He Never Loved Me Until the Day I Finally Left Him novel Chapter 557

A violent shudder tore through Helena's body. Hearing that deep, familiar voice call her by that nickname didn't bring warmth—it brought sheer, paralyzing terror.

"Stop!" she shrieked, fueled by a sudden burst of adrenaline that allowed her to violently shove him away.

Sebastian stumbled back, reality crashing over him as he realized exactly what he had just done. He lowered his head. "I apologize."

Helena remained silent, gasping for air. Sebastian stayed quiet too. He knew he had mistaken her for a ghost. In the oppressive dark, those hauntingly familiar eyes had short-circuited all his rational thought.

Just then, the overhead lights flared back to life with a harsh buzz, instantly banishing the suffocating shadows. Helena squeezed her eyes shut against the sudden glare. With the light restored, her frantic panic evaporated, leaving a frigid calm in its wake. She slowly pulled herself up to her feet. Sebastian's intense gaze remained fixed on her, but she refused to acknowledge him.

"Is there anyone inside?" a rescue worker shouted through the heavy doors.

"It's Sebastian Hayes, along with Ms. Wallace," Sebastian answered smoothly, his commanding composure fully restored.

Outside, the hotel staff paled in sheer horror.

They hadn't expected two titans of industry to be trapped in the same broken elevator. Upon noticing the malfunction, security had rushed to check the cameras, instantly spotting the powerful CEO of IGM stepping inside. Now, knowing the Hayes family patriarch was in there too, the maintenance crew worked with frantic urgency. The news had quickly spread, bringing both Janetta and Julian sprinting to the scene.

The atmosphere outside the doors grew incredibly thick. Janetta felt visibly nervous standing so close to Julian, not daring to utter a single word. Julian's face was a thundercloud of dark fury, infuriated that Helena was trapped in an enclosed space with her greatest trauma.

The hotel staff sweated bullets as they aggressively worked to pry the doors open, but because the cabin was wedged awkwardly between the thirteenth and fourteenth floors, the extraction was painfully slow.

"I never pegged you for such a deeply devoted man, Mr. Hayes," she scoffed, the sarcasm dripping from every word.

Sebastian wasn't deaf to the blatant mockery, but he took it in stride. "I truly apologize," he repeated calmly.

"Save it," she fired back icily.

A muffled voice pierced through the doors. "Ms. Wallace, Mr. Hayes, please hold on just a bit longer! We've almost got it!"

Sebastian offered a grunt of acknowledgment. But as the mechanics wrenched the gears outside, the entire cabin violently lurched again. Helena let out a sharp gasp, terrified the lights were about to plunge them into darkness once more. Reacting on pure reflex, Sebastian reached out and grabbed her again.