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.

"Uncontrolled emotion leads to mistakes. Mistakes lead to failure." He sipped his whiskey. "What's happening right now is you losing control." "They betrayed

terrible people.” Herod waved his 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

recovering. Camille's reputation

minor setback," Herod cut in. "One battle in a

they're calling a liar and manipulator on every news channel. Your

Herod agreed, something flashing in his eyes. "That happened to me ten years ago, when Victoria Kane systematically destroyed my family. I know exactly how public humiliation feels." He set his glass down carefully. "The difference is that I channeled that feeling into something productive. A plan.

continued, "we have two choices. We can abandon our efforts because of this setback, or we can accelerate

shaky breath, struggling 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, construc He handed her the tablet,

contact

recognizing the importance

thin smile appearing. "The system will operate perfectly during the demonstration and initial testing. The flaws will only manifest under full load

"And when it fails?"

the tablet back. "Not dangerous to human life, 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

problems

you've manufactured," Rose

months ago." Herod looked pleased with

felt her anger transforming, cooling into something harder and more focused. "And the timing? After today's disaster,

Herod moved back to his chair. "You disappear from public view. Retreat. Appear defeated. Let Kane Industries recover, let Camille bask in her

the floor,

grace. Victoria's empire crumbling. Her parents

Herod shrugged.

I can't even leave

toward the room beyond. "The penthouse has everything you need. Food delivered. Private elevator. Security. Consider it a strategic

to the window. Below, more reporters

at

she said softly, pressing her

parents. Even Stefan. They're all celebrating right now, congratulating

beside her. "Victory makes

him, something new hardening in

is a long time to wait for

compared to ten years." Herod's voice

resonated with something deep inside Rose, the part of her that had watched Camille from the shadows all these years, plotting, waiting,

raised an

to know it was me in the end. Not just suspect, but 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

don't just lose social

expected in war," Herod