Please Come Back, My Love novel Chapter 46

Chapter 46

Tears spilled down her cheeks. So that’s all I am to you? A debt?”

“I care about you, Victoria. I do. But not in the way you want.”

“You don’t love me.”

“No,” I said quietly. ‘I don’t.”

The silence that followed was suffocating.

Victoria stared at me, tears streaming down her face, and I felt like the biggest asshole on the planet. But what else could I say? That I’d been lying to her for three years?

She’d saved my life. I owed her honesty at least.

“I understand.” Her voice was barely a whisper.

“This isn’t about Elena.” Liar. “This is about us. There is no us. There never really was.”

She looked down at her hands. “I love you, Julian. I have since we were children.”

Fuck,

“I know.” And I did. That was the worst part. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry.” She looked up, her expression softer now, Resigned. “I knew you didn’t feel the same way. But I thought maybe, with time…”

“Victoria.” I reached for her hand. “I’ll take care of you. Whatever you need-money, medical care, anything-it’s yours. But I can’t give you what you want.”

She nodded slowly. “Can I ask you something?”

“Of course.”

“Do you love her?” Her eyes locked onto mine. “Elena. Do you love your wife?”

The question hit me like a punch to the gut.

Do I?

“I don’t know,” I said honestly.

And that was the truth. I didn’t know what I felt for Elena. Anger? Yes. Frustration? Absolutely. But underneath all that…

“I’ll wait for you,” Victoria said suddenly.

“What?”

" I’ll wait. Her grip on my hand tightened. However long it takes. I’ll wait until you’re free.”

Victoris, that’s not

“You seemed so angry with her. I thought maybe this was it. That you’d finally had enough.”

Why does she sound hopeful about that?

“That’s between me and Elena,” I said carefully.

“I know. I’m sorry.” She paused, then looked up at me with those wide, innocent eyes. “It’s just… Julian, you know what she was like before you married her, right?

My entire body went rigid.

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

“Her private life. Victoria’s voice was gentle. Concerned. “Before you two got together. You know about all that, don’t you?”

All what?

My mind flashed to the photos Victoria had shown me three years ago. Elena in a nightclub. Elena with different men

Photos Id never been able to fully verify.

Photos I’d tried to forget..

“I don’t want to talk about this,” I said flatly. “Don’t worry, I’ll handle it myself.”

*Focus on getting better. I need to take care of some things, so I’m gonna head out. I’ll come by and check on you later wherr I get a chance.