SCORNED EX WIFE Queen Of Ashes (Camille and Stefan) novel Chapter 203

Chapter 203

Alexander Pierce stood in his empty penthouse, staring at the financial news ticker scrolling across his wall-mounted screen. Kane Industries stock had not only recovered from its morning crash but was now trading higher than before Victoria's collapse. His carefully orchestrated attack had been completely neutralized in a matter of hours.

His hands trembled with rage as he gripped his phone, watching the numbers climb steadily upward. Months of planning. Months of gathering evidence, building his case, positioning himself for the perfect strike. All of it undone by a few phone calls from powerful men he'd never even considered.

The penthouse felt cavernous around him. Camille's belongings were gone, taken during his brief absence yesterday. Her books, her clothes, her coffee mug from the kitchen counter - every trace of their life together had been erased. The silence pressed against him like a physical weight.

His phone buzzed with an encrypted message: *Meeting tonight. Pier 47. 11 PM.*

Alexander's jaw clenched. The Guardian wanted to meet in person. That only happened when plans required major adjustments or when things had gone catastrophically wrong.

The hours crawled by with agonizing slowness. Alexander paced his apartment, replaying the morning's events over and over. He'd watched the stock price plummet during pre-market trading, felt the satisfaction of seeing Victoria's empire finally cracking under pressure. Then Richard Lewis and Senator Alvarez had appeared like avenging angels, systematically dismantling his attack with surgical precision.

Who was Senator Alvarez to Camille? Alexander had researched every aspect of her life, every relationship, every connection. The revelation that one of the most powerful men in Washington would personally intervene to save Kane Industries felt like discovering a hidden landmine in familiar territory.

By ten-thirty, Alexander was driving through the industrial district toward the waterfront. Pier 47 was abandoned at this hour, nothing but rusted shipping containers and broken streetlights. The kind of place where conversations happened that could never be traced or recorded.

He found the Guardian waiting in the shadows between two storage units, a figure in an expensive coat whose face remained hidden in darkness.

"You failed," the Guardian said without preamble.

"The Lewis family intervened. I had no way of predicting Senator Alvarez would get involved."

"You should have researched deeper. You should have known about every connection, every relationship, every potential threat."

Alexander's hands clenched into fists. "I spent months gathering intelligence on Victoria Kane and Camille. There was no indication that..."

"There was no indication because you were looking at the wrong targets." The Guardian's voice carried cold disappointment. "You focused on Victoria's business relationships and Camille's emotional vulnerabilities. You ignored the most dangerous threat of all."

"Which is?"

"Old money. Old power. The kind of influence that doesn't show up in corporate filings or social media profiles." The Guardian stepped closer, his face still obscured by shadow. "Richard Lewis comes from five generations of New England wealth. His family has been placing senators and judges for over a century. Senator Alvarez owes his entire political career to Lewis family support."

Alexander felt sick. "You knew about this?"

"I suspected. But I thought Victoria's crimes were severe enough that even the Lewis family wouldn't risk their reputation defending her." The Guardian's tone was bitter. "I underestimated their loyalty to Camille."

"So what now? We've lost the element of surprise. They know someone is targeting Kane Industries."

"Now we escalate to ensure justice is served."

Alexander didn't like the sound of that. "What do you mean?"

The Guardian pulled out a tablet and showed Alexander a series of financial documents. "The Lewis family's wealth comes from dozens of investments, holdings, and business partnerships. Real estate developments, technology companies, pharmaceutical research. As long as they can prop up Kane Industries with their connections and capital, Victoria Kane will never face consequences for what she did."

Alexander studied the documents, his stomach growing heavier with each page. "You want to attack Camille's parents?"

"I want to ensure that seventeen innocent people who died in that factory explosion get the justice they deserve. I want to make sure Victoria Kane can't hide behind powerful friends when the truth comes out."

"This isn't about Camille's family. This is about Victoria's crimes."

"Is it?" The Guardian's voice took on a passionate edge. "Think about it, Alexander. Victoria Kane covered up a factory accident that killed seventeen people. She destroyed your uncle's company and drove him to suicide to protect her own reputation. And now she's using her adopted daughter's family connections to escape accountability."

Alexander felt the familiar anger burning in his chest. "The Lewis family is protecting Kane Industries because they love Camille, not because they know about Victoria's crimes."

"Exactly. They're choosing family loyalty over justice for murder victims. They're helping a killer escape consequences because she happens to be their daughter's adoptive mother."

"They don't know what Victoria did."

"Then maybe it's time they learned." The Guardian gestured to the tablet again. "We expose Victoria's crimes publicly. We show the world, including the Lewis family, exactly what kind of woman they're protecting. When they see the evidence of her cover-up, when they understand that seventeen people died because of her greed, they'll withdraw their support."

Alexander stared at the documents detailing Richard and Margaret Lewis's investments. "And if they don't? If they choose to support Victoria even after knowing the truth?"