Love, Helena

Chapter 23

There were many moments in life that made Helena feel cornered, but none as confusing as the one she found herself in, standing in Xavier's office looking at the woman who intimidated her to no end.

"I have heard so much about you, ma chérie." Stella spoke extending her a hand. Helena smiled at her and reached for a shake but the french woman pulled her into a hug and kisses on both cheeks. Needless to say that furthered Helena's confusion, but it seemed to appease Xavier. "Xavier here is full of things to say about you for a man so stoic."

"Oh, I am stoic now?" Xavier questioned her amusedly, to which she just pat his hand placatingly and ignored him, taking Wren's hand in hers and heading back to his office as though she owned the place.

"So tell me about this project of yours I've been hearing about," The woman said as they all sat in Xavier's office. "As I understand you have a lot of passion for it, et mon dieu, I love to see it."

Helena looked hesitantly at Xavier trying to glean the situation but he gave her a reassuring nod of the head. She turned to Stella with a smile, "Well, I don't know how much Xav has told you or where to exactly begin, but I've always wanted to work on this project and just never could because of certain circumstances. To put it simply, the project is about providing neurodiverse children and kids with mental health disorders in need with the kinds of support that may not be readily available, accessible or affordable for them. Growing up, I've had many people in my life, family or otherwise that have felt so out of place or have been misunderstood because of how different they are and how people make them feel for it. My little girl is prone to anxiety and my youngest boy has OCD. As their mother I tried very hard to educate myself on how to deal with it and support them when they need it, but I also know that there are other children out there who don't exactly get this chance. I want to help however I can, and I'm grateful that Xavier had introduced me to many incredible people who are equally passionate about this."

Stella didn't look as surprised as she internally felt. She was not so sure how Xavier's Helena would be, no matter how much she had heard about her before. However, she did feel cheated since her predictions were wildly wrong. She had done her preliminary research, and what she expected to be a bitter rich woman whose marriage had consumed her and turned her to one socially removed and untouchable person, much like Stella herself really, was in fact a kind, open, giving woman that wore her heart on her sleeve. Helena was as easy to read as an open book to the point that Stella knew how intimidated she felt when she met her, how self-conscious she must have felt as she fidgeted slightly with the hem of her sleeve sitting beside her. It was almost refreshing to meet someone that reminded her so much of herself before she'd allowed her lifestyle and bad experiences to corrupt her, but she was too busy assessing and pitting herself against the fair woman to focus on anything but the bitter taste on her tongue. She could now very well see why Xavier was so taken with her, loved her beyond time and reason, and she hated her slightly for it.

Stella was not a very easy or forgiving woman. In fact, in life she had learnt to snatch what she so badly wanted and never give it up without a fight. Although she had long given up on men and the headaches they brought, after her late husbands who taught her how worthless their species could be whether of her rich standards or otherwise. Ever since, she'd thought of them as only accessories to change every now and then. She never really gave Xavier much thought when he had first become her business partner. He was a mighty handsome man with a strict admirable character, but in a life and city like hers, there was no shortage of handsome men, plus she didn't mix business and pleasure very often. However when the young British man had refused her invitation to dinner, she had been intrigued, and her attention turned on him. The rest was history, and that history ended almost two years ago when Xavier told her it would be the end of their rare escapades, and she had agreed because she was a businesswoman and their agreement was one of no strings attached and she didn't want to lose him as a powerful partner.