He Never Loved Me Until the Day I Finally Left Him novel Chapter 221

Helena Wallace sat quietly in the passenger seat, genuinely surprised as she overheard his words through the cracked window. The last time Sebastian Hayes publicly acknowledged her as his wife, she had forced his hand. To him, their marriage had always been a shameful secret. Besides, there was always Janetta Ramirez standing between them.

She kept watching him. She had assumed Sebastian would protect Janetta. He always did; she was used to it by now. But his response completely caught her off guard.

"Even so, she is my wife, the rightful Mrs. Hayes," Sebastian stated, enunciating every word clearly. His gaze toward the press held absolutely no trace of a joke.

"Unless I allow it, no one can ever replace my wife." He let out a sudden scoff, as if mocking their intrusive questions. "As for a 'First Love'? Sorry, I don't have one."

His declaration left the scene in dead silence. He had completely shut down the rumors without even mentioning Janetta's name.

Helena was stunned. Her fingers instinctively gripped the edge of her seat, a subtle tell of her rising anxiety.

Then she saw Sebastian walking toward the car. The press tried to chase him, but Sebastian's bodyguards swiftly blocked their path. Right before he reached her door, Helena pulled her gaze away, sitting perfectly still.

Listening to the sound of the car door opening, only one thought crossed her mind. Sebastian was truly being ruthless this time. Janetta trying to provoke him was entirely out of her league.

That realization made Helena even quieter. She remembered Carter Miles' words. Sebastian had countless ways to force Janetta back; he didn't need Helena to play along. After all, she knew better than anyone just how ruthless this man could be.

So, was Sebastian really doing all of this for her?

Helena offered a silent, hollow smile and said nothing more. But his reaction lasted only a moment. A second later, the seatbelt clicked into place.

Sebastian looked up, their eyes locking in the confined space. Under his heavy gaze, Helena felt cornered.

"Are you testing me?" Sebastian finally asked.

"No," she denied.

As the word left her lips, she pushed him away. But Sebastian didn't give her the chance to retreat. He blocked her path, forcing them to remain intimately close.