Please Come Back, My Love novel Chapter 306

Please Come Back, My Love

Chapter 306

Elena: POV

They moved Julian to a private room in the ICU an hour later.

1 sat in the chair beside his bed, holding his hand, watching she steady rise and fall of his chest. Machines beeped softly around us, monitoring his vitals. All the numbers were good. Stable.

He looked pale, fragile in a way I’d never seen him before. There was a tube down his throat, helping him breathe. Bandages wrapped around his chest, stark white against his skin.

But he was alive.

Sophia stood near the window with Lucas, giving me space but staying close. Lila had woken when they moved Julian, and now she stood on the other side

of the bed, her small hand resting on his arm.

“When will he wake up?” she asked quietly.

“Tomorrow,” I said. “The doctors want him to rest tonight.”

“Can I stay with him?”

I hesitated. Hospital policy probably said no. But when I looked at the nurse who’d helped settle Julian into the room, she just smiled.

“I think we can make an exception,” she said softly. “There’s a cot we can bring in for you, sweetheart.”

Lila nodded eagerly.

I turned back to Julian, tracing my thumb over his knuckles, over the calluses I’d memorized years ago and somehow never forgotten.

“You scared the hell out of me,” I whispered. “Don’t ever do that again.”

His fingers twitched slightly against mine.

My breath caught. “Julian?”

Nothing. Just the steady beep of the heart monitor, the soft hiss of the ventilator.

‘Mommy?’ Lila’s voice was small. “Is he trying to wake up?”

‘I don’t know, baby. But I think he can hear us. Do you want to talk to him?”

She nodded, then leaned closer to the bed.

୮

“Hi, Daddy,” she said shyly. “It’s me. Lila. Your daughter.”

My heart clenched at the tentative way she said it, like she was still testing out the word.

“Mommy says you’re going to be okay,” she continued. “And when you wake up, I’m going to give you the biggest hug ever. Because that’s what makes sad

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pet better.”

Behind me, I head Sophia make a small, broken sound

And maybe we can get ice cream, a added thoughtfully, Because ice cream helps too

Despite everything, I felt a watery laugh escape.

The nurse returned with the cot, setting it up in the corner. Lila climbed onto it, curling up with a stuffed bear someone had brought for her.

“You should try to sleep too, the nurse said gently to me. He’s not going anywhere.

1 shook my head, ‘I need to stay awake. Just in case-

I’ll be right outside, she interrupted. “If anything changes, I’ll come get you immediately.

Julian’s hand twitched again in mine. This time, there was no mistaking it. His fingers curled slightly, like he was trying to hold on.

‘Julian?’ I leaned closer. “Can you hear me?”

No response. But his hand stayed curled around mine.

The nurse smiled. “That’s a good sign. It means he’s fighting his way back.”

She left, pulling the door partially closed behind her.

Sophia approached quietly. “We should go. Let you rest.

“No,” I said quickly. Then, more gently: ‘I mean-you don’t have to. If you want to stay.”

Her eyes filled with tears. “Are you sure?”

Having her here, having someone who knew me-the old me, before everything fell apart-felt like an anchor.

‘I’m sure,’ I said.

She nodded, settling into one of the other chairs. Lucas took up position near the door, keeping watch.

I turned back to Julian, bringing our joined hands up to press against my cheek.

‘I’m here,” I whispered. “I’m right here, and I’m not going anywhere. So you take your time, okay? You rest, and you heal, and when you’re ready-when you wake up I’ll be here.”

His hand squeezed mine. Just once. Just barely,

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