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.

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

at the podium, her smile composed

Victoria. And thank you to the

shake. The voice coming from the television belonged to Camille, but not the Camille she knew. This woman was poised, authoritative, commanding. Her words measured and precise as she outlined her vision for Kane

her," Rose hissed, too quietly for anyone to hear. "Playing

her lips, Rose knew they were false. The woman on screen wasn't playing at anything. This was real. While Rose had rotted in

voice strong and clear. "Not just

the screen then at Rose's

didn't answer, her eyes never

looks important," the woman persisted, nodding toward Camille. "Someone

burning her throat. "A fake. A placeholder.

at Rose, taking in her hollow

alone," Rose snarled, and something in her face made the woman

continued fielding questions from the press. Someone asked

I came from. That story is longer than

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

into blankness, years of practice making it second nature, but

called from across the room.

honey-sweet. "Just caught up in the

staff member. Rose's attention

be realigning certain holdings," Camille was saying. "Details will be released

alert. The hospital gown gaped at her neck, revealing collar bones that had grown sharp during her weeks in custody. "Realigning holdings," she repeated, eyes narrowed. "What

Industries had acquired during Camille's

made Rose's stomach twist with fresh fury. Of course Camille would forgive Stefan. She had always been weak that way, always ready to excuse betrayal,

Rose. Rose never forgave. Never

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

said to no one. "So polished. So

She radiated authentic authority, answering each question with thoughtful precision. Not a trace remained of the naïve, trusting woman Rose had

Rose had failed to

reporter in the back row, his

were unknown in business circles. How do you respond to allegations that your connection to Victoria Kane is... personal rather than professional?" Rose leaned forward, suddenly hungry for Camille's discomfort. This was it, the question that would

voice remained clear

nothing. She saw potential when others saw only brokenness. She taught me to transform pain into power. So yes, our connection

curled into fists

at Kane Industries speaks for itself. The Phoenix Grid. The Green Harbor Initiative. The expansion into Asian markets that increased revenues by twenty-two percent last

All she heard was victory in

saw was the quiet confidence of a woman who had not

triumphed.

didn't inherit this position," Camille stated firmly. "I earned it. And I intend to prove that every day

on Camille's shoulder, a public gesture of support never before seen from the notoriously

Kane," Victoria announced,

in applause.

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