Chapter 6 - Begging in the Rain
It was raining heavily when Julian finally showed up at Elena's Tribeca penthouse.
He had bypassed the security only because Arthur had explicitly permitted him one final visit.
He stood soaked in the hallway, looking completely shattered when Elena opened the door.
There were dark circles under his eyes, and he smelled of cheap whiskey and regret.
"Elena, please," he begged, his voice trembling as he leaned against the doorframe.
"Please let me come in."
"You are not crossing this threshold, Julian," she said, her voice as cold as the marble beneath her feet.
"I made a mistake," he cried, tears mixing with the rain on his face.
"Chloe manipulated me, she forged documents, she made me think you were hiding things from me."
"I was blind, Elena, but I see it now."
"I love you."
Elena let out a short, hollow laugh that held zero warmth.
"You don't love me, Julian," she stated, looking at him with absolute pity.
"You love the comfort I provided."
"You love the fact that I never outshone you, that I cleaned up your messes quietly."
"You don't want your wife back, you want your shield back."
Julian fell to his knees on the expensive hallway rug.
"Let me see my son," he pleaded, his voice breaking into a pathetic sob.
"Let me be a father."
"You gave up your right to be a father the day you called me a financial drain and threw me out on the street," she reminded him brutally.
"My son does not need a coward for a role model."
She stepped back into her beautiful, safe home.
"Goodbye, Julian."
May you like
"Don't ever come near us again."
She closed the heavy door, the solid click of the lock echoing with the finality of a tombstone.
