Please Come Back, My Love Chapter 64

Elena：POV

Julian‘s hand found mine, squeezing gently.

"You're distracted," he murmured, his thumb tracing circles on my palm. "What's wrong? Think I'm all talk?"

Before I could answer, he leaned in, his teeth grazing my earlobe. "Because trust me, I always deliver."

I pushed his head away gently, my mind still on Mom's pale face. "It's not that. It's my mom. Don't you think she's acting weird? Suddenly wanting to leave the estate after all these years? And did you see her face today? She looked like hell."

Julian wrapped his arms around me, pulling me against his chest. His hands locked around my waist, and he buried his face in the crook of my neck.

"She probably looked like shit because you scared her half to death," he said quietly. "Watching you go into that pool, not knowing if the baby..." His arms tightened. "And wanting to leave? Maybe she's just tired of being stuck there her whole life. Can you blame her?"

His breath was warm against my skin. "A lifetime trapped in that place—she probably just wants out."

I wanted to argue, to explain that something in Mom's eyes had looked off. Scared. Like she was running from something she couldn't name.

But Julian's warmth was seeping into me, his steady heartbeat against my back making everything feel safer than it was.

"Maybe you're right," I whispered, though I didn't buy it.

"Get some rest," he murmured, easing me back against the pillows. "Everything's gonna be fine. I've got you."

His hand slid down to rest on my stomach, protective and gentle. And despite everything, I let myself sink into the hospital bed, his presence solid beside me.

---

I woke the next morning to voices outside my hospital room.

Julian was already awake, sitting in the chair beside my bed. His hair was a mess, his shirt wrinkled—he must have been there all night.

"They're here," he said quietly when he saw my eyes open. "My parents. Arthur. And..." His jaw clenched. "Victoria. Catherine too."

My stomach dropped. "Catherine? Why would she—"

"I made her come." His voice was ice-cold. "She's gonna apologize."

Before I could respond, the door swung open.

Arthur entered first, his face tight with worry. When he saw me propped up against the pillows, relief washed over him.

"Elena, my dear girl," he said, crossing to take my hand. "Thank God. When I heard what happened..." His voice cracked. "Are you alright? The baby?"

"We're both fine," I managed. "The doctors said everything's okay."

"Thank God," he repeated, squeezing my hand gently.

Evelyn walked in next, and I braced myself. But instead of her usual ice-queen routine, she surprised me.

"Elena." Her voice was softer than I'd ever heard it. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm... okay."

Something shifted in her expression—not quite warmth, but definitely less frost. "Good. I'm glad."

Then Victoria appeared in the doorway.

She looked perfect, naturally. Soft lavender dress, hair in elegant waves, just the right amount of concern on her face. Like she actually gave a damn.

"Elena," she said, her voice dripping with sympathy. "I'm so relieved you're alright. When Julian told me what happened, I was devastated."

I'm sure you were, I thought bitterly.

She moved to stand by the window, her posture perfect. The picture of gracious concern.

Made me want to throw something at her head.

Finally, Catherine walked in.

My hands clenched into fists beneath the hospital blanket.

She looked like she'd rather be literally anywhere else. Her face was pinched, her eyes darting between Julian and the door like she was thinking about bolting.

Julian stood, moving to place his hand on my shoulder. Then he leaned down, his lips brushing my ear.

"I called her this morning," he murmured, his voice low enough that only I could hear. "Told her if she didn't come apologize, I'd personally make sure every business connection the Vanderbilts have with Sterling Conglomerate gets cut off. Permanently."

I turned my head slightly, meeting his eyes. They were cold, lethal. No warmth, no mercy.

He'd actually threatened her for me.

Catherine cleared her throat, the sound strangled. "Elena. I... I came to apologize. For yesterday. For pushing you into the pool." She swallowed hard, her jaw tight. "It was wrong."

The words were right. But her eyes told a completely different story. They were full of resentment, barely contained hatred, pure venom.

She didn't mean a single fucking word.

Everyone was watching. Arthur with stern approval. Evelyn with careful assessment. Victoria with that perfectly constructed sympathetic mask. Julian with warning written all over his face.

I met Catherine's glare head-on.

"You can apologize all you want," I said clearly, my voice steady despite the anger coursing through me. "But I don't have to forgive you."

Catherine's eyes widened, shock flashing across her features.

"The pain you caused—the danger you put my baby in—that's not something some half-assed apology can fix." I held her gaze, refusing to look away. "So no. I don't accept it. And I don't forgive you."

Her mouth opened, something vicious forming on her tongue.

Then Julian's gaze cut to her—sharp, cold, deadly as a blade.

She snapped her mouth shut so fast her teeth clicked together.

"Understood," she bit out, her face flushed with humiliation and rage.

"You can leave now," Julian said flatly. "Or..."

"Crystal." The word came out like shattered glass.

She turned and practically fled from the room, the door slamming behind her.

Silence fell.

Then Arthur actually chuckled. "Well said, my dear. That girl's needed someone to stand up to her for years."

Evelyn looked... thoughtful. Like she was reassessing everything she thought she knew about me.

And Victoria? Her face stayed carefully neutral, but I caught the flash of calculation in her eyes.

Julian's hand tightened on my shoulder, warm and possessive. "There's something else," he said, his voice carrying authority that filled the room. "Something we need to share."

Everyone turned to look at him.

His hand moved to my stomach, resting there with protective gentleness. "Elena's pregnant," he said clearly. "Twelve weeks. We're having a baby."

The room exploded.

"What?!" Arthur's face lit up. "Elena, is this true?"

"Yes," I whispered, my free hand moving instinctively to my stomach.

"Oh, my dear girl!" He pulled me into the gentlest hug, his eyes actually wet. "This is wonderful news! A great-grandchild—finally!"

Evelyn moved closer, her expression softer than I'd ever seen it. Something almost maternal flickered across her features.

"Congratulations," she said quietly. Then, meeting my eyes directly, she added awkwardly, "Now that you're pregnant, you need to be more careful. I'm saying this for my grandchild."

"Thank you," I managed, my throat tight.

Julian's hand squeezed mine, his grip possessive and protective. When I glanced up at him, his eyes were blazing with something fierce and territorial.

'Mine,' that look said. 'Both of them.'

But when I looked across the room at Victoria, my blood turned to ice.

Her carefully constructed mask had slipped—just for a second. And underneath was pure, venomous hatred.

Her hands were clenched into fists at her sides, her jaw so tight I could see the muscle jumping. Her eyes blazed with barely contained fury, like she wanted to reach across the room and strangle me.

Then the mask snapped back into place, and she was smiling. "How wonderful," she said, her voice sweet as poison. "A baby. That's just... perfect."

But her eyes were screaming something else entirely.

I wrapped my arms around Julian right in front of her. "You better keep us safe."

Julian kissed my lips gently. "Always. That's a promise."