Ch. 141..145: SCORNED EX WIFE Chapter 141-145
Chapter 141
Chapter 141
Victoria Kane stared at the medical report on her desk, the words blurring as her eyes filled with unwanted tears. The cancer had spread faster than expected. Six months, maybe less, was all the time she had
Her own reflection stared back at her, thinner now, her face pale and drawn from thetreatments that weren't working. The doctor had suggested stopping them, focusing instead on comfort measures. "Quality of needed time. Time to secure Camille's future. Time to make sure her daughter by choice would be protected when Victoria was gone.
Her assistant's voice came through the intercom. "Mrs. Lewis has arrived."
Victoria straightened her jacket, checked her reflection once more, and squared her shoulders. No one, not even Margaret Lewis, would see her weakness today.
"Send her in."
Margaret Lewis stepped into the office, hesitating just inside the doorway. The mother of the daughter Victoria had claimed as her own. Once, Victoria had hated this woman for her blindness, for choosing Rose "Thank you for coming," Victoria said, gesturing to the chair across from her desk.
Margaret sat, her hands fidgeting with her purse.
"Your message said it was about Camille."
"Yes." Victoria lowered herself into her chair, fighting not to show how much the simple movement pained her. "I need to speak with you about Camille's future."
“Her future?” Margaret's eyebrows rose. "I thought that was firmly in your hands."
"For now." Victoria pushed a small button on
her desk, and the office windows darkened, giving them complete privacy." But my time is limited."
"What do you mean?"
Victoria rarely showed her cards to anyone, but death had
a way of changing the rules. "I'm dying, Mrs. Lewis. Cancer. It's spread to my liver and bones."
Margaret's shock showed plainly on her face. "Does Camille know?"
"No." Victoria shook her head. "She thinks the surgery was successful. That I'm recovering."
"Why lie to her?"
"To protect her. She has enough to deal with right now. Rose is still out there, still dangerous." Victoria leaned forward. ". And Camille would put everything aside
to care for me if she knew the truth. Her work. Her relationship with Pierce. Her own healing. I can't allow that."
Margaret studied Victoria's face. "So why tell me? We've hardly been allies."
"Because I'm running out of time to secure what matters." Victoria's voice hardened. "And despite everything, you're still Camille's mother. She may need you when I'm gone."
The words seemed to hit Margaret like a physical blow. "You've been more of a mother to her this past year than I was for decades."
"That's not entirely true." Victoria's voice softened. "You raised her to be kind. To be strong in ways I never understood until
lives." I met her. You gave her eighteen good years before Rose entered your
Tears filled Margaret's eyes. "And then I failed her. Completely."
Victoria nodded, not offering false comfort. "Yes. You chose wrong. Repeatedly. But now you have a chance to choose differently." "Is that why I'm here? For absolution?"
"No." Victoria shook her head. "I'm not in the business of forgiveness. I'm here to make sure Camille is protected when I'm gone."
Margaret straightened in her chair. "Protected from Rose, you mean."
"From Rose. From opportunists who will see her as Victoria Kane's inexperienced
heir. From her own tendency to see the best in people who don't deserve it." Victoria coughed, a harsh sound that left her breathless for a moment. When she continued, her voice was rougher. "I need to know no matter what."
"Of course I will." Margaret sounded offended by the question. "She's my daughter."
Chapter 141
"She was your daughter when Rose manipulated her. When Stefan betrayed her. When she
tried to tell you the truth and you chose not to believe her." Victoria's eyes were cold. "Being your daughter wasn't enough to protect her then."
Margaret flinched but didn't look away. "I've learned from my mistakes."
"Have you?" Victoria pressed. "If Rose appeared tomorrow with tears and a convincing story, would you welcome her back? Would you urge Camille to forgive her again?"
The question hung between them. Margaret's hands trembled slightly as she clasped
them in her lap.
"No," she said finally, her voice firm. "Never
again. Rose tried to have my daughtered. No mother could forgive that."
Victoria studied her face, looking for deception. Finding none, she nodded slowly. "Good. Because
Rose will return. People like her always do. And when she does, Camille will need people who see clearly. Who won't be fooled by whatever mask Rose wears next."
"I won't be fooled," Margaret promised. "Neither will Richard. We've read the journals. We've seen
the evidence. We know who Rose really is now."
Victoria felt a wave of pain wash through her body. She closed her eyes briefly, waiting for it to pass. When she opened them, Margaret was watching her with concern. "You need medical attention," Margaret said. "I'll call-“,
"No." Victoria's voice was sharp. "I've seen every specialist worth
seeing. There's nothing more to be done." She took a shaky breath. "Which is why this conversation is so important. I've made legal arrangements for Camille.
Financial provisions. But money and power
aren't enough. She'll need family. Real family."
"We want to be there for her," Margaret said softly. "We've been trying to rebuild our relationship. It's slow, but..."
"There's no more time for slow," Victoria cut her off. "I need your promise now. That you'll support Camille unconditionally. That you'll stand with her against Rose, against anyone who tries to use her or hurt her. Margaret's
chin lifted slightly. "I promise. I should have made that choice years ago."
Victoria nodded, some of
the tension leaving her body. "And Pierce? What do you think of him?"
"He clearly loves her," Margaret said. "And she loves him. They seem good together."
"They are." Victoria agreed. "Better
than I expected. He's been good for her." She paused. "I've made my peace with him. With others too."
"Others?"
Victoria smiled
thinly. "Death focuses the mind wonderfully, Mrs. Lewis. I've spent decades building a fortress of grudges and vendettas. Now I find myself... clearing accounts."
"Forgiveness doesn't seem like your style," Margaret observed.
"Not forgiveness," Victoria corrected. "Reconciliation where possible. Resolution where necessary." She looked down at her desk, at the medical report she'd pushed aside. "I've made mistakes too, you know. H
"Like who?"
Victoria considered the question. "Like you. I took Camille from you."
Margaret shook her head. "No. We lost her through
our own blindness. You saved her."
"Perhaps." Victoria paused, feeling another wave of pain. "But I also wanted to punish you. To show you what a real mother would do for her child."
The admission hung in the air between them. Victoria was surprised by how much lighter she felt having said it aloud.
"Were you a real mother to your own daughter?" Margaret asked quietly. "Before she died?"
The question should have angered her. Instead, Victoria felt a strange urge to answer honestly. "No. I was too busy building my empire. Too focused on proving myself in a man's world." Her voice dropped. "Sop her."
"I'm sorry," Margaret said, and seemed to mean it.
Victoria waved away
the sympathy. "That's why I took in Camille. She reminded me of Sophia. Of who she might have become if I'd protected her better." She looked directly at Margaret. "I won't make the same mistake with Camille "And after that?" Margaret asked. "What then?"
"After that, she'll have you. And Pierce. And the tools I've given her to protect herself." Victoria's voice strengthened with determination. "But I need your word. Your solemn promise that you'll be the mother she Margaret stood, unexpected strength in her posture. "I promise. On my life. I choose
Camille. I will always choose Camille from now on."
Victoria nodded, satisfied. "Then there's one more thing I need from you"
"What's that?"
"Don't tell Camille about my condition. Not yet. Let her focus on the
Phoenix Grid, on Rose's threats. Let her have this time without the shadow of my death hanging over her."
Margaret frowned. "She deserves to know."
"She deserves peace," Victoria countered. "Time to be happy with Pierce. Time to focus
on building something, not losing
someone."
"When will you tell her?"
"When the time is right. When I can't hide it anymore." Victoria sighed. "Or when the end is near enough that she won't have long to suffer through my decline."
Margaret looked as if she wanted to argue, then nodded reluctantly. "I'll keep your secret. For now. But don't wait too long. Victoria. She'll never forgive you if you don't give her the chance to say goodbye." Vict Margaret returned the smile, tentative but real. "Perhaps we both are, in our
own ways."
As their meeting concluded and Margaret prepared to leave, Victoria felt a strange sense of peace. One more piece secured for Camille's future. One more protection in place for when Victoria was gone. She watched Margaret leave, then turned back to the medical report. Six months. Maybe less.
It would have to be enough time
to finish what she'd started. To make peace where she could, to
settle old scores where she must, and to make sure Camille would be surrounded by people who truly loved her
when Victoria was gone.
Outside her window, the sun broke through the clouds, sending shafts of golden light across the city. Victoria touched the glass, feeling its warmth.
"Be happy, Camille," she whispered to the empty room. "Be strong. Be loved."
The words felt like a prayer, like a promise, like a goodbye.
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Chapter 142
The morning news blared from the small TV in their latest hideout, a run-
down motel on the outskirts of the city. Herod sat on the edge of the bed, watching his own face flash across the screen. The reporter's voice filled the cramped room.
"Federal authorities have issued an arrest warrant
for Herod Preston, naming him as the primary suspect in the Phoenix Grid bombings. Officials cite overwhelming evidence found in Preston's apartmen including detailed plans and materials matching those use Rose emerged from the bathroom, her wet hair wrapped in a towel. "Turn that off, she snapped. "We already know what they're saying."
Herod didn't move. His eyes
remained fixed on the screen as the reporter continued.
"Sources close to the investigation reveal Preston had a long-
standing grudge against Victoria Kane, whose company developed the Phoenix Grid. If convicted, Preston faces terrorism charges that could carry multiple life sentences without possibility of parole."
Life in prison. The words echoed in Herod's mind. A lifetime behind bars for borbs that were
never meant to kill. A future destroyed for a plan that wasn't even his.
"I said turn it off!" Rose grabbed the remote and shut off the TV. "Why are you torturing yourself with this garbage?"
Herod looked at her,
really looked at her. The woman he thought he loved. The woman who had set him up to take the fall for everything.
"My father's old lawyer called," he said quietly.
Rose froze. "What? When?"
"This morning. While you were in the shower." Herod rubbed his hands over his face. "He saw the news. He talked about dishonoring my family's memory."
"You didn't tell him where we are, did you?" Rose's eyes narrowed with suspicion.
"No." Herod stood, walking to the grimy window to
look out at the parking lot. "He reminded me of what Charles would think. How disappointed he would be in what I've become."
Rose laughed, the sound harsh in the
small room. "Your brother killed himself because of Victoria Kane. He'd understand revenge better than anyone."
"No." Herod turned to face her. "We both
know that's not true. I told you what Charles was like when we first talked about working together. He was gentle. Kind. When Victoria destroyed our family business, he couldn't bear the shame, the failure. But "Then he was weak," Rose said coldly.
Something snapped inside Herod. "He was better than me. Better than both of us." His voice shook with emotion. "He wouldn't have planted bombs. He wouldn't have risked innocent lives." Rose watched him with calculating eyes. "What's gotten into you? Yesterday you were fine with our plans. Now suddenly you're having
a moral crisis?"
Herod
sank back onto the bed, the weight of his choices crushing down on him. "I keep thinking about Charles. About what he would think. About how I've dishonored everything he stood for." "Your brother is dead," Rose said bluntly. "Your parents killed themselves rather than face reality. You're the only Preston left. You get to decide what the name means now."
The casual cruelty in her voice cut through him. How had he not seen this side of her before? How had he been so blind? "You never cared about avenging my family, did you?" he asked quietly. "You only cared "We wanted the same thing," Rose insisted, sitting beside him. "Revenge against the Kanes. Justice for what they did to us.". "No," Herod shook his head. "You wanted Camille's life. Her identity. I was just usefu Something dark flashed in Rose's eyes. "You're being ridiculous."
"Am I?" Herod stood again, unable to bear her cle Successfully unlocked! you. Listening to you. The way you talk about Camille isn't normal. It's obsessive. You don't just want to destroy her, you want to becom "Shut up," Rose hissed.
“It makes sense now," Herod continued, the pieces
falling into place. "Why you took her husband. Why you tried to take her parents. Why you hate that she's
Victoria's heir. It was never about hurting her, it was about replacing her."
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Rose stood, her face contorted with rage. "I said shut up!"
"What's your plan after this, Rose?" Herod pressed. "After you destroy Camille completely? Will you try to take her place with Victoria too? Become the daughter she never had?"
Rose slapped him, the sound cracking through the room. "You know nothing about me."
Herod touched his stinging cheek, staring at this woman he thought he knew. "I know you set me up to take the fall for everything. I know you left evidence in my apartment. I know you made sure you had alibis Fear flickered in Rose's eyes before she masked it with anger. "That's insane. Why would I do that?"
"Because you never planned for us to be together after this was over, Herod said quietly. I was always going to be the scapegoat. The crazy bomber with a grudge against Victoria Kane,"
"If that's what you believe, then we have nothing left to discuss," Rose said coldly, turning away to gather her things.
Herod watched her pack, a strange calm settling over him. "The lawyer reminded me of something Charles used to say."
Rose didn't look up. "I don't care what your dead brother said."
"He said it's
never too late to be the person you should have been." Herod's voice was soft but steady. "I've been living with anger for so long. Blaming Victoria Kane for everything bad in my life. Using that as an excuse to "Spare
me the sermon." Rose zipped her bag closed. "We need to leave. Now," She glanced at her watch. "I have a contact meeting us at the bus station in an hour. He'll get us new IDs, enough to cross the border." Herod didn't move. "I'm not going with you."
"Don't be stupid." Rose grabbed his arm. "If you stay, they'll catch you. You'll spend the rest of your life in prison."
"Maybe that's what I deserve." Herod pulled his arm away. "For the bombs. For working with you. For betraying everything my brother stood for."
"This is ridiculous." Rose threw his jacket at him. "Get dressed. We're leaving in five minutes."
Herod caught the jacket but didn't put it on. "Why did you do it, Rose? Why set me
up to take all the blame?"
Her expression hardened. "I didn't."
"Stop lying," Herod said, surprising himself with how calm he felt. "Just tell me the truth. Once. Was I ever anything to you besides a useful tool?" Something flickered in Rose's eyes, hesitation, perhaps, or calculation. Then her face softened, and she sat beside him, taking his hand.
"Of course you were," she said, her voice gentle. "You still are. I care about you, Herod. That's why I need you to come with me now. Before it's too late." The performance was flawless, the concerned lover, the devoted partner. If he hadn't already seen behind her mask, he might have believed her. "You're very good," he said quietly. "I almost believe you."
Rose's grip on his hand tightened painfully. "We need to go. Now."
Herod pulled his hand away and stood. "I'm done running, Rose. I'm done being your puppet."
Anger flashed across her face. "If you turn yourself in, they'll
make you tell them everything. I'll be implicated."
"Isn't that what you're afraid of?" Herod asked. "That I'll tell them the truth? That the bombings were your idea? That you planned everything?"
"They'll never believe you," Rose said, but uncertainty tinged her voice. "You're the one with the grudge against Victoria Kane. You're the one with the fingerprints at the bomb sites. You're the one with the plans "Plans you put there," Herod said. "But you made one mistake."
"What mistake?" Rose demanded.
"You got greedy. The fake journals, the blueprints, it was too much. Too perfect. It looks staged."
Rose's face paled slightly. "You're delusional."
"Am I?" Herod walked to his
jacket and pulled something from the pocket. A small digital recorder. "I've been recording our conversations, Rose. For days now. Ever since I suspected you were setting me up."
Rose lunged for the recorder, but Herod held it out of reach. "It's too late. I've already made copies. Sent them to people who will know what to do with
them if anything happens to me."
"You're lying," Rose hissed, but doubt showed in her eyes.
"Maybe." Herod pocketed the recorder. "But can you risk it?"
They stood facing each other, the air thick with tension. In Rose's eyes, Herod saw something he'd never seen before, fear.
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Chapter 142 Real fear.
"What are you going to do?" she asked finally.
"What Charles would have wanted me to do." Herod picked up his phong from the nightstand. Turn myself in. Tell them everything. Take responsibility for my part in this madness." "They'll lock you up forever," Rose warned, a hint of desperation in her voice.
"Probably," Herod agreed. "But at least I'll be able to look at myself in the mirror again."
Rose watched him, her mind visibly racing. Then she smiled, that slow, confident smile that had once made his heart race. Now it just made him sad.
"You won't do it," she said. "You're too scared. Too weak. That's why I had to plan everything. Why I had to push you to act." Herod shook his head. "You're wrong. I was weak when I let you manipulate me. When I helped you hurt innocent people. I'm finding my strength now."
He dialed a number on his phone. Rose watched, her confidence faltering.
"Who are you calling?" she demanded.
"The FBI." Herod held her gaze as he raised the phone to his ear. "It's time to end this."
Rose grabbed her bag and rushed to the door. "You're making a terrible mistake."
"No," Herod said quietly. "I already made my mistakes. Now I'm trying to fix them."
As Rose flung open the door, Herod spoke into the phone. "My name is Herod Preston. I want to turn myself in. But first, I need to tell you about Rose Lewis."
Rose froze in the doorway, hatred burning in her eyes. "You'll regret this," she hissed.
"I already regret so much," Herod said. "But not this."
The door slammed behind her. Through the thin curtains, Herod watched Rose run across the parking lot, her figure growing smaller as she disappeared into the distance.
On the phone, a voice asked for his location. Herod gave it, then sat heavily on the bed.
"Sir? Are you still there?" the voice asked.
"Yes," Herod said, a strange peace settling over him. "I'm ready."
As he waited for them to arrive, Herod thought of his brother Charles. Of his gentle smile. His kindness. His integrity. "I'm sorry, Charles," he whispered to the empty room. "For everything. But I'm trying to make Outside, sirens wailed in the distance, growing louder. Coming for him. Coming to end one chapter of his life and begin another, one of punishment, of atonement.
Herod closed his eyes, picturing his brother's face. For the first time in years, he didn't see disappointment there. Just the gentle understanding Charles had always shown him, even when he didn't deserve it. The sirens grew louder. Closer. Herod opened his eyes and stood, straightening his shoulders.
It was time to face what he had done.
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Chapter 143
Rose ran across the motel parking lot, her mind racing faster than her feet. The worn soles of her expensive shoes slapped against cracked asphalt as panic clawed at her chest. Herod was going to tell the FBI She reached her car, not her car, really, but one of
Herod's cars. Her hands shook ashe fumbled with the keys. The recorder. The damned recorder he'd shown her. How long had he been recording their conversations? What exactly had she said? Rose stopped, the key halfway to the lock.
She couldn't run. Not yet. Not while Herod sat in that motel room with a phone pressed to his ear, her name on his lips, and evidence of her crimes in his pocket.
In the distance, sirens wailed. Still far away, but coming closer.
Rose looked back at Room 17, its faded blue door visible from where she stood. Behind that door sat the man who
could destroy everything she'd built. Everything she'd sacrificed for.
If he talked, it was over.
If he lived, she was finished.
Rose reached into her bag, her fingers wrapping around the cold metal of the gun she'd bought from one of Anton Bessonov's men. She'd never fired it. Had never planned to. It was just insurance, protection a rough types she had to deal with for their plan.
Now it was her only option.
The weight of the weapon felt strange in her hand as she pulled
it from her bag. She'd watched enough movies to know how to hold it, how to aim. But the reality of it, the solid heaviness of death in her palm, made her stomach turn.
Rose didn't allow herself to hesitate. Hesitation was for weak people. For people like Camille, always looking for someone else to make decisions for her. Rose wasn't weak. She'd proven that time and again. The sirens grew louder. Minutes, maybe seconds before they arrived.
She walked back toward Room 17, each step steady despite the storm inside her mind. All those years fighting to escape the foster
system. All those years pretending to be the perfect adopted daughter. All those
years watching Camille get everything Rose deserved.
She wouldn't let Herod take it all away. Not now. Not when she was so close to winning.
Outside Room 17, Rose paused, listening. Through the thin door, she could hear Herod's voice, the words unclear but the tone unmistakable. He was telling them. Giving them details. Betraying her. Rose raised the gun, aimed at the door, and pulled the trigger.
The explosion of sound shocked her. The gun jumped in her hand, the recoil stronger than she expected. A hole appeared in the cheap wooden door.
Inside, Herod's voice stopped.
Not enough. She couldn't be sure. She fired again.
And again. Three holes now punctured the door, forming a rough triangle.
Silence from inside the room.
Rose stepped closer, pressed her ear to the door. Nothing. Not even movement.
Had she hit him? Was he dead? Wounded?
She had to know. Had to be sure.
With her left hand, Rose turned the doorknob slowly. The door swung open with a creak.
Herod lay
on the floor near the bed, the phone fallen from his hand. Blood spread across his chest, staining his white shirt with expanding circles of red. His eyes were open, staring at the ceiling, his mouth moving slightly "Rose," he managed, the name barely audible.
Successfully unlocked!
She stepped into the room, the gun still raised. You should we betrayed me," she said, her voice steadier than she felt.
"They'll... know..." His words came between shallow breaths.
"They'll know nothing," Rose replied. "By the time they find you, I'll be gone. And if they come after me, I'll tell them you were obsessed with me. That you forced me to help you. That I was afraid for my life."
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Herod's eyes found hers, filled with a clarity that unnerved her. Even dying, he saw through her. They
wt bebevey "They always believe me, Herod." Rose's finger tightened on the trigger again. "Everyone always does fmvery convers He tried to reach for the phone that had skittered across the floor. Rose steppe hand, grinding it under her hed he gasped in pain.
"Where's the recorder?" she demanded.
Herod's eyes closed briefly, then opened again. The ghost of a smile touched his lips "Gone
"Don't lie to me." Rose knelt beside him, keeping the gun aimed at his head while her free hand searched his pockets. Nothing. "Where is it?"
"Safe." Blood bubbled at the corner of his mouth. "Evidence... against you."
Panic surged through Rose again. The sirens were closer
now, maybe only blocks away. "Tell me where it is, or 13 make your last moments very painful."
Herod's breathing had grown more labored. Each word seemed to cost him tremendous effort. "You can't hurt me anymore."
Rose stood, aiming the gun directly at his face. "Last chance. Where's the recorder?"
"With... someone... who'll know... what to do..." Herod's voice faded to a whisper. "Charles... would be... proud
Rage exploded in Rose's chest. Even dying, Herod
defied her. Even with a gun pointed at his face, he wouldn't give her what she wanted.
Her finger tightened on the trigger.
The sirens screamed into the parking lot outside, red and blue lights flashing through the thin curtains. Car doors slammed. Voices shouted commands.
Rose didn't have time for a clean shot anymore. She needed to run.
She fired once more, the bullet striking the floor beside Herod's head. Not a kill shot, but enough to make her point. This isn't over," she hissed, then turned and ran for
the bathroom window.
It was small, but Rose was smaller. She forced it open and squeezed through, dropping into the narrow alley behind the motel. Her car was out front, now blocked by FBI vehicles. She'd have to find another wa Behind her, shouts came from the motel room. They'd found Herod. Soon they'd be looking for her.
Rose ran through the alley, away from the motel, away from the
sirens, away from the man she'd shot but not killed. Her mind raced with possibilities, contingency plans forming and dissolving with
each step.
Herod might survive. He might tell them everything. But without the recorder, without proof, it would be his word against hers. And Rose had always been very good at making people believe her.
She'd
need a new identity. New papers. Money. She'd had all of that arranged already, in case their plan went wrong. In case they needed to disappear after destroying Camille and Victoria Kane. Now she'd use those preparations to save herself.
Rose slowed to a walk as she reached a busier street. She couldn't look like
she was running. Couldn't draw attention to herself. She smoothed her hair, adjusted her clothing, and
wiped the fear from her face. The gun went back into her bag. hidden beneath a scarf.
A taxi approached. Rose raised her hand, forcing her most charming smile.
"Where to?" the driver asked as she slid into the back seat.
"Bus station," Rose said. "I've got a long journey ahead."
As the taxi pulled away, Rose watched
police cars speed past in the opposite direction. More units responding to the shooting. More people who would soon be looking for her.
She leaned back against the seat, forcing her breathing
to slow, forcing her mind to focus. This wasn't over. She could still win. She just needed to adapt. To evolve her plan.
Herod had been a tool. A useful one, but replaceable. She'd find another way to destroy Camille. Another path to the life that should have been hers all along.
And if Herod lived? If he told them everything?
Rose touched the gun in her bag, her finger tracing its deadly shape through the fabric.
Then she'd just have to silence him permanently. Him and anyone else who stood in her way.
The FBI would be watching airports, train stations, bus terminals. They'd have her photo, her description. But Rose Lewis had disappeared before. Had become someone new. She could do it again.
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For now, she needed to get out of the city. To vanish until the
hunt died down. And then, when they least expected it, she would return.
After all, she still had unfinished business with Camille.
Special Agent Diana Chen
crouched beside the bleeding man on the motel room floor. The medical team worked frantically to stabilize him, their hands moving with practiced efficiency.
"Three gunshot wounds to the chest," one of them reported. "He's losing blood fast
"Can he talk?" Chen asked.
The medic shook his head. "Not now. Maybe not ever."
Chen stood, surveying the room. Three bullet holes in the door. Shell casings on the carpet near the entrance. Signs of a hasty departure through the bathroom window. "Rose Lewis," said Agent Morgan, joining her. "Room's registered under her name. Paid cash for three nights."
"She was careless," Chen remarked.
"Or in a hurry." Morgan pointed to the open drawers, clothes strewn about. "They left in a rush. Split up when he decided to turn himself in.”
"And she decided to shut him up permanently." Chen's eyes fell on the phone on the floor beside the victim. "Was he still connected when we arrived?"
Morgan nodded. "Call to the FBI tip line. Operator said he
identified himself as Herod Preston, said he
wanted to turn himself in. Then she heard gunshots and the line went dead."
"So she shot him to keep him from talking." Chen
looked at the man being loaded onto a stretcher, an oxygen mask covering his face, IV lines already running into his arms. "But she failed. He's still alive."
"For now," Morgan said grimly. "Doctor says it's fifty-fifty at best."
Chen watched as the medical team rushed Preston out to the waiting ambulance. "Put guards on him at the hospital. If he wakes up, I want to be the first person he talks to."
"Already arranged." Morgan handed her an evidence bag containing
a phone. "Found this in his jacket pocket. Tech team's working on it now."
"And the woman? Rose Lewis?"
"APB is out. Every law enforcement agency in the
state is looking for her." Morgan's face hardened. "She won't get far." Chen wasn't so sure. Women like Rose Lewis, women who could shoot a man three times and still have the presence of mind to escape thr As the team dispersed to carry out her instructions, Chen stood in the center of the room, trying to read the story written in blood and bullet holes.
Herod Preston had been ready to confess. To implicate Rose Lewis in the bombings. And she had tried to kill him for it. What had Preston been about to reveal? What secrets was Rose Lewis willing to kill for? Chen didn't know yet. But she would find out. And when she did, Rose Lewis would have nowhere left to
hide.
The chase was on.
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Chapter 144
Camille stood at the window of her office, a cup of coffee cooling in her hands as she watched the city below. The Phoenix Grid had fully recovered from the bombings, with the repairs finished ahead of schedul Until Alexander Pierce walked in, his face grim.
"We need to talk," he said, closing the door behind him.
Something
in his voice made Camille's stomach tighten. She set down her coffee cup. "What happened?"
Alexander
loosened his tie, a gesture he only made when upset. "Herod Preston was shot three times in a motel room yesterday. He'd called the FBI to turn himself in, but before they got there, someone tried to kill him.” "Rose," Camille said immediately. It wasn't a question.
Alexander nodded. "The motel room was registered under her name. She escaped through the bathroom window. Police are still looking for her."
Camille sank into her chair, trying to process this news. "Is Preston dead?"
"No.
But it's close. He's in intensive care, heavily guarded." Alexander sat on the edge of her desk. "The FBI thinks Rose shot him to keep him from talking. He was about to tell them everything." "About her involvement in the bombings."
"Yes."
Camille stared at her hands, noticing they were perfectly steady despite the storm inside her. Three years ago, news of Rose's latest violence would have shaken her. Now it just confirmed what she already kne "So Rose is on the run," Camille said. "With the FBI hunting her."
"Yes. But that makes her more dangerous, not less." Alexander reached for Camille's hand. "She has nothing left to lose
now."
Before Camille could respond, the door opened again. Victoria Kane
swept in, her face pale but determined. Despite her recent surgery, she moved with purpose, though Camille noticed she leaned slightly on her cane.
"You've told her?" Victoria asked Alexander.
"Just now," he confirmed.
Victoria turned to Camille. "We need to postpone the charity gala."
"What? No." Camille stood. "Everything is ready. The donors are confirmed. The hospital is counting on us."
2
"Rose is out there," Victoria said sharply. "She's armed. She's desperate. And she wants to destroy you."
"She's always wanted to destroy me," Camille replied, her voice steady. "That hasn't changed."
"What's changed is that she's shot a man three times and is now running from the FBI," Victoria countered. "She's crossed a line, Camille. She's proven she's willing to kill."
The three of them fell silent, the weight of Victoria's words hanging in the air. Camille moved back to the window, looking out at the city she'd helped rebuild after Rose's attacks. Her city now. "I won't hide," she said finally. "I won't cancel the gala because I'm afraid of Rose."
Victoria sighed, the sound heavy with frustration. "This isn't about fear. It's about common sense. Basic safety."
"It's about sending a message," Camille insisted, turning to face her mentor. "If we cancel the gala, Rose wins. She'll know she can disrupt our lives, make us run and hide, anytime she wants." "Better disrupted than dead," Victoria said bluntly.
Alexander watched them both, his face thoughtful. “"What if we went ahead with the gala, but with increased security? My team plus Kane Industries security. The FBI might even provide protection if we tell then Victoria shook her head. "Too risky. Rose knows this event is important to Camille. She'll see it as the perfect opportunit to strike."
"Good," Camille said, surprising them both. "Let her come."
"Camille..." Victoria began, alarm clear in her voice.
"No, listen." Camille moved closer, her mind racing ahead. "Rose is unpredictable when she's hiding, when she can plan her attacks in secret. But if she comes to the gala, we'll be ready. We'll know where she i Chapter 144
"You want to use the gala as bait," Alexander realized, his expression torn between admiration and concer
"Yes." Camille's eyes burned with determination. "We find her before she finds us. End this once and for all
Victoria stared at her adopted daughter, seeing not the broken woman she'd rescued from a parking garage, but someone new. Someone who had been forged in fire and emerged stronger. Part of her felt prou afraid
"It's too dangerous," Victoria insisted. "Rose has already tried to kill Herod. She won't hesitate to come after you'
"I'm not Herod," Camille said quietly. "I've never
underestimated Rose. I know exactly what she's capable of
Alexander stood, moving to Camille's side. "If we do this, we do it my way. Every guest checked and rechecked. Security at every entrance. Plainclothes guards throughout the event."
"And you stay by my side the entire night," Camille added, taking his hand. "No wandering off to charm donors
on your own."
He smiled slightly. "I wouldn't dream of it."
Victoria watched them, seeing their determination, their unity. She had taught Camille to face her enemies, to show strength instead of weakness. Now her student was putting those lessons into practice, despit "You're both insane," Victoria
said finally. "But if you're determined to do this, we'll need a detailed security plan. One that assumes Rose will find a way in no matter what we do."
"Already working
on it," Alexander assured her. "I'll have a draft by this afternoon."
Victoria nodded, then focused on Camille. "You understand what you're risking, yes? Rose isn't just
angry anymore. She's cornered. Desperate. The most dangerous she's ever
been."
"I understand," Camille
said, her voice soft but firm. "But I'm not the woman she tried to destroy in that parking garage. I'm not afraid of her anymore."
Something flickered across Victoria's face, príde mixed with worry. "Just remember that not being afraid doesn't make you bulletproof."
"That's why we have security," Camille replied with a small smile.
Victoria didn't return the smile. "I'll make some calls. Add my own resources to Pierce's team." She turned to leave, then paused at the door. "Camille, promise me one thing."
"What?"
"That you'll listen to your security team. No heroics. No unnecessary risks. Rose isn't worth dying for."
Camille nodded solemnly. "I promise."
After Victoria left, Alexander pulled Camille into his arms. "Are you sure about
this? Really sure?"
She rested her head against his chest, listening to his heartbeat. "Yes. I'm tired of waiting for Rose to attack. Tired of wondering where she'll strike next." She looked up at him, her eyes clear. "It's time to end thi "I know." Camille's voice was firm, confident. "That's why I'm not afraid. We face her together."
He kissed her gently. "Together."
As Alexander left to begin working on the security plans, Camille returned to the window. The city stretched before her, glittering in
the afternoon sun. From this height, the people below looked tiny, fragile. Once, she had felt that way, small and breakable in a world too big and harsh. Now she
stood tall, unafraid.
Victoria's voice came through on the intercom. "Camille, can you come
to my office? The security team is here."
"On my way," she replied.
Camille took one last look at the view from her window. She thought of how
far she had come from that night in the parking garage. How much she had built from the ashes of
her old life. The Phoenix Grid. Her position at Kane Industries. Her relationship with Alexander. Her reconciliation with her parents.
Rose had tried to take everything from her, again and again. But each time, Camille had emerged stronger.
"Not this time, Rose," she whispered to herself. "This time, I'm ready for you."
She straightened her shoulders and headed to Victoria's office, where Alexander waited with the security team. They had a gala to prepare for. And this time, Camille would be the one setting the trap, not walkin The door closed behind her with a soft click of finality.
The hunt was about to begin.
Chapter 145
Rose paced the tiny motel room, her expensive boots wearing a path in the cheap carpet. The walls closed in on her, yellow from decades of cigarette smoke, spotted with water stains. How had if come to this? Lewis, hiding in this filthy place while her sister lived in luxury
The TV blared the noon news. Rose turned up the volume when she heard the words "Kane Industries."
"The annual Phoenix Foundation charity gala will proceed as planned this Friday night, despite recent
security concerns," the reporter announced "Camille Kane released a statement today confirming that the event, which raises funds for the Children's Hospital, will not be postponed."
The camera cut to Camille standing at a podium, looking confident and polished. "We refuse to let fear dictate our actions," she said, her voice strong. "The children who benefit from this gala need our support r Rose hurled her
coffee mug at the TV screen. It shattered, coffee splashing across Camille's face on the screen.
"Liar" Rose screamed. "Fake! Thief!"
Her whole body shook with rage. Once again, Camille was playing the hero, the perfect daughter, the generous benefactor. The role that should have belonged to Rose.
She kicked the dresser, pain shooting through her foot only fueling her anger. Everything had fallen apart. Herod was in the hospital, probably talking to the FBI right now. Her name and face were all over the ne this dump without being recognized.
All her careful plans, destroyed. The Grid still functioned. Kane Industries still thrived. Camille still stood tall beside Victoria
Kane.
Rose grabbed the remote and switched off the TV before she smashed it completely. She couldn't afford to draw attention. Not with every cop in the city looking for her.
She sank onto the bed, pressing her palms against her eyes. The headache that had started three days ago, when she'd shot Herod, pounded behind her temples. She hadn't slept more than two hours at a stretch since then. Every siren made her jump. Every knock on a nearby door sent her heart racing.
This wasn't how it was supposed to go. She was supposed to win.
Rose reached for her bag, pulling out the newspaper she'd bought that morning. The
front page showed a picture of Herod being wheeled into the hospital on a stretcher. The headline read: "BOMBING SUSPECT CRITICALLY WOUNDED, POLICE SEEK FEMALE ACCOMPLICE." Accomplice. The word burned in her mind. After everything she'd planned, everything she'd sacrificed, she was reduced to Herod's "accomplice." Not even the mastermind. Not even worth her own headline. Her gaze moved to the smaller article in the bottom corner: "PHOENIX FOUNDATION GALA EXPECTED TO DRAW CITY'S ELITE." Below it, details about the event. Friday night. Eight o'clock. The Grand Plaz would be tight, the article noted, but the guest list remained impressive. Business leaders. Politicians. Celebrities.
Rose read the article three times, her mind racing.
Everyone who mattered would be there. Victoria Kane. Alexander Pierce. And of course, Camille. They would dress in their finest. Drink champagne. Congratulate themselves on their generosity. While Rose hid in this rat hole, eating vending machine food and jumping at shadows.
The unfairness of it all hit
her like a physical blow. She'd been the one with the real plans, the real vision. She'd been the one willing to do whatever it took to win. And yet Camille, sweet, simple Camille who had never had to fight for any "Not this time," Rose whispered, her fingers tightening on the newspaper until it tore. "Not this time."
She stood abruptly, a new energy
flooding her body. The charity gala was the answer. One last strike, bigger than
anything she'd attempted before. A final chance to destroy everything Camille had
built.
Rose pulled her burner phone from her bag and dialed a number from memory. It rang three times before a gruff male voice answered.
"Who is this?"
"It's Lewis," Rose said quietly. "I need to speak to Anton
A long pause. "Anton's not talking to anyone righ
Successfully unlocked!
ne the FBI is hunting."
"Tell him I have money. A lot of it. And I need his services."
"Lady, you're bad news. Everyone's looking for you."
"Just put him on the phone," Rose snapped. "Tell him it's about finishing the Kane job, once and for all."
1/2
Chapter 145
Another pause, longer this time. Then the sound of the phone changing hands.
"Rose Lewis," said a heavily accented voice. "You have caused me much trouble"
"I can make it worth your while, Anton," Rose said, forcing her voice to remain calm "I need help with one last job"
"The police watch all my businesses now, thanks to you. My men are
questioned daily."
"I'll pay double your usual rate," Rose offered. "Triple, if you can get me what I need by tomorrow."
The line went quiet for so long Rose feared he'd hung up. Finally, Anton spoke again, "What exactly do you need?"
Rose smiled, the first real smile in days. "Something that will make a statement. Something
big enough
that they can't ignore it. And I need it delivered to the Grand Plaza Hotel
"For the charity gala," Anton said, not a question. "You know security will be impossible to penetrate."
"Not for the right people with the right tools." Rose sat down at the small desk in the corner of the room, pulling out a pen and notepad. "Here's what I need..."
For the next twenty minutes, she detailed her requirements. Anton listened without interruption. When she finished, he named a price that would have made most people gasp. Rose didn't even flinch. "Half now, half when you deliver," she said.
"Cash only. And I'll need the first payment today."
"I'll have it within the hour."
After ending the call, Rose tore the pages
from the notepad and burned them in the bathroom sink, watching the ashes swirl down the drain. No evidence. No trail. Nothing that
could be tied back to her.
She gazed at her reflection in the spotted mirror. Dark circles shadowed her eyes. Her
newly dyed black hair hung limply around her pale
face. She barely recognized herself.
But soon, everyone would know her name. Not as Herod's accomplice. Not as Camille's sister. But as Rose Lewis, the woman who brought down Kane Industries and everyone connected to it. Rose splashed water on her face, the cool liquid washing away some of the exhaustion. She had preparations to make. Money to gather. Plans to finalize.
The charity gala was only three days away. Camille and Victoria thought they were untouchable in their tower of glass and steel. They thought their money and their security teams would keep them safe. They were wrong.
Rose dried her face and began packing her
few belongings. She couldn't stay here anymore. She needed a new hiding place, somewhere closer to the Grand Plaza Hotel. Somewhere she could watch the chaos unfold.
As she zipped her bag closed, Rose felt calmer than she had in days. The path forward was clear now. One final strike. One last
chance at the revenge she deserved.
Camille had taken everything from her, her future, her reputation, her freedom. Now Rose would take everything from Camille, starting with the precious charity gala she refused to cancel.
The Phoenix Foundation. How fitting that it would all end in flames.
Rose checked the room one last time, making sure she'd left nothing behind. Then she slipped out the back door, pulling a baseball cap low over her face.
Three days until the gala. Three days to prepare for the biggest night of her life.
Three days until Camille Kane learned what true loss felt like.