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..."

criminal? A monster?" Richard's voice rose for the first time. "Or is she the woman who

at the floor, unable

to you." Richard's command was sharp enough to cut glass. "Look at me and explain how you justify using my daughter's love as a weapon against her

desperate anger. "She covered up seventeen deaths! She destroyed my uncle's company and drove him to

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

"The evidence is real..."

folder down on Alexander's coffee table. "I've had forensic accountants and digital investigators working all night. Your proof has been edited,

very

it? When did you last independently verify the claims against Victoria? When did you speak to any of the victim's families? When did you review the original

who gave me the

against my daughter." Richard's voice was full of cold fury. "Someone fed

his face pale with dawning

did. And the court records show your uncle's company was responsible for faulty equipment installation. The safety violations were real, but they were committed by

"You're lying."

"These are the

stared at the documents, his face hardening with

the families sued, he blamed Kane Industries to deflect responsibility from his own failures. Victoria Kane defended her company against false accusations, not covered up her own

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

uncle was consumed by guilt over the deaths he caused. He couldn't live with the responsibility for those seventeen lives,

liable, he took his own life rather than

reading them carefully. "You think I'm stupid? You think I'll just accept your version of events because you wave some papers

not destroying my uncle's memory based on lies

blazed with

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

posture defiant. "And if

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

voice was firm with resolution. "Victoria Kane will pay for what she did to my uncle and those seventeen families. If you want to protect a killer, that's

her private conversations. You used her wedding day as cover for photographing Victoria. You spent your honeymoon planning how to destroy her family's

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

Alexander said firmly. "And I won't be stopped by threats

Richard moved closer, his presence intimidating despite his smaller stature. "But hear this clearly - if you continue attacking my daughter's company, if you hurt Camille any more than you already have,

justice? For honoring my uncle's memory?" Alexander's voice was bitter. "At least

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

won't stop fighting for justice just because you threaten me." Alexander's jaw was set in stubborn determination.

was grim with finality. "And you stay away from Camille while you destroy

resolve. "I know exactly what I need to do. And tonight, I'm going to take the next step in making

is your next contact

to tell him yes. Victoria Kane and

Alexander met Richard's eyes with

went very still. "You're planning to attack

remove the obstacles preventing

killer, then

what did you

tonight that I'm ready to do whatever it takes."