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 saved my

stared at the floor, unable to meet Richard's

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

up, his eyes blazing with desperate anger. "She covered up seventeen deaths! She destroyed my uncle's company and drove

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

"The evidence is real..."

investigators working all night. Your proof has been edited, doctored, and enhanced to support a narrative

very still.

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

who

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

sank into a chair, his face pale with dawning horror. "But the factory explosion really

the court records show your uncle's company was responsible for faulty equipment installation. The safety

"You're lying."

opened the folder and spread official court documents across the table. "These are the actual legal proceedings. The real safety reports. The testimony of workers who

face

made choices that killed seventeen people. When the families sued, he blamed Kane Industries to deflect responsibility from his own failures. Victoria Kane defended

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

uncle was consumed by guilt over the deaths he caused. He couldn't live with the

took his own life rather than

pushed the court documents away without reading them carefully. "You think I'm stupid? You think I'll just accept your version of events because

on lies

Victoria Kane is still walking free after murdering seventeen innocent people." Alexander's eyes blazed with unshaken conviction. "You can wave

as a tool to be used." Richard's voice softened

her." Alexander stood up, his posture defiant. "And if

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

to my uncle and those seventeen families. If you

Victoria. You spent your honeymoon planning how to destroy her

pain and anger. "My uncle died because of Victoria Kane. Seventeen people died because of her greed.

firmly.

smaller stature. "But hear this clearly - if you continue attacking my daughter's company, if you

Alexander's voice was bitter. "At least I'll know I

"But you're too blinded by

won't stop fighting for justice just because you threaten me." Alexander's jaw was set in stubborn determination. "My uncle deserves better than being forgotten

you give that information to the FBI, not to me." Richard's voice was grim with

to do. And tonight, I'm going to take the next

is your next contact with

tell him yes. Victoria

to face consequences." Alexander met Richard's eyes with

"You're planning

remove the obstacles preventing justice. If the

killer, then you're part

did you

going to tell him tonight that I'm