Chapter 204
Elena：POV
Unknown: [Ms. Vance, this is Detective Sarah Thomas with NYPD. We need to take your statement regarding the kidnapping and assault. When would be a good time?]
I typed back:
Me: [After I know if Julian is going to live.]
Detective Thomas: [Understood. I'll be in touch.]
I set the phone down beside me and drew my knees up to my chest, wrapping my arms around them.
"Mommy?"
I looked up. Lila stood a few feet away, and my breath caught in my throat.
Because behind her stood Sophia Cruz.
For a moment, I couldn't process it. Couldn't reconcile the woman standing in this hallway with the friend I'd last seen four years ago—the friend I'd thought I'd never see again.
She looked different. Older, maybe, though it was hard to tell. Her dark hair was shorter, cut in a sleek bob that framed her face. There were faint lines around her eyes that hadn't been there before. But it was unmistakably her.
And beside her, one arm wrapped possessively around her waist, stood Lucas Reynolds.
"Elena," Sophia breathed.
Then she was moving, crossing the distance between us in three long strides. She dropped to her knees in front of me and pulled me into a fierce hug.
"Thank God," she choked out. "Thank God you're not dead. When Blake called and said—I thought—"
I sat frozen in her embrace, my mind struggling to catch up. Four years. It had been four years since I'd seen her. Four years since I'd disappeared from her life without a word.
"Sophia," I managed. "How did you—"
"Blake got a call from Adrian," she said, pulling back to look at me. Her eyes were red-rimmed, mascara smudged. "Julian's assistant. He told Blake what happened—the kidnapping, Victoria, all of it. Blake called Lucus immediately."
Lucas moved to stand behind her, his hand coming to rest on her shoulder. His face was hard, unreadable, but there was something in his eyes when he looked at Sophia—something protective and fierce.
Sophia's hands tightened on my shoulders. "Elena, I thought you were dead. For four years, I thought—"
"I can't do this right now," I interrupted. The words came out harsher than I intended, but I couldn't help it. Couldn't handle the weight of her grief and relief on top of everything else. "Julian is in surgery. They don't know if he's going to make it. I can't—I need to know if he's okay first."
Sophia's face crumpled, but she nodded. "Of course. Of course, I'm sorry. I just—seeing you again—"
"I know," I said, and I did. But I couldn't give her what she needed right now.
All I could do was sit here and wait to find out if the father of my child was going to survive.
"Mommy?" Lila's voice was small, uncertain. "Who is she?"
I looked at my daughter, then back at Sophia. "This is... an old friend, baby. Her name is Sophia."
"And I'm Lucas," Lucas added, crouching down to Lila's level. His voice gentled in a way I wouldn't have expected. "It's nice to meet you."
Lila studied him with the solemn intensity only a four-year-old could manage. "Are you Mommy's friend too?"
"Something like that," Lucas said.
Sophia was staring at Lila like she'd seen a ghost. "Elena... is she—"
"Julian's daughter," I confirmed. "Yes."
"Jesus," Sophia whispered. She looked between me and Lila, and I could see her doing the math. "Four years old?"
"Almost."
"So when you disappeared, you were—"
"Pregnant," I finished. "I didn't know. Not until after."
Sophia's hand flew to her mouth. "Oh my God. Elena, I'm so sorry. If I'd known—if any of us had known—"
"It doesn't matter now," I said, even though it did. Even though everything mattered and nothing did all at once. "All that matters is Julian surviving this."
Sophia nodded. She stood, then hesitated. "Can I... can I sit with you? While you wait?"
I wanted to say no. Wanted to tell her to leave, to give me space, to let me process this alone.
But when I opened my mouth, what came out was: "Yes."
She sank down beside me on the floor, Lucas settling on her other side. Lila crawled into my lap, her head resting against my chest.
And we waited.
---
Another hour passed. Maybe two. I lost track.
Sophia didn't try to make conversation, which I was grateful for. She just sat there, a solid presence beside me, occasionally squeezing my hand when the silence became too heavy.
Lucas had his phone out, what looked like sending emails or taking care of work thing
Lila had fallen asleep in my arms, her breathing soft and even against my shoulder.
Finally, the red light went dark.
I jerked upright so fast I nearly dislodged Lila. Sophia caught her, gently taking her from my arms as I scrambled to my feet.
The doors swung open.
Dr. Morrison emerged, pulling off his surgical cap. His scrubs were still stained with blood—Julian's blood—but his face was calm.
"He's stable," he said before I could ask. "We got the bleeding under control. Repaired the damage to the pericardium. His heart is beating on its own, and his vitals are holding steady."
The world tilted. I felt Sophia's hand on my arm, steadying me.
"He's going to make it?" I whispered.
Dr. Morrison's expression softened. "Barring any complications, yes. He's going to make it."
My knees gave out.
Sophia caught me, her arms wrapping around me as I collapsed against her.
"He's alive," I choked out. "He's alive."
"He is," Dr. Morrison confirmed. "We're moving him to the ICU for observation. You can see him once he's settled, but he's going to be sedated for at least the next twelve hours. His body needs time to recover from the trauma."
I nodded, unable to speak past the sob building in my throat.
"Thank you," Sophia said for me, her voice thick with emotion. "Thank you so much."
Dr. Morrison nodded. "He's a fighter. But I suspect you already knew that."
He disappeared back through the doors.
I turned to Sophia, and whatever she saw in my face made her pull me into another fierce hug.
"He's okay," she murmured into my hair. "He's okay, Elena."