Episode 3 - A promise tested

Elena spent the rest of the morning moving carefully around Julian’s apartment. Her body still felt heavy, but her heart felt… different. Calmer. Protected. The air didn’t feel suffocating the way it had in Adrian’s house. Here, everything smelled like fresh laundry, warm wood, and safety.

Julian moved quietly around the living room, tidying things that didn’t need tidying. He even move the couch around so she can walk freely. Elena could tell he was doing it to give her space, but also to keep her close. Every few minutes, he glanced her way, as if checking she was still okay.

“Sit,” Julian finally said, pointing at the sofa. “You shouldn’t be on your feet too much.”

Elena blinked. “I’m pregnant, Julian. Not made of glass.”

He stared at her belly. “Six months pregnant. Big difference.”

She let out a small breath—not quite a laugh, but the closest she had come in days. She sat down, sinking into the soft cushions. The smallest smile tugged at Julian’s lips before he looked away.

He brought her a small blanket and draped it over her lap without asking.

It was such a simple gesture, yet it made her chest tighten.

“Julian… you don’t have to do all this,” she whispered.

He sat on the coffee table across from her, leaning in slightly. “I told you yesterday,” he said quietly, “I’m here to protect you and the baby.”

Her throat tightened. She still didn’t understand why he cared this much. Why he chose her when his brother—the man she married—threw her away like she meant nothing.

Before she could ask, Julian reached into his pocket and pulled out something small. Her phone.

“You left this in your bag,” he said, placing it on the table. “It kept ringing.”

Elena froze.

Her stomach twisted. She didn’t need to check the screen to know who it was.

Adrian.

She had blocked him last night, but he had always found ways to reach her—different numbers, different accounts, different pleas.

Julian watched her carefully. His voice was steady. “If you don’t want to read it, I can.”

Elena swallowed hard. “I… I should see. Just to know.”

Her hand shook as she unlocked her phone. Two missed calls. One voicemail. And a message from an unknown number.

“Elena, please. It’s not what you think. Come home. We can talk.”

Her stomach churned. The audacity of him… after everything.

Julian’s jaw tightened. “He’s already starting.”

Elena hugged her arms around herself, suddenly cold. “I just want him to leave me alone.”

Julian reached out and placed his hand gently on her arm. “Then he will. I promise.”

She looked up at him. “You can’t control what he does.”

“No,” Julian admitted, “but I can control what I do. And if he comes near you—if he tries anything—I’ll be there. You and the baby come first. Always.”

Something about the way he said always made the room feel warmer.

Elena nodded, fighting tears. “Thank you.”

Julian softened, brushing her hair behind her ear—slowly, carefully, like she might break. “You don’t need to thank me. You deserved better long before this.”

Her heart stumbled.

Before she could respond, her stomach growled loudly. She covered her face, embarrassed. “Sorry. I haven’t been eating well these few days.”

Julian stood immediately. “Then today we fix that.”

He walked to the kitchen and returned with a container of cut apples and a small bowl of yogurt. He placed them in her hands.

“Eat this first. I’ll cook something real after.”

Elena blinked. “You don’t have to cook again—”

“I want to,” he said simply.

The sincerity in his voice hit her harder than she expected.

As she ate slowly, Julian sat beside her—not too close, not too far. A comfortable distance. A safe distance. But every now and then, their shoulders brushed.

And every time, her heart beat a little faster.

Outside, the afternoon sun passed through the window. Inside, a strange, comforting silence filled the room—until Elena’s phone buzzed again.

She flinched.

Julian grabbed the phone before she could. His eyes narrowed at the name flashing on the screen.

Adrian.

He turned to her, voice cold but controlled. “Elena… do you want me to answer it for you?”

Her breath caught. "Sure. I just want him to leave me alone." she said give Julian to answer the call.

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