Chapter 72. Facade

Victoria’s POV

I watched as he took a step closer, and my palm itched; I wanted to smack him across the face so badly.

“Victoria,” he said, his voice low and deliberate, “you don’t have to figure this out alone. We can… we can start over. I can fix this.”

I stiffened, my skin crawling at his words. The memory of his touch, the hollow promises, and the year of silent betrayal flooded back. How could he even think that this was what I wanted?

I took a cautious step back, my bare feet brushing against the cool tiles at the pool’s edge. “Things will never be the same.” I spoke quietly. “You know that.”

But he didn’t stop. His tall frame moved closer, and his expression softened into something that might have once been tender but now felt suffocating. “It doesn’t have to be,” he said, his tone almost pleading. “We can build something brand new, Victoria. We could be sensational.”

His words made my stomach churn. The audacity of him, standing her