Please Come Back, My Love Chapter 24

Elena: POV

Everything happened so fast.

One second, Ethan was stumbling backward, his hand going to his jaw. The next, Julian's fist connected again—this time with his stomach.

The sound was sickening. A dull thud that made my stomach lurch.

"Julian, stop!" I lunged forward, grabbing his arm. "Stop it right now!"

But he didn't stop.

He shoved Ethan against the bodega wall, his forearm pressed against his throat. Ethan's face went red, his hands coming up defensively, but he didn't fight back.

"You think you can put your hands on my wife?" Julian's voice was low, deadly. "You think you can play the fucking hero?"

"Julian!" I yanked on his arm with all my strength. "He didn't do anything! He was just helping me!"

Ethan's eyes met mine over Julian's shoulder. And there was something in his expression—something that grew harder, more resolute. Fearless, even in the face of Julian's violence. 

‘Why isn't he fighting back?’ I thought.

"I wasn't—" Ethan choked out, his voice strained. "I wasn't touching her. I was just—"

Julian's fist connected with his ribs. Hard.

Ethan doubled over, gasping.

"You were just what?" Julian grabbed his collar, hauling him upright. "Just happening to be here? Just happening to have your hands all over her?"

"It wasn't like that!" I was crying now, tears streaming down my face. "Julian, please! He just gave me his jacket! He was calling me a car!"

But Julian wasn't listening.

He hit Ethan again. And again.

Blood trickled from the corner of Ethan's mouth. His eye was already swelling shut.

And he still wasn't fighting back.

"Stop it!" I threw myself between them, my hands on Julian's chest. "Just fucking stop!"

Julian's chest was heaving, his gray eyes wild. For a moment, I thought he might shove me aside. Might keep going until Ethan was—

"You should be Elena's hidden husband, right?" Ethan's voice cut through the chaos, rough and damaged.

Julian froze.

"Yeah, I know about that." Ethan spat blood onto the sidewalk, his eyes fixed on Julian. "I've known for a while. And you know what? You don't deserve her."

The words hung in the air like a bomb.

"You don't deserve to be her husband," Ethan continued, wiping blood from his mouth with the back of his hand. "It was you she fought with, wasn't it? You left her barefoot on the street. And you call yourself her husband?"

Julian's entire body went rigid. "Shut the fuck up."

"Why? Because it's true?" Ethan straightened despite the obvious pain. "She deserves better than you. She deserves someone who actually—"

Julian moved.

But I was faster. I threw myself in front of Ethan, my arms spread wide, my body forming a shield. "You want to hit him?" My voice was shaking. "Then you'll have to go through me first."

Julian stopped dead. His fist was raised, his face a mask of fury.

"Elena, move." His voice was cold. Controlled.

"No."

"Move."

"No!" I stepped closer, my chin lifted. "You want to beat him to death? Fine. But you'll have to hit me first. Because I'm not moving."

For a long moment, we just stared at each other.

I could hear Ethan breathing behind me. Could feel Julian's rage radiating off him in waves.

"You're defending him?" Julian's voice dropped to something dangerous. "You're actually standing here, protecting some other man, and fighting *me*?"

"What did he do wrong?" My voice cracked. "Tell me, Julian. What the fuck did he do wrong? He gave me shoes. He called me a car. He showed me basic human kindness when you threw me out like—like I was nothing!"

"He touched you."

"So fucking what?" I was shaking now, my whole body trembling with rage and fear and exhaustion. "You touch me all the time! You fuck me whenever you want! But when someone else shows me the slightest bit of respect, you lose your goddamn mind!"

Julian's jaw clenched so hard I heard his teeth grind.

Behind me, Ethan made a sound—half laugh, half wheeze. "She's right, you know. You're pathetic."

"Ethan, shut up," I hissed without turning around.

Julian moved forward. I pressed my hands harder against his chest, feeling his heart hammering beneath my palms.

"Julian, I already called 911," I said quickly. "The cops are coming. If you touch him again, if you don't stop right now, they're going to arrest you."

It was a lie. I didn't have my phone. But Julian didn't know that.

His eyes flickered—just for a second. Calculation replacing fury.

"You called the cops on me?" His voice was soft. Too soft.

"Yes." I held his gaze. "Because you're out of control. Because I can't—I can't do this anymore."

For a moment, neither of us moved.

Then Julian's hands dropped to his sides. He took a step back, his chest still heaving.

I should have felt relief.

Instead, I just felt... empty.

I knew what I had to do. What I needed to do to end this before someone got seriously hurt.

I took a breath. Forced myself to think clearly.

Julian was angry because of his possessiveness. Because he saw another man touching me. If I wanted to defuse this, I had to... God, I had to play into that. Had to make him feel like he'd won.

It made me sick. But what choice did I have?

I stepped forward, my hands sliding up his chest. "Julian."

His eyes snapped to mine, still dark with rage.

"I'm sorry," I whispered. "I'm sorry I scared you. I'm sorry I made you worry."

"Elena—"

"I don't want him." I moved closer, until I could feel his breath on my face. "I've never wanted him. I only want you."

The lie tasted like ash.

I reached up, my fingers threading through his hair. And then I kissed him.

Gently. Softly. Nothing like the brutal kisses we'd shared in the car.

Julian's body went rigid. Then, slowly, his hands came up to grip my waist.

When I pulled back, his eyes were searching mine. Looking for something. Some kind of answer.

"Please," I whispered. "Please let him go. He's just an old friend. He saw me upset and tried to help. That's all."

"Elena—"

"I'm yours." The words made me want to vomit. "I've always been yours. You know that. So please... just let him go."

For a long moment, Julian just stared at me.

Then he looked past me, at Ethan. "Get the fuck out of here."

Behind me, I heard Ethan shift. "Elena—"

"Go," I said quietly, not turning around. "Please just go."

"But—"

"Now." My voice was firmer. "Before he changes his mind."

Julian suddenly grabbed my face, both hands cupping my cheeks, and kissed me. Hard. Possessive. His tongue swept into my mouth, claiming me in front of the entire fucking street.

I felt humiliated. Degraded.

But I kissed him back. Wrapped my arms around his neck. Let him devour me.

When he finally pulled back, I was breathless. Dizzy.

"Let's go home," he said quietly.

Before I could respond, he bent down and lifted me into his arms. Like I weighed nothing. Like I was something precious instead of something he'd thrown away a short while ago.

He carried me to the waiting Bentley and placed me inside before shutting the door.

Through the window, I watched him standing there. Watching me with an unreadable smile.

And I thought: ‘Ethan, please. Please stay away from me. I can't let you get hurt because of me.’