Please Come Back, My Love novel Chapter 185

Chapter 185

“You’re okay now,” I said quickly. The surgery went well. You’re going to be fine.”

Mom’s gaze sharpened, focusing on my face. How did I get to Manhattan?”

I took a breath. “Julian brought us. In a medical helicopter. The local hospital didn’t have the right specialists, so he-

Julian.” She said his name like a curse. “Julian Sterling.”

‘Yes.”

‘Your ex-husband.”

“Yes.”

She closed her eyes. When she opened them again, they were bright with tears.

“No,’ she whispered. “Elena, no. Tell me you didn’t.”

*

“You were dying, Mom. I didn’t have a choice.”

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“There’s always a choice. Her hand gripped mine with surprising strength. “You could have stayed in Georgia. You could have-

“You would have died. My voice cracked. “The doctor said if we’d waited even another hour, you would have bled out. Julian had the resources. He had the helicopter, the surgical team, everything. I couldn’t- I broke off, swallowing hard “I couldn’t lose you.”

Mom stared at me. Tears slid down her cheeks.

“So you came back,” she said softly. “You came back to New York. Back to him.”/

“Just until you’re stable enough to leave. That’s all.”

‘And where’s Ethan?”

Fuck.

I’d known this was coming. Known I’d have to tell her the truth eventually.

‘He’s… not here.”

“Why not?” Mom’s eyes searched my face. “You told me he was traveling with us. You said he cared about you. So where is he now?”

I couldn’t meet her gaze. ‘Mom-

“You’re not really together, are you? You made up this relationship. Her voice was flat. “To make me feel better. To make me think you’d moved on.

I didn’t answer. Didn’t need to.

Mom made a sound-half-laugh, half-sob. “Oh, baby girl. What have you done?”

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4:29 pm

Chapter 185

PPM

Lm sorry. The words came out choked. I just… you were so happy when you thought I had someone. I didn’t want to take that away from you.

‘So you lied. Stre wasn’t angry. Just… sad. So unbearably sad. “You let me believe you were okay. That you’d found someone good. Someone who wouldn’t

hurt you.”

‘I am okay-

“You’re not.” Mom’s hand came up to dup my cheek. “You’re back in New York. In Julian Sterling’s hospital. Letting him control your life again. And you’re

telling yourself it’s for me.”

“It is for you-

“No, baby. Her thumb brushed away a tear I didn’t know I’d shed. “You’re doing it because you still love him.”

The words hit me like a punch.

“I don’t-”

“Yes, you do.” Mom’s voice was gentle but certain. “I saw your face when I mentioned his name. I saw how you looked when you told me he brought us here.

You still care about him, Elena. Even after everything he did to you.”

I wanted to deny it. Wanted to tell her she was wrong.

“It doesn’t matter,” I said hoarsely. “What I feel doesn’t matter. All that matters is keeping you alive.”

“No.” Mom’s grip on my hand tightened. “No, baby girl. That’s not how this works. You don’t get to sacrifice your happiness for a few more weeks with me.”

“Don’t say that-

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