Please Come Back, My Love novel Chapter 104

Chapter 104

He opened his mouth. Closed it.

The silence stretched between us like barbed wire.

“You can’t even say it,” I whispered.

‘Elena, it’s not that simple-

“Yes, it is.” I turned away. Stared out the window at the joggers in the park. At the nannies pushing strollers. At the world that kept spinning while mine fell apart. It’s the simplest thing in the world.”

“You’re not being rational-

*And you’re not being human!” I whirled back to face him. “Do you hear yourself? You’re talking about our baby like he’s a defective product. Like we can

just… return him if he doesn’t meet specifications!”

“That’s not what I meant-”

“Then what did you mean?” My voice rose again. “Explain it to me, Julian. Because I’m just a stupid girl from the servants quarters. I don’t understand your

big fancy medical reasoning.”

“Don’t do that. His eyes flashed. ‘Don’t throw that in my face.”

“Why not?” I was shaking now. Couldn’t stop. “You’ve been throwing it in mine for three years. Not good enough. Not smart enough. Not worthy-”

“I never said that-”

“YOU DIDN’T HAVE TO!”

The words echoed in the car. Julian flinched like I’d hit him,

“I felt it,” I continued, quieter now. Deadlier. “Every day. Every time you looked at me. Every time you fucked me and walked away. Every time you chose

Victoria over me.”

“This isn’t about Victoria-

୮

“Everything is about Victoria!” I laughed again. That same broker sound. “She’s the one you want. The perfect one. The one who would never give you a defective baby-

“Stop it.” His voice was sharp.”Just stop.”

“Make me.” I leaned forward. Got right in his face. Go ahead. Tell me I’m wrong. Tell me you actually want this baby. Our baby. No matter what.”

His jaw clenched. Those blue eyes stormy.

But he said nothing.

“That s what I thought. I sat back. Felt something inside me go cold. Hard. “Drive.”

2:09 pm

MA

Chapter 104

Elena

Just drive. Please.”

He started the car. The engine purred to life. Smooth and expensive and utterly wrong.

We drove in silence.

Past the park. Through Midtown. Through the iron gates of the Sterling estate. The doorman-no, the security guard-greeted us with his usual nod. I didn’t acknowledge him.

The car pulled up the long circular driveway. Past the fountain. Past the manicured gardens that probably cost more to maintain than my mother made in a

year.

Julian parked in front of the main entrance. The mansion loomed above us-all stone and glass and old money. A monument to everything I’d never be.

Inside, everything looked the same. Marble floors. Crystal chandeliers. That sweeping staircase that used to make me feel like Cinderella.

Now it just felt like a cage.

I headed for our wing. Julian’s footsteps echoed behind me in the cavernous hallway.

He caught my arm near the bedroom door.

‘Let go.”

“Not until we finish this conversation-

“There’s nothing to finish.” I jerked free. “You made your position very clear.”

“I didn’t say I wanted you to terminate-

“You asked if I would consider it.” I turned to face him. That’s the same thing.”

“It’s not-”

“To me it is!” My voice broke. “To me, that baby is already real. Already mine. Already someone would die for.”

His face did something complicated. “Elena-”

“No.” I held up a hand. “Let me finish. You asked me a question. Now I’m going to answer it.”

I took a breath. Steadied myself.

“I don’t care what the AFP levels are. I don’t care what the amniocentesis says. I don’t care if this baby has Down syndrome or any other condition.” I pressed both hands to my stomach. “He’s mine. And I’m keeping him.”

“You’re not thinking clearly-

I’m thinking perfectly clearly.” I stepped closer. Made sure he saw every word. “This baby is in my body. He’s part of me. And nothing-NOTHING is going to make me give him up.”

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