SCORNED EX WIFE Queen Of Ashes (Camille and Stefan)

Chapter 153

Camille crouched beneath a table with three young women in evening gowns, all sobbing in terror. The second explosion had blocked their path to the main exit with burning debris.

"Listen to me," Camille said firmly, her voice cutting through their panic. "There's another way out. Through the service corridor. But we need to stay low and move fast."

The women nodded, their faces streaked with tears and soot.

"Follow me," Camille ordered. "Stay close. Cover your mouth with your dress if you can."

They crawled from under the table into the thickening smoke. Camille led them along the perimeter of the room, away from the worst of the flames. Her eyes burned. Her lungs screamed for clean air. But she pushed forward, guiding the terrified women toward safety.

The service door appeared through the smoke, its outline barely visible. Camille reached it first, pulling it open to reveal a relatively clear corridor beyond.

"Go!" she urged the women. "Straight ahead. You'll reach an exit in thirty seconds."

As the last woman stumbled through, Camille turned back to the ballroom. Were there others still trapped? Anyone she had missed?

A third explosion rocked the building, this one closer than the others. The force of

it sent Camille flying backward into the wall. Pain exploded across her back and shoulder. Her vision blurred.

When it cleared, she saw the ceiling directly above her beginning to crack. In seconds, it would collapse.

Camille tried to move, but her body refused to respond. The smoke was too thick now. Each breath brought more pain than air.

So this was how it would end. Not in victory over Rose, but buried beneath the rubble of her triumph.

As consciousness began to fade, Camille thought she heard someone calling her name. A familiar voice, desperate and determined.

"Alexander?" she whispered, the word lost in the roar of the flames.

Then strong arms were around her, lifting her from the floor. A voice close to her ear saying, "I've got you. Stay with me."

Alexander had found her. Even through the smoke and flames and chaos, he had found her.

As he carried her toward safety, Camille's last thought before darkness claimed her was that Rose had failed again. Failed to destroy what mattered most.

Because even in this moment of destruction, she was not alone.

***

Hotel. Emergency vehicles surrounded the building, their lights painting the night in flashes of red and blue. Paramedics treated injured guests on the plaza. Police officers

no sign of Camille

phone so tightly her knuckles had

let me out of this

respond, Victoria's driver pointed toward

emerged a figure carrying what appeared to be a body. As they moved closer, Victoria recognized Alexander, his face blackened with soot, his clothing torn

Victoria's heart stopped.

past Curtis to open the car door

plaza, her legs weaker than she would ever admit, and hurried toward Alexander. As she approached, she

them. "Smoke inhalation.

with trembling fingers. "Camille? Can you

"You... should be... in the car," she whispered,

escaped Victoria's lips. "And

on it, reluctant to let her

told him. "I'll follow in the

leaving Camille as the paramedics began treating

back toward her vehicle, suddenly aware of the weight of her own exhaustion. The excitement, the fear,

then another.

her knees buckle. Darkness edged her vision. The last thing

Then nothing.

regained consciousness in the ambulance, oxygen mask covering her face, monitors beeping steadily around her. Alexander sat beside her, holding her hand, his face a mask of

pulling the

hesitated. "They're taking her to

tried to sit up, panic giving her strength. "What happened? Is

pushing her back down. "She collapsed after seeing you were safe. Could be exhaustion, could

was

need to be with her," Camille insisted,

heading to the same hospital. We'll find her as soon as

nodded, settling back but keeping hold of Alexander's hand. "How bad was it?

admitted. "At least three bombs detonated. Maybe more. The west wing is destroyed. The ballroom... there's not much

most guests got out

turned to ash, all her hard work destroyed in minutes.

hadn't taken what mattered most. Camille was alive. Alexander was alive. And

survive too.

swerved suddenly, throwing them sideways. Camille heard the driver curse, then the squeal of brakes.

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