Please Come Back, My Love novel Chapter 37

Chapter 37

Elena: POV

The Bentley purred through the dark streets, the city lights blurring past the tinted windows. I sat as far from Julian as the backseat would allow, my arms

wrapped around myself, staring out at nothing.

The silence between us was suffocating.

“You’ve learned to be so obedient, Julian said finally, his voice cutting through the quiet. There was something in his tone–satisfaction, maybe. Or mockery. I couldn’t tell anymore.

Obedient. The word made my skin crawl.

I wanted to scream at him. Wanted to tell him that I wasn’t obedient–I was terrified. Terrified of what he’d do to Ethan if I didn’t play along. Terrified of

what he’d do to me. Terrified of losing this baby because of the stress he kept putting me through.

But I said nothing. Just kept my eyes fixed on the window, my jaw clenched tight.

“Elena. His voice was softer now. “Look at me.”

I didn’t move.

“Elena.

Finally, I turned my head, meeting his gaze. His gray eyes were unreadable in the dim light filtering through the windows.

“I said, you’ve learned to be obedient,” he repeated, and this time I heard it clearly–the satisfaction. Like he’d won some kind of battle.

Fuck you, I thought viciously. Fuck you and your goddamn control games.

But what I said was: “Yes, Julian. Whatever you want.”

His eyes narrowed slightly, like he was trying to read something in my face. Then he shifted, leaning forward, and his gaze dropped.

Julian’s expression changed. Just slightly. A flicker of something I couldn’t name.

“Jesus Christ,” he muttered. “Your feet.

Before I could respond, he reached out and lifted my legs, pulling them into his lap with surprising gentleness. I stiffened, trying to pull away, but his grip

was firm.

‘Don’t,” he said quietly.

He shrugged off his suit jacket–expensive charcoal wool that probably cost more than my monthly salary—and wrapped it around my feet, covering them

completely. The warmth was immediate, shocking after the cold.

I stared at him, my throat tight. What the hell was this?

“I was wrong,” he said, his voice low. His hands stayed on the jacket, holding it in place around my feet. “Earlier. I shouldn’t have… I shouldn’t have done

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Chapter 37

that to you

An apology. From Julian Sterling.

I must be dreaming.

“But,” he continued, and there it was–the catch. “You shouldn’t have provoked me like that. Talking about other men. About Ethan. You know how I –

*How you what?” I cut him off, my voice sharp despite myself. “How you lose your mind when another man shows me basic human decency?”

His jaw clenched. “That’s not what I meant.”

“Then what did you mean?”

He didn’t answer. Instead, he lifted my foot–still wrapped in his jacket—and pressed his lips to is. The gesture was so unexpected, so intimate, that I froze.

“I can’t stand seeing you with someone else,” he murmured against the fabric. “I can’t fucking stand it, Elena.”

My heart hammered in my chest. This felt wrong. All of it felt wrong–the tenderness, the apology, the way he was holding my feet like they were something

precious.

This isn’t real, I told myself. He’ll be cold again tomorrow. He always is.

I tried to pull my feet back, suddenly uncomfortable with the position. “Julian, this is=”

“Stay still. His hands tightened on my ankles. Not painfully, but firmly.

Then he was moving, pulling me into his lap before I could protest. One arm wrapped around my waist, the other still holding my legs, keeping his jacket

tucked around my feet.

Julian-

“Shh. His breath was warm against my ear. “Just… don’t move. Okay?”

I sat there stiffly, my heart racing, not knowing what to do. His chest was solid against my back, his arms secure around me. It felt like a cage. O maybe a

shelter, I couldn’t tell the difference anymore.

The car continued its smooth glide through Manhattan. I could see the doorman’s familiar uniform as we pulled up to the mansion on Billionaire’s Row.

The elevator ride up felt endless.

Julian’s arm stayed around my waist the entire time, holding me against him. I stared at the brushed steel doors, watching our distorted reflections, and

tried to calm my breathing.

Just get through this, I told myself. Just survive tonight.

The doors opened to the mansion. Julian guided me inside, his hand on the small of my back.

“You should take a bath,” he said as we entered. ‘Warm up properly.”

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Chapter 37

I nodiled, already moving toward the master bathroom. Anything to get away from him, to have a moment alone to think-

‘I’ll help you.”

I stopped. “What?”

“I’ll help you,” he repeated, his tone brooking no argument. “You’re still shaking. You need to warm up.

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