After the Fall A Leap into a Stranger's Arms novel Chapter 139

They stood there for a while, just holding each other, letting the silence settle around them. Catherine could feel his heartbeat, the warmth of his arms, and for a moment, it felt like time had stopped. Neither of them said anything.

Catherine swallowed, not wanting to let go, but worried he’d miss his flight if she kept holding on. Reluctantly, she loosened her arms first. “You should get going. I don’t want you to miss your plane.”

Lawrence checked his watch. “I still have a few minutes. Why don’t you sit down and take a break? I’ll tidy up a bit for you.”

Her cheeks flushed, but she listened, settling into a chair and fussing with the papers on her desk. When she glanced over, she saw Lawrence neatly folding her clothes and putting them in the closet. He straightened her bed, smoothed the blanket, and made everything look perfectly in place. There was something about the way he moved, so calm and precise, that made her think he must’ve been in the military.

Catherine rested her chin in her hand, totally distracted just watching him. Even when he was doing something as simple as cleaning up, he had this focused energy that was impossible to ignore.

“All done.” In just a few minutes, he had transformed her messy room into a space that looked brand new.

Catherine got up and wrapped her arms around his waist, holding him close. “Thank you,” she said softly.

He hugged her back, his hand gentle on her waist, his eyes warm and bright. “You don’t have to thank me.”

Lawrence glanced at the stack of documents on her desk and reached out, giving her head a soft pat. “You’ve been working hard.”

Catherine blinked, trying not to laugh. “Why are you saying that?”

A shadow passed through Lawrence’s eyes, but he just smiled. Only he knew the real reason. Project Apex Initiative meant everything for Nexus Dynamics, and he’d brought her here hoping she could help the company win it. He couldn’t tell her all this yet, though. It wasn’t the right time, and he didn’t want her to feel more pressure.

Catherine didn’t pick up on any of that. She just thought he was worried about her burning out.

Lawrence had put together a deep analysis of every major product on the market, listing out strengths, weaknesses, and possible strategies. He’d even included a breakdown of her own Resonance AI. The whole thing was so thorough and insightful, she honestly couldn’t believe it.

So this was what Lawrence was capable of. Catherine felt a rush of excitement and admiration.

No wonder Magee always kept him around, even if he was just a consultant. He was on another level.

Inspired, Catherine started going through his notes, letting his thoughts guide her as she reworked her ideas. The more she read, the clearer her own approach became.

She knew she had to give everything she had to win Project Apex Initiative.

For the next several days, everyone at the program was in a mad dash to the finish line. The week flew by in a blur. Other than her daily chats with Lawrence, Catherine barely looked up from her work, diving deep into her proposal and preparing for her big presentation.