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Chapter 51
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2025-04-19 02:41:22
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SCORNED EX WIFE : Queen Of Ashes Chapter 52
Chapter 52Victoria Kane's hotel suite in Chicago offered a panoramic view of Lake Michigan, a vista most would stop to admire. She noticed none of it. Instead, her attention remained fixed on the tablet in her hand, fingers swiping through news article after news article, each headline worse than the last."BILLIONAIRE BACHELOR ALEXANDER PIERCE GIFTS $100M NECKLACE TO MYSTERIOUS KANE HEIRESS""POWER COUPLE ALERT: PIERCE AND KANE SEND SOCIAL MEDIA INTO FRENZY""FROM RECLUSE TO ROMANCE: HAS THE COLD-HEARTED TECH GENIUS FINALLY MET HIS MATCH?"Each article featured the same photographs, Alexander placing the diamond necklace around Camille's throat, his hands lingering at her neck. Camille's genuine smile as she looked up at him, a softness in her expression Victoria had never seen before. The two of them standing together as if the crowded fundraiser had faded away, leaving them in a world of their own.Victoria's manicured nail cracked the screen protector as she pressed too hard, swi
Last Updated : 2025-04-19SCORNED EX WIFE : Queen Of Ashes Chapter 53
Chapter 53Sunlight streamed through the tall windows of Camille's private suite, warming the polished wood floors and catching the fire of diamonds still resting on her dressing table. She hadn't returned the necklace to its velvet box last night, instead leaving it where she could see it when she woke this morning, a physical reminder that the events at the museum hadn't been a dream.Her phone lit up with another notification. The fifth news alert in twenty minutes. She reached for it, already knowing what she'd find. Another article. Another photo. Another round of speculation about her and Alexander Pierce.This one came from the Business Insider: "WALL STREET ABUZZ: KANE-PIERCE CONNECTION SENDS MARKETS SOARING." The photograph showed them standing together beneath the museum chandeliers, Alexander's hand resting lightly at the small of her back, her face turned up toward his with an expression of genuine warmth that looked foreign even to her own eyes.Camille scrolled through t
Last Updated : 2025-04-19SCORNED EX WIFE : Queen Of Ashes Chapter 54
Chapter 54Victoria's eyebrows rose slightly. "Explain.""Kane Industries stock is up nearly eight percent since market opening. Pierce Technologies up over nine percent. The market clearly approves of the perceived connection." Rebecca scrolled through her notes. "Social media sentiment analysis shows ninety-three percent positive reaction to the... pairing. The PR team believes this presents a unique opportunity to strengthen both the Kane Industries brand and Ms. Kane's personal public image."Victoria's expression remained unchanged, but Camille caught the slight tightening of her fingers on the tablet, the only outward sign of her displeasure."Public perception is notoriously fickle," Victoria replied. "Today's approval can become tomorrow's scandal. We built Camille's image on foundations of dignity, intelligence, grace and appropriate distance. Not tabloid romance.""With respect," Rebecca continued, clearly aware she was treading dangerous ground, "the team believes this deve
Last Updated : 2025-04-19SCORNED EX WIFE : Queen Of Ashes Chapter 55
Chapter 55The morning light poured through the floor-to-ceiling windows of Alexander's office, turning the polished wood of his desk golden. He stood with his back to the room, hands clasped behind him, watching the city awaken sixty floors below. The view from Pierce Tower offered a perfect vantage point to observe Manhattan without being observed in return, a fitting metaphor for how he preferred to operate in all aspects of life.Behind him, Sarah cleared her throat softly. She had perfected the art of commanding his attention without seeming to demand it."The morning briefing is ready," she said, tablet poised in her hands. At thirty-two, Sarah Matthews maintained the efficiency that had made her invaluable to Alexander's rise. Brown streaked her dark hair, but her mind remained razor-sharp, her loyalty unquestioned.Alexander turned from the window. "Begin with the market response.""Pierce Technologies stock opened at a record high this morning. Up twelve percent since yesterd
Last Updated : 2025-04-19SCORNED EX WIFE : Queen Of Ashes Chapter 56
Chapter 56Rain lashed against the penthouse windows, matching the storm brewing inside. Rose stared at Stefan across the living room, his posture rigid as he clutched his phone in a white-knuckled grip. The text message glowed on the screen between them, another buyer canceling their order, another financial blow to her already crumbling fashion empire."That's the third cancellation today," Rose said, fighting to keep her voice steady. "Bergdorf claims 'brand association concerns.' As if they've suddenly developed a moral conscience."Stefan didn't look up. "Did you sleep with him too?""What?""The Bergdorf buyer." His voice held a coldness she'd never heard before. "Did you sleep with him like you did with Jonathan Hayes? Like you did with Lord Hartley? Like you apparently did with half of London while I was here, thinking about you every day?"Rose flinched as if he'd slapped her. "That's not fair.""Fair?" Stefan finally looked up, eyes red-rimmed from lack of sleep. "The photos
Last Updated : 2025-04-19SCORNED EX WIFE : Queen Of Ashes Chapter 57
Chapter 57Camille's point of view The afternoon sun warmed my office, casting golden light across the polished mahogany of my desk. I twirled the small blue velvet box between my fingers, savoring the moment before opening it. Alexander's security chief had delivered it personally twenty minutes ago, his professional demeanor never slipping as he handed over both the box and a sealed envelope."Mr. Pierce sends his regards, Ms. Kane," was all he'd said before departing.Now, alone with this unexpected gift, I found myself hesitating. The diamond necklace still rested in my personal safe upstairs, Victoria had reluctantly agreed to delay its return after our PR team's insistence that the publicity was benefiting Kane Industries. This new offering suggested Alexander had no intention of letting our connection fade quietly away.I opened the envelope first, sliding a finger beneath the seal. The handwritten note inside showed strong, confident strokes, Alexander hadn't delegated this t
Last Updated : 2025-04-19SCORNED EX WIFE : Queen Of Ashes Chapter 58
Stefan stared at the offer letter on his desk until the words blurred together. Thirty cents on the dollar. For shipping routes his grandfather had established. For contracts his father had nurtured. For a legacy three generations of Rodriguez men had built with sweat and sacrifice.Thirty cents on the dollar. A number designed to wound as much as to acquire.Behind him, the Rodriguez Shipping headquarters buzzed with the frantic energy of a dying animal. Staff packed personal belongings into cardboard boxes. Security escorted tearful employees to the elevator. Phones rang unanswered throughout the building as news of their financial collapse spread through the industry.Three hours earlier, the board had voted to remove him as CEO. Only his father's intervention, and their family's controlling shares, had prevented his complete dismissal. Now he clung to the title of "Executive CEO," a meaningless position created solely to spare the family public embarrassment."They're waiting for
Last Updated : 2025-04-19SCORNED EX WIFE : Queen Of Ashes Chapter 59
Chapter 59Camille's point of view "They rejected our offer."Rebecca's words hung in the air between us, impossible, unthinkable. The folder in her hands contained the formal response from Rodriguez Shipping, a single page declining our "generous proposal" with diplomatic language that barely masked the defiance beneath."That's not possible," I said, my voice too quiet even to my own ears. "They're broke. Desperate. Days from complete collapse.""Mr. Rodriguez was quite firm." Rebecca set the folder on my desk, her expression professionally neutral despite delivering news she knew would infuriate me. "Their lead negotiator said the family would rather see the company fail entirely than sell its legacy routes to Kane Industries at thirty cents on the dollar."Heat rose from my chest to my throat, a burning tide of rage I hadn't felt since the night Stefan had handed me divorce papers on our anniversary. Since the night Rose had smirked at my pain while pretending concern. Since the
Last Updated : 2025-04-19
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SCORNED EX WIFE : Queen Of Ashes Chapter 102
Chapter 102Rain streaked down the windows of Herod Preston's penthouse, turning Manhattan's skyline into a blurry watercolor painting. Rose stood at the glass, watching lightning flash between the clouds. Her reflection stared back at her, a ghost of herself caught between the storm outside and the one brewing within.Behind her, Herod ended his phone call and set his cell on the marble counter with a soft click. The sound pulled Rose from her thoughts."Well?" she asked, not turning around."It's confirmed." His voice carried that smooth confidence that had first drawn her to him. "Walsh says construction is proceeding exactly according to our modified plans. He installed the final set of altered circuit boards himself this morning."Rose pressed her palm against the cool glass. "And no one noticed the changes?""No one. Not even the chief engineer." His footsteps approached, slow and measured. "The beauty of our modifications is their subtlety. Each change looks legitimate on its o
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'
