Please Come Back, My Love novel Chapter 49

Chapter 49

Julian: POV

“I haven’t even started talking about your shit yet,” I said against her skin, my mouth moving down to the curve of her shoulder. “Your past. The clubs. The men.”

Her entire body went rigid beneath my hands. Like I’d just electrocuted her.

“What are you- she started, her voice barely a whisper.

“Don’t play innocent with me.” My hands gripped her waist, rough and possessive, pinning her harder against the door. ‘I know what you did before we got married. The partying. The screwing around. You think I didn’t know?”

The color drained from her face so fast I thought she might pass out. Her amber eyes went wide, filled with something that looked like pure horror.

“That’s not-Julian, that’s not true-”

“Bullshit.” My voice was cold now. “I’ve seen the photos, Elena. I know everything.”

Her mouth opened. Closed. Opened again. No sound came out.

“Those photos were fake!” The words finally burst out, desperate and raw. “Victoria set me up-she used that AI shit-Deepfake or whatever–Julian, please, you have to believe me-

Her words hit me like a punch. Fake? Deepfake? I’d never considered that possibility, but now a sliver of doubt crept in. What if she was telling the truth? Those photos had seemed too perfect, too conveniently timed. The doubt nagged at me.

‘I’ll have someone investigate,” I said, my voice still hard but with an edge of uncertainty I hated. “If they’re fake, we’ll find out. But if you’re lying-”

She shoved at my chest then. Hard. Harder than I’d expected from someone so small.

“I’m not lying!” Her voice rose to something close to a scream. Tve never been with anyone but you! Those photos aren’t real-they can’t be-because I never-

Her words turned to sobs, making my chest twist painfully.

“You bastard, she choked out between tears, her hands still pushing weakly at me. “You fucking bastard. You believe her over me. You always believe her.”

“I hate you.” Each word punctuated by another weak blow. “I hate you so much. You’re such a bully-you just keep hurting me-

“Away from you. Her voice was so tired. “Just… away.”

‘Elena-

“Let me go, Julian. Fresh tears spilled over, and she wouldn’t even look at me. “Please. I can’t do this anymore. I just can’t.”

That please-that single fucking word-broke something in me.

Instead of releasing her, I pulled her against my chest, my arms wrapping around her shaking body. She fought for a moment, her fists hitting my shoulders, my chest, anywhere she could reach.

“I hate you,” she sobbed into my shirt, her voice muffled and broken. “I hate you so much.”

“I know.” My hand moved to the back of her head, holding her close, feeling her tears soak through the fabric. “I know you do.”

“You never believe me.” Her words came out in gasps between sobs. “You never trust me. You think I’m some-some slut who-” Her voice cracked completely. “And I’m not. I’ve never-I only ever wanted you.”

I’ve never been with anyone but you. The words echoed in my mind, and despite everything, a spark of unexpected happiness flickered through me. If that was true-if I was her first, her only… that meant she was mine in a way no one else could claim. The thought made my chest swell with possessive joy.