Please Come Back, My Love novel Chapter 122

“Understood.

She handed Julian a copy of the paperwork. Good luck.”

Luck.

Yeah. We d really need that.

Julian turned away from the desk. Looked at me standing there in my black dress with my bandaged wrists hidden under long sleeves.

‘It’s done,” he said quietly.

“Good.

We walked back through the hallway. Took the elevator down. Stepped out into the sunshine that felt too bright, too warm, too fucking alive for what we d

just done inside.

Julian stopped at the bottom of the courthouse steps.

I kept walking.

“Elena-

His hand caught my wrist. I spun around, yanked free.

“Don’t touch me.”

“I just-” He ran his hand through his hair. “Where will you go?”

‘Does it matter?”

“Yes. It matters. You can’t just-

‘I can do whatever I want now, Julian. That’s the whole point, isn’t it?” I stepped back. Put more distance between us. “Mr. Sterling. hope for the rest of your life, we never see each other again. Take care of yourself.”

My heart twisted painfully as I spoke those words, but despite everything, I still genuinely wanted him to be okay.

His face went white. “Elena, please-”

But I was already turning away. Walking down the street. Away from him. Away from the courthouse. Away from three years of being nothing more than secret he kept in the dark.

This time, he didn’t follow.

I made it two blocks before I had to stop. Leaned against a building, pressed my palms against the cool brick.

3:03 pm

Chapter 122

MA

Its-py. It’s finally over.

My phone buzzed Sophia.

I answered. “Hey.”

“How did it go?”

“It’s done. We filed.”

“Oh, babe. Where are you? Come to my place. I’ll order food-

“Actually,” I interrupted. ‘I think I need to get out of the city for a while.”

Silence. Then: “What do you mean?”

“I’m thinking Florida. My mom’s there. I could just… I don’t know. Sit on a beach. Clear my head. Figure out what the hell I’m supposed to do now.”

“Elena-”

2

“I can’t stay here, Soph. Everywhere I look, there’s a reminder. The mansion. The office. That fucking nursery-” My voice broke: ‘I need to leave.*

“Okay,” she said softly. “Okay. When?”

“Soon. Maybe next week. I’ll wrap things up here, then just… go.

“How long?”

“I don’t know. A month? Two? However long it takes to feel like I can breathe again.”

Another pause. “You promise you’ll be okay? You’re not going to-

“I’m not going to do anything stupid,” I said, even though we both knew I’d already tried. “I just need space. And time. And my mom.”

*All right. But you call me every day. I mean it.”

“I will.”

We hung up.

I pulled up my mom’s contact. Typed out a message.

“Hi Mom. I know you just got settled, but I was thinking maybe I could come visit for a while? I need to get out of New York.”

Her response came almost immediately.

“Oh sweetheart, of course! When? I’ll set up the guest room!”

I stared at her message. At the warmth in those exclamation points. The assumption that this was just a normal visit.

2/3

3:03 pm MA

Chapter 122-

She didnt know:

About the divorce. The baby. Any of it.

I’d have to tell her eventually.

But not today.

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