Please Come Back, My Love novel Chapter 100

Chapter 100

Elena: POV

Julian’s arms closed around me before I could process what he was saying.

“Our baby’s fine. His voice was firm, steady-too steady. Like he was trying to convince himself as rauch as me. “Everything’s fine.”

I stood frozen in the garage, my hand still on my stomach, my heart hammering against my ribs. The drive back from the hospital had been torture- watching him grip the steering wheel, his knuckles white, his jaw tight. Something was wrong. I knew it in my bones.

“Then why did you look like that?” I whispered against his chest. “In the doctor’s office. You looked-

“Scared.” He pulled back, and his gray eyes met mine. “I was scared, Elena. Seeing our baby on that screen… it made it real. Too real.”

I wanted to believe him. God, I wanted to.

But there was something in the way he wouldn’t quite meet my eyes. Something in the careful way he chose his words.

“What did Dr. Morgan say to you?” I asked. “In her office.”

His hand came up to cup my face. “She wants to schedule an amniocentesis. Next week.”

The word hit me like ice water.

“Amnio-” My voice cracked. “Why? You said everything was fine. You said-”

“It’s routine,” he interrupted, his thumb stroking my cheekbone. “For women over twenty-five. Just a precaution.”

I’m twenty-six. Barely.

“That’s not routine,” I said slowly. “I’ve read all the books, Julian. They only do that if there’s a risk-”

“Hey. His other hand joined the first, framing my face. “Listen to me. The doctor said it’s standard protocol given your age and the initial screening. That’s all. Nothing to worry about.”

But his eyes-fuck, his eyes were too bright. Too intense.

Like he was willing me to believe him.

“What screening?” I pressed. “We just did the ultrasound. Everything looked-”

“Blood work from last week.” He kissed my forehead, soft and slow. “Some numbers came back slightly elevated. Nothing serious. But Dr. Morgan wants to be thorough.”

My hand tightened on my stomach. “What numbers?”

AFP levels. Alpha-fetoprotein.” He said it like hed memorized the term an hour ago. It’s a protein the baby produces. Sometimes its high, sometimes it’s not. Usually means nothing.”

The word hung between us.

“And if it’s not nothing?” I whispered.

Even if I had to protect you from your own father.

Victoria: POV

I stared at the ultrasound photo on Julian’s desk.

He’d left it there. Face-up. Like he wanted the whole fucking world to see it.

Baby Sterling. 16 weeks.

My hands shook as I picked it up. The grainy black-and-white image showed a tiny profile-a nose, a chin, fingers curled against its face.

“Miss Astor?”

spun

around, clutching the photo. Margaret stood in the doorway, her expression carefully neutral.

“I need you to find Catherine Vanderbilt, I said, my voice cold and sharp. “Tell her I want to see her. Today.”

“Of course, Miss. Margaret hesitated. “Should I mention what it’s regarding?”

I looked down at the photo again. At the tiny life that was ruining everything.