Ch. 136..140: SCORNED EX WIFE Chapter 136-140

Chapter 136

Chapter 136

Rose stared at the television screen, her eyes bright with a feverish glow as breaking news footage showed smoke billowing from Substation 12. The explosion had done exactly what she wanted, Chaos. Fear. "It's beautiful,” she whispered, running her fingertips over the screen as if caressing lover. "Look at them scramble."

Herod stood behind her, his face ashen as he watched emergency vehicles rushing to the scene. This wasn't what he

had signed up for. Sabotage was one thing. Corporate espionage, stock manipulation, those were the weapons of business warfare he understood. But this... this was terrorism.

"We've made our point," he said, his voice tight. "The market will respond. Kane Industries stock will plummet. We can..."

"Point?" Rose spun

around, her eyes wild. "We haven't even started." She crossed to the hotel room's small table where she'd spread out maps of the Phoenix Grid's infrastructure. The maps were covered in red circles, targets. Herod's stomach lurched. "Kane Industries? The building could have hundreds of people inside."

"And?" Rose tilted her head, genuine confusion crossing her features. "Since when did you develop a conscience? Victoría Kane destroyed your family. Your brother killed himself because of her." "This is different," Herod said, backing

away from the table. “Business is business. This is..." He gestured at the television where reporters were discussing the explosion. "This could kill people, Rose."

Rose's laugh was brittle, splitting the air like breaking glass. "Oh, Herod. My sweet, naive Herod." She stepped closer to him, reaching up to brush her fingers along his jawline. "Did you think this was ever just a watch it burn."

Herod pulled away, his hand going to the small cuts her nails had left. "You

promised we would destroy

her reputation, force Victoria to cut ties with her. You said nothing about mass casualties."

"Plans evolve," Rose said with a shrug. "Besides, I arranged the bombing without you, and look...." She pointed to the television, now showing footage

of a new explosion. "It worked perfectly."

Herod stared at her, truly seeing her for the first time. The woman he'd thought was a cunning partner with a justified grudge had disappeared. In her place stood someone unhinged, consumed by hatred. "You're insane," he whispered.

Rose smiled, the expression cold and empty. "No, I'm determined. There's a difference." She turned back to her maps. "Now, for the main control center, I need you to...."

"I'm not doing this," Herod interrupted, backing toward the door. "We're done, Rose. This partnership is over."

Rose went still, her back to him. When she spoke, her voice was soft, almost gentle. "You don't want to do that, Herod."

"Watch me." He grabbed his jacket from the chair.

Rose turned slowly, and the look in her

eyes made him freeze. “If you walk out that door, I'll tell the FBI everything. How you helped

plan the bombing. How you provided the explosives. How you hacked into their security systems." She smiled." Your fingerprints are all over this, darling."

"You're bluffing," he said, but uncertainty crept into his voice.

"Am I?" She reached for her phone. "I've

documented everything. Every meeting, every plan. I have recordings." She held up the phone, showing him a screen full

of audio files with timestamps. "I've always been careful, Herod. It's how I've survived."

Herod's mind raced. Could he call her bluff? But what if she wasn't bluffing? The evidence she claimed to have would send him to prison for decades.

"Why?" he asked, his voice hollow. "I thought we

were in this together. I thought we..."

"Had something?" Rose finished for him, her voice mocking. "Oh, we did. It was fun while it

lasted. But this was never about us, Herod. This has always been about Camille." Her expression hardened. "She took everything from me. Everything. And now I'm going to take everything from her." "She didn't take anything from you," Herod said quietly "You tried to have her killed."

"A mistake," Rose snapped. "It was supposed t

Successfully unlocked!

"But it did," Herod said. "And now you're doing it again, only worse."

It wasn't supposed to go that far."

Rose waved her hand dismissively. "Collateral damage. The point is, Camille needs to suffer. Victoria needs to suffer." "And me?" Herod asked. "Was I just collateral damage too?"

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Chapter 136

Something flickered across Rose's face, regret, perhaps, or the ghost of genuine feeling. But it vanished quickly, replaced by cold determination.

"You were useful," she said. "You still are. But if you try to leave now, I'll bury you."

Herod sank into a chair, the weight of his choices crushing him. How had he not seen this coming? He'd been so focused on his vendetta against Victoria Kane that he'd blinded himself to Rose's true nature. "What do you want from me?" he asked, his voice flat with defeat.

Rose's smile returned, triumphant. "I need you to help me with the final phase. The main control center, and then Kane Industries itself."

"You're talking about mass murder," Herod said.

"I'm talking about justice," Rose

countered. "Victoria Kane destroyed your family. She's the reason your brother is dead." Herod shook his head. "My brother made his choice. I was angry for years, but this..." He gestured at the television, now showing the aftermath of both explosions. "This isn't justice."

"It's the only justice we're going to get," Rose insisted. She knelt before him, taking his hands in hers. For a moment, she looked like the woman he'd thought he was falling for, passionate, determined, focused. Herod pulled his hands away. "No, Rose. They haven't. We still have choices. We can still walk away from this."

"Walk away to what?" Rose demanded, her voice rising. "Prison?

Disgrace? We've crossed lines, Herod. There's no going back."

"There's always a way back," he said

quietly. "We could turn ourselves in. Explain that things got out of hand."

Rose's laugh was bitter. "And you think they'll believe that? That they'll show mercy?" She stood, pacing the small room like a caged animal. "No.

We finish this. We finish them."

Herod watched her, truly seeing the madness that drove her. She wasn't just bent on revenge, she was obsessed with destroying Camille, with becoming Camille by taking everything she had. It was a sickness And he had helped feed it.

"I need some air," he said, standing. "I need to think."

Rose's eyes narrowed. "If you're not back in an hour, I'll assume you've made your choice, and I'll send everything I have to the FBI."

He nodded, numb. "One hour."

Outside in the cool night air, Herod looked up at the

stars, barely visible through the city's light pollution. What had he become? His quest for revenge against

Victoria Kane had led him to partner with a monster, to become a monster himself. He thought

of his brother Charles, who had taken his own life after Victoria destroyed their family business. Would Charles approve of what he'd done? Bombing buildings, endangering innocent lives?

No. Charles had been gentle, kind. He'd loved Sophia Kane truly. He'd been devastated by her death, a death their father had arranged out of pure business calculation.

Herod had told himself he was avenging Charles, but the truth hit him like a physical blow: he'd become exactly like their father. Calculating. Cold. Willing to sacrifice anyone and anything for his goals. His phone buzzed with a text from Rose: "50 minutes."

He

stared at the screen, the decision before him impossible. Turn himself in and face

justice for

what he'd done? Try to stop Rose and likely fail? Go along with her insane

plan and become the monster she already was?

The weight of his choices pressed down on him like a physical force. What had started as a justified vendetta

against Victoria Kane had twisted into something unrecognizable. Something evil.

He looked up at Kane Industries tower in the distance, its lights shining against the night sky. Inside that building, Camille and her team were fighting to save what he and Rose had tried to destroy. His father would have been proud of what he'd done. That thought sickened him more than anything else.

His phone buzzed again. Rose: "45 minutes. Don't make me come find you."

Time was running out. For him. For Rose. For everyone.

He looked back at the hotel, where Rose waited with her maps and her hatred and her bombs.

Then he began to walk.

 

Chapter 137

Chapter 137

Camille stared at the wall of screens in Kane Industries' crisis management room. Each one showed a different news channel, all broadcasting the same images: smoke pouring

from the damaged substations, firefighters battling flames, and worried faces of New York citizens wondering if their power would fail next. Three hours had passed since the second explosion. The sun would rise soon, bringing with it questions they needed answers for.

"The press is gathering downstairs," Hannah said, placing a tablet in front of Camille. 'Over forty reporters. All major networks."

Camille nodded, her eyes never leaving the screens. The headline crawling across the bottom of Channel 7's broadcast made her stomach clench: "PHOENIX GRID FAILURE? KANE INDUSTRIES FACES QUESTIONS AFTER TWIN EXPLOSIONS

"Stock futures are dropping." Alexander added quietly from behind her. "Down twelve percent already."

Victoria, still pale from her recent surgery but standing straight-

backed and defiant, turned to Camille. "You need to address them. Now. Before the market opens."

Camille felt the weight of all eyes in the room. The engineering team. The security personnel. Victoria. Alexander. All waiting for her to fix this nightmare.

"What do we know for certain?" Camille asked, her voice steadier than she felt.

Hannah stepped forward. "The Grid didn't fail. Our safety systems worked exactly as designed. Despite two major attacks, ninety-

three percent of the network remains operational."

"And the power supply?"

"Stable.

We've rerouted through secondary pathways. No service disruptions to critical infrastructure."

Camille stood, smoothing her blouse with trembling hands. "I need five minutes to prepare. Then I'll speak to them."

In the small bathroom off the crisis room, Camille splashed cold water.on her face and stared at her reflection. Dark circles shadowed her eyes. Her skin looked pale under the harsh fluorescent light. Fear gnaw "You can do this," she whispered to herself. "You've faced worse than reporters."

But had she? Facing Rose's betrayal, Stefan's cruelty-

those were personal wounds. This was different. The Phoenix Grid wasn't just a business project. It represented everything she'd become since Victoria had rescued her. It was her rebirth, her transformation fro And now Rose was trying to destroy that too.

A soft knock interrupted

her thoughts. Alexander stood in the doorway, his tie loose, his face tired but determined.

"I thought you might need this," he said, handing her a small velvet box.

Inside lay her phoenix pendant, the one Victoria had given her at the beginning of her transformation. Camille touched it, feeling its weight, the smooth metal cool against her fingers.

"I can't fix this," she whispered, the admission tearing from

her throat. "Everything we built..."

Alexander stepped closer, his hands gentle on her shoulders. "You're not fixing anything because

nothing is broken. The Grid worked. The safety systems worked. We're still standing."

"But the public perception..."

"Can be shaped." His eyes held hers. "Remember who you are, Camille. You've survived worse than this."

She clasped the pendant around her neck, drawing strength from its familiar weight. The woman who had worn it when Victoria first gave it to her had been broken, desperate for revenge. The woman wearing it something. Created something. And she wouldn't let it be destroyed.

"I'm ready," she said.

The press room buzzed with tension. Camera flashes exploded as Camille walked to the podium, her steps measured, her back straight. Dozens of reporters shouted questions, their voices blending into a wall "Good morning," she began, her voice clear and unwavering. "Last night, Kane Industries' Phoenix Grid substations were attacked in what authorities are investigating as

acts of terrorism. I want to be clear: these were not accidents. These were not system failures. These were deliberate attacks designed to destroy what we have built."

She paused, scanning the room, meeting the gaze of several reporters directly.

"They failed."

The simple statement hung in the air. A reporter from the Wall Street Journal broke the silence.

"Ms. Kane, how can you claim they failed when two substations are completely destroyed?"

Camille nodded at the question. "Because destruction was not

their only goal. Whoever did this wanted to prove the Phoenix

Grid was vulnerable that our promise of reliable, safe power for New York was empty" She gestured to the large screen behind her, which flickered to life showing a real- time map of the city's power grid. 'As you can see, power remains stable across all five boroughs. Hospital systems, emergency services, public transportation- all operating normally

Another reporter raised her hand.

"But what about the safety concerns raised last week? Could those vulnerabilities have been exploited in these attacks?"

Camille felt a flash of rage at the mention of the fabricated safety concerns Rose and Herod had planted. She pushed it down, keeping her expression professional.

"Those concerns were based on falsified documents, as we demonstrated at our stockholder meeting. In

fact, it was our advanced safety systems that prevented these attacks from having their intended effect. The Phoenix Grid was designed with multiple layers of protection precisely because we understood the c we were building."

"What about

the cost of repairs?" shouted a man from the back. "Will Kane Industries stock take a hit?

Camille allowed herself a small smile. "The Phoenix Grid was named for a reason. The mythical phoenix bums and is reborn stronger. By this afternoon, our repair teams will have restored the damaged section: to eighty percent capacity. By this time tomorrow, we expect full restoration."

She leaned forward slightly, her voice dropping so the reporters had to lean in to hear her. "Whoever attacked us clearly doesn't understand what we

built. The Phoenix Grid isn't just infrastructure, it's a new way of thinking about power. Distributed, resilient,

self-healing. You can knock down parts, but the whole remains strong"

The questions continued for twenty minutes. With each answer, Camille felt the mood in the room shifting. The initial skepticism gave way to something else, a grudging respect, even admiration. She answered When she sensed the moment was right, she played her final card.

"Before I take my last question, I want to share something with you." She nodded to Hannah, who tapped her tablet.

The large screen behind Camille changed to show the Kane Industries building. "As of four a.m. this morning, this building. our headquarters is running entirely on Phoenix Grid power. Not backup generators. N A murmur ran through the assembled reporters.

"The lights you're sitting under, the microphones you're

speaking into, the cameras recording this, all powered by the same system that was attacked last night." Camille spread her hands. "We're not just talking about our confidence in this technology. We're demons Industries does. We don't just tell you that something works, we show you."

The press conference ended

with a barrage of camera flashes. As Camille walked from the podium, she caught sight of Victoria standing in the back of the room, a rare smile on her normally stern face.

Back in the crisis room, the mood had transformed. The engineering team was cheering as they watched the first positive headlines

appear on the screens.

"PHOENIX RISES: KANE GRID WITHSTANDS TERRORIST ATTACK"

"KANE INDUSTRIES DEMONSTRATES GRID RESILIENCE AFTER BOMBING*

"CAMILLE KANE TURNS CRISIS INTO TRIUMPH"

Alexander wrapped his arm around Camille's waist. "Masterful," he whispered in her ear.

Victoria approached, her expression solemn despite the celebration

around them. "Well done," she said simply, but Camille could see the pride in her eyes. "The market's responding. Stock's now down only three percent."

"We'll recover," Camille said.

"Yes," Victoria agreed. "But this isn't over." She lowered her voice so only Camille and Alexander could hear. "Rose and Herod are desperate now. They failed twice. They won't stop."

"I know," Camille said, her hand going to the phoenix pendant at her throat. "But neither will we."

Hannah rushed over, her

face flushed with excitement. "The repairs at Substation 12 are ahead of schedule," she said, holding up her tablet. "And look

at these numbers."

The screen showed power distribution figures across the city. Despite the damage, the system had maintained stability.

"We're getting calls from three major tech companies," Hannah continued. "They want to license the safety protocols we designed. The attack actually proved how effective our systems are."

Victoria nodded, a hint of satisfaction breaking through her exhaustion. "Crisis becomes opportunity."

"We're not out of danger yet," Alexander cautioned, his voice low. "The security team found this."

He handed Camille a tablet showing surveillance footage from the damaged substation. In the comer of the frame, barety visible in the smoke and confusion after the explosion, was a familiar figure watching fro "Rose," Camille whispered, her fingers unconsciously touching the phoenix pendant at her throat.

Victoria leaned closer to study the image. "She was there. Watching her handiwork."

"She won't stop," Camille said, her voice hardening. "Two substations down, but the Grid remains functional. She'll try again Alexander nodded grimly. "Security at all remaining substations has been tripled, and "It's not just the Grid she wants to destroy," Camille said quietly. "It's me. Everything I've built. Everything I am.”

Victoria placed a hand on Camille's shoulder, a rare gesture of physical support. "Then we make sure she fails. Again and again, until she has nothing left."

Camille looked at the monitors showing the positive headlines, the rising stock price, the intact power grid. Rose had tried to destroy everything she'd built, but instead, she'd only proven its strength. Just as she "Let her come," Camille said, her voice steady and cold. "This time, I'm ready for her."

 

Chapter 138

Chapter 138

Rain pounded against the windows of Pierce Tower

as Alexander pored over security reports. Three days had passed since the Phoenix Grid attacks, and the constant worry had etched new lines around his eyes. His phone buzzed. Unknown number. He almost

"Pierce."

"I need to see you." A male voice, quiet but urgent. "It's about Camille. And Rose."

Alexander stiffened. "Who is this?"

"Stefan Rodriquez."

The name sent a surge of anger through Alexander. His grip tightened on the phone. "You have nothing I want to hear."

"Please," Stefan's voice cracked. "Rose has contacted people, dangerous people. Camille is in danger."

Alexander checked his watch. "The Plaza Hotel. Thirty minutes. Come alone."

He ended the call, his thoughts churning. Stefan Rodriguez, the man who had broken Carmille's heart, who had chosen Rose over her. His instinct screamed to ignore him. But if there was even a tiny chance C Alexander made another call. "Double security on Ms. Kane. And run a background check on any criminal associates of Rose Lewis."

The Plaza's Oak Room was nearly empty at this hour. Alexander chose a corner booth with a clear view of all entrances. He ordered nothing, his body tense as he waited.

Stefan arrived five minutes early, soaked from the rain. His expensive suit hung poorly on his frame, as if he'd lost weight. Dark circles shadowed his eyes. "Thank you for..." Stefan began.

“Sit. Talk. Make it quick." Alexander cut him off, gesturing to the opposite seat.

Stefan sank into the chair, running a hand through his wet hair. "Rose has reached out to Anton Bessonov."

Alexander raised an eyebrow. "The Russian?"

"Yes. He has ties to organized crime in Brighton Beach. I learned about it yesterday. One of my former shipping managers still has connections in the import business. He overheard something." Stefan leaned forward, lowering his voice. "Rose asked about

getting weapons. Serious ones."

"And why would your manager tell you this?"

Stefan's eyes dropped to the table. “Because he knows what I did to Camille. Everyone does now. He thought..." His voice faltered. "He thought I might want to make things right."

Alexander studied the

information."

man before him, looking for signs of deception. "You could have called the police with this

"And tell them what? That my ex fiance might be talking

to a Russian businessman with shady connections? I have no proof. Nothing

they could act on." Stefan met Alexander's gaze directly. "But I know Rose. I know

how she thinks. When the bombings didn't work, she'd escalate. Make it personal."

"Why come to me? Why not go to Camille directly?"

Pain flashed

across Stefan's face. "You think she'd believe anything I said? After what I did?" He shook his head. "No. But she trusts you."

Alexander remained silent, processing. The information aligned with their security team's assessment. Rose had disappeared after the bombings. Herod Preston hadn't been seen either.

"What do you want, Rodriguez?"

"To help.” Stefan straightened in his chair. "I have connections of my own. People who owe me favors. I can get information you can't access through regular channels." "Out of the goodness of your heart?" Alexander's tone dripped with skepticism.

Stefan flinched. "I know you won't

believe this, but I care what hannens to Camille. I always did, even when..." He trailed off. "I made terrible choices. I can't undo them. But Successfully unlocked! "You had your chance to protect her. You chose Ruse insteau.

"Yes." The simple admission hung in the air between them. "I did. I was blind, selfish, easily manipulated. I've lost

everything

because of those choices. My company. My reputation. My soul." His voice broke on the last word. "I'm not asking for forgiveness. I'm asking for a chance to do one decent thing."

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Chapter 138

Rain hammered against the

windows, filling the silence that followed. Alexander studied the broken man before him. His instinct was to throw him out, to protect Camille from even the memory of this man. But his practical side recognized t "If.... and it's a big if..... we use your help, it would be on my terms, Alexander said finally. "You don't approach Camille. You don't call

her. Everything goes through me."

Relief flooded Stefan's face. "Agreed. Whatever you need."

"I'll need names. Contacts. Every detail you can get on Bessonov's operation."

"I'll get it." Stefan produced a small flash drive from his pocket. "This has everything I know so far. Security footage from one of Bessonov's clubs showing Rose entering three days ago. Cell phone records show Alexander took the drive, surprised. "How did you get this?"

"Like I said, people owe me favors. And money still opens doors, even when your name is mud." A ghost of Stefan's former confidence flickered across his face.

“If this checks out, I'll be in touch." Alexander stood, signaling the end of the meeting.

"Pierce," Stefan called as Alexander turned to leave. "She deserves happiness. With you. I see that now."

Alexander said nothing, pocketing the drive as he walked away.

*** ***

Two hours later, Alexander stood in Camille's office at Kane Industries, the contents of Stefan's drive displayed on her screen. She stared at the image of Rose entering Bessonov's club, her face unnaturally still.

"Where did you get this?" she asked, her voice carefully controlled.

Alexander hesitated before answering. "Stefan Rodriguez brought it to me."

Camille's head snapped up, shock washing over her features. "Stefan? Why would he...."

"He's worried about you." Alexander moved closer, resting his hands lightly on her shoulders. "He came

to me because he didn't think you'd believe him directly."

"He's right about

that." Bitterness edged her words. She turned back to the screen, studying Rose's face. "So she's working with Bessonov now. After everything Victoria did to expose him." "There's more." Alexander swiped to

the next file. "Phone records showing multiple calls. And this..." A document appeared, a transaction record. "A withdrawal of half a million dollars from an offshore account linked to Rose, the day before she met with Bessonov."

"She's buying something. Or someone." Camille's fingers tightened on the

edge of her desk. "What did Stefan want in return for this information?"

"Nothing."

Camille laughed, a sharp, harsh sound with no humor. "Stefan

always wants something."

"He wants to help. To make amends, in whatever small way he

can." Alexander watched her carefully. "I told him everything goes through me. He won't contact you directly."

"You believe him?"

Alexander considered the question. "I believe he

regrets what he did to you. Whether that makes him trustworthy is another question."

Camille rose from her chair, walking to the window that overlooked the city. The afternoon sun glinted off distant buildings, a stark contrast to the darkness of their conversation.

"I never expected him to care what happened to me. Not after everything." Her voice was soft, almost wondering. "It feels strange. Like finding money in the pocket of a coat you haven't worn in years. Unexpect Alexander joined her at the window. "I told him I'd use his information, but that's all. If you don't want his help...."

"No." Camille

turned to face him. "Use him. Use whatever resources we have. Rose is escalating. If Stefan can help us stop her before anyone else gets hurt..." She paused, a complex mix of emotions crossing her face. "It did. But it's something."

"I'll handle him," Alexander promised. "You

won't have to see him or speak to him."

"Actually," Camille said slowly, "I think I should meet with him. Once."

Alexander frowned. "Are you sure? After everything he did..."

"I'm not the woman he betrayed anymore." Camille touched the phoenix pendant at her throat, a gesture that had become almost instinctive. "That Camille died in a parking garage. I want him to see who I've be

Alexander recognized the determination in her eyes. The same look she'd had when

facing the press after the bombings. The look of a woman who had walked through fire and emerged stronger.

"I'll arrange it," he said. "Somewhere secure."

Camille nodded, then returned to her desk, pulling up the security files Again. Half a million dollars buys a lot

of damage she said, her focus returning to the threat at hand. "We need to increase security at all remaining substations. And at the main control hub."

"Already done." Alexander touched her shoulder gently. "We'll stop her, Carille."

She covered his hand with hers, drawing strength from his touch. "Yes, we will." A faint smile touched her lips. "And then, when this is over, we'll have that wedding we talked about."

"Is that a promise, Ms. Kane?" Alexander asked, his voice softening.

"It's a certainty, Mr. Pierce."

The following morning, Stefan arrived at Pierce Tower, escorted by two security guards to a private conference room on the top floor. He'd expected to meet Alexander. He was not prepared to see Camille rise f She looked different than he remembered. Stronger. Her posture straight and confident, her eyes clear and direct. The woman before him bore little resemblance to the broken creature who had signed divorce p "Sit down, Stefan." Her voice was cool, professional. Not angry, not sad. Simply distant.

He sank into a chair across from her, suddenly aware of his rumpled appearance, the weight he'd lost, the shadows under his eyes. Alexander stood by the window, his posture protective, watching Stefan like a "Alexander showed me what you brought

him," Camille said. "Thank you for the information."

Stefan nodded, his throat tight. "I'll get more. I have a meeting with someone close to Bessonov tonight."

"Why are you doing this?" Camille asked, the direct question catching him off guard.

Stefan looked down at his hands. "Because I owe you. Because it's the right thing to do."

"You never cared about the right thing before."

The truth of her words stung, but he didn't argue. "No. I didn't." He forced himself to meet her gaze. "I can't fix what I broke, Camille. I know that. But I can't stand by and watch Rose hurt you again." "Why now? After all this time?"

"Because I finally see clearly." His voice dropped to nearly a whisper. “Because when I heard about the bombings, my first thought wasn't about Rose or myself. It was about whether you were safe." Camille studied him, searching for deception. Finding none, her expression softened slightly. "You look terrible."

A surprised laugh escaped him. "Thank you. I feel worse than I look."

"Good." But there was no malice in her voice. "Alexander says you've agreed to help. That everything goes through him."

"Yes. Whatever terms you set, I'll accept them."

Camille glanced at Alexander, who nodded almost imperceptibly. She returned her gaze to Stefan. "Then I accept your help. But understand this, it changes nothing between us. The past is still the past."

"I understand." Relief flooded through

him. "Thank you for this chance. I won't let you down."

"See that you don't." She stood, indicating the meeting was over. "Alexander will be your contact. If you learn anything about Rose or Bessonov, you

tell him immediately."

Stefan rose as well, knowing he'd been dismissed. At the door, he paused, turning back to look at the woman he'd once called his wife. "You found someone who deserves you," he said quietly, glancing at Alexander. "I'm glad."

Something flickered in Camille's eyes, not forgiveness, but perhaps the beginning of peace. "Goodbye, Stefan."

After he left, Camille turned to Alexander, emotion finally breaking through her composed facade. "That was harder than I expected."

Alexander crossed the room, drawing her into his arms. "You were magnificent. As always."

She leaned into his embrace, allowing herself a moment of vulnerability. "Do you think we can trust him?"

"I think he's desperate to prove himself. To you, to himself." Alexander

stroked her hair gently. "We'll use his information but verify everything. And I'll make sure

he never has access to anything sensitive."

Camille nodded against his chest. "It's strange. Seeing him try to do the right thing after everything. Part of me wants to believe he's changed."

"People can change," Alexander said softly. "You did. I did."

"The difference is, we changed for ourselves. Not for someone else's forgiveness." She pulled back slightly, looking up at him. "But if his information helps us stop Rose, I won't turn it away."

 

Chapter 139

Chapter 139

Special Agent Diana Chen ducked under the yellow tape surrounding what remained of Substation 12. The smell of burnt metal and melted plastic filled her nose. Five days after the explosion, the site still smol Chen pointed to a corner where three techs huddled around something. "They found pieces of the detonator. Military grade, just like at Substation 8."

"So we're looking at the same person for both bombings, Morgan said, scribbling in his

notebook.

"It gets better." Chen led him toward a table where collected evidence sat in clear plastic bags. She picked up one containing a twisted piece of metal. "Look at this."

Morgan squinted at the bag. "Is that a business card?"

“What's left of one." Chen nodded. “Fire damaged it, but our lab confirmed part of a name. 'TON.' And look at the comer,that s a corporate logo."

Morgan took the bag, studying it closely. "Preston Enterprises."

"As in Herod

Preston," Chen said, her voice rising with excitement. "The FBI database has his fingerprints from when he applied for an international business license. They found a match on pieces of wire from both explosion sites." Morgan

let out a low whistle. "So we've got him at both scenes. We've got his business card. Motive?"

"That's where it gets interesting." Chen pulled out her tablet, bringing up a file. "Preston's family had a shipping empire that collapsed about ten years ago after some kind of conflict with Victoria Kane. His father "Revenge against Kane Industries," Morgan mused.

"But why now? Why wait ten years?"

"The Phoenix Grid is Victoria Kane's biggest project in a decade," Chen said. "Maximum damage to her legacy."

"We need everything on this guy," Morgan said, his eyes hardening. "Get a warrant for his apartment and office. I want to know what else he's planning."

Three hours later, the FBI tactical team broke down the door of Herod Preston's penthouse apartment. Morgan and Chen followed them in, weapons drawn.

"Clear!" called the team leader after checking each room. "No one's home."

Morgan holstered his weapon, looking around the luxurious space. Floor-to-

ceiling windows offered a panoramic view of the city. Expensive furniture, original artwork on the walls, a bar

stocked with top-shelf liquor.

"He lives well," Chen remarked, pulling on latex gloves.

"Lived well," Morgan corrected. "After this, his life is over."

The evidence response team moved

through the apartment, dusting for fingerprints, photographing everything, searching for evidence.

"Agent Morgan!" called one of the techs from the bedroom. "You need to see this."

Morgan and Chen hurried into the master bedroom. On the bed lay architectural blueprints of the Phoenix Grid substations. Red marks highlighted vulnerable points, the exact locations where the bombs had be "Holy mother of...." Chen whispered. "It's like he wasn't even trying to hide it."

Morgan flipped through the notebook. Page after page of detailed

plans, all in the same handwriting. "Check these for prints," he ordered a nearby tech.

Near the blueprints lay a map of the entire Grid system, with one location circled multiple times in red: the main

control

center.

"He's planning another attack," Morgan said, his voice tight. "Get me everything on the security measures at the main control center. Now."

Successfully unlocked!

Another agent approached holding a tablet. "Sir, we in this in the salt.

On the screen were pages of text, emails between Preston and someone identified only as "H.P." discussing the bombings. Messages sent from Preston to himself, documenting his plans, his hatred for Victoria Kane, his determination to destroy everything she had built.

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Chapter 139

"It's a journal," Chen said, scrolling through the entries. "He documented everything."

Morgan shook his head, amazed at the man's arrogance. "He thought he was untouchable."

As the team continued searching, more evidence mounted. Financial records showing Preston had withdrawn large sums of cash in the weeks before each bombing. Receipts for components that matched thos

"It's overwhelming," Chen said as they stood in the living room, surveying the collected evidence. "I've never seen a case this clear-

cut."

"He's not just a bomber," Morgan said grimly. "He's a would-

be mass murderer." He pointed

to a page of the notebook a tech had just bagged. "Look at his calculations for casualties if he hits the main control center during working hours."

Chen looked sick as she read the numbers. "He's estimating at least fifty dead."

"Issue an APB immediately," Morgan ordered. "All airports, train stations, bus terminals. I want Preston's face everywhere. Consider him armed and extremely dangerous."

"What about his associates?" Chen asked. "Anyone who might be helping him?"

Morgan considered this. "Check his phone records, emails, social media. But from what we're seeing, this looks like a one-

man vendetta. A rich guy with resources, technical knowledge, and a decade-

old grudge."

"The worst kind of enemy," Chen murmured.

As the team packed up the evidence, Morgan stood at the window, looking out at the city, at the millions of people who would be affected if the main control center was destroyed. Somewhere out there, Herod F

next move.

"We're not just trying to solve

two bombings anymore," Morgan said quietly. "We're trying to prevent a massacre."

***

Back at FBI headquarters, Morgan stood before a wall covered in

photos, documents, and timelines. At the center was a picture of Herod Preston, tall, handsome, with

cold eyes that seemed to challenge anyone looking at him.

"Financial analysis came in," Chen said, entering with a stack of

reports. "Preston was on the verge of bankruptcy three months ago. His company was failing, his

investments tanking. Then suddenly, he pays off all his debts, starts spending like crazy."

"Source of the money?" Morgan asked, not looking away from Preston's photo.

"That's the thing," Chen said. "We can't find it. He emptied several offshore accounts, but we don't know where those funds came from originally."

"So he was preparing," Morgan mused. "Getting his finances in order before launching his attacks."

A junior agent entered, holding a report. "Sir, ballistics confirmed the explosives used in both substations

were military grade, available only through black market channels."

"Preston has shipping connections all over the world," Chen noted. "He could have brought them in through any number of ports."

Morgan nodded, pieces falling into place. "What about his personal life? Any relationships we should

know about?"

"He's been seen at several events with Rose Lewis, 28, the adopted sister of Camille Kane," Chen said, checking her notes. But there's nothing to suggest she knows anything about the bombings. She was at The Plaza Hotel during both attacks, confirmed by multiple witnesses and security footage."

"Just a coincidence, then," Morgan said, dismissing it. "Focus on Preston. I want to know where he is, who he's contacted, what he's planning next."

His phone rang, the lab with preliminary results on the notebook found in Preston's apartment.

"Morgan," he answered, putting the call on speaker.

"Sir, we've confirmed all the handwriting in the notebook belongs to

Preston, came the voice on the other end. " Fingerprints match too. And we found traces of the same explosive compounds used in the bombings on several pages." "Anything else?"

"Yes, sir. We analyzed the map with the control center circled. Based on the pen impressions, we

believe he was planning to attack tomorrow night, around 9 PM."

Morgan and Chen exchanged alarmed looks.

"That's when

the Grid is scheduled to reach full operational capacity," Chen said, checking her tablet. "Maximum impact."

"Get me Kane Industries security on the phone," Morgan ordered. "And I want a tactical team ready to move to the control center immediately."

Chapter 139

As agents rushed to carry out his orders, Morgan stared at Preston's

photo on the evidence wall,

"What drives a man to this?" he wondered aloud. "The bombings weren't just about damage, they were about sending a message. Making Kane suffer."

"Revenge is powerful," Chen said quietly. "Especially when it's been brewing for a decade."

Morgan nodded slowly. "But revenge this calculated, this patient... it's almost admirable in a twisted way. He waited for the perfect moment, the perfect target."

"And now he's disappeared," Chen added. "With enough explosives to take down the main control center."

"He won't succeed," Morgan said firmly. "We know his target. We know his timeline. For the first time, we're ahead of him."

A junior agent approached with a tablet. "Sir, we found something else in Preston's files. Plans for after the attack. A private plane waiting at a small airfield in New Jersey, scheduled for tomorrow night. Destinat "No extradition," Chen noted.

"He wasn't planning to die in the attack," Morgan said. "He wanted to watch the fallout from afar. To see Kane suffer." "Classic narcissist," Chen agreed. "He doesn't just want revenge, he wants to enjoy it." Morgan turned to the assembled team, his voice

commanding attention. "We have less than 36 hours to find Herod Preston before he attacks the control center. Every resource, every agent, every contact, I want everything focused on finding this man."

As the team dispersed to carry out his orders, Morgan turned back to the evidence wall. Something about the case bothered him, a feeling he couldn't quite define. It was all too perfect, too neat. Preston had let But why? Why leave so much evidence?

"Maybe he wants the recognition," Chen suggested when Morgan voiced his concern. "Some bombers do it for the fame, the notoriety."

"Maybe," Morgan conceded, though he wasn't convinced.

Whatever Preston's reasons, one thing was clear: he needed to be stopped. Before more lives were lost. Before Victoria Kane's legacy was destroyed.

Before Herod Preston completed his decade-long quest for revenge.

***

As night fell over the city, Morgan stood on the

roof of the FBI building, watching lights flicker on across the skyline. Many of those lights now powered by the Phoenix Grid, the same grid

Herod Preston was determined to destroy.

His phone buzzed with a text from the surveillance team: "No sign of Preston at any known locations. Still searching." Morgan put the phone away, frustration gnawing at him. How did a man like Preston, wealthy, visible, well-

known, simply disappear?

The answer was as troubling as it was obvious: he'd planned this. All of it. The bombs, the evidence, the escape. Every detail meticulously arranged over months, perhaps years.

This wasn't a crime of passion. This was calculated hatred, refined like high-

grade uranium, deadly and precise. Tomorrow night, Preston would try to destroy the control center. To kill dozens of innocent people. To cripple the city's power grid and bring Victoria Kane's empire crashing d Unless Morgan found him first.

The city lights blurred as exhaustion crept in. Morgan rubbed his eyes, knowing he should sleep but too wired to even consider it.

 

Chapter 140

Chapter 140

Herod's phone rang at 3:17 AM. The cheap motel room was dark except for the blue light of his burner phone cutting through the blackness. He squinted at the screen. Unknown number. His finger hovered ove

"Hello?"

"They found everything." The voice on the

other end was hushed, stressed, Derek Martinez, his contact at the FBI. "Your business card in the wreckage. Your

fingerprints on the detonator parts. Plans for the bombings in your apartment." Herod sat up, suddenly wide awake. "What plans? I never kept anything in the apartment."

"Well, someone did. Blueprints of the substations. Notebooks with blast calculations. A journal talking about your hatred for Victoria Kane."

"That's impossible. I never wrote any journal." Herod's mouth went dry. "What else?"

"Your emails. Detailing everything. The FBI has enough to lock you away forever." Martinez paused. "I'm risking everything telling you this. My career, my freedom."

"I appreciate it." Herod's mind raced. "Any mention of Rose Lewis in the evidence?"

"Nothing. Not a trace." Martinez's voice dropped even lower. "Look, I can't help you anymore. They're searching for you everywhere. Airports, train stations, the works. I need to disappear from your life now."

The line went dead before Herod could respond.

He sat motionless in the darkness, the truth settling over him like a heavy blanket. Rose had set him up. Completely. Thoroughly. She'd planted evidence while he was out. Created a fake journal. Fabricated em And made sure none of it pointed to her.

Herod got up and flicked on the light. The motel

room was small and dirty, nothing like the luxury he was used to. Rose had insisted they move here two days ago, claiming they needed to stay hidden.

Now he understood why.

She'd wanted him in this dump, away from his resources, while she set her trap. And he'd walked right into it, blind and willing.

The bathroom door opened. Steam escaped as Rose emerged, wrapped in a thin

towel, her hair wet from the shower. She smiled when she saw him, but the smile didn't reach her eyes.

"You're up early," she said, toweling her hair. "Couldn't sleep?"

"I just got a call from Martinez." Herod watched her face, looking for any reaction. "The FBI found evidence in my apartment. Evidence I never put there."

Rose's expression didn't change. "What kind of evidence?"

"Plans for the bombings. A journal. Emails detailing everything."

"Someone must have broken in," she said, turning away to look for her clothes. "Planted

that stuff to frame you."

"The funny thing is," Herod said, his voice deadly quiet, "Martinez said your name doesn't appear anywhere in the evidence. Not once."

Rose stilled for just a moment before continuing to sort through her clothes. "Lucky for me, I guess."

"No, not luck." Herod stood up. "Planning. Careful, detailed planning."

Rose turned to face him, her mask finally slipping. The coldness in her eyes matched the chill

spreading through Herod's body.

"What exactly are you suggesting?" she asked.

"You set me up." The words hung in the air between them. "You arranged for evidence that points only to me. You made sure you had alibis for both bombings. You've been planning to make me the fall guy from beginning."

Rose didn't deny it. Instead, she tilted her head, studying him like a scientist might observe a lab specimen. "And if I did? What would you do about it?" Successfully unlocked!

The question caught him off guard. He had expected denial, ou

maybe even tears. Not this calm admission.

"I could go to the FBI," he said. "Tell them everything. About your involvement, your planning."

"With what proof?" Rose laughed, a harsh sound that scraped

his nerves raw. "Your word against the mountain of evidence showing you acted

alone? A desperate attempt to shift blame from a guilty man?"

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Chapter 140

She was right, and they both knew it. He had nothing to prove her involvement, while she had carefully built a case that would bury him.

"Why?" he asked, his voice breaking slightly. "I thought we were in this together. I thought..." He couldn't finish the sentence. It sounded pathetic even in his head.

"You thought I loved you?" Rose dropped her towel and began dressing, unconcerned with her nakedness. "Poor Herod. Always wanting what he can't have."

Her casual cruelty cut deeper than he expected. Despite everything, some foolish part of him had believed their connection was real. The nights they'd spent planning, talking, making love, had it all been strategy on her part?

"I gave you everything," he said. "Money. Resources. I helped you go after Camille. Why turn on me?"

Rose pulled

on her shirt and faced him. "Because someone needs to take the blame, and it was never going to be me. I've spent my life being careful, covering my tracks. Did you really think I'd risk everything now?" "So what happens next?" Herod asked, feeling hollow. "The FBI catches me while you walk away clean?"

"That's one option." Rose sat on the bed, crossing her legs. "Or we could make a new plan."

Something in her tone made him wary. "What kind of plan?"

"We still need to hit the main control center. One final blow to bring down Camille and Victoria." Rose

smiled, the expression not touching her eyes. "You're already facing life in prison for the first two bombings. What's one more? Especially if it means hurting them where it counts?"

Herod stared at her, unable to believe what he was hearing. "You want me to keep helping you, knowing you've set me up to take the fall?"

"I'm offering you a chance to complete what we started." Rose stood and moved toward him, placing her hand on his chest. "To make Victoria and Camille pay, just like we planned."

Her touch, once exciting, now made his skin crawl. Yet he couldn't pull away. Despite everything, some broken

part of him still craved her approval, her touch, her presence.

"And afterward?" he asked.

"Afterward, I help you escape. Get you out of the country with new identity papers, enough money to start over."

It was a lie. He knew it was a lie. Yet he found himself considering it, weighing his options. The FBI was closing in. His life

as he knew it was

over. What did he have to lose by playing along with her plan a little longer?

"You're asking me to trust you," he said. "After learning you've betrayed me."

Rose's fingers moved to his face, tracing his jaw. “I'm asking you

to finish what we started. Together."

"Until you no longer need me."

Her smile turned predatory. "Everyone leaves eventually, Herod. At

least with me, the ride is exciting while it lasts."

Herod searched her face, looking for any sign of genuine feeling, any crack in her perfect mask. He

found nothing but cold. calculation.

"You never cared about me at all, did you?" he asked.

"I cared about what you could provide," Rose answered, her honesty

brutal. "Money. Connections. The means to hurt Camille. And you delivered beautifully."

The admission should have angered him, should have sent him storming out. Instead, it created a strange calm. The final illusion had been stripped away. He saw Rose clearly now, not as a partner or lover, but Just as she had done with Stefan. With her parents. With Camille.

And now with him.

"We need to leave this motel," Rose said, moving away to pack her bag. "The

FBI might trace Martinez's call. I know another place we can stay while we plan

the control center attack."

Herod watched her efficient movements, the way she packed only essentials, ready to disappear at a moment's notice. She was offering him a poisoned choice: continue helping her and face certain capture aft "What's it going to be, Herod?" Rose asked, zipping her bag closed. "Are you in or out?"

The smart choice was to run. To get as far from Rose as possible. To try

to save himself.

But where would he go? His accounts were frozen, his home watched, his face on every news channel. And the thought of being alone, without Rose, created a hollow feeling in his chest that frightened him mo When had he become so dependent on her? When had she become his entire

world?

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Chapter 140

"I'm in," he said, the words tasting like ash in his mouth.

Rose's smile was triumphant. "I knew you would be." She tossed him his jacket. "Now let's go. We have one more job to do"

As they left the motel room, Herod felt like a man walking to his own execution. Rose had destroyed him, used him, set him up to take the fall for her crimes. Yet here he was, following her into the night, unable He could still turn around, still go to the FBI and tell them everything. They might not believe him, but at least he'd have tried to do the right thing.

Instead, he got into the passenger seat of the stolen car Rose had acquired, watching as she started the engine.

"Where are we going?" he asked.

"Somewhere they won't find us," she answered, pulling onto the empty street. "Somewhere we can plan our final move." As the city lights blurred past, Herod realized the truth about himself. He wasn't just Rose The knowledge should have shamed him. Instead, it

brought only a dull acceptance.

Rose reached over and squeezed his hand, the gesture almost caring. "It'll be over soon," she promised. "One more job, and Victoria and Camille will pay for everything they've done."

Herod nodded, not

trusting himself to speak. He knew what "over" meant for him. Prison, if he was lucky. Death, if he wasn'

But as the car sped through the night, taking them toward whatever end Rose had planned, he couldn't bring himself to care. He had given her everything, his money, his future, his freedom.

And still, it wasn't enough.

It would never be enough.