After the Fall A Leap into a Stranger's Arms novel Chapter 14

“Catherine, is that any way to talk to me? I’m your father.” Nestor’s voice was sharp, trying to remind her of her place.

“Oh, so now you remember you’re my dad? Ever since Shirley’s mom married you, your heart’s been somewhere across the ocean. All you ever see is them. When’s the last time you actually cared about me?”

Nestor’s anger flared. “What are you talking about?”

Catherine took a steady breath, her voice calm but icy. “Since Shirley is your perfect daughter and Waldo is your ideal son-in-law, why don’t you just let them be together? From this moment on, pretend you never had a daughter like me.”

She didn’t wait for a reply. The call ended with a sharp click. Then she blocked his number, cutting him out for good.

The pain still hit hard. Tears burned at the corners of her eyes, threatening to spill over. She refused to let them fall. These people weren’t worth her tears. Tilting her head back, she wiped her face and forced herself to breathe.

After a moment, she pulled herself together and stepped out of her room. Downstairs, Lawrence was in the living room, working on something. There was a glass of warm milk waiting on the table. When he noticed her coming down, he said, “I warmed up some milk for you. Try to drink a little.”

She walked down, watching him crouched in the corner with tools in his hands, completely focused on fixing an old wooden chair.

One of the chair’s legs was loose. Lawrence was tightening the screw, careful and patient.

Something shifted inside her. Waldo would have just tossed out anything old, always chasing after the latest and priciest things. But Lawrence, taking the time to fix a simple chair, treating it with care, it stirred something deep in her chest.

Right then, Catherine made up her mind. She wanted to give Lawrence the life he deserved.

“Thank you, Lawrence,” she said softly, and she meant it. Not just for the milk or the chair, but for giving her a place to feel safe.

Lawrence looked back at her, his gaze softer than before. “Just stay with me. You don’t have to worry about anything.”

His simple words made her blink.

Was he worried? Worried she might regret everything because of Waldo’s insults, Nestor’s pressure, or whatever else was coming their way? Worried she might walk away, just like Waldo predicted?

She looked at him, her heart suddenly steady. No matter what happened, she wasn’t going anywhere.