He Never Loved Me Until the Day I Finally Left Him novel Chapter 642

So the sheer violence of the moment sent her into an immediate, sobbing panic.

"Lena..." she wailed, tears streaming down her pale cheeks.

Helena immediately rushed back to her side.

"I'm here, sweetie. Don't be afraid," she cooed, her tone shifting instantly.

It was a complete contrast to the predatory hostility she had just aimed at Janetta.

She scooped the trembling child into her arms, gently rubbing circles on her back.

Skye clung to her chest, letting out tiny, breathy hiccups.

The poor girl suffered from a congenital heart condition and severe asthma.

Helena was utterly terrified that the emotional shock would trigger a full-blown attack.

It was a gamble she refused to take.

Skye had barely survived her early years. She needed to remain completely stable until her sixth birthday to qualify for her second open-heart surgery.

Helena would not allow a single complication to threaten that timeline.

"Lena..." the little girl whimpered, her bottom lip quivering, though her breathing had somewhat steadied.

"It's okay, I've got you," Helena continued to soothe.

It was then that Janetta finally noticed the child.

She froze, and in the very next second, recognition slammed into her.

This was the exact same girl from the gossip headline—the one resting on Sebastian's shoulder.

For some inexplicable reason, that little face was seared into Janetta's brain.

Staring at her side profile now, an intrusive memory flashed across her mind.

It was a ghost from the past.

A sickening, suffocating wave of dread completely swallowed her.

Seeing the child in the flesh triggered a toxic blend of guilt and raw panic.

The resemblance to the deceased Mrs. Hayes was far too striking to ignore.

It was all in the eyes.

The dead woman's face was practically carved into Janetta's very bones.

"This is a setup! The Campbell Family would never officially accept a piece of trash like you. So what, you dig up some random little brat from the gutters just to manufacture a PR scandal against my husband? I will not let you get away with this!" Her volume peaked to a hysterical roar.

"This pathetic little bastard is nothing but a dirty, shameful secret!" she raged, entirely devoid of empathy for the trembling five-year-old.

Skye shrank back at the vicious onslaught, her wide eyes locked in pure shock.

The momentary softness on Helena's face vanished, instantly replaced by a glacial fury.

"Get out," she commanded, each syllable dripping with lethal intent.

To Janetta's paranoid mind, this cold defensiveness was absolute proof of guilt.

It only fueled her unhinged confidence.

Any remaining shred of self-control went completely out the window.

"Don't think you can parade some look-alike street rat around and act like you own the place. Need I remind you, you're in Riverton now, not Coralia," Janetta sneered.

"Enough!" Helena barked, cutting her off like a guillotine.

Janetta flinched, genuinely startled by the sheer force of the order.

Carefully setting Skye down, Helena slowly turned to face her tormentor.