Chapter 70. Unwelcome Encounters

Victoria’s POV

It was yet another evening, I had concluded my business at the office and had headed out to the pool again. It has been a long day; thoughts of Dominic kept finding their way back into my mind, and by the time it was time to leave, my body had been trembling and I had been on the verge of tears.

I hadn’t seen Dominic since the auction; perhaps he didn’t even want to see me, perhaps he had stayed away deliberately. But did I want to see him? What would I do if I did see him? What would I possibly say to him?

I glided through the water with practiced ease, each stroke cutting through the calm surface. As I reached the edge of the pool and pushed my damp hair back, I let out a soft sigh of satisfaction. The day’s stress had melted away, and for a brief moment, the world felt peaceful.

Until I heard his voice.

“Victoria?”

I froze. My heart stilled for a beat, then picked up in a panicked rhythm. I turned my head slightly, dreadin