Chapter 62 Real

• Victoria had spent the entire week immersed in her artwork, finding solace in the strokes of her paintbrush and the quiet hum of her thoughts. Every inch of her studio felt like a sanctuary, a space where no one could reach her. No one except Zander.
• It had been a while since their conversation at the bar, and though she had tried to keep her distance, there was no denying the fact that Zander lingered in her thoughts more than she cared to admit. It wasn’t just the comfort he offered, or the way his presence seemed to fill the gaps in her life—there was something more, something deeper, that neither of them had fully addressed. The connection that had always been there, simmering beneath the surface, was undeniable. And it scared her.
• That evening, as she stepped out of her studio, her phone buzzed. A message from Zander. “Dinner tonight? Somewhere quiet. Just us.”