SCORNED EX WIFE Queen Of Ashes (Camille and Stefan) novel Chapter 218

Chapter 218

The Kane Industries conference room felt suffocating as Hannah's computer displayed the final pieces of information that would change everything they thought they knew. For hours, they had been tracing digital footprints, following money trails, and uncovering layers of deception that stretched back twenty years.

Now, the truth stared back at them from multiple screens, devastating in its clarity.

"James Smith," Hannah said quietly, reading from her laptop. "Born James Thomas Smith. Changed his legal name to James Whitfield in 2006 two years after his father Thomas Smith died in federal prison."

Alexander stared at the screen showing his uncle's business partner's real identity. The man he had known only as the Guardian, the person who had fed him lies for months, had been hiding behind a false name from the beginning.

"Thomas Smith Construction," Stefan read from another document. "Convicted of federal fraud, bribery, and safety violations. The company was systematically cheating municipal contracts by using substandard materials and exploiting immigrant workers."

Victoria sat back in her chair, pieces of a twenty-year-old puzzle finally clicking into place. "I remember Thomas Smith. Richard and I were competing against his company for the hospital contract when we discovered his illegal practices."

"You reported him to the authorities," Camille said, understanding beginning to dawn.

"We had to. Workers were being injured on his construction sites because he was using defective concrete and steel. Families were being cheated out of their life savings through inflated contracts." Victoria's voice carried the weight of old memories. "When we found evidence of his crimes, we turned it over to federal investigators."

Alexander's hands shook as he processed what he was hearing. "James Whitfield is Thomas Smith's son. The Guardian is the son of a criminal who was legitimately convicted for fraud."

Hannah pulled up more records, her fingers flying across the keyboard. "Thomas Smith died in prison in 2004. Killed by other inmates after they discovered he had been stealing money from a children's hospital construction fund."

The silence in the room was deafening as everyone absorbed the implications. Alexander felt like the ground was shifting beneath his feet, everything he had believed crumbling into dust.

"James wasn't seeking justice," Alexander whispered. "He was seeking revenge for his father's criminal empire being destroyed."

Stefan leaned forward, studying the financial records Hannah had uncovered. "Look at this timeline. James started planning his revenge campaign almost immediately after his father's death. He spent years building resources, creating false identities, gathering information on Victoria and Richard."

"And waiting for the perfect weapon," Camille added, looking at Alexander with a mixture of pity and understanding.

Alexander stood up abruptly, his chair scraping against the floor. The sound echoed in the quiet room like a gunshot. "My uncle. What really happened to my uncle?"

Hannah's face grew pale as she pulled up another set of documents. "According to the coroner's report, Richard Pierce died by suicide. But look at these medical records from his final weeks."

The screens showed detailed medical reports, toxicology results, and witness statements that painted a very different picture of Richard Pierce's final days.

"James had been feeding Richard false information for months," Hannah continued. "Convincing him that Victoria was responsible for Meridian Technologies' problems. But when Richard started questioning the narrative, when he wanted to go to the authorities with the truth..."

"James couldn't let that happen," Stefan finished grimly. "Richard knew too much about James's manipulation."

Alexander felt rage building in his chest like molten lava. "The toxicology report. What does it show?"

"Traces of sedatives that weren't prescribed to Richard," Hannah said quietly. "Enough to incapacitate someone but not enough to show up as obvious poisoning."

Victoria examined the medical records, her business instincts recognizing the patterns of systematic deception. "James drugged Richard and staged his death to look like suicide. He murdered your uncle to protect his own criminal conspiracy."

The words hit Alexander like physical blows. His uncle hadn't died by suicide, overwhelmed by guilt and despair. Richard Pierce had been murdered by the man who had spent months manipulating him, who had convinced him to blame Victoria for problems James himself had created.

"Fifteen years," Alexander said, his voice breaking. "I spent fifteen years believing my uncle killed himself because of guilt over the factory explosion. I destroyed my marriage, nearly killed Victoria with stress, betrayed everyone I should have protected... all based on lies told by my uncle's killer."

Camille felt tears burning her eyes as she watched Alexander's world collapse around him. Despite everything he had done to her, despite the surveillance and betrayal and months of deception, she couldn't help feeling compassion for the man who had been so thoroughly manipulated.

"Alexander," she said softly, "you couldn't have known."