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

turned toward them. Camera flashes

the podium, commanding

Victoria's voice rang out over

also represents the culmination of a vision, a vision carried forward by

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ascended the steps to wild 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

that sea of humanity, Camille knew, Rose might be watching. Waiting for "Thank you all for coming today," Camille began, her voice

of emotions inside her. "The Phoenix Grid represents more than

his presence a silent

had invested

for a reason," Camille continued. "In mythology, the phoenix burns completely, reduced to ashes, yet rises again, not just restored, but made stronger by the

Industries faced challenges bringing this project to fruition. There were those who

Everyone remembered the stock manipulation, the media attacks, the sabotage

like the phoenix, we didn't just survive those challenges, we

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

Camille paused, letting her

woman with dark glasses slipping behind a construction vehicle. Her heart jumped. Rose? She forced herself to continue, refusing to

energy, intelligently distributed, with backup systems that ensure

technical portion of her speech continued for several

senses remained hyperalert for any sign of Rose in the

I want to speak not just about energy transformation, but about

stilled, sensing

of you have experienced moments when everything you counted on vanished. When

crumble beneath

the front row, Alexander leaned forward slightly, his eyes never leaving her

that burn us

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

don't undo the past. But they

Chapter 99

especially, as fuel for something

wasn't speaking as Camille Kane, Victoria's carefully crafted heir. She was speaking as herself, the woman who had lost everything and still

it 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

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

technology that powers the Grid, to join

Camille,

carrying across the crowd. "But it also represents what happens when visionaries come

solar technology. Together, we've created

to Camille, and something in his gaze sent

are simply

whispers spread through the crowd as cameras clicked

the tension. "And now, for the official

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

of dirt as cameras flashed and the crowd applauded. Alexander's shoulder pressed briefly against Camille's, a touch that “Ladies and gentlemen, the

and business leaders. Through it all, Camille maintained her professional demeanor,

down, Camille found herself alone with Alexander near the edge

said quietly. "Your speech about transformation, it wasn't just words for you, was