He Slept With Me for Revenge

Chapter 2 Can't Afford to Be Weak

Four years ago, at the design school's graduation ceremony, Helena's model fell suddenly ill and couldn't make it to the runway.

Panicked and at a loss, she scrambled to find a replacement, her anxiety spiking with every passing minute.

Just when she thought all hope was lost, Sebastian—heartthrob of the computer science department—appeared out of nowhere. He offered his help without hesitation, his voice calm and reassuring.

Tall and muscular with striking good looks, he was the perfect model Helena had envisioned for her collection.

With his help, she aced her graduation show, her designs shining under the lights with him as their showcase.

Grateful beyond words, she insisted on treating him to dinner to repay his kindness.

The walk back to campus after the meal was quiet and pleasant—until a drunk driver swerved onto the sidewalk, heading straight for them.

In that split second, Sebastian pushed her out of harm's way, taking the full brunt of the collision. He was rushed to the hospital, his condition uncertain.

When he finally woke up, he told her the truth—he had been secretly in love with her for years.

That confession turned Helena's world upside down; Sebastian had stepped into her heart, and she never let him leave.

Now, memories of their sweet moments over the years clashed violently with the cruel words she'd heard earlier. The stark contrast tore at her, a searing pain as if her heart were being split in two.

Outside, rain poured down in torrents, and a bolt of lightning crashed, jolting her to the core.

She stared at her reflection in the window, her ragged breathing slowly steadying.

She thought, 'Crying will solve nothing. I can't afford to be weak anymore. Sebastian doesn't want me—he wants the entire Asher Group. And I will never let him get away with it.'

Just then, her phone rang.

Helena answered it, her voice still shaky from tears—it was her brother, Dorian Asher.

"Helena, remember that designer competition I told you about? The one with the closed-door training? Have you made up your mind—you gonna sign up?" Dorian asked.

Helena wiped the tears from her face roughly, nodding firmly even though he couldn't see her. "Sign me up, Dorian. I'll head to Emerio next month."

"Whoa, just last week you couldn't bear to leave your beloved husband—what made you come around?" Dorian teased, his tone light, unaware of her pain.

Helena fought to keep her voice from trembling, her tone sharp and resolute. "Dorian, I'm getting a divorce from Sebastian."

Silence hung on the line for a beat before Dorian's voice dropped, cold and furious. "What happened? Did Sebastian hurt you? He's got some nerve—I let him into the group, gave him the CEO position, and this is how he repays me? By messing with my sister? Stay put, Helena. I'm flying back home right now."

Dorian was in Emerio, overseeing the Asher Group's most critical international markets.

Helena didn't want him to get distracted by her problems, so she rushed to stop him. "No, don't come back. I can handle this on my own, I promise."

Hearing the unwavering determination in her voice, Dorian hesitated but finally agreed.

After hanging up, Helena stepped out into the rain, walking back to their house in a daze, her heart heavy with sorrow.

Inside, Sebastian sat at his desk, buried in work.

The moment he saw her walk in, soaking wet, he jumped up and pulled her into his arms, his voice brimming with concern. "Where've you been, baby? Why'd you get caught in the rain? You should've called the driver to pick you up."

His caring gaze sent a chill down her spine.

For over three years of marriage, he'd looked at her like this every day, making her believe he loved her more than anything in the world.

Once, he conquered his fear of heights to leap from a dizzying altitude in a paraglider, dropping to one knee somewhere in the sky to ask for her hand.

He'd given up the tech company he'd poured years of blood, sweat, and tears into to take over the Asher family's fashion business, just to put her at ease.

He'd even made a wish under a shooting star, swearing they'd be together forever.

But today, she finally realized—every word, every gesture, had been an act.

Deep down, all Sebastian wanted was to destroy her family.