SCORNED EX WIFE Queen Of Ashes (Camille and Stefan)

Chapter 112

Morning light streamed through Victoria's office windows, turning the silver in her hair to platinum. She stood at the head of the conference table, reviewing the Phoenix Grid's reports.

"Power distribution remains stable," she noted, flipping through papers with practiced efficiency. "No anomalies detected overnight."

Camille watched from across the table, noticing something off about Victoria. Her normally flawless complexion had a grayish tinge, and faint shadows underlined her eyes.

"Are

you feeling alright?" Camille asked quietly while Alexander studied technical readouts beside her.

Victoria dismissed the

question with a sharp wave. "I'm fine. Let's focus on Section B. The activation is scheduled for noon." Alexander glanced up. "My security team reports no suspicious activity. If Rose and Herod are planning something, they're being extraordinarily careful."

Victoria nodded, but the movement seemed to throw her off balance

momentarily. She steadied herself against the table so quickly that Camille wondered if she'd imagined it.

"Hannah's team has implemented additional safeguards," Victoria continued, her voice slightly thinner than usual. "Any attempt to interfere with the Grid's operation will trigger immediate..." She stopped mid-sentence, her hand going to her temple.

"Victoria?" Camille half-rose from her chair.

"As I was saying," Victoria pushed on, her words more deliberate now, "any attempt to interfere will trigger immediate... immediate..."

The pen slipped from her fingers, clattering against the polished

table. Victoria stared at it with mild surprise, as if she couldn't quite understand what had happened.

"I think perhaps I should..." she murmured, and then her legs simply gave way.

Alexander moved with startling speed, catching Victoria before she hit the floor. Her body went limp in his arms, her head rolling back unnaturally.

"Victoria!" Camille rushed around the table, dropping to her knees beside

them. "Victoria, can you hear me?"

Victoria's eyes fluttered open, unfocused and confused. "Something's wrong," she whispered, the admission seeming to cost her terribly.

Alexander already had his phone out, barking orders for medical assistance. Camille pressed her fingers to Victoria's wrist, feeling the rapid, fluttering pulse.

"Stay with us," she urged, fighting to keep her voice steady. "Help is coming."

Victoria's hand found Camille's, her grip surprisingly strong. "The Grid," she managed.

"Don't let them...."

Her eyes rolled back, and her body went rigid before beginning to seize.

"Turn her on her side," Alexander commanded. "Keep her airways clear."

The next minutes blurred together. Security personnel burst into the room, followed by a medical team. They pushed Camille and Alexander back, surrounding Victoria with efficient professionalism.

Camille

watched, frozen, as they stabilized Victoria and transferred her to a stretcher. The woman who had saved her, shaped her, made her invincible, suddenly human and

fragile, her face half-covered by an oxygen mask.

"I'm going with her," Camille said, already moving toward the door.

her arm. "The helicopter is ready

than fighting through city

nodded mechanically, following the medical team as they rushed Victoria toward the private elevator. Her mind raced with contradictory thoughts, worry for Victoria warring with concerns about the Grid activation,

"Go with her," Alexander

Section B

torn between

waiting when Victoria's stable," Alexander finished. "She needs you now.

Camille turned to the stretcher where Victoria lay. She had never seen her mentor

Victoria had always maintained a formidable

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Chapter 112

at her temples standing out

signs. "How long has she been ill?"

replied

glance with his colleague that sent ice

had gone online without incident, exactly as planned. No sign of

I'm

"How

Dr. Chen replied. "We've run a

advanced imaging. Would

had used when explaining why there was no possibility of reconciliation with her old family. The prelude to an

has pancreatic cancer. It's advanced, but we've caught it at a stage where treatment options are still available. With the right approach, there's a

hadn't dared expect. She gripped a nearby chair to

her voice barely above a

Dr. Chen explained. "There's a new clinical trial showing promising results with cases similar to Ms. Kane's. It won't be easy, but she's oth Camille's

that Camille had attributed to tension over Rose

treatment?" Camille asked,

want to begin as soon as possible," Dr. Chen

followed by recovery and then immunotherapy.

family

her daughter," Camille said,

all the family

you.

the corridor like a sleepwalker, the doctor's

outside Room 718, drawing a deep breath before pushing the

lighting. Gone was the commanding presence that filled boardrooms with a single glance. In its place lay

opened as Camille approached

"I told them... not

Victoria murmured, her

bed, taking Victoria's hand. IV lines snaked from her arm, a stark reminder of her

have you known?" Camille

weeks," Victoria admitted. "Confirmed... three days

"Three days? Why

simply. "Couldn't...

had received a cancer diagnosis and said nothing, continuing to fight Rose and Herod's sabotage as if nothing had

"The

new treatment," Camille said, hope threading

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Chapter 112

there's a good

know," Victoria interrupted.

"So you'll do it?"

her usual strength returning to her gaze.

one."

company