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!"

That's the point. Right now, I have complete control over

and blood loss. The warehouse seemed to be spinning around her, and James's voice sounded like it

me, just do it. Don't

did to my father. You tortured him by taking away

pain was so intense that

watched her mother being hurt. "Please," she begged. "Please,

"is for you to understand that power means nothing

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

of Victoria Kane's suc her wealth, all of her influence - gone

Camille whispered. "Please

ess, all of

her heartbeat against the blade. Each pulse pushed her skin slightly

said, looking directly at James. "If you're going to do it, then do it. But let Camille go first. She never hurt your

"She's part of your empire. She

"She's innocent."

in your family

harder against Victoria's throat. A tiny drop of blood

"Last words?" he asked.

Victoria looked at Camille,

face. "I

gave my life meaning when I thought I had lost everything. You made me

never be one Whatever happens to me, you

keep

shaking her head. "No, don't talk like that. We're

here. We're both going

don't think

Her whole body shook with fear and pain from the

whispered. "If you're going to kill me,

a harsh laugh. "Death would be too kind, Mrs. Kane. Death

mean?" Victoria asked, though she

said, wiping the blood from the blade with a cloth. "Tonight was just to show you how helpless you really

her heart

satisfaction. "I have so much more planned for both of you. Tonight was

other instruments. Victoria could see that there

continued, his voice calm

it won't," James agreed. "But it will make sure that his death wasn't meaningless. It

"I have to go

"Session?" Victoria asked weakly.

calling our little meetings," James said with a smile that made both women's blood run cold. "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 from her arms, and she

no one will hear you

for us," Camille said

car is

simply disappeared." James picked up his laptop

search for

the door, then