SCORNED EX WIFE Queen Of Ashes (Camille and Stefan)

Chapter 140

Chapter 140

Herod's phone rang at 3:17 AM. The cheap motel room was dark except for the blue light of his burner phone cutting through the blackness. He squinted at the screen. Unknown number. His finger hovered ove

"Hello?"

"They found everything." The voice on the

other end was hushed, stressed, Derek Martinez, his contact at the FBI. "Your business card in the wreckage. Your

fingerprints on the detonator parts. Plans for the bombings in your apartment." Herod sat up, suddenly wide awake. "What plans? I never kept anything in the apartment."

"Well, someone did. Blueprints of the substations. Notebooks with blast calculations. A journal talking about your hatred for Victoria Kane."

"That's impossible. I never wrote any journal." Herod's mouth went dry. "What else?"

"Your emails. Detailing everything. The FBI has enough to lock you away forever." Martinez paused. "I'm risking everything telling you this. My career, my freedom."

"I appreciate it." Herod's mind raced. "Any mention of Rose Lewis in the evidence?"

"Nothing. Not a trace." Martinez's voice dropped even lower. "Look, I can't help you anymore. They're searching for you everywhere. Airports, train stations, the works. I need to disappear from your life now."

The line went dead before Herod could respond.

He sat motionless in the darkness, the truth settling over him like a heavy blanket. Rose had set him up. Completely. Thoroughly. She'd planted evidence while he was out. Created a fake journal. Fabricated em And made sure none of it pointed to her.

Herod got up and flicked on the light. The motel

room was small and dirty, nothing like the luxury he was used to. Rose had insisted they move here two days ago, claiming they needed to stay hidden.

Now he understood why.

She'd wanted him in this dump, away from his resources, while she set her trap. And he'd walked right into it, blind and willing.

The bathroom door opened. Steam escaped as Rose emerged, wrapped in a thin

towel, her hair wet from the shower. She smiled when she saw him, but the smile didn't reach her eyes.

"You're up early," she said, toweling her hair. "Couldn't sleep?"

"I just got a call from Martinez." Herod watched her face, looking for any reaction. "The FBI found evidence in my apartment. Evidence I never put there."

Rose's expression didn't change. "What kind of evidence?"

"Plans for the bombings. A journal. Emails detailing everything."

"Someone must have broken in," she said, turning away to look for her clothes. "Planted

that stuff to frame you."

quiet, "Martinez said your name doesn't appear

for just a moment before continuing to sort through her clothes. "Lucky

Herod stood up. "Planning. Careful,

finally slipping. The coldness in her eyes matched the

spreading through Herod's body.

exactly are you suggesting?" she

words hung in the air between them. "You arranged for evidence that points only to me. You made sure you had alibis for both bombings. You've been planning to make me the fall

him like a scientist might observe a lab specimen. "And if I did?

question caught him off guard. He

even tears. Not this

said.

what proof?" Rose laughed,

nerves raw. "Your word against the mountain

attempt to shift blame from a

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Chapter 140

prove her

asked, his voice breaking slightly. "I thought we were in this together. I thought..." He couldn't finish the sentence. It sounded pathetic even in his

loved you?" Rose dropped her towel and began dressing, unconcerned with her nakedness. "Poor Herod.

cut deeper than he expected. Despite everything, some foolish part of him had believed their connection was real. The nights they'd spent planning, talking, making love,

I helped you go

Rose pulled

careful, covering my tracks. Did you really

crossing her legs.

him wary. "What

center. One final blow

already facing life in prison for the first two bombings. What's one more? Especially if it

was hearing. "You want me to keep helping you, knowing you've set me

chance to complete what we started." Rose stood and moved toward him, placing her hand on his chest. "To make Victoria

touch, once exciting, now made his skin crawl. Yet he couldn't

of him still craved her approval, her touch,

"And afterward?" he asked.

the

he found himself considering it, weighing his options. The FBI was

he knew it

What did he have to lose by playing along

he said. "After

to his face, tracing

finish what we started.

no longer need

turned predatory. "Everyone leaves eventually,

me, the ride is exciting

of genuine feeling, any crack

but cold.

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