Still You Still Me Still Falling novel Chapter 8

Sheila honestly thought the investment was practically locked in. But the very next day, she got a call from an unknown number.

"It's me, Marcus Wagner."

Even while paying the bill last night, she had noticed the sleazy look in his eyes. Her voice was pure business. "Mr. Wagner. Is there an issue with the proposal?"

"No issue with the proposal itself, just a few details I'd like some clarity on," Marcus said smoothly. "I was hoping we could meet up today and go over it in private."

Sheila hung up and immediately got ready to go. She wasn't an idiot. Before stepping out, she tucked a canister of pepper spray and a tiny voice recorder into her purse.

Arriving at the restaurant Marcus had booked, she took a deep, steadying breath before walking into the private dining room.

-

Dusk had just fallen. From the top-floor executive suite of Vantage Group, the glittering city lights stretched out endlessly. Edmond stood by the windows in total darkness, the cherry of his cigarette glowing a faint, angry red.

After what felt like hours, he crushed the cigarette out and stared at his phone screen. He squeezed his eyes shut and tossed the phone onto his desk.

The room fell into absolute silence.

He was still obsessed with her. He couldn't get her out of his head.

But this wasn't love. It was hatred.

Who she met and what happened to her meant absolutely nothing to him.

She had played him, and karma was simply coming to collect. It was her turn to be used.

A scumbag like Marcus Wagner wouldn't know the meaning of genuine commitment if it hit him in the face.

Edmond's jaw clamped shut, his knuckles turning white as his hands balled into fists. The veins in his hands bulged violently.

When he first met her, she had been so composed and distant, rarely ever smiling. But once they started dating, she was always laughing. She would sprawl across his lap and playfully demand his attention, or jump onto his back when she wanted a piggyback ride.

They used to play tic-tac-toe—such a stupid, childish game. He didn't even know why they bothered. The moment she realized she was losing, she would shriek, cover his eyes with her hands, and shamelessly cheat by moving the pieces around.

Those tiny, vibrant moments of their shared life still haunted him. And yet, when she left, she had walked away without looking back.

Sheila immediately started packing up her things. "If it's a personal matter, then it doesn't concern me. Since the proposal looks good, I'll be taking my leave."

"Of course it concerns you," Marcus rushed to say. "Sheila, honestly, I fell for you the moment I saw you. Be my girlfriend. From now on, whatever funding your lab needs, I'll cover every single cent."

"I apologize," she said, her voice dropping ten degrees. "I already have a boyfriend."

Once again, Simon was being used as her shield.

"So break up with him," Marcus scoffed, entirely unbothered. "People get divorced all the time. A boyfriend means nothing."

"We have very different views on loyalty," Sheila replied coldly. "When I commit to a relationship, I don't just leave—"

Before she could finish her sentence, a figure suddenly appeared in the doorway.

She wasn't entirely naive; eating alone with an aggressive male investor required basic precautions. When she first arrived, she had specifically instructed the server to leave the door cracked open.

Since it was their first private dinner, Marcus hadn't planned on getting physical anyway, so he hadn't argued about the door. He knew how to play the long game.