Chapter 218
Chapter 218:
Moonlight 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, tie loosened, jacket discarded. He moved toward her with quiet steps, 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 the security team arrived, they were gone without a trace.”
Satisfaction warmed Camille’s chest. For months, Rose and Herod had been one step ahead, forcing her to react, to defend. Now, finally, the tables had turned.
“And Walsh?” she asked.
“Under surveillance. He doesn’t know we’re onto him.” Alexander took the champagne from her hand, setting both glasses on a nearby table. “We know they recognized our trap, but not before revealing they had the files. They’re in the wind now, but at least we know our suspicions were correct.”
Camille felt something loosen inside her, a tension she had carried for so long she had almost forgotten what it felt like to be without it. “We caught them,” she whispered, almost afraid to say the words too loudly, as if that might break the spell. “They fell for our trap, even if they managed to escape.”
Alexander’s hands moved to her shoulders, solid and warm through the thin fabric of her blouse. “You outplayed them, Camille. This was your strategy. Your trap.”
She shook her head, unwilling to take all the credit. “Hannah discovered Walsh. Victoria helped plan the false information. You provided extra security. It was a team effort.”
“A team you led.” Alexander’s eyes held hers, filled with an admiration that still caught her off guard sometimes. “Do you realize how far you’ve come in twenty-five months? From that night in the parking garage to now, it’s remarkable.”
Camille felt her throat tighten with unexpected emotion. She had been so focused on the next challenge, the next battle with Rose, that she rarely stopped to consider the journey. From broken victim to the architect of her own recovery, her own triumph.
“I never thought this moment would come,” she admitted, turning back to the window, the vast cityscape spread out before them. “There were times I thought Rose would win. That no matter what I did, she’d find a way to destroy everything I built.”
Alexander’s arms encircled her from behind, pulling her against the warmth of his chest. His chin rested on her shoulder, their reflections merging in the window glass. “She never had a chance,” he murmured. “Not against you.”
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