He Slept With Me for Revenge

Chapter 6 Lies and Manipulation

Helena knew it, and Margaret knew it, too.

A wave of exhaustion washed over her—she'd never been one to fight, especially not for someone whose heart had never belonged to her.

She said nothing, turning on her heel and walking away.

She wandered aimlessly around the exhibition hall, her mind elsewhere, and Sebastian never came after her.

Just as she was about to leave, someone called out to her from behind.

Margaret, now wearing the sparkling gown, sauntered up and twirled dramatically in front of her.

"How do you like it, Ms. Asher? Doesn't it look amazing on me?" she asked.

Helena stared at her, expressionless. "Stolen glory never looks good. What's there to like?"

Margaret's provocative smile froze. Enraged, she reached out and pushed Helena hard. "Stolen glory? Who do you think you are? The Asher family's heiress? Sebastian's wife?"

She scoffed, her voice sharp with malice. "In less than two weeks, you'll be a worthless nobody, hated by everyone!"

Margaret's words sent a jolt through Helena.

'Less than two weeks? She's so sure—what does she know?'

*****

Inside her Maybach, Helena's hands shook as she held the phone to her ear.

On the other end was Vincent Myers, an old friend of her father's who'd worked with him to build the Asher Group.

"Helena, that husband of yours is a snake in the grass—he's got a lot of tricks up his sleeve. I found out about a new designer brand that's blowing up the market. I looked at their designs, and they're identical to yours. The brand's founder? It's Margaret Thorne."

Vincent's voice was grave, laced with worry. "Sebastian's already got his plan ready. In two weeks, he'll hold a press conference and announce that the Asher Group's current fashion line is a copy of Margaret's work. They'll also expose you as the Asher Group's secret chief designer. By then, the Asher Group's reputation will be in ruins, and Margaret will skyrocket to fame off this scandal."

Helena's breath caught in her throat.

She hung up the phone and immediately searched for the brand Vincent had mentioned.

Her fingers slid slowly across the screen, and as she looked at her own designs—now emblazoned with Margaret's name—her heart sank to the bottom of her stomach.

When she got home, she opened the cabinet where she kept her design sketches—only to find stacks of worthless scrap paper inside.

She remembered the days when Sebastian had held her sketches in his hands, telling her she was the best designer in the world.

But now? He'd handed over years of her hard work to Margaret, using her pain and talent to propel his first love to stardom as a so-called "genius designer."

Anger and sorrow crashed over her. She collapsed to the floor, pounding her chest over and over again, as if trying to ease the agony inside.

When Sebastian returned, he found the floor covered in broken fragments and Helena in tears. Panic flickered across his face for a moment, but he quickly regained his composure, striding over to hug her tightly.

"Helena, let me explain. I used your sketches without asking because I registered a brand just for you," he said smoothly, his voice oozing fake affection.

Helena pushed him away, her eyes cold as ice.

Watching him spout lies with such a loving expression, she felt nothing—not anger, not sadness, just a numbing emptiness.

She forced a weak smile. "Really? A brand just for me?"

Sebastian nodded without hesitation. "Absolutely. In two weeks, I'll hold a press conference and announce to the world that you're the brand's founder—that all those creative designs are yours. You'll never have to hide in the Asher Group's shadow again. Everyone will know you're the real genius designer."

Helena let out a bitter laugh.

'If I didn't know the truth, I'd walk into that press conference in two weeks and become a disgraced plagiarist.'

The Asher Group, built by her father and brother over decades, would crumble completely under his scheme.

This was the man she'd loved for three years—every step of their relationship had been filled with lies and manipulation.

She was too tired to expose his true colors.

All she wanted was for him to disappear from her life forever.