Do I destroy her

The study in Edward Lancaster’s estate was like stepping into the past mahogany shelves stacked with first editions, the scent of aged whiskey and cigar smoke lingering in the air like old secrets. A single fire crackled in the grand fireplace, casting a golden glow on the paintings of generations of Lancasters who’d built and bled for power.

Xander stepped inside, shoulders squared, heart heavy. His father sat behind his massive oak desk, swirling a glass of brandy with the smugness of a man who had waited too long for something and finally gotten it.

“You’ve done it, haven’t you?” Edward said the moment he saw his son’s face. He didn’t even wait for confirmation. “She said yes. She’s your girlfriend now.”

Xander gave a slow nod, jaw tightening. “She agreed. We’re… officially together.”

Edward stood, raising his glass with a grin that didn’t reach his eyes. “Cheers, son. You’re now the true son of your father.” He walked over and clinked his glass against Xander’s untouched one. “To the art of persuasion.”

Xander took a sip to avoid speaking.

Edward returned to his desk, already shifting into his next calculated move. “Now that you’ve won her heart, we move to the next step solidify your grip.”

Xander furrowed his brow. “Which is?”

Edward looked up, amused. “You know what it is, boy. Get her pregnant.”

The words landed like a slap.

Xander set down his glass a little too hard. “Dad—”

“No need to get sentimental now,” Edward cut in, waving a hand. “You’ve come this far, haven’t you? You’ve done well, son. Very well. Better than I expected. Now finish what you started. She’s vulnerable, she trusts you good. This is the moment. Get her into bed, get her pregnant, and the Williams family fortune is as good as ours.”

Xander stared at him. “And then what?”

Edward grinned. “Then you marry her. Temporarily, of course. Keep up appearances, let her father hand over a few business assets as part of the union strategic alignment, they’ll call it. And when the ink dries and our name is tied to theirs, you do what every man has learned to do when the game is done you walk away.”

“Walk away?”

Edward leaned back in his chair. “Drive her out. Leave her. Whatever suits you. Hell, she’ll probably fall apart like her mother did. But that won’t be your concern anymore.”

Xander’s stomach churned. “So that’s your idea of legacy?”

Edward’s expression hardened. “Don’t play moral with me now, Xander. You were raised for this. We’re not romantics. We’re builders, conquerors. You don’t save a company by loving a woman. You save it by using every tool you have her included.”

Silence stretched between them.

“Dad…” Xander began, his voice low, hesitant, “what if she finds out?”

Edward scoffed. “Then she finds out after it’s too late. She’ll have your child, she’ll be emotionally wrecked, and by then, it won’t matter. We’ll have what we want.”

“You talk about her like she’s property,” Xander muttered.

Edward stood slowly, walking over to him. “And you’re acting like a lovesick fool. Don’t forget what’s at stake here, son. Our name is in shambles. The board is losing faith in me. If this acquisition doesn’t happen, our empire folds. That means no inheritance. No legacy. And no second chances.”

He placed a hand on Xander’s shoulder. “You’ve already started this, son. You wooed her. She trusts you. Now seal the deal.”

Xander stared at the fire for a long time, his mind a storm of guilt, confusion, and conflict. He had come this far with every intention of manipulating June. But things had changed. Her vulnerability, her softness, the way she tried to love despite all the pain none of it matched the image his father had painted.

But now he was trapped.

Because walking away meant losing everything.

And continuing meant losing the last good part of himself.

Edward Lancaster, oblivious or indifferent to the war raging inside his son, returned to his desk, already dialing someone on his phone. “We’ll need a contract drafted just in case she gets suspicious. And have the PR team prep a narrative in case things leak.”

Xander turned slowly, walking toward the door. As he reached it, his father called after him.

“Don’t disappoint me now, Xander. We’re this close. One night. That’s all it takes.”

As the door clicked shut behind him, Xander leaned against the hallway wall, chest heaving. He pulled out his phone. June’s name lit up his recent messages a sweet text she had sent just hours ago.

“Can’t wait to see you tomorrow. Thank you for being so patient with me. I’m glad I said yes.”

Xander: Can’t wait to spend time with my girlfriend, you know. 😘❤️

June smiled. It was the kind of smile she hadn’t felt in months—genuine, unexpected, and deep. She read the message again, rolling her eyes playfully as she typed back.

June: Spend time together? But that’s what we’ve been doing this past week 🙃

The response came almost immediately.

Xander: Oh come on babe, you’re not a baby… you know what I mean. 😏

In fact, I’m on my way to your place tonight.

June sat up, blinking. Her heart started to race—not from fear, but from something she couldn’t quite name. She quickly typed:

June: Xander, it’s late.

Xander: Not too late to spend time with my queen. 👑💋

June stared at the text for a long moment.

And then… she blushed.

Hard.

She giggled as she dropped her phone on the couch, throwing her legs in the air like a teenager crushing on her first love. “Oh my God,” she whispered into the empty room, hugging a throw pillow. She couldn’t remember the last time someone called her ‘queen’ and meant it—or at least made it sound so real.

She typed back quickly, fingers shaking.

June: You’re trouble, Mr. Lancaster.

Xander: Only the good kind. 😉

Meanwhile, Xander sat in the backseat of his car, watching the city lights blur past the window. He held his phone with a forced smile, but behind his eyes was a storm.

Every word he sent felt like a dagger twisting inside him.

She was trusting him. Falling for him. Softening in a way that made him want to protect her not use her.

But he could still hear his father’s voice: “Get her pregnant. That’s all it takes.”

The plan was in motion. And tonight… was meant to be the tipping point.

“Sir,” his driver said from the front, “We’ll be at Miss Williams’ residence in ten minutes.”

Xander cleared his throat, slipping his phone into his coat. “Thanks, Marcus. That’ll be all for tonight. Once I’m inside, you can go.”

He adjusted his shirt collar, checking his reflection in the small rearview mirror. Handsome. Polished. Disarming. Exactly how he was trained to be.

Yet the man in the mirror felt like a stranger.

Back at June’s apartment, the doorbell rang at exactly 9:12 p.m.

She opened it slowly, revealing Xander in a dark grey coat, holding a bottle of red wine and a single rose—cheesy, yes, but she still gasped softly and smiled.

“You’re ridiculous,” she said, taking the rose.

“And you’re beautiful,” he replied, eyes sweeping her in that slow, appreciative way that made her insides curl.

He stepped inside, placing the wine on her kitchen counter. “No fancy plans tonight. I just want to sit, talk, and maybe… hold you a little.”

June laughed, setting the rose in a glass of water. “Well, aren’t you bold tonight.”

Xander took off his coat and tossed it gently over the chair. “Bold? Maybe. But not dishonest.”

He walked toward her slowly, testing the waters, watching her body language. When she didn’t step away, he reached for her hand and intertwined his fingers with hers.

“June,” he said softly, voice thick with emotion, “I know we’ve both been through a lot. I know you’re still healing. But I meant what I said I want to be here. I want to love you.”

She searched his face, unsure of what to say. Her heart beat in her throat. Something about his voice felt raw… maybe too raw.

“Don’t say things you don’t mean, Xander.”

“I mean them,” he said, leaning in, lips brushing against her forehead. “Every word.”

The silence was warm, stretched between them like a fragile thread.

“Can we… just sit for a while?” she asked.

“Of course,” he said, pulling her gently toward the couch.

They sat side by side, sipping wine and laughing at some old movie June had left playing in the background. But Xander wasn’t watching the screen. His eyes were on her the way she curled her feet under herself, how she tucked her hair behind her ear, the glint of wine in her smile.

The temptation was strong.

His father’s voice echoed louder.

But something about June’s peace her softness made him hesitate. Made him ask himself, not for the first time:

Do I really want to destroy this woman?

And even more painfully:

What happens when she finds out the truth?