SCORNED EX WIFE Queen Of Ashes (Camille and Stefan)

Chapter 99:

Morning sunlight

bathed the construction site in golden light as hundreds gathered for the Phoenix Grid groundbreaking ceremony. Camera crews swarmed like bees, jostling for position around the stage erected at the center of Behind the stage, in a temporary structure serving as a preparation area, Camille stared at her reflection in a full-

length mirror. Her cream-colored suit

was impeccable, her makeup flawless, the perfect corporate image Victoria had taught her to project. Yet beneath this polished exterior, unease churned in her stomach.

Hannah Zhao, the chief engineer, poked her head through the doorway. "Five minutes, Ms. Kane."

Camille nodded, adjusting the phoenix pin on her lapel. Even after discovering the blueprint discrepancies, Victoria had insisted the ceremony proceed as planned. "We don't show weakness," she had declared we never, ever let our enemies know we've spotted them."

The door opened again. Alexander entered, handsome in a navy suit, his presence immediately filling the small

space.

"Nervous?" he asked, coming to stand behind her.

Their eyes met in

the mirror. “Not about the speech," Camille admitted. "But knowing Rose is out there somewhere, watching, planning.....” Alexander rested his

hands lightly on her shoulders. Through the fabric of her suit jacket, his touch sent warmth spreading across her skin.

"We've triple-

checked the modifications to Hannah's designs," he reminded her. "The sabotage attempt failed. The Grid is safe."

"For now." Camille turned to face him. "But Rose won't stop. Neither will her

mystery partner. And we still don't know who he is."

Alexander's jaw tightened. "My team is close to identifying him. Very close."

"You'll tell me as soon as you know?"

"Immediately," he promised, though something flickered in his eye, a hesitation so brief Camille almost missed

1. it.

A production assistant tapped on the door. "Ms. Kane? We're ready for you."

Camille took a deep breath, centering herself. Alexander caught her hand.

"Remember," he said softly, "this is about more than beating Rose. This is your vision. Your

creation."

She squeezed his fingers, drawing strength from his steadiness. "Our creation," she corrected. Together they walked out

of faces turned toward them. Camera flashes

unintelligible noise. On the stage, Victoria stood at the podium, commanding attention with

and gentlemen," Victoria's voice rang out over the crowd. "Today marks not

York's energy future. It also represents the culmination of a vision, a vision carried forward by my daughter

Chapter 99

applause. For a heartbeat, standing beside Victoria, Camille flashed back to twenty three months ago, broken, bleeding in a parking garage, he moment to this stage seemed impossible, yet

that sea of humanity, Camille knew, Rose might be

inside her. "The Phoenix Grid represents more

presence a silent anchor. Beside him sat the mayor, the governor,

who had invested

completely, reduced to ashes, yet rises again, not just restored, but made stronger

fruition. There were those who

manipulation, the media attacks, the sabotage attempts that

just survive those challenges, we transformed them into

to innovate, to strengthen our designs, to build something better than we

Camille paused, letting her

caught sight of a flash of movement, a woman with dark glasses slipping behind a construction vehicle. Her heart jumped. Rose? She forced herself to continue, refusing to show

backup systems that ensure no neighborhood experiences blackouts while others

for several minutes, detailing the Grid's

senses remained hyperalert for any sign of Rose in

personal. "But today, I want

stilled,

when everything you counted

crumble

front row, Alexander leaned forward slightly, his

the ones that burn us

softened. "But they also offer us rare gifts. The chance to rebuild. To rise from our own ashes as something stronger, wiser, more resilient than Her hand reached up to touch the phoenix

erase our scars. They don't undo the past. But they

Chapter 99

as fuel for something new.

Victoria's carefully crafted heir. She was speaking as herself,

also symbolizes something I believe in my soul, that transformation isn't just possible. It's inevitable, if we have the coura Applause erupted, scattered at first, then

when the applause subsided, "I'd like to invite Alexander Pierce, whose

developing the revolutionary solar technology that powers the Grid, to join

strides. Standing beside Camille, he seemed to belong there, his quiet strength complementing

voice carrying across the crowd. "But it

solar technology. Together, we've created something neither could have

and something in his gaze sent

simply meant to

to anyone watching. A ripple of whispers spread through

stepped forward, breaking the tension. "And

edge of the stage. Victoria, Camille, and Alexander descended the steps together, moving

ground, turning over the first symbolic scoop of dirt as cameras flashed and the crowd applauded. Alexander's shoulder pressed briefly against Camille's, a touch that

leaders. Through it all, Camille maintained her professional demeanor, though her

found herself alone with Alexander near the edge of the construction

were magnificent," he said quietly. "Your speech about transformation, it wasn't just words for you, was it?" Camille shook her head. "No. Every syllable