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?

dying, and you didn't tell

"I was protecting you."

Camille's voice

to prepare? From being

pain, Camille. I was protecting you from pain. You've

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

didn't tell me because you didn't want me to act like your daughter,”

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Chapter 148

to focus on the company. On

reached for Camille's hand, but Camille stepped back. "That's

Camille demanded. "Why hide something this

I couldn't bear to see you 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 when I found out the woman

around the desk, closing the distance between them. "I expected you to be strong. To be ready to carry on without me. That's what I've been preparing you

to work beside you," Camille said. “Not

took Camille's hands, her

we've built together,Kane Industries, the Phoenix Grid, your transformation, it

I do. It needs

hands away. "How can you talk about business at

said patiently. "Tried every treatment with any chance of

Anger flared again, hot and desperate. "The

have fought." For the first

I have. But some battles can't be won, Camille. Some enemies can't be defeated through

her anger. Suddenly, she

had rescued and transformed her, but a woman facing her own mortality. Afraid. In

grief so powerful it nearly knocked her off her feet.

against Victoria's shoulder. "Please don't leave

thought,

her. Not just a mentor. Not

protected her, loved her

her arms came around Camille, holding her tightly. Camille felt a dampness against her hair

girl."

had probably never allowed herself to shed in front of anyone. "My girl,"

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

door interrupted them. They pulled apart as

Victoria's pallor, Camille's

the medical files on the

happened?" he asked, closing the door behind

couldn't speak. Victoria answered for her, her voice steadier

stained face suggested.

knows," Victoria said. "About my

Alexander's face. "I

grief. "You knew? You knew and you didn't tell

carefully, as one might approach a wounded animal. "It wasn't my place to tell you, Camille. Victoria asked

said bitterly. "My parents. You. Probably half the board

knew," Victoria corrected. "And only because I

word.

your

for her, but Camille

slightly, gripping the edge of the desk. Alexander moved quickly to her side, helping her back into her chair. "You should rest,"

what the doctor said, Victona interrupted. "But

in a few hours, and my

word hung in the air between them Victoria had never called her that before not directly. Just

won't be a gala: Camille said suddenly

"We don't show weakness, Camille Not

care about flose right now Camille enapped "" care

beside me at the gata. Show everyone that Kane Industries remains strong, regardless of what happens to me

for support, but his expression told her he agreed with Victoria Of

from her cheeks. "The gala goes on. But afterwards, we talk

her eyes suggested she was

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