Please Come Back, My Love novel Chapter 42

Chapter 42

Victoria s smile flickered. Just for a second.

“I already told him I wanted a divorce, I continued, my voice steadier now. “And you know what? He refused. Your precious Julian is the one who won’t let

me go.”

Her face twisted in anger, and she stammered, “You…”

“How did you get in?” The question came out sharper than I intended.

Victoria blinked, surprised. “What?”

“The front door.” I gestured behind her. “There’s a keypad. A six-digit code. How did you get in?”

Her smile returned, even more triumphant than before. “Oh, that.” She laughed. “Julian gave me the code years ago. Before… well, before all this.” She

gestured vaguely at me, like I was a mess that needed cleaning up.

My throat tightened. “What’s the code?”

“My birthday. Her voice was smug now. “April fifteenth, 1995. 04-15-95. He set it up when we first got engaged. Said he wanted me to always feel welcome

in his home.”

“He never changed it,” Victoria continued, watching my face with obvious satisfaction. “Even after he married you. Even after I left for Paris. The code was always mine. This place was always meant to be mine. She paused. “Just like Julian was always meant to be mine.”

Something inside me shattered. The last fragile piece of hope I’d been clinging to.

Three years. Three fucking years, and he never changed the code.

“Poor thing. You really thought you had a chance, didn’t you?”

“Get out.” My voice was hollow.

“Excuse me?”

“Get out of my home.” I stepped forward, my body shaking with suppressed rage. “Now.”

Victoria’s eyes flashed. “Your home? Honey, this has never been your home. You’re just… borrowing it.”

“I said get out.”

‘Or what?” She moved closer, her voice dropping to something vicious. “You’ll push me? Attack me? Give Julian another reason to hate you?”

Footsteps echoed in the hallway. Heavy. Measured.

Julian.

Victoria’s entire demeanor changed in an instant. Her face crumpled, fresh tears springing to her eyes. She backed away from me-toward the console table

near the entrance.

1:58 pm

Chapter 42

M

Laid mean to upset you,” she said loudly, her voice trembling. “I was just trying to talk-

‘Stop it,” I said quietly. “Just stop.

But she was already moving. Backing up faster now, her hand reaching out as if to steady herself on the table.

She just kept going, her heel catching-or pretending to catch-on the edge of the Persian rug. Her arms windmilled dramatically.

And then she was falling.

Her body twisted as she went down, and I watched in horror as her temple connected with the sharp corner of the console table. The crack was sickening- flesh and bone meeting polished wood.

She hit the marble floor hard, and blood immediately began pooling beneath her head. Real blood.

Oh my God.

“Victoria!” Julian’s voice thundered through the foyer.

I turned to see him standing in the archway, his face white with shock. His eyes went from Victoria’s crumpled form to me, standing frozen nearby.

And in that moment, I saw his expression change.

Shock became understanding. Understanding became fury.

He thought I’d pushed her.

“Julian- I started, my voice shaking. “I didn’t-

But he was already moving, dropping to his knees beside Victoria’s bleeding form. “Victoria. Fuck. Can you hear me?”

Julian…” Her voice was weak, trembling. Her eyes fluttered open, unfocused. “I… I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make her angry. I was just trying to leave, and

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