SCORNED EX WIFE Queen Of Ashes (Camille and Stefan)

Chapter 101

The clock on Camille's office wall

ticked past eleven. Most of Kane Industries had emptied hours ago, but Camille, couldn't rest, not with Victoria's

revelations about Herod Preston still echoing in her mind.

A soft knock pulled her from her thoughts.

"Cin," she called.

Hannah Zhao, the Phoenix Grid's chief engineer, entered clutching a stack of rolled blueprints. Her normally neat

appearance had frayed, hair escaping its bun, dark circles under her eyes.

"Ms. Kane, I'm sorry to bother you so late, but..." Hannah hesitated.

Camille motioned to the chair across from her desk. "It's fine. What's wrong?"

Hannah sat, placing the blueprints between them. "I've been going over these since the groundbreaking

ceremony.

She unrolled the top sheet. "Something feels... off."

"Off how?"

"After finding those modifications to the safety protocols last week, | started comparing

every version of the blueprints."

She pointed to a section showing the Grid's main junction box. "This is what | designed originally," Hannah said,

then unrolled a second blueprint. "And this is what's currently on file for construction." To Camille's untrained

eye, they looked identical.

"What am | missing?" she asked.

Hannah retrieved a magnifying glass. "Look at the temperature sensors here, here, and here. The specifications

are off by tiny increments. Half a millimeter in placement. Two degrees in the trigger threshold. A Camille

examined the areas Hannah indicated. "These are very small changes."

"Individually, yes. But collectively? These modifications would allow the junction boxes to overheat without

triggering the emergency shutdown protocols. The system would continue operating as if everything we

"How dangerous?"

Hannah met her eyes directly. "Catastrophic failure. Potential explosions at multiple sites. Massive power

outages. And the modifications would make it look like design flaws, like Kane Industries had built an inh Camille

sat back, the implications hitting her. This wasn't just sabotage, it was

character assassination.

"When did you first notice these discrepancies?" Camille asked.

"I caught sbefore the groundbreaking, the ones | showed you and Mr. Pierce last week. We fixed those. But

these are different. More subtle. It's like someone went through twice, making different kinds of o Or two

different people made changes," Camille murmured, thinking of Rose and Herod.

"Maybe." Hannah looked uneasy. "What | can't figure out

how anyone got access. Our system requires multiple authorizations, biometric verification...."

Chapter 101

"Someone on the inside." Camille stood abruptly. "Keep this between us for now. I'm calling Mr. Pierce, and then

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we're going through every blueprint. Every specification."

"That could take all night," Hannah said.

Camille nodded grimly. "Then we'd better get started."

sok

By one in the morning, Camille's office had transformed. Blueprints covered every surface,vher desk, the

conference table, even sections of the floor. Hannah had sketched diagrams on the glass wall with erasa

Alexander had arrived within thirty minutes of Camille's call, bringing

coffee and a focused intensity. He now sat cross-

legged on the floor, comparing circuit diagrams.

"Seventeen distinct modifications," Hannah announced, adding another mark to her tally. "All made within the

last three weeks."

"All targeting safety systems," Alexander added. "Nothing that would affect performance during testing or initial

operation."

"They wanted it to fail spectacularly. After we'd declared it safe."

Camille rubbed her eyes. "After people started relying on it."

Hannah picked up another blueprint. "They focus on the intersection points, where

our system connects to the city's existing power grid. That's where feedback loops could create the most

damage."

"Maximum chaos," Alexander said. "Maximum blon Kane Industries."

Camille moved to the window. "We need to identify who made these changes. Every modification should have a

digital signature."

Hannah nodded, pulling out her laptop. "I can run a trace. But if they were smart enough to access the system..."

"They were smart enough to cover their tracks," Alexander finished.

While Hannah worked, Camille joined Alexander, examining the circuit diagrams. Their shoulders touched as

they leaned over the sdocument. She found comfort in his steady presence.

"Do you think Rose understands any of this technical material?" she asked quietly.

Alexander shook his head. "Not likely. But Herod might. Or they've hired someone."

"The electrician," Camille realized. "Someone on the construction crew. Someone with access and technical

knowledge."

"Found something!" Hannah interrupted. "The system logs show blueprint access from authorized terminals, but

at odd hours. When the primary users weren't in the building according to security logs."

She turned her screen toward

them. "See these timestamps 2:14 AM. 3:47 AM. No one from the engineering team

was here."

"Stolen credentials," Alexander suggested.

"Maybe. But look at this entry. The biometric scan registered as Louis Brown, one of our senior electricians. At 4:

30 AM on a Sunday." "Could someone have faked his biometrics?" Camille asked

Chapter 101

Hannah shook her head. "Not easily. Our system uses multiple validation points, fingerprint, retinal scan, and

voice recognition."

Camille and Alexander exchanged a look. "So either Louis is involved, or someone forced him to provide access."

"Either way, we need to find him." Alexander pulled out his phone.

"Wait," Camille placed her hand over his. "If he is working with Rose and Herod, and we confront him directly..."

"They'll know we're onto them," Alexander finished. "But we also can't let these

modified blueprints remain in the system."

Hannah looked between them. "I can create a new set of blueprints with

the correct specifications. Upload them as an 'updated

version' rather than flagging the current ones.

"Would that work?" Camille asked.

Hannah nodded. "It's standard procedure to issue revisions. No

one would question it."

"Do it," Camille said. "But keep the modified versions for evidence."

While Hannah worked, Alexander pulled Camille aside. "We need to watch Walsh without alerting him. If he's

their inside man, he could lead

us to Rose and Herod."

"| agree. But we also need to check every other system. If they compromised the blueprints, what else might

they have accessed?"

For the next hour, they reviewed security protocols, testing procedures, and implementation schedules. The

sabotage was comprehensive, clearly the work of someone with both technical knowledge and acces By three in

the morning, Hannah had uploaded corrected blueprints. Alexander had arranged surveillance on James Walsh

using

his own resources to avoid potential leaks.

Camille stared at the glass wall covered in Hannah's

markings, each representing a potential disaster averted. Rose hadn't just tried to destroy the Grid, she'd tried to

destroy Camille's reputation, her future, possibly her freedom if the failures had been blamed on "We should get

srest," Alexander said softly. "Hannah's nearly asleep at her keyboard."

After Hannah left, Camille collapsed onto her office sofa. The weight of everything, Victoria's

revelations about Herod, the blueprint sabotage, the knowledge that someone inside Kane Industries had

betrayed them, crushed down on her.

Alexander sat beside her, taking her hand. "We caught it in time. The Grid is safe now,

"This time," Camille said. "But Rose and Herod won't stop. They'll try something else."

"Next twe'll be

ready," Alexander assured her. "They think their sabotage is still in place. That gives us an advantage."

Camille wanted to believe him. But the nagging feeling that they were missing something crucial wouldn't leave

her.

"What if the blueprints are just one part of their plan?" she asked. "What if there's something else we haven't

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found yet?" Alexander squeezed her hand. "Then we'll find it. Together

Chapter 101

As Camille gathered the scattered blueprints, a thought struck her. "These modifications are incredibly technical.

But they also required intimate knowledge of our security systems. That suggests two people, a "Walsh could be

the technical expert," Alexander suggested. "But who's the insider?"

Camille stilled. "Someone high enough to access secure systems. Someone who's been here long enough to

know all our

protocols."

"You're thinking of a specific person."

Camille nodded slowly. "Damon Greene. Head of Special Projects. He worked with Victoria for fifteen years. He

has access to everything, including biometric systems."

"Why would he help Rose?"

"I don't know. But he always seemed to resent Victoria bringingin. And he was traveling last month when the

first modifications appeared. Supposedly at our Tokyo office, but..."

"I'll have him checked out," Alexander promised. "Discreetly."

Camille nodded, though unease still prickled along her skin "What if Rose and Herod have allies

throughout Kane Industries?"

He rose, crossing to her. "Then we trust no one except each other and Victoria."

His face was set in determination, but his eyes held a softness reserved only for her.

"I won't let them hurt you," he said quietly.

Camille leaned forward, resting her forehead against his chest. She felt his arms encircle her, solid and secure.

"Promisesomething,” she whispered.

"Anything."

"Promisewe won't becthem. That in

fighting Rose and Herod, we lose ourselves to hatred. To revenge."

His arms tightened around her. "I promise."

Outside, the first pale light of dawn touched the horizon. A new day beginning, bringing new dangers. But for the

first tsince learning about Herod Preston, Camille felt something besides fear and determinat

She felt hope. Small and fragile, but present nonetheless.

Together, they had uncovered the sabotage in time. Together, they would face whatever cnext.

But as Camille gathered the last of the blueprints, doubt echoed in her mind. They had found these

modifications, but

what if there were others, hidden deeper? What if this discovery was exactly what Rose and Herod wanted, to

give them false confidence?

She glanced at Alexander, now arranging surveillance on Brown and Greene. She wouldn't share her doubts yet.

Not until she had something concrete.

For now, they would proceed according to plan. Correct the sabotage. Track the traitors. Draw Rose and Herod

into the open.

But Camille couldn't shake the feeling that the real danger till lurked unseen, waiting for the perfect moment to

strike.