Please Come Back, My Love novel Chapter 144

Chapter 144

“Elena’s professor from Parsons, te nished smoothly. Though I prefer to think of myself as her boyfriend now,”

The word hit like a slap.

Boyfriend.

My fingers caught his sleeve. A warning

He glanced at me. something in his eyes. Trust nie,

‘What: He grinned at Mom. Gotta commit to the bit, right? Go big or go home.”

Mom looked at me. Really looked,

For a second, I thought she’d call bullshit.

But then she laughed-bright, delighted.

“Well,” she said, stepping aside. “That’s good. That’s really good, sweetheart.

No. It’s not good. It’s a lie

But I smiled and followed her inside.

F

The house was worse than I remembered.

I’d been so focused on Mom-medication, meals, moments of weakness-that I hadn’t really looked at the place.

Now, with Ethan’s eyes scanning everything, I saw it all.

Window frame cracked. Door handle loose. Water stain spreading across the ceiling.

How did I miss this?

Ethan noticed. Of course he did.

“Mrs. Vance,” he said, moving toward the window before either of us could speak. This frame it’s rotting.”

He jiggled the door handle. “This is a safety hazard. If someone tried to force their way in, this wouldn’t hold.”

Mom waved a hand. “Oh, it’s been like that for months. I keep meaning to call someone, but —

“You can’t leave it like this His voice was firm. The window’s letring in moisture. You’ll get mold. And the door – get hurt.”

He turned to me. Elena, vout mom could

Oh, for fuck’s sake. He’s faying it on thick.

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Chapter 144

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But Mom was eating it up

“Well, I suppose you re fight. I just didn’t want to bother anyone.”

“It’s not a bother.” Ethan smiled-war, genuine, perfect. Td be happy to help. I ve got sime now. I could fix there up for you.

‘We’re about to go on a long journey though. Is it worth epaiting the house? But then again, we might return later.”

Mom’s hand went to her chest. Oh, you don t have to-”

“I want to. He glanced at me. “Elena’s important to me. That makes you important to me too”

Stop. Please, just stop.

My chest felt tight.

This is exactly what you wanted. So she’d think you were okay.

So why does it feel like drowning?

4

J

“That’s very sweet of you, Ethan, Mom said softly.

She turned to me, eyes bright.

“He’s a good one, isn’t he? You told me he was your design professor before. And now he’s your boyfriend? That’s quite a leap.

Here it is. The moment where I either come clean or dig deeper

I opened my mouth to say it-He’s not really my boyfriend. We’re just pretending.

1

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But then I looked at her.

Really looked.

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F

At the way her dress hung on her shrinking frame. At the faint yellow in her eyes. At the tremor in her hands.

She’s dying.

She s dying, and she’s terrified I’ll be alone.

She needs this

So I swallowed the truth..

And I lied to the one person who’d never lied to me.

“Yeah,” I said. “Ve’s… he’s really good.”

The words tasted like ash.

{

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Chapter 144

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Man smiled radiant, relieved and something broke inside me,

“Come on,” she said, gesturing toward the kitchen. Sit down. Let me get you both some water.”

Ethan moved to follow her, but I stayed rooted.

What the hell are you doing?

You just led to your dying mother,

What kind of person does that?

But I already knew the answer.

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