Alison’s POV
The air in Xander’s office was suffocating, thick with tension and unsaid words. I could feel my pulse hammering in my ears, drowning out everything but the desperate need to make him believe me. I clutched the vial in my hand like a lifeline, my fingers trembling as I stepped forward. The faint scent of leather and cedar lingered in the room, usually comforting, but now it felt oppressive, like a trap closing in around me.
“Xander,” I began, my voice wavering but determined, “I need you to listen. This is proof.. real proof that Caitlyn set me up.”
He stood by the window, his back to me, staring out into the vast expanse of the Night Fang estate. His hands were shoved deep into his pockets, his shoulders tense. When he finally turned to face me, his golden eyes were shadowed, a mixture of frustration and something I couldn’t quite place.
“Alison,” he said, his tone careful, almost too calm, “you’ve made accusations before remember?. What makes this different?”
I took a deep breath and placed the empty vial on his desk, the soft clink echoing in the silence. “This,” I said firmly. One of the maids, found it being disposed in the trash. I found the same maid who was disposing it speaking to Caitlyn yesterday.”
He picked up the vial, turning it over in his hand. His expression was unreadable, but his silence made my heart sink. Seconds felt like hours before he finally spoke.
“And where’s this maid now? Can she back this up?”
I hesitated, the weight of my promise to Clara pressing heavily on my chest. “She’s scared of them, Xander. If anyone finds out she helped me, you know what they would do to her”
He cut me off, his tone sharp now. “So you’re asking me to take your word on this kind of accusation? Alison, I don’t think you know the gravity of what you just accused her of.”
“It’s the truth!” I insisted, my voice rising despite myself. “Why would I lie about this? Caitlyn has been out to get me since the beginning, and now I have proof. What more do you need?”
Before he could respond, a knock sounded at the door. It opened a moment later, and Caitlyn swept in, her heels clicking against the hardwood floor. She looked as radiant as ever, her dark hair cascading over her shoulders and a smug smile playing on her lips. But what caught me off guard was the figure behind her… Xander’s mother, Katherine.
My stomach dropped.
“Alison,” Katherine said, her tone cool and clipped, “what is this nonsense I’ve been hearing about you accusing Caitlyn of… what was it again?” She glanced at Caitlyn, who feigned innocence, her wide eyes brimming with fake confusion.
“Drugging me,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady. “Setting me up.”
Caitlyn let out a soft laugh, shaking her head. “Alison, I don’t know what you think you’re doing, but this is getting ridiculous. You’re starting to sound unhinged.”
“Enough,” I snapped, my composure cracking. “I have proof. This vial-”
“An empty vial,” Caitlyn interrupted, her voice dripping with mockery. “How convenient.”
“She’s lying,” I said, turning to Xander. “You know me, Xander. You know I wouldn’t do this unless I was sure.”
Xander’s eyes flicked between us, his jaw tight. He looked like he was caught in the middle of a storm, unsure which way to turn. “Caitlyn,” he said finally, his voice low, “do you have anything to say about this?”
She stepped closer, placing a delicate hand on his arm. “Xander, don’t tell me you believe this?” she freigned innocence” I don’t know what Alison’s problem is with me, but I swear I didn’t do anything. I’ve been nothing but supportive, and this… this is just hurtful.” She looked up at him, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears.
“Don’t fall for her act,” I said, my voice cracking with desperation. “She’s manipulating you!”
“Enough,” Katherine interjected, her tone icy. “Alison, this obsession of yours is unbecoming. Caitlyn has been nothing but loyal to this family, and frankly, I don’t understand why Xander puts up with your antics, I can’t believe you almost had me fooled tol.”
Her words hit me like a slap, but I refused to back down. “This isn’t about loyalty,” I shot back. “This is the truth.”
Xander held up a hand, silencing us both. He pinched the bridge of his nose, exhaling slowly. “Alison,” he said, his voice strained, “can you bring the maid girl you spoke about here to collaborate your story?”
“I can’t,” I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper. “I promised her I wouldn’t drag her into this, Xander.”
He closed his eyes, shaking his head. “You’re asking me to take a leap of faith here, Alison. You’re asking me to go against Caitlyn, against my own mother, with nothing but an empty vial and your word.”
“My words should be enough, you trust me right?” I pleaded, tears stinging my eyes.
“And what about my word?” Caitlyn interjected, stepping closer to him. “Have I ever given you a reason to doubt me, Xander? We have been friends since childhood, I know I like you and all that but I’d never go this low just to be with you, please believe me!!.”
“That’s a lie!” I shouted, my voice breaking.
“Alison, Enough” Xander said, his tone a mixture of frustration and something more distinct… Anger “if you cannot provide any other evidence to back this… Vial, then I cannot believe a word you say Alison ”
His words shattered something inside me. The man who had once looked at me like I was his world now stood before me, torn and unsure.
“You don’t believe me,” I said, my voice hollow. It wasn’t a question.
“Alison,” he began, but I shook my head, cutting him off.
“No,” I said, stepping back. “I get it. You’d rather believe her lies than see the truth staring you in the face. I thought you knew me, Xander. I thought you trusted me.”
Tears blurred my vision as I turned and fled the room. Behind me, I could hear Katherine and Caitlyn’s voices, smug and triumphant, but I didn’t care. The man I had learnt to love had chosen them over me, and it was more than I could bear.
I stumbled into my room, slamming the door shut behind me. The walls that had once felt like a sanctuary now felt like a prison, closing in on me. My knees gave out, and I collapsed at the foot of the bed, burying my face in my hands.
Sobs wracked my body, each one ripping through me like a knife. I had fought so hard, poured my heart into proving my innocence, only to have it all crumble before me.
Xander didn’t believe me.
The thought was unbearable, a weight pressing down on my chest until I could barely breathe.
I glanced at the packed suitcase in the corner of the room, a remnant of an earlier moment of doubt. Now, it felt like a sign. Maybe it was time to leave Night Fang, to leave Xander and this whole mess behind.
But as the thought crossed my mind, a spark of defiance flickered within me. Caitlyn might have won this round, but I wasn’t done yet. I couldn’t let her win… not completely.
Wiping my tears, I sat up, my resolve hardening. I didn’t know what my next move would be, but I knew one thing for sure: I wouldn’t go down without a fight.
If I left Night Fang, it would be on my terms… not theirs. And if I stayed, it would be to expose Caitlyn for the manipulative liar she truly was.
This wasn’t over. Not yet.