Still You Still Me Still Falling novel Chapter 11

In the three years since their breakup, she had reverted to her old self—her hands and feet constantly freezing.

Yet, she couldn't understand why this state felt so utterly unbearable now. The icy chill in her extremities tortured her, day after day.

Perhaps there was a way to fix her poor circulation, but she allowed herself to feel the physical discomfort, almost as a form of self-punishment.

It was a constant reminder of how deeply that man had hurt her.

It was a reminder that she could never, ever forgive him.

She walked away into the night...

-

Meanwhile, in a private dining room at a restaurant, Edmond received a call from the nanny.

He had just informed her last minute that, despite the chef already prepping dinner at home, she should bring Tilly to the restaurant to meet him. But when the nanny arrived with the little girl, the room was empty.

"I'll be right there," Edmond said.

When he returned to his private room, the nanny was explaining how Tilly had just taken a tumble.

Tilly was sitting on his lap, looking up at him. "Daddy, the pretty lady..."

The nanny smiled. "She bumped into someone and fell down on her bottom. She didn't even cry! I told her to say 'hello,' and she thought the woman was so pretty, she insisted on calling her a pretty lady."

Laura Ladd was a relative of one of the old estate's staff members and had been taking care of Tilly for over two years.

When Laura first started, she had been terrified of Edmond. Over time, she realized that while he was a man of few words and possessed a daunting, authoritative aura, he was incredibly wonderful with his daughter. By extension, his attitude toward the woman caring for his child was quite amiable. Gradually, Laura had stopped being so overly cautious around him.

Edmond gently pinched Tilly's little nose. "Did it hurt when you fell?"

When Sheila was busy, she often forgot to eat. Edmond would cook the meals himself, carefully pack them in insulated containers, and deliver them to her. He would have spoon-fed her himself if he could.

He used to say, "We're going to spend the rest of our lives together. If you ruin your stomach now, you'll suffer when you're older. And if you dare leave this world before I do, I absolutely won't allow it."

He had never treated anyone so well in his entire life. He wasn't even that meticulous or considerate with himself.

Whenever he was out at a business dinner and tasted an exceptional dish, he would order a portion to be sent directly to Sheila. Once, while on a trip abroad, he tried a local delicacy that he knew she would love. He went as far as requesting a private flight route just to have it flown back to her.

As that private jet soared through the sky, no one could have guessed that crossing thousands of miles and burning through a fortune was simply a man's heartfelt wish to let his girlfriend taste something delicious.

Edmond's care went far beyond making sure she ate. Whenever they were together, no matter what it was, he loved doing things for her personally. He would draw her bath, blow-dry her hair, and even help her with her skincare routine.

The first time Sheila ever spent the night at his place was after attending an event with her mentor.

She had worn light makeup, drank a little wine, and Edmond had taken her home.