Please Come Back, My Love novel Chapter 69

Chapter 69

Elena: POV

Somewhere in the back of my mind, I registered the irony. This woman had just slapped me. Called me a mistake. Told me I wasn’t good enough for her son.

And here I was, breaking my back to keep her heart beating.

Sirens wailed outside. Footsteps pounded up the stairs.

“Paramedics!” A man’s voice. “We’ve got it from here.”

Strong hands pulled me back. I stumbled, my legs barely holding me up. My shirt was soaked with sweat, my hands cramping.

The paramedics moved with practiced efficiency-defibrillator pads, oxygen mask, IV line. Within seconds, they had Evelyn on a stretcher.

“You did good,” one of them said to me as they wheeled her past. “Real good. You might have saved her life.”

I nodded numbly, watching them disappear down the service elevator.

Victoria stood frozen by the mirrors, her face white. She stared at me like she’d never seen me before.

“You-” Her voice cracked. “You saved her.”

I looked down at my hands. They were shaking. “Yeah.”

“After she… after everything she said…”

“She’s Julian’s mother.” I met Victoria’s eyes. “That’s all that matters.”

For a long moment, we just stared at each other. Then Victoria’s expression hardened.

She pulled out her phone.

“What are you doing?” I asked.

“Calling Julian.” She was already dialing. “He needs to know his mother’s in an ambulance.”

Oh god. Julian.

My stomach dropped. He was going to think I did this. That I caused this somehow.

She slapped me. We were arguing. And then she collapsed.

“Victoria,” I started.

But she was already talking, her voice high and distressed.

“Julian? Thank god. You need to get to the hospital right now. Your mother collapsed. We were at Bergdorf’s and-” She glanced at me, her eyes calculating. “And there was an incident. Elena was screaming at her and then she just… she fell, I don’t know, hulian i don’t know what happened. Just come, p

She hung up:

I stared at her. “What the fuck did you just do?”

“I told him the truth.” Victoria’s voice was calm now. Cold. “His mother collapsed after you yelled at her

That’s not My hands balled into fists. “You made it sound like I caused this.”

“Didn’t you?” She tilted her head. “She was fine until you started screaming.”

“She slapped me first!”

“So you say.” Victoria picked up her purse, checking her reflection in the mirror. “But I didn’t see that. What I saw was you losing your temper. Getting in her face. Upsetting her until she collapsed.*

She’s lying. She’s fucking lying.

“The saleswoman saw,” I said desperately. “She’ll tell the truth.”

Victoria smiled. “Will she? Mrs. Sterling is one of Bergdorf’s best customers. Do you really think some commission-hungry salesgirl is going to risk that relationship to defend you?”

My blood ran cold.

Because she was right. The saleswoman wouldn’t back me up. Not against a Sterling.

“You’re a real piece of shit,” I said quietly.

He looked between Victoria and me. “Which one of

“I did.” Victoria pointed at me. “I knew CPR.

The doctor’s face broke into a warm smile.

you-

He extended his hand. “Thank you. Truly. Your quick thinking made all the difference. If she’d gone another minute without oxygen…”

He shook his head. “We’d be having a very different conversation.”

‘How can she have the audacity to claim she knows CPR? I was the one who saved her.

But relief also flooded through me. She’s okay. She’s alive.

“Can we see her?” I asked.

“Soon. We’re running some tests, getting her settled. I’ll come get you when—”

“Doctor?” Victoria touched his arm. “Could I speak with you? Privately?”

He glanced at me, then nodded. “Of course.”

They stepped away, moving down the corridor. Victoria leaned in close, her hand still on his arm, speaking urgently.

I watched the doctor’s expression change.

AL fits!, he nodded along, professional and attentive. Then his eyebrows drew together. He glanced back at me–a quick, assessing look.

Victoria kept talking, her voice too low for me to hear. But I saw her gestures-pointing at me, touching her own chest, shaking her head sadly.

The doctor’s face hardened.

When they returned, his kind eyes had turned cold.

“Miss Vance,” he said stiffly. “I understand there were some… complications. Before the incident.”