Chapter 301

Chapter 301:

The timer in her mind continued its countdown. Twelve minutes. Maybe less.

“Alexander,” Camille’s voice had changed, taking on the steel she had learned from Victoria. “Get Victoria out. Now. I’ll be right behind you.”

“We go together or not at all,” Victoria said firmly.

“No,” Camille met Victoria’s gaze directly. “You’re ill. You need to leave immediately. I’ll help with the evacuation and follow.”

Alexander stepped between them. “Both of you need to leave. That’s nonnegotiable.”

But Camille had already made her decision. She turned toward the stage, toward the microphone that could reach every corner of the ballroom. “I can make them move faster,” she said over her shoulder. “I can save more people.”

Alexander grabbed her arm. “Camille, listen to me. Rose did this. She set these bombs. She’s targeting you specifically.”

“I know.” Camille’s eyes flashed with determination. “That’s exactly why I can’t run. She wants me to be afraid. To panic. I won’t give her that satisfaction.”

Victoria’s voice cut through the tension between them. “Alexander, get the car ready. We’ll be there in two minutes.”

Alexander hesitated, torn between his duty to protect both women and the knowledge that Victoria’s authority still outranked his in Camille’s mind. “Two minutes,” he repeated, then moved toward the private exit to prepare their escape.

Once he was gone, Victoria turned to Camille. “You have one minute to help, then we leave. Together. Understood?”

Camille nodded, already moving toward the stage. The hotel manager looked relieved as she took the microphone from him.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” she began, her voice steady and clear. “This is Camille Kane. I need your attention.”

The crowd quieted, all eyes turning toward her.

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“We need to evacuate this building immediately. This is not a drill. Please move quickly to the nearest exit. Parents, carry your children. If you see someone struggling, help them. Leave all belongings behind.”

The urgency in her voice cut through the confusion. People began moving more purposefully toward the exits, staff stepped up to assist elderly guests, and the crowd’s pace visibly accelerated.

Victoria appeared at the edge of the stage. “Time’s up,” she said. “We need to go.”

Camille looked out across the ballroom, still half-full despite the increased pace of evacuation. The bitter knowledge that not everyone would make it out in time twisted in her stomach.

“Camille,” Victoria’s voice grew sharper. “Now.”

From somewhere in the building, a muffled boom sounded—the first device detonating early. Screams erupted as the lights flickered, panic threatening to overtake the ordered evacuation.

Camille grabbed the microphone again. “Stay calm!” she ordered. “Continue moving toward the exits in an orderly fashion.”

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