Ties of Betrayal

Chapter 15: Lines Drawn in Blood

The quiet of the Pierce mansion library was only broken by the crackling of the fireplace, but the tension in the air was suffocating. Alexander stood by the window, his hands clenched into fists, as his grandfather, Gerald Pierce, took his usual seat behind the grand mahogany desk.

For a moment, neither spoke. Gerald's steely gaze bored into Alexander, daring him to defy the plan that had already been set into motion. "You know what needs to be done, Alexander," Gerald said finally, his voice low and cold. "It's time to end this farce with Lily. Send her to France. It's the only way to preserve what's left of this family's dignity."

Alexander's jaw tightened. His heart was raging, his emotions like a storm barely held back by his icy composure. Lily was everything to him—his past, his present, and he had always thought, his future. How could his grandfather expect him to let her go, especially now, with their child on the way? "That's not going to happen," Alexander shot back, turning to face Gerald. "Lily is carrying my child too. I love her, and I'm not abandoning her for this... for some arrangement you forced on me."

Gerald's eyes narrowed. "Love?" He spat the word as if it were poison. "What has love ever done for this family? You think you can build a future on that? You'd throw away everything we've built for some fleeting romance?" His voice grew harsher. "This isn't about your feelings, boy. It's about your duty. Victoria is your wife, and that's the end of it. Lily is a distraction, one that needs to be removed."

Alexander's face darkened. "Removed? You think sending her away will solve everything? She's not just some problem you can make disappear." Gerald rose from his chair, slamming his hands down on the desk. For the first time, his calm façade cracked, revealing the iron will beneath. "You will listen to me, Alexander. You have disgraced this family long enough. You're married to Victoria. She is carrying your heir. That's the only thing that matters now. Lily is nothing but a liability."

But Alexander stood firm, his defiance blazing. "You can threaten me all you want, but I'm not letting Lily go. She's the mother of my child. If you think I'm going to abandon her, you're wrong." Gerald's gaze hardened into something like fury. He wasn't used to being defied. He had shaped this family, molded it through sheer will, and now his own grandson was challenging him. "Is that your final decision?" Gerald asked, his voice deathly quiet. "It is," Alexander said coldly. "I'm not sending her away. If you try anything, you'll lose me, too."

Gerald stared at his grandson for a long moment, and in that silence, the tension seemed to suffocate the room. Then, with a slow exhale, the old man sat back down. "Very well," he said, his voice eerily calm again. "But you're making a grave mistake, Alexander. I'm doing this for your own good." He reached for his phone, dialed a number, and spoke a few curt words.

Alexander's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "What did you just do?" "I did what you refused to," Gerald said, placing the phone back on the desk. "I've arranged for Lily to be sent to France. She'll be gone by tomorrow. There's nothing you can do about it now."

For a moment, Alexander was frozen in shock, unable to process what had just happened. His grandfather had overruled him—had taken away the only person he truly loved. A blind fury surged through him, hotter and more destructive than anything he had ever felt before. "You had no right," Alexander growled, his voice trembling with rage. "No right!"

"You left me no choice," Gerald responded, his expression cold and unyielding. "Lily will never be a part of this family. You'll thank me one day." But Alexander was already storming out of the library, slamming the door behind him. His mind was racing, every thought consumed by the injustice, the betrayal. As he drove furiously through the streets of New York, he knew exactly where he needed to go next. Victoria.

Hours later, Victoria was sitting in the living room of their cold, empty house, nervously sipping tea when the front door swung open with a bang. She startled, the cup slipping from her hands, shattering on the floor. Alexander stood in the doorway, his face dark with fury. "A-Alex?" she stammered, fear creeping into her voice.

Without a word, Alexander crossed the room, his eyes blazing. In one swift motion, he grabbed her arm, yanking her off the couch. "You did this," he spat, his grip tightening painfully. "You and your schemes. You couldn't just leave things alone, could you? Now Lily's gone because of you!"

Victoria's heart raced in panic. The pain in her arm was nothing compared to the fear that coursed through her. "I... I don't know what you're talking about!" "You knew exactly what you were doing!" Alexander yelled, his voice filled with venom. "You played your part perfectly, didn't you? Pretending to be the perfect wife, running to my grandfather for help, getting him to send Lily away! Well, congratulations, Victoria. You've won."

Tears welled up in Victoria's eyes. She hadn't known Gerald would go that far—she had only asked for his help, not for him to destroy Lily's life. "Alex, please... I didn't mean—" Before she could finish, Alexander struck her across the face, the force of the blow sending her to the ground. She clutched her cheek, the stinging pain blinding her. "You disgust me," he said coldly, standing over her. "I'll never forgive you for this."

And then he was gone, slamming the door behind him. The silence that followed was deafening. Victoria lay on the floor, sobbing, her heart shattered. Every ounce of strength she had built up in the past weeks crumbled to dust. The love she had hoped for, fought for, was now more unreachable than ever.

For the next few days, Alexander didn't come home. He didn't answer her calls, didn't send word. The house felt emptier than ever, each room echoing with the memory of his anger. Victoria tried to stay strong, but every time she saw the headlines about Alexander and Lily, her resolve cracked a little more.

"Billionaire's Secret Love Affair" the headlines read. "Alexander Pierce and Lily Hayes spotted shopping for baby clothes." Photographs of them together flooded the media—Lily radiant, laughing, her hand resting protectively on her stomach; Alexander by her side, smiling, looking every bit the doting father-to-be.

Every image was like a dagger to Victoria's heart. No matter what Gerald had promised her, no matter how much she wanted to believe that she could still win Alexander over—the reality was clear. He didn't love her. And now, she was more alone than ever.