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 on

than fighting

toward the private elevator. Her mind raced with contradictory thoughts, worry for Victoria warring with concerns about the Grid activation, scheduled in

"Go with her," Alexander

handle Section B and make sure everything proceeds according to

hesitated, torn between

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

where Victoria lay.

Even in sleep, Victoria had always maintained a

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Chapter 112

at her temples standing out

vital signs. "How long has

replied

glance with his colleague that sent ice

hundredth time. Three hours had passed since they'd rushed Victoria through the double doors mar Her phone buzzed. Alexander. Section B had gone online without incident, exactly as planned. No sign of interference from Rose or

I'm Dr. Elizabeth

"How

replied. "We've run a series

imaging. Would you like. to

was no possibility of reconciliation with her old

met her gaze directly. "Ms. Kane 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 realistic chance of ren The words hung

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

options?" she asked, her

immunotherapy," 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

stiffness in her movements that Camille had attributed to tension over Rose and Herod's

Camille asked, forcing her voice

want to begin as soon

could be scheduled within days, followed by recovery and then immunotherapy. The full course would take several

there family we should

Camille said, the words emerging with

"I'm all the

you. She's heavily sedated, but conscious.

sleepwalker, the doctor's words cycling through her

a deep breath

the commanding presence that

eyes opened as

"I told them... not

Victoria murmured, her voice raspy. "Wanted to...

the edge of the bed, taking Victoria's hand. IV lines snaked from

long have you

admitted. "Confirmed... three days

through Camille. "Three days? Why

simply. "Couldn't... risk

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

"The

new treatment," Camille said, hope threading through her voice. "A surgical procedure

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Chapter 112

says there's a

Victoria interrupted. "Already... discussed

"So you'll do it?"

Camille's, some of her usual strength returning to her gaze. "Yes. But

one."

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