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.

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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.”

2:09 pm

MA

Chapter 100-

The word hung between us.

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

His jaw clenched. For a second, something dark flickered across his face. Then it was gone, replaced by that careful, controlled mask.

“Then we deal with it,” he said. “Together. But let’s not borrow trouble, Elena. The odds are in our favor.”

I nodded slowly. Because what else could I do?

But as he led me to the door of our mansion, his hand warm and possessive on the small of my back, I couldn’t shake the feeling that he wasn’t telling me everything.

That night, I lay awake while Julian slept beside me, his arm draped across my waist, his breath warm against my neck.

But I kept thinking about the way he’d looked in the car. The way his hands had shaken when he’d gripped the steering wheel.

And the question he’d asked Dr. Morgan, the one I’d heard through the thin office door while I was getting dressed:

“What are our options?”

Not What do we do next?”

Not How do we prepare?”

Options.

Like this was a business decision. Like our baby was a problem that needed solving.

My hand crept to my stomach again, that automatic gesture I couldn’t seem to stop.

It’s okay, I whispered silently. I’ll protect you. No matter what.

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.

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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.

2/3

2:09 pm

Chapter 100

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