SCORNED EX WIFE Queen Of Ashes (Camille and Stefan)

Chapter 190

Chapter 190

Alexander stood on their villa's balcony, watching the Italian sunset paint the sky

in shades of orange and purple. Behind him, Camille slept deeply, exhausted from their day exploring Capri's winding streets and hidden coves. Her soft breathing carried through the open door, a steady rhythm that should have brought him

peace.

Instead, his mind wandered back to New York, to a day that had changed everything. Two days before his engagement party. Two days before he'd committed to building a life with Camille.

The memory hit him with physical force, as vivid now as it had been then.

*** ***

Rain had pounded the windows of his Manhattan penthouse. Alexander had been reviewing contracts when his doorman called up.

"Package for you, Mr. Pierce. No delivery service, just left at the desk."

The plain manila envelope sat on his kitchen counter for an hour before he opened it. No markings, no return address. Just his name typed on a white label.

When he finally slit it open, several documents slid out onto the marble surface. The top sheet, a typed note, said only: *The truth about your uncle's death and the woman who caused it.*

His first instinct had been to trash it. Crackpot conspiracy theories about his family weren't uncommon when you had Pierce's money and profile. But something made him look at the second page.

An internal Kane Industries memo with Victoria's signature. Subject line: *Meridian Technologies - Pierce Vulnerability Assessment.*

Alexander's coffee had gone cold beside him as he read through each page. Internal psychological profiles of his uncle. Strategy documents outlining how to exploit Richard Pierce's financial weaknesses and "known emotional instability." A systematic plan to isolate him from business allies and financial lifelines.

Meeting minutes with Victoria's handwritten notes in the margins: *"R.P. showing signs of extreme stress. Push harder."*

The final document had been a photocopy of his uncle's suicide note, with a section highlighted: *"Victoria Kane has taken everything. There's nothing left."* Alexander remembered dropping into a chair, room spinning around him. Each breath had felt like drowning. The coffee cup had slipped from his hand, shattering on the floor, the sound barely registering.

Victoria Kane. The woman who had saved Camille from death. The woman who had rebuilt her. The woman whose company he was meant to celebrate with in two days at his engagement party.

Alexander had gathered the papers with shaking hands, placing them back in the envelope. He'd walked to his office safe and locked them away. Then he'd called the only person who might know if they were real.

uncle's former

voice

Are

had told him everything before James even spoke. "Yes. I've been trying to prove what she did for years. After Richard's death,

the phone so hard his fingers ached. "Why send them to

you're really

of planning. Hundreds of guests. And Camille, beautiful, trusting Camille, who loved Victoria like a

when you found

Spent every penny I had. She buried me, just like she buried Richard. Made sure I couldn't work in

the rain-soaked city. "I need

warned. "Victoria Kane destroys anyone who threatens what she values. And she values her relationship with Camille above

had used resources only a Pierce could access, calling in favors from investigators who could breach Kane Industries' security without leaving traces. By midnight, he'd had confirmation, the documents were genuine. Victoria Kane had deliberately targeted his uncle, knowing

tied a noose and stepped off a chair in his home office, where Twenty- one-year-old Alexander

*** ****

standing on an Italian balcony, Alexander stared at his reflection in the glass door. Behind him, Camille stirred in their

front of his

for

by piece. He would make her feel the same helplessness his

he needed to get close enough. Close enough that she

attended his engagement party. He'd smiled. He'd thanked Victoria for her heartfelt toast. He'd kissed Camille under glittering

person had noticed the cold hatred burning inside him as Victoria embraced

since. Something unexpected and dangerous. He had fallen truly, deeply in love

loved more than his own life. Each new piece of evidence

stepped onto the balcony, hair tousled

arms around him from behind. "I

a smile, turning to face her. "Just planning our day tomorrow." She studied his face with those perceptive eyes that missed nothing. Victoria had trained her well. "You looked sad when I first saw you. Is everything

telling her everything. Showing her the digital copies of the documents he kept in his encrypted phone. Explaining why he sometimes woke drenched in sweat, the image of his uncle's hanging body still vivid in his

The moment passed.

"Just missing home a little." "We can go back

he said quickly. Too quickly. "These weeks with you

at least, wasn't a lie. Despite the weight of his secret mission, despite the daily communications with his team digging through Kane Industries' past, despite the constant fear of discovery-these moments with Camille