Still You Still Me Still Falling novel Chapter 15

His face was an mask of ice, his voice cutting like a winter blizzard. "Do not force me to get rough with a woman."

Pippa had just been shoved away by him, stumbling back and grabbing the wall to keep from falling. Tears welled up in her eyes.

In her entire life, no one had ever dared treat her like this.

"Edmond..." she cried softly. "Why not me? I don't want your money or your status. I just love you. I'd even give up having my own kids and treat Tilly like my own flesh and blood..."

"I'm going to say this one last time. I have zero interest in you," Edmond's gaze remained glacial. "Never pull a stunt like this again."

"But why?" Pippa's tears spilled over her cheeks in thick drops. "You owe me a reason! Whether it's our ages, our backgrounds, or our families, we're a perfect match!"

"Being a 'match' isn't enough to make a relationship work." Edmond’s patience was wearing razor-thin. "Stop wasting your time and energy on me."

Refusing to waste another breath on her, Edmond pulled out his phone and dialed Thurston.

Edmond had a dinner meeting tonight with international partners. Thank God he had arrived early; if anyone had walked in and seen that display, he wouldn't have been able to explain it.

The call connected. Edmond completely ignored whatever else Pippa was saying, refusing to even glance at her pitiful, tear-streaked face. He got straight to the point. "Get over here right now and collect your cousin!"

Thurston arrived quickly. He had been nearby at his own business dinner.

When he walked in, he found Edmond sitting at the head of the table, his expression covered in frost. Pippa was sitting near the door, crying her eyes out.

"What the hell happened?" Thurston strode in. "Pippa, what are you doing here?"

Pippa, looking terrified and deeply wronged, threw herself into his arms. "Thurston!"

Thurston had always had a soft spot for his younger cousin. He frowned, shooting Edmond a look of pure annoyance. "What did you do to her? Look how scared she is!"

Edmond stood up, his voice merciless. "Since you're here, I'm laying this out right now. I am never seeing her again. If she pulls another stunt like this, I won't care about our friendship, and she can deal with the consequences herself!"

With that, Edmond stormed out of the room.

Thurston was stunned by how ruthless he sounded. He looked down at Pippa. "What exactly did you do to make him that angry?"

Pippa was equally shell-shocked. "I-I just forced a hug on him!"

Thurston groaned, realizing the problem. "Are you out of your mind? You hugged him?! He hates physical contact!"

"How was I supposed to know the rumors were actually true?" Pippa looked up at him through teary eyes. "Thurston, did he get his heart broken so badly that he's into men now?"

Thurston sighed, rubbing his temples. "Pippa, just let it go. He really isn't into you."

After all, Thurston had seen firsthand what Edmond looked like when he was actually in love.

Just because Edmond didn't typically fraternize with women didn't mean he didn't understand them. At their private gatherings, his friends always brought dates. Those women came in all types—flirty, playful, elegant, intellectual. Edmond always stayed detached, priding himself on being cold and clear-headed. He didn't want to get married, and he didn't want kids. He made that perfectly clear to everyone.

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