After the Fall A Leap into a Stranger's Arms novel Chapter 21

Out in the courtyard, Lawrence was on the phone, catching the same news.

“Lawrence, ‘Resonance AI’ is about to launch. We need to be the first to work with The James Group. Before anyone else jumps in, we have to get the rights to keep developing it.”

Lawrence listened, his eyes steady and thoughtful. So, Shirley was making moves even faster than he’d expected. She couldn’t wait to use ‘Resonance AI’ to secure her place in Waldo’s heart.

“No need to rush. Let’s see how things play out,” Lawrence replied, his voice calm and even.

“Got it.”

He ended the call and looked up. Catherine was standing on the balcony, waving at him with a bright smile. Almost without thinking, the hard edge in Lawrence’s face softened.

Catherine gazed down at Lawrence, the man she’d chosen to hold onto for life. In that quiet moment, she made herself a promise—she wouldn’t let anything go wrong with ‘Resonance AI’.

***

At The James Group, inside Waldo’s office, Shirley sat across from him in a stunning designer dress, her makeup flawless. Waldo had been staring at her for so long that her face grew warm. She finally sighed and broke the silence. “Waldo, do you not believe it’s really me?”

Leaning back in his big executive chair, Waldo’s sharp eyes stayed fixed on her, like he was trying to read every secret she might be hiding.

An hour earlier, his engineers had run the demo code Shirley brought. The results blew him away. The logic, the brilliance of the core algorithm—it all matched the legendary ‘Resonance AI’ from five years ago. Actually, it was even better.

He’d craved this technology for years. Now, in a world ruled by tech, it was in his hands—a real game changer.

He knew that once the full version launched, it would start a new era. The James Group could even overtake Nexus Dynamics and become the industry leader.

“Shirley, of course I believe you. I’m honestly amazed.” Waldo got up, walked over, and put his hand on her shoulder. His gaze was intense. “You kept this under wraps for five years, working on it alone? That must have been tough.”

Shirley’s lips curled in a soft smile as she lowered her head. Her heart was pounding with excitement. Waldo trusted her. That meant, from now on, she’d matter even more to him.

“It wasn’t hard at all. I held onto it all this time so I could give you the best version of ‘Resonance AI’.”

Waldo’s eyes lit up, and his voice gentled. “Shirley, you can trust me with it. I’ll use every resource I have to make sure it reaches its full potential.”

She looked up at him. “Waldo, in three days, I’ll introduce it to the world.”

“Perfect.” There was a flash of ambition in his eyes. “I’ll be right there with you, so everyone will know just how incredible you are, Shirley.”

“Waldo, what about Catherine…” Shirley hesitated, biting her lip as she tested the waters.

Waldo’s face went cold. He scoffed. “Why bring her up now? She’s just a silly girl who doesn’t know what’s good for her.”

Catherine had given up a huge, luxurious penthouse just to squeeze into some rundown place with Lawrence. She had to be out of her mind.

“Send me the address.” Waldo hung up without waiting for a reply.

He wanted to see for himself how a pampered princess who’d never lifted a finger would survive living at the bottom.

Frustrated, Waldo tugged at his tie. It felt like the pet he’d spoiled for years had suddenly run off and jumped into another man’s arms, begging to be taken in. The thought stung.

“Damn it,” he muttered under his breath. He had money, power, looks—everything a man could want. Why couldn’t Catherine see that?

He grabbed his phone and dialed Nestor.

“Hey, Waldo. Did you find Catherine?”

“Nestor, I’ve got Lawrence’s address. Tonight, we’re going to bring Catherine home.”

When he hung up, Waldo stood by the window with one hand in his pocket. Sunlight poured over him, but his eyes were cold, filled with determination.

He’d cared for his rose for five years. There was no way he’d let someone else take her now.