MasukShare
Chapter 31
Terakhir Diperbarui:
2025-04-14 15:08:17
Bab terkait
SCORNED EX WIFE : Queen Of Ashes Chapter 32
CAMILLE'S POINT OF VIEWHis words hung in the air between us, dangerous and sharp. "Welcome back to the land of the living, Ms. Kane. Or should I use your previous name?"I kept my face still, fighting the storm that raged inside my chest. Years of practice hiding emotions from Rose. Months of Victoria's merciless training. Everything in me focused on not revealing the bolt of fear that shot through my body."I'm afraid you've mistaken me for someone else," I said, withdrawing my hand from his grasp. My voice stayed perfectly steady, cool and distant. "I don't have a previous name."Alexander Pierce studied me with those unnerving gray eyes, a slight smile playing at the corners of his mouth. Too knowing. Too certain."Is that so?" He tilted his head slightly, examining me as one might examine an interesting puzzle. "My mistake, then."But his tone made it clear he believed no such thing. He wasn't backing down, merely shifting tactics."First public appearance?" he asked, smoothly ch
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-04-14SCORNED EX WIFE : Queen Of Ashes Chapter 33
Camille's point of view Everyone else saw what I wanted them to see. What Victoria had crafted me to show. Alexander Pierce had somehow looked past all of that to the woman beneath, the woman I thought was safely buried.I showered, letting hot water wash away the last traces of tonight's performance, then changed into silk pajamas and moved to the sitting area of my suite. Sleep would be impossible with my mind in such turmoil. Instead, I poured a small glass of bourbon from the decanter on my side table, a habit adopted from Victoria, and curled into the window seat overlooking the grounds.The estate spread below me, perfectly manicured gardens now shadowed in moonlight, security lights marking the perimeter in the distance. Beyond the gates, the city glowed against the night sky, millions of lives unfolding in patterns I would never know.*"I suspect we'll be seeing more of each other, Ms. Kane."*His words played in my mind, the confidence in them suggesting he'd already decided
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-04-14SCORNED EX WIFE : Queen Of Ashes Chapter 34
Chapter 34 "You'll attend the Bellamy Gallery auction in my place tonight," Victoria said, not looking up from the documents spread across her desk. The statement carried the weight of command rather than request. Camille paused by the doorway of Victoria's home office. "The Bellamy auction? Isn't that where..." "Yes," Victoria confirmed, finally glancing up with calculating eyes. "According to my sources, both Rose and Stefan will be in attendance. Rose has been desperately trying to secure a meeting with Kane Industries' investment team for weeks. This presents an... opportunity." Camille's heart quickened. "To see them?" "To observe their dynamics in a neutral setting. To understand exactly what you're up against." Victoria rose from her chair, moving to stand before Camille with critical assessment. "The question is whether you're ready." "I've spent months preparing," Camille replied, steadying her voice. "I've changed everything about myself. They won't recognize me." Vict
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-04-15SCORNED EX WIFE : Queen Of Ashes Chapter 35
ALEXANDER POINT OF VIEW The soft hum of my car's engine fills the silence as I watch the gallery entrance. Rain taps against the windows, turning the city lights into blurred stars. My thoughts keep returning to her - to the moment she collided with me outside that powder room, to the brief flash of raw emotion in her eyes before her careful mask slipped back into place.Camille. Even her name feels different on my tongue now.My security team thinks I'm obsessed. Maybe they're right. I've spent a year tracking her transformation, gathering every scrap of information about who she was before Victoria Kane molded her into this new creation. The photos tell a story Victoria doesn't understand, a story of survival, not victimhood.I pull up an old photo on my phone. Camille Lewis at her engagement party, standing slightly behind Rose while Stefan's attention clearly drifted toward her sister. Even then, something in her eyes spoke of quiet strength. They never saw it. Never recognized w
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-04-15SCORNED EX WIFE : Queen Of Ashes Chapter 36
Chapter 36 Camille's point of view There's a particular satisfaction in watching something fall apart from a distance, in witnessing the precise moment when confidence shatters and reality crashes down. Victoria had taught me that. "True power isn't in the destruction itself," she'd told me once, "but in knowing you orchestrated it while they never saw you coming." As I sat at the head of the conference table in Kane industries' executive boardroom, I savored that lesson, watching the faces of Pacific Maritime's leadership crumble under the weight of their impending ruin. I watched the numbers change on my tablet as Pacific Maritime's stock price plummeted. Each drop represented another piece of Stefan's empire crumbling. The company's board members sat across from me in Kane Industries' main conference room, their faces growing paler by the minute. "Your company lost forty percent of its value in the last hour," I said, my voice carrying through the silent room. "In fifteen minut
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-04-15SCORNED EX WIFE : Queen Of Ashes Chapter 37
Stefan hurled his crystal tumbler against the wall of his home office. The sound of shattering glass matched the chaos in his mind. Forty percent. His company stock had dropped forty percent in a single day. Billions wiped out in hours.His phone kept buzzing, board members, investors, his father. All demanding answers he didn't have. How had Kane Industries outmaneuvered them so completely? The takeover of Pacific Maritime shouldn't have been possible. Their defenses had been solid. Their contracts secured.Yet here he sat, watching his family's legacy crumble through real-time stock updates on his phone screen. Each notification drove the knife deeper."Darling?" Rose's voice drifted through his office door. "Can we talk about the wedding plans? The planner needs final numbers for-""Not now." His voice came out harsh, rough from hours of emergency calls.She entered anyway, dressed for the evening in a red designer dress that probably cost more than his employees made in a month.
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-04-15SCORNED EX WIFE : Queen Of Ashes Chapter 38
Chapter 38Camille's point of view I sat in my private office at Kane Industries, watching six screens track different aspects of my plan to destroy Rodriguez Shipping. Each monitor told part of the story, stock prices, trading volumes, news alerts, social media sentiment, competitor reactions, and internal communications we'd managed to intercept. One year of meticulous preparation leading to this pivotal moment. The leather of my executive chair creaked softly as I leaned forward, my reflection in the darkened glass showing a woman I sometimes barely recognized."Ready?" Victoria asked from the doorway, her tailored charcoal suit as impeccable as always. Her eyes gleamed with the predatory anticipation I'd come to recognize over our months working together."Everything's in position." I pulled up the final numbers, watching as our algorithms predicted the coming cascade. "Our traders are standing by in London, New York, and Singapore. The evidence of Rodriguez Shipping's safety vio
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-04-16SCORNED EX WIFE : Queen Of Ashes Chapter 39
Chapter 39Stefan stared at the empty boardroom seats, his hands shaking as he reached for another glass of water. The morning's board meeting felt like a firing squad, twelve angry faces demanding explanations he didn't have. Someone was systematically destroying Rodriguez Shipping, but he couldn't figure out who or why."The numbers are disastrous," Andrew Parker, head of the finance committee, said coldly. "Sixty-two percent stock drop. Major contracts vanishing. Suppliers backing out. And you still can't tell us what's happening?""I've had every analyst working around the clock," Stefan replied, hating the weakness in his voice. "The attacks are coming from multiple directions. Every time we plug one hole, three more appear.""Attacks?" Parker's laugh held no warmth. "Or just incompetence?"Other board members muttered in agreement. Three hours of defending himself, showing reports, promising solutions - none of it mattered. They wanted his head."A vote has been called," Thomas
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-04-16
Bab terbaru
SCORNED EX WIFE : Queen Of Ashes Chapter 101
Chapter 101The 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."Come in," 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, I started comparing every version of the blueprints."She pointed to a section showing the Grid's main junction box. "This is w
SCORNED EX WIFE : Queen Of Ashes Chapter 100
Chapter 100Victoria's hands shook as she poured herself a drink in her office. The setting sun cast long shadows across the room. Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows, New York City sparkled, unaware of the storm brewing among its towering buildings."Herod Preston," Victoria whispered the name like a curse, staring into her glass. "After all these years..."Camille had never seen Victoria like this, unsteady, shaken to her core. Since Alexander had revealed Rose's partner at the groundbreaking, Victoria had barely spoken, rushing them back to Kane Industries headquarters with security doubled."You need to tell me everything," Camille said. "Who is he? What does he want?"Victoria drained her glass in one swallow. "Herod Preston is the younger brother of Charles Preston. The man who was engaged to my daughter Sophia before her death."She set her glass down with a sharp click."Charles Preston's family owned Preston Shipping, once a rival to Kane Industries. They were old money, ver
SCORNED EX WIFE : Queen Of Ashes Chapter 99
Chapter 99:Morning sunlight bathed the construction site in golden light as hundreds gathered for the Phoenix Grid groundbreaking ceremony. Camera crews swarmed like bees, jostling for position around the stage erected at the center of what would soon become the most advanced power distribution hub in the country. Massive red banners bearing the Kane Industries logo and the Phoenix Grid emblem fluttered in the spring breeze.Behind the stage, in a temporary structure serving as a preparation area, Camille stared at her reflection in a full-length mirror. Her cream-colored suit was impeccable, her makeup flawless, the perfect corporate image Victoria had taught her to project. Yet beneath this polished exterior, unease churned in her stomach.Hannah Zhao, the chief engineer, poked her head through the doorway. "Five minutes, Ms. Kane."Camille nodded, adjusting the phoenix pin on her lapel. Even after discovering the blueprint discrepancies, Victoria had insisted the ceremony proceed
SCORNED EX WIFE : Queen Of Ashes Chapter 98
Chapter 98Rose stared at the screens covering the wall of Herod Preston's penthouse office. Six displays showed different angles of the Phoenix Grid construction site, live feeds that shouldn't exist. Workers in yellow hard hats moved across the site like ants, unaware of the predatory eyes watching their every move."Your security access is impressive," Rose said, stepping closer to examine a monitor showing the main control center where engineers hunched over computers. "How did you get these feeds?"Herod's mouth curled into the barest hint of a smile. "Money opens doors. Especially when those doors belong to underpaid security guards with gambling debts."He stood beside her, close enough that she could smell his expensive cologne. In the three weeks since they'd begun working together, Rose had grown to appreciate his attention to detail. Unlike the men she'd manipulated before, Herod Preston understood the value of patience. Of precision."And our man?" she asked, tapping a fi
SCORNED EX WIFE : Queen Of Ashes Chapter 97
Chapter 97Rain lashed against the windows of Victoria Kane's office, matching her dark mood. She sat rigid in her leather chair, eyes fixed on the large screen mounted on the wall. The security footage playing before her sent ice through her veins despite the warmth of the room.Martin, her head of security, stood nearby, his face grim as they watched Rose Lewis slip into a side entrance of an upscale restaurant. The timestamp showed 9:43 PM, two days ago."Pause it," Victoria commanded.Martin pressed a button on the remote. The image froze, capturing Rose mid-step, her face partly hidden by large sunglasses despite the late hour. Even in disguise, the hatred Victoria felt for this woman burned in her stomach like acid."Continue."The footage resumed. Rose moved through the restaurant, head down, until she reached a private dining area in the back. A waiter pulled aside a curtain, revealing a booth where someone already waited. The camera angle only showed the back of a man's head,
SCORNED EX WIFE : Queen Of Ashes Chapter 96
Chapter 96The city lights twinkled below Camille's penthouse like fallen stars trapped on earth. She stood at the floor-to-ceiling windows, arms wrapped around herself, watching the tiny cars move through the streets forty floors below. Behind her, Alexander poured two glasses of red wine, the soft gurgle of liquid filling the comfortable silence between them.It had been three days since the press the Phoenix project has issue and they sorted it out. Three days of relative peace. The thought felt strange to Camille, peace was not something she had known since finding those divorce papers twenty five months ago."Your thoughts seem far away," Alexander said, approaching with the wine glasses. His footsteps were quiet on the plush carpet.Camille accepted the glass, her fingers brushing his. That small touch sent warmth spreading up her arm. "Not far. Just... processing everything."Alexander stood beside her at the window. Unlike many men who felt the need to fill silence, he seemed
SCORNED EX WIFE : Queen Of Ashes Chapter 95
Chapter 95Three hours later, Rose gazed out the window of a private dining room in Montreal's most exclusive restaurant. Snow fell gently outside, illuminated by street lamps and café lights. Inside, candles flickered on their table, casting warm shadows across fine linens and crystal."You seem surprised to be enjoying yourself," Herod observed, watching her over the rim of his wine glass.Rose turned from the window. "I am, a little. I haven't thought about anything but revenge for so long. It feels strange to just... exist.""Vengeance is consuming," Herod agreed. "It leaves little room for ordinary pleasures.""Is that why you collect books? To remember there's life beyond revenge?"He considered this. "Perhaps. Though I began collecting long before Victoria Kane entered my life."Rose studied him in the candlelight. Without the hard edges of their planning sessions, Herod Preston revealed different facets, cultured, thoughtful, even charming in his precise way."Tell me about th
SCORNED EX WIFE : Queen Of Ashes Chapter 94
Chapter 94Rose stepped onto the balcony of Herod's penthouse, a glass of champagne catching the golden light of sunset. Below, Manhattan sprawled in all its glittering glory, oblivious to the small victory celebration taking place sixty floors above."To successful beginnings," Herod said, joining her with his own glass. The evening breeze ruffled his dark hair, softening his usually severe appearance."Six percent," Rose replied, satisfaction warming her voice. "Six percent drop in a single day. Millions wiped from Kane Industries' value."Their glasses clinked, crystal meeting crystal with a delicate ring. Rose sipped the expensive champagne, bubbles dancing on her tongue. The taste of revenge was even sweeter than the Dom Pérignon."You should have seen Victoria's face during that press conference," she said, leaning against the railing. "So controlled on the surface, but I know that look in her eyes. She's rattled."Herod studied her, his expression curious. "You enjoy this, don'
SCORNED EX WIFE : Queen Of Ashes Chapter 93
Chapter 93Camille's phone buzzed against the boardroom table, its vibration cutting through her presentation. She glanced at the screen and felt her stomach drop."Excuse me," she said, her voice steadier than she felt. "Let's take a five-minute break."As the engineering team filed out, Camille opened the alert.*BREAKING: Kane Industries (KI) down 8.7% on rumors of Phoenix Grid safety concerns*She scrolled quickly to a financial blog post: "SOURCES CLAIM PHOENIX GRID POSES UNPRECEDENTED FIRE RISK."The article cited "anonymous whistleblowers inside Kane Engineering" who allegedly provided documents showing the power distribution nodes could overheat under certain conditions. The claims were vague but specific enough to sound credible.Camille called Victoria. No answer. She tried Alexander next."I've seen it," he said immediately. "PR is already crafting a response.""Who would do this?" Camille demanded, pacing the empty boardroom. "Three days before groundbreaking? This isn't c
