He Never Loved Me Until the Day I Finally Left Him novel Chapter 224

The restaurant was a newly opened barbecue joint, popular with the locals. It was entirely open-plan with a few small partitioned sections, but no private rooms. Sophia Zane had chosen a low-profile corner, and it took Helena a moment to find her.

When Sophia saw Helena, she stood up anxiously. "Helena, did Sebastian do anything to you?" she asked bluntly.

Helena shook her head. "I'm fine. Don't worry."

Sophia gave her a thorough visual inspection before finally letting out a sigh of relief. Then, she glanced over Helena's shoulder and immediately fell silent. Sebastian had just walked in, his demeanor cool and unhurried.

Helena noticed the shift. The atmosphere instantly grew tense.

Sebastian, completely unbothered, took the seat right next to Helena. He cast a mild glance at Sophia and nodded. "Ms. Zane."

Sophia stiffened. The insults she had ready died in her throat. This was the first time she had ever sat across from him like this, and his sheer presence was deeply intimidating.

He didn't pay her much mind, directing all his attention to Helena. Helena was on edge, terrified he might lash out at her friend. She shot him a warning frown, only to feel his large hand capture hers under the table.

"Have you ordered?" he asked, his deep, magnetic voice laced with a coaxing tone.

"Not yet," she replied stiffly.

"Go ahead and order," he said naturally.

Helena frowned deeper. He was holding her right hand hostage. How was she supposed to order? She wasn't left-handed.

"That's enough. I'll pass it to Sophia," Helena said, using the excuse to try and pry her hand free.

But Sebastian gave her no chance. He effortlessly reached across with his free hand and handed the menu over himself. "Ms. Zane, please."

Sophia took it awkwardly, quickly checking off her items before handing it to the server.

The food arrived promptly. Originally, Sophia had planned this dinner to vent about Janetta. But with a titan like Sebastian sitting right there, she couldn't say a word. The entire meal felt suffocating.

However, as time passed, Sophia noticed something baffling. Sebastian didn't let Helena lift a finger. He cooked the meat perfectly and placed it on her plate. He knew exactly what she wanted before she even asked. He even meticulously peeled the shrimp before handing them to her.