SCORNED EX WIFE Queen Of Ashes (Camille and Stefan)

Chapter 224

Victoria Kane sat in the back seat of her black sedan, watching the familiar streets of Manhattan blur past the tinted windows. The follow-up appointment at Mount Sinai Hospital had gone well - her cancer markers were stable, her blood pressure had normalized, and her doctor had finally cleared her for full activity. After weeks of forced rest and medical monitoring, she felt ready to reclaim control of her life and her company.

The afternoon sun cast long shadows across the city as her driver navigated through midtown traffic. Victoria used the quiet time to review reports on her phone, catching up on business decisions that had been made during her recovery. Kane Industries had weathered James's virus attack on the Phoenix Grid, thanks to Hannah's technical expertise and the coordinated response from Camille and Alexander.

Reading about her daughter's effective crisis management filled Victoria with pride. Camille had grown into the leader Victoria always knew she could be, handling the media storm and regulatory pressures with grace and intelligence. The fact that she and Alexander were working together again gave Victoria hope that their marriage might survive the damage James had inflicted.

Victoria's driver slowed to a stop at a red light on Park Avenue. The usual sounds of the city filtered through the car's soundproofing - car horns, construction noise, the distant hum of millions of people going about their daily lives. Everything felt normal, peaceful even, after the chaos of recent weeks.

That's when she saw him.

James Whitfield stood on the sidewalk beside her car, close enough to touch the window if he wanted to. He wore an expensive gray suit that made him look like any other businessman walking through Manhattan, but Victoria recognized his face from the surveillance photos her security team had shown her.

Her blood turned to ice as James smiled and tapped gently on the window.

"Mrs. Kane," he said, his voice muffled by the glass but clearly audible. "We need to talk."

Victoria's hand moved toward the panic button that would summon her security team, but James shook his head slowly.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you. Not when your daughter's safety depends on how this conversation goes."

The words hit Victoria like a physical blow. She pressed the button to lower the window slightly, just enough to hear James clearly without giving him access to the car's interior.

"What do you want?" Victoria asked, her voice steady despite the fear clawing at her chest.

"I want you to understand the situation you're in," James replied. "Twenty years ago, you destroyed my father's business and sent him to die in federal prison. Now I'm going to return the favor."

"Your father was a criminal who endangered people's lives with substandard construction materials," Victoria said firmly. "Richard Pierce and I reported his crimes to protect innocent workers and families."

James's smile widened, but there was no warmth in it. "Such righteous words from someone who's about to lose everything she cares about."

Victoria felt her heart racing as she realized the full extent of James's threat. This wasn't just about business revenge anymore. This was personal, targeting the people she loved most.

"James, whatever you think my father and Richard did to your family, Camille had nothing to do with it. She was a child when those events happened. She's innocent in all of this."

been helping Alexander investigate my activities. She's been working to expose my identity

protective instincts flared like fire in her chest. Every maternal feeling she had developed for Camille over the past two years crystallized into fierce determination to shield her daughter from this

the authority that had built Kane Industries

I intend to deal with you directly," James said, leaning closer to the window. "But first, I want you to suffer the way my father

rigid line of his shoulders. The traffic light was still red, trapping them in this moment of confrontation with a man who had

of what I can do to your company's infrastructure.

are you planning?" Victoria

your freedom, your health." James's voice dropped to a whisper that somehow felt more threatening than shouting. "And then I'm going to

her business, her reputation, even her own life - she

"If you hurt her-"

interrupted. "You'll call the police? You'll hire more security? You'll try to hide her away somewhere safe?" He shook his head mockingly. "Mrs. Kane, I've been planning this campaign for fifteen years. I know where Camille lives, where she works, where she shops,

clenched into fists as she fought to control

you to live with the fear that at any moment, someone you love might disappear forever. I want you to experience the helplessness my father felt when your accusations destroyed

Victoria's driver began to accelerate. But James walked alongside the car, matching its speed as

over, Mrs. Kane," James called through the window. "In fact, it's just beginning. By the time I'm finished with you, you'll wish you

fall behind as the car picked up speed, but his final words.echoed in her mind like a death

that he

whenever he chose.

driver, her voice shaking for

Should

dead." Victoria pulled out her phone with trembling fingers and speed-dialed Camille's number. Each ring felt like an eternity as she prayed her daughter would answer, that she was

damage reports from the virus attack. Why? You sound

closed her eyes with relief. Camille was safe, surrounded by

you to stay exactly where you are until I get there. Don't leave the building, don't

wrong? What

street behind her looked normal, but she knew that didn't mean anything. A man

"He threatened you directly. Camille, he knows your

other end of the phone lasted so long that Victoria

"Camille? Are you there?"

here," Camille replied, her voice

broke Victoria's heart. For two years, she had watched

fleeing her sister