empire crumbling. Her parents watching helplessly

three." Herod shrugged. "Patience is

can't even leave this building without

for a while." Herod gestured toward the room beyond. "The penthouse has everything you need. Food delivered. Private elevator. Security. Consider

to the window. Below, more reporters had gathered, their

at

said softly, pressing

My parents. Even Stefan. They're all

them celebrate," Herod said, coming to stand beside her. "Victory makes people careless. And we need them

him, something new hardening

a long time to

to ten years." Herod's voice carried the weight of

about immediate satisfaction. It's about complete destruction. Taking everything from your enemy, not just their possessions, but their sense of security. Their trust His words resonated with something deep inside Rose, the part of her that had watched Camille from the shadows all these years, plotting, waiting, building toward the moment when she could take everything "We move to phase two," she

raised an eyebrow.

know with absolute certainty that I destroyed her again." Rose's voice strengthened. "And I want to be there when it happens. I want to see her "Risky," Herod noted. "But

don't just lose social standing. They

damage is expected in war,"