SCORNED EX WIFE Queen Of Ashes (Camille and Stefan)

Chapter 103

Camille felt sick imagining it. "Your family..."

"Closed ranks around Thomas. Made sure no one knew he'd been drinking. Paid off witnesses." Alexander's voice hardened. "My father made it clear that the family reputation was more important than anything "That's horrible," Camille whispered.

"It

was clarifying," Alexander corrected. "I saw my family for what they really were. The moment I could walk well enough, I

left. Took the trust fund money they couldn't legally keep from me and disappeared."

He pulled the car to a stop in front of a small brick apartment building. Nothing special, just one of thousands of such buildings in Boston.

"I came to Boston. Rented an apartment in this building. Started over." He nodded toward the building. "I was determined to make it on my own, to build something my own way. Got a job on the loading docks a Camille tried to picture

Alexander, now one of the world's wealthiest men, living in that ordinary building, working on a loading dock.

"And then came the second accident," Alexander continued his expression changing. "The one where our paths first crossed."

He reached into his pocket and removed something small and silver. When

he opened his palm, Camille saw the delicate rose pendant on a thin chain, the one she had given him years ago, the one he

had returned to her that night he first mentioned their connection.

"You kept it all this time?" she asked, though she already knew the answer.

"It was my talisman," Alexander said quietly. "When things got hard... and they did, many times, I'd hold it and remember that someone had once seen value in me when I couldn't see it in myself." He started the car again, driving a

few blocks to a sleek office building with "Pierce Technologies" emblazoned on the side.

"I built my first company here. Developed shipping logistics software that revolutionized the industry. By twenty-

a Billionaire. By twenty six, a

of-

trillionaire territory three years

"Your family," Camille said.

then, ironically in another car accident, this time with no one to blame but himself." A shadow crossed Alexander's face.

did you do?" Camille

directly. Wanted

"I cut them off

they had no son, just as I had no parents." His voice was steady, but Camille could hear the old pain

when you have

just blood, Camille.

thinking of how easily her parents had sided with Rose, how quickly Stefan had

this for so

recognized you at that charity gala, I've wanted to

of what?"

get close to you." His eyes held

when manipulation had defined her relationship

undid something tight and guarde in

palm. Their fingers brushed, sending warmth up her arm. "It protected you," she said

voice dropped lower. It led me back to

up, meeting his gaze. All

crumbled in that moment. Not because they were weak, but because she chose to lower ther Her hand rose

against her palm. The gesture was so tender, so genuine, that Camille felt

never feel this again," she whispered. "After Rose

was dead."

"Nothing dies

Alexander murmured. "Not when the roots

time to pull away. But Camille

her