QUEEN OF ASHES

The Queens Gambit

Chapter 3

The next morning, the headlines exploded.

"Heiress Camila Torres Sues for Divorce from Xavier De Luca amid Supposed Scandal."

"Rumours of Inner Demise of the De Luca Syndicate."

"Camila Torres Spotted at Rival Syndicate HQ, Alliance Speculations Abound."

Camila sipped her espresso languidly in the garden, legs crossed, shades concealing her impenetrable expression. Mara sat next to her, reading the news out loud. They're spiralling," she said. "Xavier's PR team hasn't responded. Word is, the Rinaldi syndicate already cancelled their joint shipping deal."

Camila let out a soft, satisfied breath. "Good."

This was only the beginning. Let Xavier get a taste of instability. Let him sweat. But at that moment, the sound of approaching footsteps made her look up. The housekeeper was there, appearing nervous.

"Señor Xavier is here."

Camila's eyebrows went up. "Alone?"

"Yes, ma'am. But he doesn't look. calm.".

Mara moved closer, guarded. "Would you like me to have him thrown out?"

Camila stood, smoothing the silk robe belted at her waist. "No. Let him in." She moved into the parlour and waited.

Soon, Xavier burst through the doors, eyes stormy dark and jaw locked. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" he growled. "You think parading our private lives in front of the world like this is going to fix things?"

She didn't flinch. "You mean the life you tried to poison, literally? I'm not trying to fix anything, Xavier. I'm burning it all down." Xavier's fists clenched at his sides. "You want a war?" he snarled through gritted teeth. "Because that's what you'll get if you keep pushing."

Camila took a step closer, her chin still lifted. "Then bring it."

He looked at her. The woman who had wept when he only raised his voice to her now stood before him like marble. Cold. Chiselled from pain.

"You were never this ruthless," he said in a low tone.

"I was never betrayed before," she said. "But I learned quick."

Just then, Mara entered with a folder. "Camila. The bank report."

She handed it over, but Xavier grabbed it before Camila could. His eyes scanned through the contents. Then his jaw clenched even harder. "You're freezing the De Luca accounts?"

Camila took back the folder calmly. "Correction. My accounts. The Torres shares you battled for? They're returning to me. The marriage clause has been breached."

Xavier's face became stony. "You're playing with fire." "And you're standing in gasoline," she said.

They were quiet for a long time.

Then he whispered, "You see, if you back down now. I'll make sure you're safe. But if you don't. I can't promise anything." A chill ran down her spine. Not from fear, but because the man she loved was no longer there. There was only a threat in front of her.

"Leave," she said.

He turned, but before leaving, he looked back one last time. “When Valentina comes back into power, we’ll bury you, Camila.” Camila didn’t respond.

But once he was gone, she turned to Mara. “Double security. And get Matthew on the line.”

Later that afternoon, Camila met Matthew at the rooftop bar of the Malvado Hotel. He was leaning against the railing, drink in hand, suit crisp, eyes dangerous.

I like this version of you," he said as she approached. "The vengeful heiress look?" He smirked. "The one who doesn't bat an eyelash when De Luca breathes fire."

Camila smiled grimly. "Fire doesn't scare me. Not after what they tried to do." She handed him the file she was carrying.

Matthew flipped through it, ledgers, secret account trails, records of bribes in Xavier's name.

He whistled low. "This would destroy him." "That's the idea," she said.

He closed the folder. "You want this public?"

"Not yet. I want him cornered. Then I'll take him down in front of the entire council."

Matthew studied her face. "You've thought this through."

She met his gaze. "Pain sharpens the mind."

His expression softened, a bit. "And what do you want from me?" Camila stared out at the skyline, wind teasing the hem of her coat. I need Xavier to suffer," she said to him. "Not merely lose. I need him devastated. Personally. Publicly. Professionally. I need him to understand what it feels like to be betrayed by the one person you trusted above all others."

There was a moment of silence between them.

Then Matthew broke the silence, saying, "You're in luck. I'm quite good at destruction.".

That night, Camila returned to her villa alone. She walked past the guards, past the family portraits that still hadn't been moved, and into her bedroom.

To find a single envelope on her bed containing a photo of her sleeping on her bed.

Her blood turned cold. There was no message. No signature. Just the photo.

Someone had been inside her home. Someone had observed her sleeping. She gently set the photo down, her fingers cold. This wasn't power anymore. This was personal.

And someone wanted her scared.

She picked up the photo again and turned it over. In neat red ink, one word was written on the back:

"Soon."