QUEEN OF ASHES

Chapter 1 “Trust me, Camila will be as good as dead once she drinks this wine tonight. The suite is ready, and the man’s waiting. Once she’s unconscious, we’ll record everything. One leak online and that divorce is guaranteed!” My heart turned cold as I stood there stiffened behind the door. That was Riley's voice, my husband's right-hand man, and she sounded like the devil herself. And Nina… my angel-faced sisterin-law… was chuckling along. "You're sure this will work, Riley? This is our chance. We can't screw it up." Nina's voice was as sharp as a knife. Riley snorted. "You think I play games? This is foolproof. Once Camila's broken, Xavier will leave her. And then? His old flame, Valentina, reclaims the crown." My breath caught. No… No, not this. My heart racing, I crept over to peer through the crack in the door. And there he was, Xavier Torres, my husband, the King of the Torres Syndicate, standing like a statue between them. My final hope. Nina stood before him. "Boss, you're too quiet. Don't tell me you actually care about your little wife. What happened to Valentina? She's back. You're not going soft, are you?" My heart was not receiving oxygen. Please, Xavier. Say something. Show me I'm wrong. His answer? A voice colder than the grave. "Camila was a pawn. I don't care how you do it, just make sure it can't be traced back to me." The world shattered. My chest caved in. Tears flashed before my eyes as I stepped back, hand clapped over mouth to silence the scream ripping through my body. Three years of happy marriage. A farce. Every stitch of it. I ran to the bathroom at the far end of the hall, slamming the door hard behind me. My sobs echoed off the marble walls. Xavier never loved me. All along, it was Valentina. I was worth it only until his family regained power due to my father. Now? Disposable. No more. I rubbed my tears away and dialed the call on my phone. My lawyer picked it up on the first ring. "Camila." "Draw up a divorce settlement," I rasped. "I am leaving." "Hold on, don't be crazy." "I instructed you to do that!" I hung up before he could say another word. I choked, glared back at myself in the mirror. Mascara smeared across my cheeks like war paint. I re-made it up with trembling hands, painted a cold smile on, and walked out as if nothing had happened. The hall of the mansion pulsed with laughter and music. Xavier was present, greeting politicians and rival dons, flashing his dazzling smile. His empire was celebrating a new alliance, a billion-dollar deal sealed in money and blood. "Camila," he said, noticing me. He made an excuse and strolled over, his predator's sophistication as silky as silk. "Where have you been? I was looking everywhere." He took my hand and kissed my knuckles. A gesture that once left me mush. Now? Wanted to make me scream. "Restroom," I said curtly, tugging my hand free. He looked concerned. "You okay? You look." "I'm fine." I turned away before he could go on. I could sense his eyes burning down my back, but I no longer cared. Nina stepped forward next, her scarlet lips curling into a sly smile. Two crystal glasses in her hand. "Happy anniversary, dear sister-in-law," she breathed. "Let's celebrate my brother's triumph!" She pressed a glass into my hand. Poison. I could smell it now. I turned away, catching Xavier's eye across the room. "Cheers?" I raised the glass. He smiled coldly, raised his own. "Cheers, Camila. To future victories." And he drank it back like that. No hesitation. My heart broke. I raised my glass… then "accidentally" dropped it. The crystal shattered on the marble floor, jagged and jagged. "Camila! You are such a klutz!" Nina screamed, feigned shock hiding the poison in her eyes. Xavier was by my side in a flash, his hands wrapped around mine. "Cut yourself?" Worry dripped from his voice. A performance. Always a performance. I let him deliver his lines. Once he'd had his fun with me, he summoned his guards to dispose of the mess. "Return, Xavier. Your guests await," I lied effortlessly, dousing the fire that seared my chest. He smiled. Kissed me cheek. "You're always so kind." Snake. Deceiver. He turned and walked away. And that was when Nina, with her face twisted into fury, shoved me, hard. I wasn't ready. My heel caught on the edge of the rim of the marble step. I slid down the stairs in front of the lot of them. Pain lanced through my ankle and my arms as I hit the floor at the bottom. There were gasps in the hallway. The party halted. "Camila!!" I yelled, acting like I was panicking. Guests flocked around. Xavier was the first one to reach me. For a moment, I thought he looked… totally frightened. But then, "Boss!" One of his men came rushing over, puffing for breath. "Valentina, she has been attacked at the airport!" Xavier's head jerked up. "What?!" He released me at once. My husband, the man I nearly fractured my bones over, battled through the people, sprinting flat out for the exit. Leaving me, battered and humiliated on the chilly marble floor.