He Never Loved Me Until the Day I Finally Left Him novel Chapter 523

It was a polite, albeit dismissive, response.

"True enough," Sebastian nodded, not disagreeing. "But the exceptional women I've encountered usually prefer to make their presence known. After all, society still holds biased views against women."

Helena was blunt. "I suppose I'm just not someone who enjoys socializing. I believe in letting professionals handle professional matters. My job is simply to make the right executive decisions."

"Makes sense," Sebastian agreed.

Their conversation remained light and breezy, seemingly devoid of any real substance.

They didn't even touch upon the details of their collaboration.

The idle chatter only ceased when the waiter began serving the food.

Helena lowered her head to eat quietly, stealing a quick glance in Sebastian's direction.

Her silence deepened.

In her memories, Sebastian completely avoided spicy food.

Yet here he was, eating methodically.

He didn't even wince.

She could tell he wasn't forcing it; he was genuinely eating the fiery dishes.

"How is the food, Mr. Hayes?" she asked calmly, looking up.

Sebastian smiled faintly. "It's quite good."

Helena kept her expression neutral. "Yes, the Cajun chef here is award-winning. The Garlic Pork Slices are his signature. Cajun food isn't just about the heat; it's more about the complex blend of spices and flavors."

Sebastian offered a hum of agreement, neither confirming nor denying her assessment.

He continued to eat quietly.

His utter silence made Helena feel slightly unnatural.

The atmosphere in the room suddenly grew somewhat awkward.

As the host, she couldn't allow the tension to linger.

She took the initiative to break the ice. "You're from Riverton, Mr. Hayes, and the food there is famously mild. I assumed you didn't eat spicy food."

Sebastian raised an eyebrow, his gaze steady on her. "My wife likes it."

The statement gave Helena pause.

Instinctively, she associated the title of 'wife' with Janetta Ramirez.

She was finally living for herself again.

"I'm sorry," she quickly recovered.

Her apology was perfectly reasonable.

Everyone knew about the explosive fallout between Sebastian and Helena.

Then, she had supposedly died.

He was currently talking about a ghost.

"It's fine," Sebastian replied, seemingly unbothered.

Helena hummed in acknowledgment.

Silence settled over them once more.

"Ms. Wallace, do you know who you reminded me of the first time I saw you?" Sebastian asked suddenly.

Helena maintained her flawless composure. "Do tell."

"My ex-wife," he said softly. "I know you're not the same person, but your features are strikingly similar. Plus, she was also named Helena."