Please Come Back, My Love novel Chapter 35

Chapter 35

Elena: POV

Everything happened so fast.

One second, Ethan was stumbling backward, his hand going his jaw. The next, Julian’s fist connected again this time with his stomach.

The sound was sickening. A dull thud that made my stomach lurch.

“Julian, stop!” I lunged forward, grabbing his arm. “Stop it right now!”

But he didn’t stop.

He shoved Ethan against the bodega wall, his forearm pressed against his throat. Ethan’s face went red, his hands coming up defensively, but he didn’t fight back.

“You think you can put your hands on my wife?” Julian’s voice was low, deadly. “You think you can play the fucking hero?”

Julian!” I yanked on his arm with all my strength. “He didn’t do anything! He was just helping me!”

Ethan’s eyes met mine over Julian’s shoulder. And there was something in his expression–something that grew harder, more resolute. Fearless, even in the face of Julian’s violence.

‘Why isn’t he fighting back?‘ I thought.

“I wasn’t- Ethan choked out, his voice strained. “I wasn’t touching her. I was just ”

Julian’s fist connected with his ribs. Hard.

Ethan doubled over, gasping.

“You were just what?” Julian grabbed his collar, hauling him upright. “Just happening to be here? Just happening to have your hands all over her?”

“It wasn’t like that!” I was crying now, tears streaming down my face. “Julian, please! He just gave me his jacket! He was calling me a car!”

But Julian wasn’t listening.

He hit Ethan again. And again.

Blood trickled from the corner of Ethan’s mouth. His eye was already swelling shut.

And he still wasn’t fighting back.

Julian’s chest was heaving, his gray eyes wild. For a moment, I thought he might shove me aside. Might keep going until Ethan was-

‘You don’t deserve to be her husband, Ethan continued, wiping blood from his mouth with the back of his hand. “It was you she fought with, wasn’t it? You left her barefoot on the street. And you call yourself her husband?”

“Elena, move.” His voice was cold. Controlled.

“No.”

“Move.”

“No!” I stepped closer, my chin lifted. “You want to beat him to death? Fine. But you’ll have to hit me first. Because I’m not moving.”

For a long moment, we just stared at each other.

I could hear Ethan breathing behind me. Could feel Julian’s rage radiating off him in waves.

“You’re defending him?” Julian’s voice dropped to something dangerous. “You’re actually standing here, protecting some other man, and fighting me?

“What did he do wrong?” My voice cracked. “Tell me, Julian. What the fuck did he do wrong? He gave me shoes. He called me a car. He showed me basic human kindness when you threw me out like–like I was nothing!”

“He touched you.”

“So fucking what?” I was shaking now, my whole body trembling with rage and fear and exhaustion. “You touch me all the time! You fuck me whenever you want! But when someone else shows me the slightest bit of respect, you lose your goddamn mind!”