Still You Still Me Still Falling novel Chapter 22

Sheila jotted down the data in her hands before standing up. "Professor Preston."

York looked at her with paternal affection. He patted her on the shoulder. "There's a seminar at the university tomorrow. You're coming with me."

Sheila was a bit surprised. "A university seminar?"

Usually, only prestigious government institutions were invited to these kinds of conferences.

Ever since York started his own independent lab, he hadn't returned to the university in years.

"Yes," York said through gritted teeth. "That bastard Lester Ladd called to tell me he secured a spot for us. You think I don't know what he's playing at?"

It was nothing but a blatant flex.

Lester Ladd was York's long-time rival and Pippa Golding's mentor. He was currently the head of the electronic chips project at the National Science Institute.

"Are we still going?" Sheila didn't quite understand.

"We're going," York declared. "He wants to show off? Let's give him a real show!"

Although their core values wildly clashed, York and Lester managed to maintain a facade of civility in public.

Sheila also exchanged greetings with Pippa. The interaction was perfectly polite but undeniably distant.

When they sat down, Pippa took the seat right next to Sheila.

She raised her hand, casually flashing a dazzling diamond bracelet on her wrist.

"When it comes to relationships, it's always better to stick to your own social class," Pippa remarked.

Sheila glanced at her. She was tempted to ask if the girl possessed any basic decency or if being the other woman in someone else's marriage caused her even an ounce of guilt.

But in the end, she kept her mouth shut.

They weren't even close acquaintances. Getting into a deep, philosophical argument felt incredibly inappropriate.

When Sheila offered neither a response nor a reaction, Pippa felt as if she had just punched a cotton ball.

It was infuriatingly ineffective.

"Well, now you know, but don't go getting any ideas," Pippa scoffed. "He stopped liking you a long time ago."

Sheila looked at her steadily. "You don't have to be so hostile toward me. First, whatever Edmond and I had ended a long time ago. Second, regarding this little romance you've got going..."

She gave her three final words: "Watch your back."

Pippa immediately turned away to call Edmond, but the call wouldn't go through. It dawned on her a second later—Edmond had blocked her number.

Fuming, she called her cousin Thurston instead to complain. "Thurston! That Sheila woman is way out of line!"

"Sheila?" Thurston glanced at the coldly detached man sitting beside him. He put the phone on speaker and asked, "What happened?"

"I ran into her at the university, and you won't believe what she said!" Pippa huffed.

Edmond sat perfectly still, his eyes lowered, radiating an unapproachable chill.

Thurston pressed, "Spit it out!"

Pippa was furious, but thinking back on it, Sheila hadn't actually said anything overtly offensive.