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

the sunlight, where hundreds of faces turned toward them. Camera flashes popped like lightning

the podium, commanding attention

out over the crowd. "Today

It also represents the

Chapter 99

heartbeat, standing beside Victoria, Camille flashed back to twenty three months ago, broken, bleeding in a

the microphone. The crowd hushed. Hundreds of eyes fixed on her face. Somewhere in that sea of humanity, Camille knew, Rose might be watching. Waiting for "Thank you

the storm of emotions inside her. "The Phoenix Grid represents more than sustainable energy. It embodies something I believe

silent anchor. Beside

titans who had

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

bringing this project to fruition. There were those

crowd. Everyone remembered the stock manipulation, the media attacks, the sabotage attempts that had made

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

to innovate, to strengthen our designs, to

Camille paused, letting her

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

itself. Clean energy, intelligently distributed, with backup systems that ensure no neighborhood

for several minutes, detailing the

remained hyperalert for any sign

more personal. "But today, I want

stilled,

moments when everything you counted on vanished. When

to crumble

forward slightly, his eyes never

ones that burn us down

gifts. The chance to rebuild. To rise from our own ashes as something stronger, wiser, more resilient than Her hand reached up to touch

undo the past. But

Chapter 99

parts especially, as fuel

speaking as Camille Kane, Victoria's carefully crafted heir. She was speaking as herself, the woman

if we have the coura Applause erupted, scattered at first, then building to a thunderous wave. Victoria, standing

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

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

few graceful strides. Standing beside Camille, he seemed to belong there, his

Grid represents the future," Alexander said into the microphone, his deep voice carrying across the crowd. "But

we've created something neither

something in his gaze sent heat rushing

partnerships are simply meant

anyone watching. A ripple of whispers spread through the crowd as cameras

stepped forward, breaking the tension. "And now, for the

Camille, and Alexander descended the steps together, moving to the prepared patch of earth marked with the Phoenix Grid

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

and business leaders. Through it all, Camille maintained her professional demeanor, though her eyes occasionally for any sign

the event wound down, Camille found herself alone with

just words