SCORNED EX WIFE Queen Of Ashes (Camille and Stefan)

Chapter 204

Richard Lewis sat in his private study at three in the morning, surrounded by documents that painted a picture of calculated betrayal. The mahogany desk his grandfather had built was covered with financial reports, digital surveillance evidence, and communication records that told a story no father should ever have to read.

His daughter's husband had been systematically destroying Kane Industries. The man Camille had trusted with her heart, her future, her most vulnerable moments, had been photographing Victoria at their wedding and stealing security plans during their honeymoon.

Richard's hands trembled as he read through the final piece of evidence: an advance copy of a press release scheduled to go live in six hours. The headline made his blood run cold: "Kane Industries CEO Victoria Kane Linked to Cover-Up of Factory Deaths - Exclusive Investigation Reveals Decades of Corporate Murder."

The release contained detailed allegations about a factory explosion fifteen years ago, claiming Victoria had bribed safety inspectors and destroyed evidence to protect her company's reputation. It painted her as a cold-blooded killer who valued profits over human lives.

Richard knew the release was scheduled to hit every major financial news outlet simultaneously. By the time markets opened, Kane Industries would be facing not just stock manipulation but criminal allegations that would destroy the company completely.

He picked up his phone and began making calls.

"Tom, it's Richard Lewis... I need an emergency favor... There's a fraudulent press release about to go live targeting my daughter's company... Yes, I know it's late, but this can't wait until morning..."

One call became ten. Ten became twenty. Richard worked through his contact list with methodical precision, calling in favors accumulated over thirty years of business relationships. Newspaper editors who owed him for charitable donations. Television producers whose careers he'd supported. Digital platform executives whose companies had benefited from Lewis family investments.

By five AM, the press release had been blocked from every major outlet. Legal injunctions had been filed. Criminal complaints about securities fraud were being prepared.

But blocking the attack wasn't enough. Richard needed to confront the man who had violated his daughter's trust so completely.

At seven AM, Richard Lewis stood outside Alexander Pierce's penthouse building. The doorman recognized him immediately - the Lewis family name carried weight in every corner of Manhattan society.

"Mr. Lewis? Is everything all right?"

"I need to see Alexander Pierce. Tell him it's urgent."

The elevator ride to the penthouse felt endless. Richard's anger had been building for hours, fueled by every document he'd read, every piece of evidence that showed how thoroughly Alexander had deceived Camille.

Alexander answered the door looking haggard and exhausted. His expensive shirt was wrinkled, his hair uncombed, his eyes bloodshot from sleepless nights. When he saw Richard, his face went white.

"Mr. Lewis? I wasn't expecting..."

"We need to talk." Richard pushed past Alexander into the penthouse without invitation.

The apartment was a mess. Empty bottles on the kitchen counter. Takeout containers scattered across expensive furniture. The remnants of a life that had fallen apart when the lies became too heavy to carry.

"Sit down," Richard commanded.

Alexander remained standing, his jaw set in stubborn lines. "If you're here about Camille..."

"I'm here about Kane Industries. I'm here about the stock manipulation, the stolen security plans, the surveillance photos of Victoria." Richard's voice was deadly quiet. "I'm here about the press release you scheduled to destroy my daughter's company this morning."

Alexander's face crumpled. "How did you..."

"How did I find out? You mean besides the fact that you've been sloppy enough to leave digital fingerprints all over your crimes?" Richard pulled out a folder thick with evidence. "I have documentation of every illegal access to Kane Industries systems. Every stolen document. Every manipulated stock trade."

"You don't understand. Victoria Kane is..."

is what? A killer? A criminal? A monster?" Richard's voice rose for the first time. "Or is she the woman who saved my daughter's life when

stared at the floor,

talking to you." Richard's command was sharp enough to cut glass. "Look at me and explain how you justify

his eyes blazing with desperate anger. "She covered up seventeen deaths! She

delivered at convenient times? Evidence that appeared exactly when you needed

"The evidence is real..."

accountants and digital investigators working all night. Your

very

speak to any of the victim's families? When did you review the original

person who gave me

grief to turn you into a weapon against my daughter." Richard's voice was full of cold fury. "Someone fed you exactly what you needed to believe to do

a chair, his face pale with dawning horror.

was responsible for faulty equipment installation. The safety violations

"You're lying."

court documents across the table. "These

his face hardening with stubborn resistance.

he blamed Kane Industries to deflect responsibility from his

Alexander's voice grew heated. "These documents have been altered just like

the deaths he caused. He couldn't live with the responsibility for those seventeen lives, he tried to blame someone else.

he took his own life rather

the court documents away without reading them carefully. "You think I'm stupid? You think I'll just

uncle's memory based on lies from Victoria Kane's

eyes blazed with unshaken conviction. "You

benefits from Kane Industries' collapse. Someone who saw your grief as a tool to be used." Richard's voice softened slightly with frustration. "Someone who is probably planning to continue their attacks even now that you've

Kane deserves everything that's coming to her." Alexander stood up, his posture defiant. "And if you

ice-cold again. "And you have to stop this

resolution. "Victoria Kane will pay for what she did to my uncle and those seventeen families. If you want to protect

"You surveilled her private conversations. You used her wedding day as cover for photographing Victoria. You spent your honeymoon planning how

and anger. "My uncle died because of Victoria Kane. Seventeen people died because of her greed. I won't let her

said firmly.

help." Richard moved closer, his presence intimidating despite his smaller stature. "But hear this clearly - if you

my uncle's memory?" Alexander's voice was bitter. "At

the documents. "But you're too blinded by hate to see the truth even when

threaten me." Alexander's jaw was set in stubborn determination. "My uncle deserves better than being forgotten so Victoria Kane

not to me." Richard's voice was grim with finality. "And you stay away from Camille while you destroy

"I know exactly what I need to do. And tonight,

is your next contact

to tell him

consequences." Alexander met Richard's eyes with

"You're planning to attack

to remove the obstacles preventing justice. If

killer, then you're part

you

I'm ready to