Chapter 130Moonlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows of Camille's penthouse, casting long silver shadows across the living room. The city sparkled below, millions of lights that would soon be powered by the Phoenix Grid. Camille stood by the window, a glass of champagne untouched in her hand, watching the world she was about to change.The door opened behind her. Alexander's reflection appeared in the glass, his tie loosened, jacket discarded. He moved toward her with quiet steps, his eyes never leaving her face."Hannah just called," he said, his voice low in the stillness of the room. "They found trackers in the files they fed to Walsh. Herod accessed them three hours ago."Camille turned, a smile spreading across her face. "So they took the bait.""Completely." Alexander closed the distance between them, taking her free hand in his. "The trackers activated and showed them at Herod's penthouse, but only briefly. They must have discovered the monitoring. By the time th
Chapter 131The Kane Industries tower gleamed like a diamond against the night sky, every window ablaze with light. Inside the grand ballroom on the fortieth floor, crystal chandeliers cast golden reflections across the sea of New York's elite who had gathered for the gala celebrating the Phoenix Grid launch. Tomorrow, the city's power system would change forever.Camille stood at the entrance, her midnight blue gown catching the light with each breath. The dress hugged her curves before flaring at her knees in a subtle reminder of the phoenix that had become her symbol. At her side, Alexander looked equally striking in a perfectly tailored tuxedo, his hand resting lightly against the small of her back."Ready?" he murmured, his lips close to her ear.She nodded, straightening her shoulders as they stepped into the room together. A hush fell over the crowd, followed by enthusiastic applause. Cameras flashed, capturing the moment for tomorrow's society pages."They love you," Alexander
Chapter 132The sun shone bright over Kane Industries plaza as thousands gathered for the Phoenix Grid launch. News vans lined the streets. Cameras from every major network pointed at the stage. Reporters from six continents spoke into microphones, broadcasting to viewers around the world.Behind the stage, Camille took deep breaths. Her navy suit felt tight against her skin despite its perfect fit. In minutes, she would step out to face not just New York, but the world.Victoria approached, regal in silver gray. "Nervous?""A little," Camille admitted. "It's not just about the Grid anymore. It's about everything we've overcome to get here."Victoria nodded, understanding in her eyes. "Sometimes our greatest achievements come from our hardest battles."Alexander appeared, handsome in his dark suit. "Security reports everything looks clear so far.""That doesn't mean they're not out there," Camille said. Her hand moved to her pocket where she carried the phoenix ring. Once today was ov
Chapter 133Rose hurled the empty bottle against the wall. It shattered into tiny pieces, much like their plans. On the television, news channels couldn't stop talking about the Phoenix Grid's successful launch. Camille's face appeared on every station, her triumph complete."Turn it off!" she screamed, her voice raw from hours of rage.Herod stood by the window of their shabby motel room, his back to her. They had been forced to hide here after abandoning his penthouse. His finger pressed the remote button, silencing Camille's voice mid-sentence about "transformation" and "rising from the ashes.""All of it," Herod said, his voice hollow with defeat. "All my planning, all my resources, all the time spent cultivating Walsh as our inside man, wasted.""We knew they discovered Walsh," Rose paced the worn carpet, her movements sharp and erratic. "But how did they block the signal jammer too? That was supposed to be foolproof!"Herod turned to face her. His expensive suit looked out of pl
Chapter 134Camille's penthouse glowed with warm light against the evening sky. Floor-to-ceiling windows displayed the city below, where thousands of lights now powered by the Phoenix Grid sparkled like earthbound stars. The dining table, set for twelve, gleamed with crystal and silver.Hannah arrived first, bringing a bottle of champagne and a shy smile. She looked different outside the control room—softer somehow in a simple blue dress, her usual ponytail replaced by loose waves."It's strange to celebrate," she said as Camille welcomed her. "Part of me is still waiting for another crisis."Camille squeezed her hand. "Tonight, we just enjoy our success."The others arrived in quick succession, Mike from Hannah's team, board members who had supported the Grid from the beginning, Alexander's chief engineer who had helped design the power relays. Each brought congratulations, small gifts, happy exhaustion from the work finally completed.Camille moved among them easily, the perfect hos
Chapter 135A thunderous boom shook the early morning quiet. Orange flame shot into the dark sky as Substation 12 of the Phoenix Grid exploded. Pieces of metal and concrete flew in all directions. The night security guard, having stepped outside for a cigarette moments earlier, stared in shock from the parking lot.Three blocks away, Rose watched from the passenger seat of a stolen van, her face lit by the distant flames. A small smile played on her lips as smoke rose into the night sky."Beautiful," she whispered. "Just like I planned."Beside her, Herod gripped the steering wheel, his face tight. "Drive now, admire later," he said, shifting the van into gear. "Security cameras might have caught us."As they sped away, emergency sirens began to wail in the distance. Fire trucks and police cars raced toward the burning substation."Phase one complete," Rose said, her voice filled with satisfaction. "Now we wait for phase two, the system collapse."Herod kept his eyes on the road, his
Chapter 136Rose 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. The perfect beginning to Camille's downfall."It's beautiful," she whispered, running her fingertips over the screen as if caressing a 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 r
Chapter 137Camille 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, turn
Chapter 143Rose 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 everything. Her plan, her revenge, her future, all of it would crumble if he talked.She reached her car, not her car, really, but one of Herod's cars. Her hands shook as she 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
Chapter 142The 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 apartment, including detailed plans and materials matching those used in the attacks."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 o
Chapter 141Victoria 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 left. She pushed the papers away and stood to look out her office window.Her own reflection stared back at her, thinner now, her face pale and drawn from the treatments that weren't working. The doctor had suggested stopping them, focusing instead on comfort measures. "Quality of life over quantity," he'd said gently.Victoria had walked out without answering. Quality wasn't enough. She 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 L
Chapter 140Herod'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 over the decline button, but something made him answer."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 ap
Chapter 139Special 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 smoldered in places. FBI evidence techs in white suits moved through the wreckage, marking and collecting anything that might help identify who had done this."What do we have so far?" her partner, Agent Trent Morgan, asked as he joined her, notebook in hand.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 i
Chapter 138Rain 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 ignored it."Pierce.""I need to see you." A male voice, quiet but urgent. "It's about Camille. And Rose."Alexander stiffened. "Who is this?""Stefan Rodriguez."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 Camille's heart, who had chosen Rose over her. His instinct screamed to ignore him. But if there was even a tiny chance Camille was in danger...Alexander made another call. "Double security on
Chapter 137Camille 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, turn
Chapter 136Rose 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. The perfect beginning to Camille's downfall."It's beautiful," she whispered, running her fingertips over the screen as if caressing a 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 r
Chapter 135A thunderous boom shook the early morning quiet. Orange flame shot into the dark sky as Substation 12 of the Phoenix Grid exploded. Pieces of metal and concrete flew in all directions. The night security guard, having stepped outside for a cigarette moments earlier, stared in shock from the parking lot.Three blocks away, Rose watched from the passenger seat of a stolen van, her face lit by the distant flames. A small smile played on her lips as smoke rose into the night sky."Beautiful," she whispered. "Just like I planned."Beside her, Herod gripped the steering wheel, his face tight. "Drive now, admire later," he said, shifting the van into gear. "Security cameras might have caught us."As they sped away, emergency sirens began to wail in the distance. Fire trucks and police cars raced toward the burning substation."Phase one complete," Rose said, her voice filled with satisfaction. "Now we wait for phase two, the system collapse."Herod kept his eyes on the road, his