SCORNED EX WIFE Queen Of Ashes (Camille and Stefan)

Chapter 228

Chapter 228

James stepped closer to Victoria, the sharp blade catching what little light came through the broken windows. The metal looked cold and cruel in his steady hand. "No," Camille whispered, her voice barely audible. "Please, no."

Victoria closed her eyes, trying to prepare herself for what was coming. She had faced many difficult moments in her life - losing her husband, building her business from nothing, defending herself against enemies who wanted to destroy her. But nothing had prepared her for this.

The first touch of the blade against her arm made her gasp. It was just a light pressure at first, not cutting, just letting her feel how sharp it was.

"My father spent his last years in a small, dark cell," James said quietly. "He told me in his letters how the other prisoners would threaten him, how the guards would look the other way when someone wanted to hurt him."

The blade pressed harder against Victoria's skin. She bit her lip to keep from crying out.

"Stop it!" Camille shouted, pulling against the zip ties so hard that blood started to show on her wrists. "He's gone, James! Your father is gone! Hurting her won't bring him back!"

James ignored Camille completely. His focus was entirely on Victoria now, watching her face as fear and pain mixed together.

"Do you know what it feels like to be helpless?" he asked Victoria. "To know that no one is coming to save you?"

The blade moved across her arm, making a thin red line. Victoria couldn't hold back her scream this time. The sound echoed off the concrete walls, making it seem louder and more desperate.

"Victoria!" Camille's voice broke as she watched blood appear on her mother's arm. "Please, James, I'm begging you. Take me instead. Do whatever you want to me, but leave her alone."

"Take you instead?" James turned to look at Camille, and his expression was cold and empty. "You don't understand. This isn't about choosing one of you over the other. This is about making both of you suffer the way my family suffered."

He turned back to Victoria and made another cut, deeper this time. Victoria's whole body shook with pain, but she tried not to give him the satisfaction of screaming again.

"Tell me," James said, his voice soft but dangerous, "what would you do to save your daughter? What would you sacrifice?"

Victoria looked at Camille through her tears. Her daughter was pulling so hard against the zip ties that the plastic was cutting into her skin, leaving bloody marks on her wrists.

"Anything," Victoria whispered. "I would do anything."

"Even confess to crimes you didn't commit?"

"Yes."

"Even destroy your own business?"

"Yes."

"Even die?"

Victoria didn't hesitate. "Yes."

James smiled, but it wasn't a happy expression. It was the smile of someone who had gotten exactly the answer he expected.

"My father would have said the same thing about me," he said. "But when the time came to choose between his family and his business, he chose wrong."

The blade moved to Victoria's other arm. This time, the cut was so deep that blood immediately started running down to her fingers.

"Stop!" Camille screamed so loudly that her voice cracked. "You're killing her!"

now, I have complete control over whether Victoria Kane lives or dies. Just like the justice system

dizzy from the pain and blood loss. The warehouse seemed to be spinning around her, and James's voice sounded like it was coming from very far

kill me, just do it. Don't torture

do," James replied. "Because that's what you did to my

across Victoria's shoulder. The pain was so intense that

she begged. "Please, I'll

said, "is for you to understand that power means

blade to Victoria's neck, not cutting yet, just letting her feel

of Victoria Kane's suc her wealth, all

Camille whispered.

ess, all of

her heartbeat against the blade. Each

you're going to do it, then do it. But let Camille go first. She never hurt your father. She was not my child when all of

part of your empire. She benefits

"She's innocent."

one in your

Victoria's throat. A tiny drop of blood appeared where the metal

"Last words?" he asked.

Victoria looked at Camille,

face. "I

life meaning when I thought I had lost everything. You made

would never be one Whatever happens to

You keep being

said, shaking her head. "No,

here. We're both going

think so,"

skin. Her whole body shook with fear and pain from the cuts James had

going to kill

"Kill you?" He let out a harsh laugh. "Death would be too

Victoria asked, though she was afraid

cloth. "Tonight was just to show you how helpless you really are. Tomorrow,

her heart

much more planned for both of you. Tonight was about pain. Tomorrow will be

the knife next to the other instruments. Victoria could see that there were many more

minutes," James continued, his voice calm and matter-of-fact. "But destroying you completely -

back." "No, it won't," James agreed. "But it will make sure that his death wasn't meaningless. It will make sure that the people who destroyed him pay the

"I have to go now. I have preparations to make for

"Session?" Victoria asked weakly.

"Tonight was Session One. Tomorrow will be Session Two. And if you're very unlucky, there might be a Session Three as well." Victoria tried to think of something to say that might change his mind, but the pain from her cuts was making it hard to focus. Blood was still dripping

beauty of this place," James said, looking around the empty warehouse, "is that no one will hear you scream. No one will find you here. I could keep you both for weeks if I wanted

will look for

car is at the bottom

disappeared." James picked up his

anyone thinks to search for you,

the door, then paused and