Still You Still Me Still Falling novel Chapter 45

Yvaine paused, immediately asking, "Is the Rhodes family giving you trouble?"

"Why would you ask that?" Sheila asked, confused. "I don't have anything to do with them."

"But the Rhodes family and the Halley family are sworn enemies," Yvaine explained. "Since you used to date Edmond, I thought maybe they were coming after you."

"Enemies?" Sheila muttered softly. "Then... have you ever heard of Cecil Rhodes?"

"Him? Yeah, I actually know a bit about him," Yvaine said. "Cecil was born out of wedlock. He didn't even return to the Rhodes family until he was almost eighteen."

Hearing Yvaine confirm it, the pieces finally fell into place for Sheila.

When Cecil first returned to the Rhodes family, his situation wouldn't have just been difficult—it would have been like walking into a den of wolves, fighting for every single step.

Who would want an illegitimate son swooping in to inherit the family empire?

Especially an empire as staggeringly wealthy as the Rhodes family.

"Anyway, he's the one calling the shots for the Rhodes family now, which proves just how ruthless he is and how much hell he must have gone through to get there." Yvaine paused, then asked, "Why the sudden interest in him?"

Sheila let out a soft sigh.

"Cecil was my childhood neighbor. Before he went back to the Rhodes family, we were really close."

"He..." Yvaine sounded panicked. "Sheila, people change. You might have been close back then, but he's definitely not the same person anymore. You... you need to try and stay away from him, okay?"

"Why would I stay away from him? Can't we just be normal friends?"

"Sheila, you used to be with Edmond Halley. Cecil and Edmond are absolute arch-enemies. If you're going to be friends with Cecil, how is Edmond going to react..."

"I have nothing to do with Edmond anymore," Sheila reassured her. "Don't worry, I know what I'm doing."

After hanging up, Sheila finally noticed a message from Cecil.

He had written: *Marcus Wagner, right? It's been handled.*

Sheila replied: *I already made things clear with him. I don't think he'll bother me again.*

Cecil immediately called her.

"Is anyone else giving you a hard time?" he asked.

Sheila couldn't help but laugh. "No. I'm not exactly a pushover, you know."

"Are you free tomorrow? Let's grab dinner."

Back then, both their families had been so poor they couldn't even afford a bicycle.

Sheila didn't even remember ever saying that.

She shook her head. "I forgot. But it looks incredibly cool!"

"Do you have a driver's license back home?" Cecil asked. "I'll buy you one when we get back."

Sheila quickly shook her head. "No, please don't. I rarely ever drive anyway."

Cecil didn't push it, merely offering a soft smile.

He took her to a restaurant where the location and lavish decor alone made it obvious the bill would be astronomical.

Sheila followed him into a private dining room.

They talked for a long time. They had always shared the same interests, and despite the years apart, he was still exactly the same person she remembered.

Halfway through the meal, Sheila excused herself to the restroom, completely unprepared to run into someone who would ruin her night.

Edmond Halley.