She Was the Treasure All Along novel Chapter 981

Helena's polite distance is expected, but her calling herself a "minor staffer" makes Morris frown. "You are not just some minor staffer."

"I certainly am," she looks up. "Compared to you."

Morris's tone is cool. "Your work isn't something just anyone can do. 'Artist' fits you far better than 'staffer.' Why are you selling yourself short?"

"I'm not. I've just recognized my reality and found the survival strategy that suits me best."

"The survival strategy that suits you best?" Morris blurts out. "Swain Carter?"

She takes a deep breath. "I think things are great with him. That's the kind of life I'm meant for."

She packs her things to leave.

Morris watches her back. "From where I'm standing, it looks like you're forcing yourself to dim your own light just to appease a man with cripplingly low self-esteem. He's dragging you down, trying to make you as mediocre as he is."

"Everyone's life is different." She stops and turns around. "Most people live ordinary lives. We don't have your extravagant wealth. I understand Swain. Of course he feels insecure around you, around that kind of money. That's natural for a normal guy facing a billionaire. You can't blame him for that."

"And what about you?" Morris asks. "You've bought into his narrative?"

"I've just accepted an ordinary, stable life." She offers a small smile. "I don't see anything wrong with that. Is quiet happiness not still happiness? At the very least... it can't be any worse than before, right? Did you expect me to stay under your control like a madwoman forever, wasting my life away? That would be irresponsible to myself."

With that, she walks out.

Morris's handsome face remains entirely blank, but his fingers clench so tightly that fresh blood instantly blossoms through his bandages. The passing nurse gasps and rushes over to treat it.

It is a rare crack in his iron-clad composure.

Over the weekend, Swain invites Helena over for dinner. He claims he's cooking—steak with roasted vegetables, plus a bottle of wine he spent ages picking out at the grocery store.

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