Semua Bab SCORNED EX WIFE : Queen Of Ashes: Bab 61 - Bab 70

Chapter 61Rose paced her parents' living room, each step calculated to display distress. Tears streaked her makeup, deliberately ruined before her arrival. The afternoon sun highlighted her red eyes and trembling hands as she clutched a disintegrating tissue."I don't know what else to do," she sobbed. "Stefan barely talks to me. He sleeps at his family home every night."Margaret Lewis watched with exhaustion. The past weeks had stripped years from her face, first Camille's death, now Rose's relationship troubles."Maybe he just needs time," Margaret suggested weakly. "The Rodriguez company's collapse is a terrible shock.""Time?" Rose's voice cracked perfectly. "He talks about canceling the wedding, Mom! Everything we've planned!"Richard Lewis sat with newspaper forgotten, expression guarded. Since the scandal photos emerged, he'd grown quieter around Rose."Stefan's lost everything," he said finally. "His company, his estate, his reputation. Perhaps a wedding isn't his priority."

Chapter 63Camille's point of viewThe morning sun filled my home office, bathing the pristine white furniture in golden light that should have been soothing. Instead, I stared at my tablet screen, my chest so tight I could barely breathe. The headline of the Wall Street Journal's business section screamed at me in bold black letters:**LEWIS INDUSTRIES TO RESCUE RODRIGUEZ SHIPPING WITH $100M INVESTMENT**The subheading twisted the knife deeper:**Wedding Bells to Follow: Rodriguez-Lewis Union Cements Business Partnership**My coffee cup crashed to the floor as I stood abruptly, hot liquid splattering across imported marble tiles. I didn't care. The words on the screen burned through my mind, erasing months of careful planning, of systematic destruction, of what should have been complete victory."No," I whispered, my voice trembling with emotion I rarely allowed myself anymore. "No, no, NO!"I scrolled through the article, each paragraph feeding the fire growing inside me:*In a sur

Chapter 65The breakfast tray sat untouched on Rose's nightstand, fresh fruit and pastries growing stale in the morning air. She hadn't moved from the edge of her bed for nearly an hour, eyes fixed on the television screen where her life was unraveling in high definition."Fashion designer Rose Lewis faces new allegations today," the entertainment reporter said, her expression a mask of professional concern that barely concealed her delight in the scandal. "Former associates have come forward with evidence that Lewis engaged in multiple affairs during her European apprenticeship, including relationships with married industry leaders who later promoted her work."Rose's fingers dug into her silk comforter until her knuckles turned white. This wasn't happening. Not now. Not when everything was finally coming together.The reporter continued, her voice dripping with false sympathy. "Most damaging are claims from British fashion executive Jonathan Hayes, who alleges Lewis used their affai

Chapter 67Stefan Rodriguez stared into his whiskey glass, watching the amber liquid catch the dim bar light. This was his fourth drink of the night, or maybe his fifth. He'd lost count somewhere between the endless news alerts about Rose's scandal and the memories that wouldn't stop haunting him.The bar was nearly empty on this rainy Tuesday night. Just him, the tired-looking bartender who had stopped trying to make conversation hours ago, and a couple in the far corner who seemed too wrapped up in each other to notice anything else. Perfect. The last thing Stefan wanted right now was recognition, questions, or worse, pity.He took another long swallow, letting the burn travel down his throat. The television above the bar played footage of Rose leaving her apartment building, surrounded by reporters shouting questions about her affairs, her stolen designs, her connections to questionable money. The sound was muted, but Stefan could almost hear her practiced denials, her careful per

Chapter 69Rose point of view I paced my penthouse living room, phone clutched so tightly in my hand that my knuckles turned white. The news notification still glowed on the screen: "Kane Industries Acquires Moretti Global Logistics in Surprise Takeover."Uncle Fabio's company. My last financial lifeline. Gone.The vodka bottle on the bar called to me, promising temporary relief from the suffocating pressure crushing my chest. Three weeks of systematic destruction had left me raw, exposed, and increasingly desperate. First my company. Then my reputation. Now my godfather's business.The doorbell rang, its shrill tone slicing through my spiraling thoughts. I ignored it, just as I'd been ignoring most intrusions from the outside world. Probably another reporter hoping to document my "fall from grace" with carefully choreographed photos of the disgraced fashion designer.The bell rang again, followed by pounding that made the door shake."Rose! I know you're in there!"Stefan. I froze,