SCORNED EX WIFE Queen Of Ashes (Camille and Stefan)

Chapter 121

Rose hurled the crystal glass

across the penthouse. It shattered against the wall in a spray of liquid and glittering shards. On the television

screen, Camille and Alexander stood side by side at their press conference, hands joined, faces"How?" Rose

screamed at the screen. "How is this happening?"

She grabbed the remote, increasing the volto hear her sister's voice, calm, dignified, unashamed: "Yes,

Alexander Pierce and | are in a relationship. It began recently, but it is genuine and important to both Genuine.

Important. The words

burned in Rose's ears like acid. This was not how it was supposed to go. Camille should have been destroyed by

this exposure, her reputation in tatters, her position at Kane Industries compromised. Instead, sl Rose grabbed

another glass, ready to send it flying, when the penthouse door opened. Herod entered, his face a thundercloud

of barely contained rage. He tossed his phone onto the coffee table, where it displ "They've turned it around

completely," he said, his voice dangerously quiet. "The market is responding positively to their announcement.

The financial

documents we planted are being questioned by every major outlet."

"I can see that," Rose snapped, gesturing to the television where financial analysts were now discussing the

"Kane-

Pierce power alliance" with enthusiasm. "They're practically celebrating them!"

Herod loosened his tie with sharp, angry movements. "Victoria. This has her fingerprints all

over it. Only she would have the audacity to turn a scandal into a strategic announcement."

Rose paced across the penthouse, unable to contain the energy coursing through her. "I planned this perfectly,"

she hissed. "The photos, the timing, the fake emails, it should have destroyed them both!"

"Yet here we are," Herod said, pouring himself a drink from the bar. He didn't offer Rose one, knowing she was

beyond such niceties now. "Our strategy has not only failed but backfired spectacularly."

On the screen, the camera showed Camille and Alexander leaving the press conference together. The

commentator's voice gushed: *"In an age of spin and denial, the directness of Kane and Pierce's approach

has resonated deeply with the public. Social media is overwhelmingly supportive, with many praising their

honesty and courage in the face of what appears to be a targeted attack.“*

"Turn it off," Rose demanded, her voice shaking with fury. "Turn it off now."

Herod obliged, the screen going black, leaving only their reflections staring back at them, Rose with her hair

disheveled from running her hands through it repeatedly, Herod still outwardly composed but with rag "This was

your strategy," he reminded her, a dangerous edge to his voice. "Your expertise in social manipulation. Your

certainty that exposing their relationship would destroy them."

Rose whirled on him. "Don't you dare blthis all on me! You approved every step. You provided the resources,

the connections to get

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those photos, to plant those documents."

"Which we've now wasted," Herod replied coldly. "Hundreds of thousands of dollars for what? To make your sister

and Pierce more popular than ever? To strengthen Kane Industries’ stock position?" Rose's hands curled into fists,

nails digging into her palms hard enough to leave half-

moon

marks. "It should have worked," she insisted. "No one recovers from a scandal like this. No one."

"Apparently, they do." Herod drained his glass. "The question is, what now? Our opening move has failed. We've

lost the element of surprise. They'll be watching for our next attack."

Rose walked to the floor-to-

ceiling windows, staring out at the city lights. Somewhere out there, Camille was probably celebrating her

victory, laughing with Alexander about how they had turned Rose's attack against her. The thought mad "We

need something bigger," she said, her breath fogging

the glass. "Something they can't spin into a positive."

"Such as?" Herod asked, his reflection appearing behind her in the window.

Rose turned to face him. "Victoria. She's their weak point. Remove her

from the equation, and Camille loses her guide, her mentor, her backup plan."

"Victoria Kane is untouchable," Herod said dismissively. "We've been through this."

"No one is untouchable," Rose insisted, a new fire burning in her eyes. "Everyone has secrets. Everyone has

vulnerabilities. We just haven't found hers yet."

13

Chapter 121

Herod studied her for a long moment. "You truly hate her, don't you? Your sister."

"She's not my sister," Rose snapped automatically. "And hate doesn't begin to describe what | feel for her."

She moved closer to Herod, energy radiating from her in waves. "Camille took everything from me. My

reputation, my business, my future. She exposedto the world as a fraud, a cheat, a villain. And now sh in

shadows?"

Her voice rose with each word, trembling with rage, with injustice, with the bitter taste of defeat. "I will not

accept this. | will not let her win. Not after everything I've sacrificed, everything I've endured." Something shifted

in Herod's expression as he watched

her, a dark appreciation for the fury burning through her. He set down his

empty glass and stepped closer.

"Then we'll find another way," he said, his voice lower now. "A more direct approach."

"What do you mean?"

“q

mean," Herod said carefully, "that perhaps we've been too subtle. Too focused on financial maneuvers and public

opinion. Perhaps it's tfor something more... definitive."

The implication hung in the air between them. Rose felt her heart beat faster, not with fear but with a terrible

excitement You mean..."

"I mean Victoria Kane is scheduled to return to work next week, Herod interrupted. "The Phoenix Grid's final

section goes live the day after. Both events will require their physical presence at specific locations, a His eyes

held hers, dark and unblinking. “Predictability creates vulnerability."

Rose felt her breath catch. This was new territory, beyond anything they had discussed before. Not reputation

destruction or financial ruin, but something far more permanent. The thought should have frightened "Would you

really go that far?" she asked quietly.

Herod's hand cup, fingers tracing the line of her

jaw with unexpected gentleness. "The Prestons have a long memory for those who destroy what's ours. Victoria

took everything from my family. I've waited years for my chance at justice." His touch sent an ele "And you?" he

asked, his fingers still against her skin. "How far would you go to destroy your sister?"

Rose didn't hesitate. "All the way."

Something sparked between them then, a recognition, an understanding deeper than words. Herod's hand slid to

the back of her neck, pulling her toward him. Their lips met in a kiss that contained nothing of te Rose's anger

didn't diminish

with his touch, it transformed, channeling into a different kind of heat that raced through her veins. She pressed

against him, fingers digging into his shoulders hard enough to bruise. Their bodies collided like st Clothes fell

away, scattered across the penthouse floor as they moved toward the bedroom. Rose welcomed the pain of his

grip, the harsh press of his mouth against hers. This wasn't about pleasure or affecLater, tangled in sheets

damp with sweat, Rose stared at the ceiling, her body still humming with nervous

energy despite physical exhaustion. Beside her, Herod traced the line of her spine with idle fingers.

"We'll need to be careful," he said, breaking the long silence. "What we're considering... there's no coming back

from it." Rose turned to face him, her eyes glittering in the dim light. "I crossed the point of no retu parking

garage."

A shadow crossed Herod's face. "You never toldthe details of that night."

"I never meant for her to die," Rose admitted, the words sounding hollow even to her own ears. "I just wanted

her scared enough to leave town, to disappear from my life. Things... escalated."

"And now?"

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Rose's lips curved in a smile that held no warmth. "Now | understand my mistake. Half measures. | left too much

to chance." She sat up, the sheet falling away, her naked body silver in the moonlight streaming serror. This

time, there will be no room for failure."

Herod watched her, his expression unreadable. "Victoria first?"

Rose nodded. "Cut off the head, and the body will follow. Without Victoria, Camille is just a woman playing dress-

up in

Chapter 121

someone else's life. She'll crumble."

"And Alexander?"

"Will be too busy grieving to see us coming," Rose replied coldly. She leaned down, her hair creating a curtain

around their faces as she kissed him again, harder this time, claiming, marking. "Together, we'll tak Herod pulled

her back down beside

him, his hands tangling in her hair. "Tomorrow we plan. Tonight..."

"Tonight we celebrate the beginning of the end," Rose finished for him, her body moving against his with

renewed purpose. The anger that had consumed her earlier hadn't disappeared, it had transformed into

As dawn broke over the city, Rose stood naked at the penthouse windows, watching the first light touch the

buildings where her enemies slept, unaware of what was coming for

them. Behind her, Herod's reflection appeared as he approached, wrapping his arms around her waist.

"What are you thinking?" he asked, his breath warm against her neck.

Rose placed her palm against the cool glass, as if reaching for the city beyond.

"I'm thinking about the day Camille found

those divorce papers. How surprised she looked, how hurt. How satisfying it was to finally drop the mask after all

those years of pretending to care about her."

She turned in

his arms, her eyes hard with certainty. "I want to see that look on her face again. The

moment she realizes she's lost everything. The moment before the end."

Herod's hands tightened on her waist. "And you will. | promise you that."

Rose smiled as she kissed him again, the taste of victory

already sweet on her tongue. This time, there would be

no clever press conferences, no strategic announcements, no spinning failure into success.

This time, there would be only ashes.