Chapter 2 Xander 's Pov.

Xander 's Pov.

"You have to marry Amelia Hawthorne, or I'd disown you."

The words echoed in my mind like a death sentence, an inescapable truth that I couldn't escape. My father, always the strategist, had never shown any signs of weakness, not once in his life. He had a way of making people do his bidding, especially me, his only son. The weight of his words hit me like a sledgehammer. What he was demanding wasn't just marriage; it was the betrayal of everything I had held dear.

I could still feel the cold, calculating gaze he had given me when he said it, like a predator sizing up its prey. He wasn't looking at me, his son, but rather at a pawn in his grand scheme. His voice, low and steady, had told me everything I needed to know about the seriousness of his demands.

"You'll marry Amelia," he'd said, "and you'll do it for the family. For the business."

I had no choice. His hands were around my neck, tightening every second, and there was no way out. His grip on my life, my decisions, had always been unyielding. The business had been his life's work, and he wasn't going to let anything-least of all my feelings-stand in the way of expanding his empire.

Amelia Hawthorne wasn't just some woman he wanted me to marry. She was the key to everything. The Hawthorne family was influential, connected to the highest levels of society, and more importantly, they had the business connections my father had long coveted. He had made it clear from the start that this marriage was no romantic gesture, no exchange of love. It was about power. About building an empire larger than anything I could ever have imagined.

The problem was, I couldn't stand Amelia. She had always been... there. She had known about my family's plans long before I ever did, and she'd always had a crush on me. That was the worst part of it-the way she had always looked at me with adoration in her eyes, as if I were some prize to be won. I had tried to avoid her, but my father's words had forced my hand.

I didn't love her. I couldn't. There was no chemistry, no connection. She was a means to an end in my father's eyes, and now, she was becoming that in mine as well. But despite my personal feelings, I couldn't shake the overwhelming pressure that came with the weight of family expectations.

For days, I had tried to escape. I needed to speak with Cecilia. To talk to her, to explain everything. She needed to know the truth-how much I regretted the way things had ended between us. How much I still cared for her. But I couldn't reach her. She had closed herself off to me, refusing to pick up the phone or respond to my messages.

Every attempt to contact her had been met with silence, and it made my frustration grow with every passing moment. I couldn't stand it. I couldn't bear the thought of losing her forever, but what choice did I have? My father's power over me had never been stronger, and I had no way of shaking it off.

But I had to try. I couldn't just marry Amelia without at least seeing Cecilia one last time, explaining myself, begging for forgiveness.

I had made plans to leave that very night, to go to Cecilia's home, but my father had stopped me.

"You're not going anywhere," he had said when he caught wind of my intentions. His voice was low but firm, the way he spoke when there was no room for negotiation.

I had tried to argue, to reason with him, but he wasn't having it. "You will marry Amelia. I've made arrangements, and it's already set in motion. You will not go near that woman again."

I had tried to argue, to explain how everything was spiraling out of control. But he was relentless, his voice cutting through me like a knife. "You're a Blackwell, and this family doesn't get to be weak. This marriage is happening. Now stop wasting my time and get ready to do your part."

His words were like poison to my soul, and I felt a deep, burning frustration building inside me. I wanted to lash out. To tell him where to shove his plans. But I knew I couldn't. Not if I wanted to survive in this world he had built.

My father's control over me was absolute, but the one thing he couldn't control was my heart. And my heart was still with Cecilia. It was a battle, one that I couldn't win on my own.

But I had to try. I had to get to her. I had to see her one last time, even if it meant defying everything my father wanted. Even if it meant losing everything.

I didn't care what my father said. I couldn't take it anymore. I had to see her.

I made up my mind then and there. I was going to Cecilia's house, no matter what. I didn't care if my father would disown me. I had already lost so much. My pride, my sense of self, my relationship with Cecilia-it all felt like it had been stolen from me.

But as soon as I set foot out of the house, I felt my father's eyes on me, watching my every move. I couldn't escape his watchful gaze. He had eyes everywhere, and I knew he would try to stop me. But for once, I didn't care.

I managed to get out of the house undetected and quickly made my way to Cecilia's home. My heart was pounding in my chest as I neared the place where she had lived-where we had lived together, before everything fell apart. The memories of her-the way she smiled at me, the way her hair would fall in soft waves around her face-filled my mind.

But when I arrived, I found that the house was dark. There were no lights, no signs of life.

I knocked on the door, my nerves tightening. No answer. I knocked again, harder this time, my desperation growing.

Then, finally, I heard footsteps. The door creaked open, and standing there were not just Cecilia, but her family.

Her father, her brothers-they were all there, looking at me with cold, accusing eyes.

Before I could say anything, her father spoke first, his voice filled with anger. "You're the one who broke our daughter's heart," he spat, glaring at me. "You left her for that... that woman. After everything she did for you."

I opened my mouth to explain, to say something-anything-but the words caught in my throat. The anger in their eyes silenced me before I could even begin.

"You're the reason she's been crying every night," her brother added, his voice full of disgust. "You're the reason she's been lost in her own thoughts. You're the reason she gave up on everything she ever believed in."

I felt the weight of their words crush me, but it wasn't enough to stop me from trying to speak. "Please, I never wanted to hurt her," I managed to say, my voice raw with emotion. "I never meant for any of this to happen."

But they weren't listening. They were beyond reason, beyond understanding. Her father reached out and grabbed me by the collar, shoving me against the doorframe.

"You don't deserve her, Xander," he growled, his grip tightening. "You never did. And you'll never be welcome here again."

Before I could react, her brothers stepped forward. The next few moments were a blur. They were yelling, their fists pounding into me, each blow landing with a force I hadn't anticipated. My vision blurred as pain shot through me with each punch. They didn't stop, not even when I tried to defend myself, not even when I begged them to listen.

It was chaos. The anger, the pain, the sense of betrayal-it all collided. And then, everything went black.

I couldn't feel anything anymore. The world around me seemed to fade away, and I knew nothing but darkness