SCORNED EX WIFE Queen Of Ashes (Camille and Stefan)

Chapter 100

Victoria's hands shook as she poured

herself a drink in her office. The setting sun cast long shadows across the room. Outside the floor- to-

ceiling windows, New York City sparkled, unaware of the storm brewing among its towering buildings.

"Herod Preston," Victoria whispered the name like a curse, staring into her glass. "After all these years..."

Camille had never seen Victoria like this, unsteady, shaken to her core. Since Alexander had revealed Rose's partner at the groundbreaking, Victoria had barely spoken, rushing them back to Kane Industries he "You need to tell me everything," Camille said. "Who is he? What does he want?”

Victoria drained

her glass in one swallow. "Herod Preston is the younger brother of Charles Preston. The man who was engaged to my daughter Sophia before her death."

She set her glass down with a sharp click.

"Charles Preston's family owned Preston Shipping, once a rival

to Kane Industries. They were old money, very powerful. They didn't approve of Charles marrying Sophia. When they couldn't break the engagement, they arranged her car accident." Alexander stood by the window, listening silently.

"You told me this before," Camille said softly. "You took revenge on them. Destroyed their company." Victoria's laugh held no humor. "I did more than that. I made sure every Preston lost everything. Charles com "But he blames you for what happened to his family," Alexander said.

Victoria nodded. "Apparently. I heard he dropped out after his father died. Disappeared. I assumed he'd gone abroad, living on whatever scraps the family had hidden away."

"Alexander, what did your sources find?" Camille asked.

Alexander crossed the room, pulling up files on his tablet. "Herod Preston has been operating under various aliases for the past decade. He built a fortune in

Asia, property development, mostly. Very successful. Very quiet. He returned to the States two years ago and has been buying up companies

through shell corporations."

"How did he find Rose?" Camille asked.

"More likely she found him," Victoria said. "Rose

has always had a talent for sniffing out useful allies. And someone hungry for revenge against me would be irresistible to her."

Carmille rose from her chair. "So this isn't just about me anymore. Rose brought Herod into this because he wants to hurt you. By targeting the Phoenix Grid, he strikes at both of us." Victoria's eyes met Camille's. "Yes, And Camille, I'm sorry, I've put you in danger. Again."

The raw pain in Victoria's voice stripped away years of her carefully constructed armor. In that moment, she wasn't the powerful CEO, the vengeful mother, the calculating mentor. She was simply a woman frigh Camille crossed the room and knelt beside Victoria's chair, taking her cold hands. "No. Don't you dare blame yourself. Rose is my fight. She's been my fight since she tried to kill me."

"But Herod..."

"Herod made his choice when he partnered with Rose. When he targeted the Phoenix Grid." Camille squeezed Victoria's hands. "We've faced enemies before. We'll face this one too."

Victoria shook her head. "You don't understand. The Prestans were different. Charles was... unstable. Brilliant but unhinged. Herod was always the same, quieter, more calculating. If he's spent ten years planni "Then we'll spend however long it takes stopping him," Camille finished firmly. She stood up. "I won't let you fight him alone."

looked up, surprise flashing across

me in that parking garage, you've fought for me,” Camille continued. "You reshaped me. Gave

"Camille..."

my disposal." She placed her hand over Victoria's. "Well, now I'm using Alexander stepped

eyes moved between them, something shifting in her expression. Slowly, the familiar steel returned

"Together," she

the word. "It's been a long time since

time you started,"

jacket. "They'll expect us to be defensive now. To focus on

we need to be

"Exactly." Victoria

holdings from ten

Herod's been operating under

assets, we find his

have my team working through the

watched them shift into strategic mode, but her mind was elsewhere.... on Rose.

since childhood. Rose, who wouldn't stop until she had destroyed

are you thinking?"

the Grid," Camille said slowly. "She

to face

eyes widened slightly, "You think

Stefan. She tried to take my family, my reputation, my status. Now

quick strides, taking her face in his hands.

fear threatening to drown her. In his eyes, she saw

he said quietly. "I won't be manipulated. I

a lot harder to get rid of than

then

removed something

it out to Camille, a pin in

moves differently than all the others. The

I think you need it sooner," Victoria continued. "To remind you that sometimes the best move isn't

Camille said, pinning it beside her

straightened. "We'll need to move quickly. I

security on all of us. Full background checks

"Done," Alexander said.

"And Rose?" Camille asked.

need to draw her out. Force her

"How?"

her something she can't resist." Victoria rubbed her

Camille said. "To take everything I

right now, what's most

Phoenix Grid." Camille understood immediately. "We make her think we've discovered a flaw in the system. Something that could delay

suggesting security concerns. Technical problems that

sabotage was discovered," Camille continued, "but not completely understood. She'll want to know exactly what we