Please Come Back, My Love novel Chapter 25

Chapter 25

Elena: POV

A bitter smile tugged at my lips as the nurse’s words echoed in the sterile hospital room.

A man who leaves his wife alone in a hospital after what you want through? That’s not a man worth keeping.

My hand moved instinctively to my stomach, pressing gently against the flat surface where a tiny life was growing–a life Julian would never want.

“The baby,” I whispered, my voice hoarse. “The baby should be okay, right?”

I hadn’t felt any cramping or pain since I woke up. That had to be a good sign. It had to be.

The nurse’s expression softened. She pulled up a chair and sat beside the bed, her hand covering mine.

*You were very lucky,” she said gently. “The amount of drug in your system was relatively small. Dr. Jones said there’s no indication of harm to the fetus. But we need to keep you here for observation–just for one day to be safe.”

Relief flooded through me so powerfully I felt dizzy. My eyes burned with tears I’d been holding back for hours.

“Thank you,” I managed. “Thank you.”

The nurse squeezed my hand. “You rest now, honey.”

She left quietly, pulling the door shut behind her.

I lay there in the dim room, one hand still pressed protectively over my stomach.

But what kind of future could I give this child? What kind of life awaited us in Julian’s cold, loveless world?

The next morning, I was discharged with a stack of prenatal care instructions and a prescription for vitamins. Dr. Jones had been thorough, professional, and blessedly discreet.

“Take care of yourself, Mrs. Sterling,” she’d said, though her eyes held questions she was too polite to ask. “And if you experience any cramping, bleeding, or unusual symptoms, call immediately.”

I’d nodded, clutching the papers like a lifeline.

Now I stood outside the hospital entrance, staring at the city stretched out before me. Manhattan gleamed in the October sunlight–all glass and steel and false promises.

“Then don’t go anywhere.” Her voice softened slightly. “Come out with me. We’ll go to that karaoke lounge on Bleecker–the one we used to hit up in college.

Sing some sad songs, eat some terrible bar food, forget about the world for a few hours.”

A karaoke lounge. Mindless fun. A chance to breathe without Julian’s shadow suffocating me.

“Okay,” I heard myself say.

“Good. Meet me there in an hour?”

“Alright. I need to change out of these clothes.”

‘Deal. And Elena?‘ Her voice cracked slightly. “I’m really glad you’re okay.”

My throat tightened. “Me too.”

The karaoke lounge was exactly as I remembered–dim lighting, red leather booths, a small stage in the corner where drunk college kids belted out off–key renditions of pop songs. It smelled like beer and nostalgia.