He Never Loved Me Until the Day I Finally Left Him novel Chapter 282

He didn't tear the facade down completely.

He was perfectly aware that before Helena called him, she had almost certainly tried calling Sebastian first.

Sebastian had simply ignored her.

That was why she had reached out to him.

If Lance James had been in Riverton, Helena would have called Lance, not him.

Calling Julian was proof that she had run completely out of options.

Faced with Julian's blunt assessment, Helena couldn't form a single word of defense.

After a long silence, a self-deprecating smile touched her lips.

As if having thought it through entirely, she finally looked up at him.

"It's not about being worth it or not. These were my choices. I'm an adult, and naturally, I have to pay the price for the decisions I've made," Helena said softly.

Her tone was remarkably placid.

It was the sound of someone who had truly detached herself from the emotional wreckage of her marriage.

Julian's lips parted slightly, but he ultimately kept whatever he was about to say to himself.

"He's already signed The Divorce Agreement. Once this baby is born and the equity transfers are finalized, we won't have any ties left to each other," Helena finished.

Julian just stared at her.

Call it intuition, but every instinct in his body warned him that it wouldn't be that simple.

After a moment of silence, Julian delivered a cold dose of reality.

"Lena, you know full well that signing a paper doesn't equate to a divorce. It has to be legally filed. Until then, your peace of mind is just wishful thinking," he reminded her.

He couldn't explain why, but his gut was screaming at him.

In the silent warfare between men, he could sense the undercurrents.

Sebastian's possessiveness over Helena was far more complex than it appeared on the surface.

Even if it wasn't love, it was the deep-seated territorial instinct of a man who had possessed something for years.

He wouldn't tolerate anyone challenging his ownership.

A proud man like Sebastian demanded total control of the board; he would never hand the initiative to his opponent.

Helena willingly letting go was a direct slap in Sebastian's face.

It was highly unlikely he would let her walk away so easily.

Julian planted his hand on the headboard behind her.

He had effectively caged her in his arms.

The intimacy in the room skyrocketed.

"Julian..." Helena breathed out quietly, trying to defuse the moment.

He cut her off.

"Lena, let's get married." It wasn't a question; it was a definitive statement.

Helena froze, then let out a silent, weary sigh.

She had always known how Julian felt about her.

But she couldn't reciprocate.

In the past, it was because her heart belonged solely to Sebastian.

Now, it was impossible for an entirely different reason.

She was pregnant with another man's child. She absolutely refused to drag Julian down or ruin his future.

She carefully considered her next words, trying to find a way to reject him without setting him off.