XAMI: One True Love

Chapter Eleven: Breaking the Bloodline

Writer’s POV

By sunrise, Xavier already knew he wouldn’t sleep again.

The letter — the one signed by his father — replayed in his mind like static. Every line of it was a betrayal carved in ink.

The Reeds were powerful. Respected. Untouchable.

But now, every polished surface, every family dinner, every word his father had ever said about “honor” felt like a lie.

And the worst part?

Mila Miller was the proof.

*****

Xavier’s POV

I sat at my desk, the rain tapping against my window like a reminder.

Last night, I saw what my father was capable of — rewriting someone’s life, erasing a girl from her own story, all for the sake of the family name.

And Jasper…

He’d been part of it too.

The truth felt like a bruise that kept deepening.

By the time I got to school, Mila was already there. Standing by her locker, books tucked to her chest, eyes sharp like she’d slept with one eye open. She looked at me, question unspoken.

I gave a small nod.

“Your place after school?” she asked quietly.

I hesitated — then nodded again.

Because if I was going to dig into my father’s secrets, I wasn’t doing it alone.

*****

Writer’s POV

The Reed mansion looked different when you weren’t visiting for dinner.

The walls seemed taller, colder. The kind of place that looked perfect from the outside but felt like a cage once you stepped in.

Mila followed Xavier upstairs, both moving quietly. His father was away on business, his mother in her usual evening yoga haze. It was the perfect window of opportunity.

“Your dad really keeps files here?” Mila whispered.

Xavier smirked faintly. “My dad keeps everything here. Especially what he shouldn’t.”

He led her into the study — floor-to-ceiling shelves, a massive oak desk, and a single locked cabinet behind a portrait. He slid the painting aside, revealing a digital keypad.

Mila raised a brow. “You actually know the code?”

Xavier’s smirk faded. “No. But I know someone who would’ve.”

He pressed the intercom button. “Charlie.”

Within minutes, a tall, nervous boy appeared in the doorway — Xavier’s cousin on his mother’s side, a quiet tech genius who rarely left his gaming chair.

“You called?” Charlie said, pushing his glasses up. “You look like you’re about to break a law.”

“Not about to,” Xavier said. “Already did.”

Mila crossed her arms. “We need access to that cabinet.”

Charlie blinked. “You’re serious?”

“Completely.”

He sighed but pulled out his phone, connecting a small device to the keypad. Within seconds, a soft beep echoed.

Unlocked.

*****

Mila’s POV

Inside the cabinet were folders, drives, and sealed envelopes — all marked with the Reed family insignia. But one stood out:

A brown envelope labeled simply “J. Reed — Incident 2021.”

I glanced at Xavier. “That’s him, isn’t it?”

He nodded, jaw tightening. “Yeah. Jasper.”

I pulled it open carefully. Inside were a few papers and a USB drive. I plugged it into Xavier’s laptop — a single video file appeared.

The screen flickered to life — grainy CCTV footage from the old lab building at school.

The timestamp: April 16, 2021.

I leaned forward, breath shallow.

There I was — my younger self, standing by the lockers, nervously clutching a folder.

Then Jasper entered the frame, glancing around before saying something I couldn’t hear. He handed me a small flash drive — the same kind we’d found in Hale’s drawer last night.

Seconds later, a figure stepped into view — Hale. His expression cold, deliberate. Jasper turned toward him — and shoved the drive into my pocket before walking away.

Then the footage blurred.

Static.

When it cleared, I was gone. Jasper too.

Only Hale remained — locking the room, phone pressed to his ear.

My stomach turned. “He framed me. Jasper framed me.”

But Xavier’s eyes stayed on the screen, dark and unreadable. “No,” he said slowly. “He was protecting you.”

*****

Writer’s POV

The words hung between them like smoke.

Xavier replayed the footage in slow motion, pointing to the moment Jasper looked into the camera — just before slipping the drive into Mila’s pocket. His lips moved — two words, almost imperceptible.

“They’re watching.”

Mila froze. “You think—?”

“I think he knew Hale was setting you up,” Xavier said quietly. “And he made you look guilty to get Hale off his trail.”

Mila’s chest tightened. “And then disappeared to keep the truth buried.”

They both stood there in silence — the full weight of what that meant pressing down on them. Hale wasn’t acting alone. Someone higher up had ordered it. Someone with power. Someone with the name Reed.

And Xavier knew exactly who that was.

*****

Xavier’s POV

I shut the laptop and exhaled slowly. “He’s been protecting a lie that wasn’t his to begin with.”

Mila turned to me. “So what now?”

I looked up at the portrait of my father — his perfect smile, his glassy eyes.

“What now?” I said. “Now I find out what my father did to Jasper. And I make him tell me why.”

*****

Writer’s POV

They left the study with the truth burning between them — unsteady, dangerous, alive.

Because the deeper they dug, the clearer it became: This wasn’t just about old school rumors.

It was about control, corruption, and the quiet power of a family that could erase anyone who threatened them.

And now, two people stood on the edge of tearing that legacy apart.