Chapter 8 - THE NIGHT HE LEARNED TO STAY
My mother had a medical emergency in November.
I was working a double shift when the hospital called.
Her condition had worsened.
I dropped everything.
Ran outside.
And tried to find a taxi.
Rain poured down.
Traffic crawled.
My phone rang.
Julian.
“Lena?”
I was crying.
“I'm trying to get to the hospital.”
His voice changed.
“What happened?”
“My mother.”
A pause.
“Where are you?”
I told him.
Fifteen minutes later, his car arrived.
Julian sat inside.
He opened the door.
“Get in.”
I did.
We reached the hospital quickly.
He stayed beside me through the night.
Didn't make phone calls about business.
Didn't complain.
Didn't ask when we could leave.
At four in the morning, the doctor said my mother was stable.
I collapsed into a chair.
Julian sat beside me.
I looked at him.
“You stayed.”
He frowned.
“Of course.”
I swallowed.
“Most people don't.”
His expression softened.
Then he took my hand.
“I know.”
And for the first time, I began falling in love with Julian Vale.
May you like
Not because he was rich.
But because when everything went wrong, he didn't leave.
