SCORNED EX WIFE Queen Of Ashes (Camille and Stefan)

Chapter 176

The common room of Bellevue's psychiatric ward smelled of disinfectant and despair. Rose Lewis sat alone in the corner, her back straight despite the shapeless hospital gown that hung from her once-elegant frame. The other inmates gave her space, something in her eyes warned them away, even here among the damaged and dangerous.

"Television time," a guard announced, switching on the small set mounted high on the wall.

Rose barely glanced up until the words "Kane Industries" caught her attention. Her head snapped toward the screen, body suddenly rigid.

"We're live at Kane Industries headquarters," the reporter said, "where Victoria Kane is about to make what sources call a 'game-changing announcement' regarding the future of her company."

Rose leaned forward, hands gripping the plastic arms of her chair. For weeks, she'd been cut off from news of the outside world, part of her treatment, the doctors said. Part of her punishment, she knew.

The camera panned across a packed press conference. Journalists clutched recorders and notebooks, their faces eager for the story about to break. Behind them, Kane Industries executives stood in a neat row, their expressions carefully neutral.

And then Victoria Kane appeared at the podium.

Rose's breath caught. Even through the grainy television image, Victoria's presence commanded attention. Her silver hair gleamed under the lights, her slim figure wrapped in an impeccable white suit that made her look more like an avenging angel than a cancer patient.

"For thirty-five years," Victoria's voice rang clear through the television speakers, "I have guided this company from a small investment firm to a global power. Today, that chapter ends."

An inmate shuffled past, blocking Rose's view momentarily. She hissed, a sound so feral the woman hurried away without comment.

"My doctors inform me that my cancer has responded remarkably well to treatment," Victoria continued. "I have been given the gift of time I did not expect. And I intend to use it."

Rose's fingers dug into the chair arms. She had celebrated when news of Victoria's cancer leaked to the press months ago. Had smiled at the thought of the formidable woman reduced to weakness, to dependency. To ending.

Now that victory, like all her others, was being ripped away.

"Effective immediately, I am stepping down as Chief Executive Officer of Kane Industries."

Murmurs rippled through the hospital common room as other patients tuned in to the broadcast. Someone whispered about stock prices. Someone else bet on who would take over. Rose heard none of it, her focus absolute, her entire body tensed like a predator about to strike.

On screen, Victoria raised her hand, commanding silence from the press corps with that simple gesture.

"The board has approved my successor. Someone who understands not just the business of Kane Industries, but its soul. Someone who has faced destruction and chosen to build instead."

Rose's heartbeat quickened. A terrible suspicion formed in her mind.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the new CEO of Kane Industries... Camille Kane."

The world stopped.

Rose didn't breathe, didn't blink, didn't move as the camera shifted and her sister, her victim, her obsession, her prey, walked into frame.

Camille approached the podium with measured steps, her navy suit perfect against her skin, her hair pulled back in a simple knot. Confidence radiated from her, the assurance of a woman who knew exactly where she belonged.

Nothing like the broken, devastated creature who had signed divorce papers from Stefan three years ago. Nothing like the sister Rose had tried to destroy.

whispered, her voice a thread of sound in the suddenly too-loud room. "No, no,

image didn't change. Camille stood at the podium, her smile

you to the board for

to shake. The voice coming from the television belonged to Camille, but not the Camille she knew. This woman was poised, authoritative,

too quietly for anyone to hear.

as the words left her lips, Rose knew they were false. The woman on screen wasn't playing at anything. This was

with full awareness of what Kane Industries represents," Camille was saying, her voice strong and clear. "Not just assets and revenues, but lives and livelihoods. The responsibility is enormous,

shuffling by paused, looking at the screen then at Rose's white- knuckled grip on her chair. "You okay

answer, her eyes

the woman persisted,

nobody," Rose snapped, the words burning her throat. "A

at Rose, taking in her

in her face made the woman step

press. Someone asked about

I

loud enough that heads turned throughout the common room. "Tell them who

face into blankness, years of practice making it second nature, but inside, acid burned through her

the guard called from across the room. "Everything all right

honey-sweet. "Just caught up in the

with another staff member. Rose's attention snapped back to the screen where Camille

Kane Industries will be realigning certain

revealing collar bones that had grown sharp during her weeks in custody. "Realigning holdings," she repeated, eyes narrowed. "What

Camille's revenge campaign against Stefan. Was she giving them back to him? After everything

course Camille would forgive Stefan. She had always been weak that way, always

Rose

the company's direction, about Victoria's health, about Camille's own background. With each

she said to no one.

on screen wasn't fooling anyone. She radiated authentic authority, answering each question with thoughtful precision. Not a

Rose had failed to

came from a reporter in

do you respond to allegations that your connection to Victoria Kane is... personal

remained clear and

me when I had nothing. She saw potential when others saw only brokenness. She taught me to transform pain

into fists as

of sentiment, but because of proven ability. My record at Kane Industries speaks for itself. The Phoenix Grid. The Green Harbor Initiative. The expansion into Asian markets that increased revenues by

nothing to Rose. All

the quiet confidence of a woman who

triumphed.

it. And I intend to prove that every

shoulder, a public

Camille Kane," Victoria

in applause.

the prison ward, Rose stared at the screen as Camille and Victoria stood together, the older