The set up

The dinner invitation was simple, but for June, it felt monumental.

She had wrestled with uncertainty for days—unsure whether it was too soon to open her heart again, whether her name, still smeared in half-truths by the media, could survive the spotlight of another public moment. But Xander’s presence had made things easier. His calm, his kindness, and the way he always listened without trying to fix her… it had slowly thawed the frost Larry left behind.

So she said yes.

And when she stepped out of her apartment that Saturday evening, dressed in a flowing emerald-green gown with a subtle shimmer that hugged her curves just enough, she felt like herself again. Maybe even better.

Xander, waiting beside a sleek black sedan, could hardly hide his admiration.

He stepped forward, lips parting slightly before a smirk curved across his face. “You look even more dashing than the moon tonight, my lady.”

June blushed, rolling her eyes with a chuckle. “Oh, stop it, dear. You always have a way with sweet words.”

He opened the car door for her with a gallant bow. “You deserve every word and more.”

The restaurant was intimate, candle-lit, with soft jazz playing in the background and windows overlooking the city skyline. They talked about everything and nothing books, art, their favorite childhood memories. June laughed more in that one hour than she had in the last year.

Xander didn’t press her. He didn’t poke at her past or bring up the scandal. He just let her breathe.

“I never knew peace could come in the form of good wine and soft eyes,” she said halfway through dinner, her voice low.

Xander smiled. “Sometimes, peace walks in when you stop waiting for war.”

As they exited the restaurant, still glowing from laughter and a shared dessert, the night air hit them like silk. But just as Xander reached for the valet ticket

FLASH. FLASH. FLASH.

Suddenly, dozens of cameras erupted in their faces.

“Mrs. June williams Is this the man you were seeing while you were still married?”

“Mrs. June! Were you and Mr. Xander having an affair behind Mr. Larry’s back?”

“Is this the real reason for your divorce?!”

June froze.

Her breath caught as dozens of microphones were shoved near her lips. She blinked, disoriented, caught in the glare of bulbs and the barrage of accusations.

“I I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she stammered. “I didn’t cheat on my husband. Leave me alone.”

They didn’t stop.

One camera zoomed in close enough to catch the panic behind her eyes.

“Why won’t you admit it? Are you denying these photos of you and Mr. Xander at the garden last week? What about the spa visit?”

“Was this a secret relationship all along?”

Xander Protects Her

Xander saw the storm building. In a heartbeat, he stepped between her and the horde, shielding her from the flashing lights.

“That’s enough,” he said sharply, voice calm but commanding. “She has no comment. Back off.”

He wrapped an arm protectively around June and gently began guiding her away.

“Xander”she whispered, voice shaking. “I don’t understand. Where did this come from?”

“I think we’ve just seen Audrey’s hand at work,” he muttered, jaw clenched. “Let’s go.”

They reached the car. Xander opened the door quickly and helped her in, then jumped into the driver’s seat just as the paparazzi swarmed the vehicle, still snapping, still shouting.

As the tires screeched softly against the pavement, the crowd blurred behind them. But the damage had been done.

Back Inside the Car

June sat in silence, her hands trembling in her lap. Her heart pounded not from fear, but fury. Her name. Her dignity. Her story twisted.

“This isn’t a coincidence,” she said finally, voice low and steely.

“No,” Xander said, glancing at her briefly. “Someone set this up.”

June’s eyes narrowed. “Audrey.”

Xander nodded. “She’s trying to turn public opinion against you. Make it look like you were the villain. It’s a trap.”

June exhaled slowly. “And I walked right into it.”

“No,” he said firmly. “You walked into a date. Not a warzone.”

He reached over and gently touched her hand.

“She’s not going to win.”

June looked at him, really looked at him. The man who had once been a stranger, now her only sense of safety.

“I’ve spent the last year being quiet,” she said. “Ashamed. Hiding from people who didn’t even know the truth.”

“And?” Xander asked.

She turned to the window, watching the lights blur as they drove through the city.

“And I’m done hiding.”