SCORNED EX WIFE Queen Of Ashes (Camille and Stefan)

Chapter 198

Victoria's hands shook as she stared at the financial reports spread across her desk. Not from the cancer treatments, those were going better than expected. No, these tremors came from something far worse: the growing certainty that the man sleeping beside her daughter every night might be her greatest enemy.

The attacks on Kane Industries had started three weeks after Camille's wedding. Subtle at first, a few negative stories in financial blogs, some anonymous tips to reporters about safety concerns. Then the stock manipulation, the server outages, the leaked internal documents. Someone with intimate knowledge of their systems was bleeding them slowly, methodically.

Someone close enough to know their vulnerabilities.

Victoria picked up her phone with unsteady fingers.

"Stefan Rodriguez."

"Stefan, it's Victoria Kane. I need to see you. Today."

A pause. "Is Camille.."

"Camille is fine. But I need your help with something that could destroy her if I'm right."

Two hours later, Stefan sat across from Victoria in her private conference room. The guilt he'd carried since betraying Camille had changed him, made him quieter, more thoughtful. More willing to do whatever it took to protect the woman he'd failed so completely.

"You suspect Alexander," Stefan said. It wasn't a question.

wedding. Someone is using

after a

died by suicide after losing everything." His head snapped up. "Pierce. As in

barely a whisper. "If Alexander blames me

married a man who's using her to get revenge on you." Stefan's face went

thought of Camille's radiant smile on her wedding day, the way she'd looked at Alexander like he'd hung the stars. The idea that it might

investigate him," Victoria said. "Quietly. Thoroughly. Use

out everything about Alexander Pierce's background. Any connection to Meridian Technologies,

me? You have

because..." Victoria met his eyes. "Because you understand betrayal from the inside. If Alexander is using Camille's love against her, I need someone who knows how

papers, the way her face had crumbled when she realized the scope of his

Camille? She has a right to

Not yet." Victoria's voice was firm despite the pain

her marriage. If I'm right,

his hands. "How

behind these attacks..." Stefan looked up, his expression grim.

could see the city Camille was learning

lunch with Alexander. He's being so supportive about the company troubles. I'm so lucky