Do Not Fall For The Baseball Captains novel Chapter 75

Old Wounds, New Road

Victoria’s pov

The drive to the house party was quiet, the smooth purr of Elijah’s car engine filling the space between us as we navigated the dark campus roads.

I stared out the passenger window, watching the streetlights cut through the darkness, my mind still slightly dazed by the interaction in the bedroom.

“Zhen,” Elijah called, breaking the silence as he adjusted his grip on the steering whe “Can I ask you something?”

“Sure,” I said, turning my head to look at his profile.

“Why did you actually go to that baseball after–party a few weeks ago? The one where you ended up jumping into the pool?” He glanced over at me briefly before returning his eyes to the road.

“You just told me you hate these kinds of parties. You don’t like the crowd, you don’t like the noise. So why go? Did you really want to please Caleb that badly?”

The question hit me like a splash of ice water.

The raw truth of it settled into my chest, making me realize with a sickening, embarrassing clarity just how incredibly stupid I had been

Hooked away quickly, staring back out at the dark trees passing by the highway. I didn‘ t want to answer him.

I didn’t want to admit out loud the pathetic lengths I had gone to just to keep my head above water in Caleb’s world.

Elijah seemed to notice my sudden silence and the way my shoulders tense.

“Hey. I’m sorry,” he said softly, his tone completely shifting from curious to deeply apologetic. “I shouldn’t have asked that.”

Before I could reply, he reached across the console. His large, warm hand came to rest flat against my bare thigh, just above the hem of my dress.

The sudden contact sent an intense chill straight through my bones, my skin tingling where his palm connected with mine.

“No, it’s fine,” I whispered, my voice shaking slightly. I cleared my throat, forcing myself to look back at him. “Honestly, it’s fine.”

I took a deep breath, deciding to just lay the truth out. He already knew most of my pathetic history anyway.

“I was forced to go because of Eva,” I explained, looking down at his hand on my leg.

“Her boyfriend was the one hosting the party after the game. And… I went because I

1/3

Wounds New Road

desperately wanted to prove a point to Caleb. I had told him a total lie about having 2 boyfriend. Lexi had already mocked me earlier that week, saying I was just making things up to hide the fact that I was in love with Caleb. I wanted to show up with someone–anyone–just to throw it in her face and protect whatever little pride I had

left.”

I let out a dry, humorless laugh.

“But obviously, I didn’t have anyone. I showed up alone, realized how pathetic I looked and ended up sitting by the pool trying to figure out how to disappear.”

Elijah went completely quiet for a second, absorbing the story. Then, a familiar smirk began to creep back onto his face.

He let out a quiet chuckle.

“So, let me get this straight. You were entirely desperate, backed into a corner by Ashfield’s girl, and yet, when I literally handed you the perfect solution on a silver platter the next day, you still hesitated?”

I pouted, crossing my arms as I looked away from his teasing expression.

“Well… a girl has to maintain some dignity, Elijah. I couldn’t just jump into a fake relationship with the campus baseball star without acting a little reluctant.”

“Dignity,” he teased, his eyes crinkling at the corners as he let out a genuine, deep laugh.

The sound filled the car, completely wiping away the heavy, awkward tension from a

moment ago.

He squeezed my thigh gently before lifting his hand back to the steering wheel.

“I’m proud of you, Zhen.”

The sudden statement caught me entirely off guard. I blinked, my attention dragging right back to him.

“You are? Why?”

Elijah took a deep, heavy breath, his gaze fixed firmly on the dark road ahead. The playful, arrogant aura completely vanished, replaced by a quiet, serious one.

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