Natalia’s POV
With a gasp, I pulled my boot out of the water and stumbled backward. My legs wouldn’t hold me anymore. I fell to my butt, hardly even feeling the stone cutting against me, and panted as I stared at the rippling water.
Andrei was still kneeling at the edge of the pool with my baby clutched against his chest. He was staring at me with wide eyes, his face pale and covered in sweat. For a moment, neither of us moved or spoke. We just looked at each other.
“Andrei,” I finally managed, crawling toward him. My voice came out hoarse and broken. “Andrei, it’s me.”
He shook his head slowly. “No. You’re not real. None of this is real.”
“I am real.” I dropped to my knees in front of him, reaching out to touch his face. He flinched when my fingers brushed his cheek, but he didn’t pu
