After the Fall A Leap into a Stranger's Arms novel Chapter 196

He had to act. Right now.

Waldo grabbed his phone and called his head of procurement.

“Hello? Waldo?”

“I need you to put together an acquisition proposal for The Blair Group. I want it on my desk by noon tomorrow, no later,” Waldo said, his voice sharp and commanding.

There was a pause on the other end. The Blair Group? Wasn’t that Waldo’s go-to outsourcing company? People even whispered that Nestor might end up his father-in-law someday.

Why the sudden push to buy them out? And why did Waldo sound so cold, so urgent?

“Waldo, The Blair Group’s doing pretty well these days, especially after the Nexus Dynamics partnership. Their valuation’s gone up, and Nestor—”

The manager was trying to gently remind him that this wasn’t the best time to buy The Blair Group, not with their new partnership.

“I don’t want excuses,” Waldo cut him off. His voice left no room for argument. “I want results. Bring me a detailed feasibility plan before noon tomorrow.”

He hung up. The tightness in his chest eased a little. If he didn’t do something, he was going to explode.

Lawrence was out there, working overtime to impress Nestor, all to take over The Blair Group and ride it to money and power. Waldo couldn’t just sit back and watch that happen.

He had to crush Lawrence’s ambitions. He’d turn The Blair Group into a subsidiary of The James Group. Nestor would answer to him. And Catherine would see who really held the Blair family’s future in his hands.

It wasn’t Lawrence. It was Waldo.

***

Lawrence got back to his building at eleven. Someone had been waiting for him the whole time. Bonnie.

Playing the damsel always worked for her. With her looks and a touch of vulnerability, men usually couldn’t say no.

Lawrence took the file with a quick glance. “Pick it up from my office in the morning.”

“That’s okay, I’m not in a rush to get back,” Bonnie said quickly. “I can wait while you sign it.”

She was basically asking to follow him inside, hoping to spend a little time alone with him.

Most guys would have jumped at the chance, eager to let her in. She was sure Lawrence would be the same.

But his next words caught her off guard.

“That won’t be necessary.” Lawrence handed the file back. “Come by my office at eight thirty. I’ll be there.”