SCORNED EX WIFE Queen Of Ashes (Camille and Stefan)

Chapter 148

Chapter 148

Camille knocked on Victoria's office door, files clutched under her arm. The security plans for the

gala needed one final approval, and despite Victoria's reluctance about the event, Camille knew she would want to review the details.

When no answer came, she knocked again.

Still silence.

Camille turned the handle, expecting to find the office empty. Instead, she found Victoria slumped in her chair, eyes closed, face pale as paper. A small bottle of pills had tipped over on the desk, its contents sca

Victoria's eyes fluttered open. For a moment, confusion clouded her face, then recognition dawned. "Camille. I was just resting my eyes."

But Camille wasn't listening. Her gaze had locked on the pill bottle. The label faced upward, the word "OXYCODONE" visible in bold print, along with Victoria's name.

"What are these?" Camille picked up the bottle, dread pooling in her stomach. "Why are you

taking such strong pain medication?"

Victoria straightened in her chair, composing

herself with visible effort. "It's nothing. Just some discomfort from the surgery."

"This isn't for 'some discomfort," Camille said, reading the dosage on the label. "This is for serious pain. And your surgery was months ago. You should be fully healed by now."

Victoria reached for the bottle, but Camille pulled it away.

"Tell me the truth." Camille's voice shook. "What's really going on?"

Something shifted in Victoria's

eyes, a surrender, a resignation. She sighed deeply, then opened her

desk drawer and pulled out a folder.

"I was going to tell you after the gala," she said, sliding the folder across the desk. "I didn't want to distract you. Not with Rose still out there. Not with everything at stake." Camille stared at the folder, afraid to open it. The hospital logo embossed on its cover told her everything she needed to know.

"How bad is it?" she whispered.

"Open it," Victoria said gently.

With trembling fingers, Camille opened

the folder. Medical terms jumped out at her: "metastatic pancreatic carcinoma," " stage four," "poor prognosis." Dates of treatments. Surgical notes. Oncologist recommendations.

But one sentence burned into her brain: "Estimated survival: 3-6 months."

The room tilted around her. Camille gripped the edge of the desk to steady herself.

"Three to six months?" Her voice sounded strange in her own ears, distant and hollow. "That's... that can't be right.”

"The estimates are often conservative," Victoria said, her tone matter-of-

fact. "I could have longer."

"Or shorter." The words escaped before Camille could stop them.

Victoria didn't answer, which was answer enough.

"How long have you known?" Camille asked, papers crumpling in her tight grip.

"Since before the bombing of

the substations. The first symptoms started even earlier."

Camille stood abruptly, the chair scraping against the floor. "All this time?

been dying, and you

"I was protecting you."

voice

having time to prepare?

a vulnerability Camille had rarely seen. "From pain, Camille. I was protecting you from

to make!" Tears spilled down Camille's cheeks now, hot and angry. "We're supposed to be partners. Family. You don't keep something like this

didn't tell me because you didn't want me to act like your daughter,” she said, the realization bitter

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Chapter 148

to focus on the company. On becoming your

hand, but Camille stepped back. "That's

why?" Camille demanded. "Why hide something

look at me the way you're looking at me now. With pity. With grief. Like I'm already gone." "How did you expect me to look

between them. "I expected you to be strong. To be ready

were preparing me to work beside you," Camille said.

hands,

state. "Listen to me. What we've

needs to continue. You

her hands away. "How can you talk about business at a

"Tried every treatment with any chance of success. The cancer has spread too far, too

hot and desperate. "The Victoria Kane I know would never surrender without a

fought." For

"I have fought with everything I have. But some battles can't be won, Camille. Some enemies can't be defeated through sheer will." The vulnerability in Victoria's voice - something Camille

she saw

a

by a wave of pure grief so powerful it nearly knocked her off her feet. She stumbled

she sobbed against Victoria's shoulder. "Please

slipped out without thought, a raw, honest

truly become to her. Not just

mother who had saved her, protected her, loved her when she needed it

holding her tightly. Camille felt a

girl."

probably never allowed herself to shed in front of

a moment, there was no Kane Industries, no Rose, no upcoming gala. Just a mother and daughter facing the cruelest

They pulled apart as Alexander entered, his expression changing

Victoria's pallor, Camille's

medical files on

he asked, closing the door behind

answered for her, her voice

stained face suggested.

knows," Victoria said. "About

Alexander's face. "I

him, fresh betrayal cutting through her grief. "You knew?

carefully, as one might approach a wounded animal. "It wasn't my place

knew but me," Camille said bitterly. "My parents. You. Probably half

corrected. "And only because I needed their

Camille spat the word.

All the details of your death

Camille stepped away. "Don't. Just...

of the desk. Alexander moved quickly to her side, helping her back into

doctor said, Victona interrupted. "But

hours, and my daughter just received difficult news Resting can

her

said suddenly "Not tonight. Not with

Victoria's voice regained its familiar steel "We don't show weakness, Camille Not to the world. Hot to

right now Camille enapped "" care about

Show everyone that Kane Industries remains strong, regardless

her he agreed with Victoria Of course he

relented, wiping tears from her cheeks. "The gala goes on. But afterwards, we

in her eyes suggested she was merely humoring Camille 'Of

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