After the Fall A Leap into a Stranger's Arms novel Chapter 164

Catherine smiled, her lips curving up as she said, “Alright.” She popped the piece into her mouth and chewed, looking completely satisfied.

Lawrence took the piece she left behind and ate it himself. He made it seem so normal, almost like he always finished her leftovers without a second thought.

With a smile in her eyes, Catherine kept chewing and happened to catch Shirley’s shocked gaze from across the table.

Shirley’s grip tightened around her chopsticks as irritation simmered beneath her calm exterior. Was Catherine really flaunting in front of her?

Nestor noticed everything, feeling quietly pleased. Lawrence was always so respectful and composed, never arrogant or impatient. He rarely spoke at work, but every word carried weight, and his actions always made an impact.

Even so, Shirley’s words still left a flicker of doubt in Nestor’s mind.

Shirley jumped in with a new topic. “Lawrence, I heard you worked at Nexus Dynamics as a consultant for years. You must know their operations inside out. For this partnership, what do you think they value most about my dad’s company?”

Lawrence looked straight at her. At the same time, he placed a piece of shrimp onto Catherine’s plate, then answered calmly, “Nexus Dynamics values The Blair Group’s commitment to transforming and its potential for growth.”

Nestor nodded approvingly. “Lawrence is right. This transition has gone very smoothly for us.” He added, “Lawrence has been the biggest contributor.”

Shirley let out a sweet laugh. “Catherine, you’re so lucky to have found a guy like Lawrence.”

Her compliment sounded anything but genuine, and Catherine felt the sting. She just smiled back. “Yeah, I am. That kind of luck is one in a million.”

Shirley’s smile faltered. She pouted and turned to Nestor. “Dad, see? I barely said anything nice about Lawrence and Catherine…”

Nestor cleared his throat. “Enough. It’s rare for Catherine and Lawrence to come home for dinner. Let’s not start arguing at the table.”

He’d watched his daughters compete for as long as he could remember, but tonight, he had more important things on his mind.

Nestor nodded again. Lawrence was humble and didn’t try to take all the credit, but that didn’t mean Nestor’s doubts were gone.

Catherine felt a rush of happiness. It really seemed like Nestor recognized Lawrence’s abilities. That had to be a good sign.

Suddenly, Nestor’s face grew serious. His tone changed.

“But it’s because you’ve done so well,” he said, “that I think it’s necessary to put you—and your relationship—to a formal test.”

His voice was firm and left no room for argument. He sounded every bit the head of the family.

Catherine stared at him, completely caught off guard. “A test? Dad, what kind of test?”