Please Come Back, My Love novel Chapter 5

Please Come Back, My Love

Chapter 5

Elena: POV

A week had passed since that night–seven days of pretending everything was normal while carrying a secret that felt like a weight

pressing against my chest.

I stood in front of my bedroom mirror, adjusting the collar of my cream cashmere sweater.

My reflection looked pale, the dark circles under my eyes barely concealed by makeup. A few days ago, I went to the hospital for a checkup.

constant

The results came back showing I was already six weeks pregnant, though my body showed no outward signs yet. Just the constant nausea that hit at random moments and the exhaustion that seeped into my bones.

My phone buzzed on the nightstand. I reached for it, expecting another work email.

Instead, it was from Arthur Sterling.

[Come to the estate tomorrow evening. It’s been too long since we’ve had a proper family dinner. Bring Julian. 6 PM sharp.]

My throat tightened. The Connecticut estate–the place where I’d grown up in the servants‘ quarters, where Mom still worked as head housekeeper. The place that held all my childhood memories of watching Julian from afar.

Before I could respond, another message appeared. This one from Julian.

[Grandfather wants us at the estate tomorrow. I’ll pick you up at 4:30. Don’t be late.]

No “please.” No “if you’re available.” Just a command, as always.

I set the phone down, my hands trembling slightly. A family dinner meant pretending–pretending we were a real couple, pretending everything was fine, pretending I wasn’t carrying his child while he counted down the days until our contract ended.

Another buzz. This time, it was Mom.

[Elena, sweetheart! Arthur just told me you’re coming tomorrow. I’m so happy! I’ve missed you so much. I’ll make all your favorites.]

A smile tugged at my lips despite everything. Mom. The woman who’d raised me, loved me, taught me that my worth wasn’t determined by where I came from.

Another message followed immediately:

[And honey, if Julian does anything wrong, you need to speak up. Tell him right away. Married couples don’t hold grudges overnight. I know he didn’t want to marry you at first, but he treats you well now, doesn’t he? I’m sure you didn’t drug him—I know my daughter. But whatever happened, you two need to communicate.]

My eyes burned. If only she knew the truth. If only she knew how he really treated me behind closed doors–the coldness, the accusations, the way he looked at me like I was something dirty he couldn’t scrape off his shoe.

【And Elena, listen to me carefully: should Julian ever truly wrong you should he betray you or hurt you deliberately–you will come straight to me. I don’t care if I’m just a housekeeper. I don’t care if they’ll fire me. I’ll fight for you with everything I have, even if it will cost me my life.]

Tears spilled down my cheeks. I pressed my hand to my mouth to stifle the sob that wanted to escape.

Options. As if our baby was just a problem to be solved, an inconvenience to be eliminated.

The thought hit me like ice water, and suddenly I couldn’t breathe.

When his tongue swept deeper into my mouth, something inside me snapped. I bit down on his lower lip–hard enough to make him hiss and jerk back.

His lip was red and slightly swollen where my teeth had caught it. A tiny bead of blood appeared at the corner of his mouth.

He stared at me, shock and something darker flickering in his gray eyes. And God help me, he looked even more attractive like that -dangerous, disheveled, the perfect veneer cracked just slightly. His jaw was tight, his breathing uneven, and that small wound on his lip made him look almost vulnerable.

What is wrong with me? I thought desperately.

Julian’s hand came up to cup my face, his thumb tracing my cheekbone with maddening gentleness that contradicted the tension in his body.

“Behave yourself,” he said, his voice low and rough, almost a growl. “You’ve been getting more and more unruly lately, little wildcat.”

He pulled back just enough to murmur, “A whole week without contacting me. Are you still sulking?”

I turned my head away sharply, refusing to look at him, my jaw clenched tight. Sulking? As if my pain was just some childish tantrum.

His hand remained on my face for a moment longer, his thumb brushing against my lips now, and I hated how my breath caught at the touch.

Finally, he sighed and opened the car door. “Get in.”