After the Fall A Leap into a Stranger's Arms novel Chapter 214

She couldn’t let her mind go there.

“Find out what this watermark is. Now. I want to know who left it, what it means, and most importantly, I want it gone.”

“Yes, Shirley. We’re working on it, but the encryption on this watermark is intense. It’ll take some time…”

Shirley hung up before he could finish. Her face had gone completely white, her hands trembling as she stared at her phone.

She never imagined the original creator of Resonance AI would be this sneaky, leaving something hidden in the code. But there was no point freaking out. Resonance AI belonged to her now. The original author had never shown up, which probably meant they were gone for good.

It was just a watermark in the source code. Sooner or later, she’d figure out how to erase it.

…

At the seafood restaurant, Catherine was all smiles as she popped another shrimp into her mouth, each one perfectly peeled by Lawrence. Every so often, she’d pick up a shrimp and offer it to him, grinning when he leaned in to take a bite.

Lawrence chewed with that calm, elegant look of his, eyes never leaving her. “Do you like it?”

“Mmm, shrimp always tastes better when you peel it for me,” Catherine said, beaming.

He just kept peeling, his attention fixed on her, stacking the little pink curls on her plate.

Catherine rested her chin on her hands, absolutely content. The light above them made Lawrence look even more handsome, that confident energy making her heart flutter. Were they going back to the old house together tonight? The thought sent her imagination spinning.

Lawrence placed another shrimp on her plate. Catherine opened her mouth with a playful look. “Feed me.”

He laughed, then brought the shrimp right to her lips.

“Should we order more?” Lawrence asked, his eyes shining as he watched her.

Catherine shook her head, pretending to think. “No, I shouldn’t eat too much this late…” In her mind, though, she was plotting. If she stuffed herself now, she’d get sleepy, and tonight of all nights, she wanted to stay awake.

Catherine couldn’t help but smile. How lucky was she to have a husband who spoiled her like this?

Twenty minutes later, Lawrence waved at her from the doorway. Catherine scampered inside, grinning. The place was sparkling clean, not a speck of dust in sight. Upstairs, even her room looked fresh and tidy, the dust cover gone.

She grinned, her mind spinning with possibilities. Tonight was the night, wasn’t it?

He was hers now. She could do whatever she wanted. They were married. It wasn’t like anyone would stop her.

She pulled a silky, champagne-colored nightgown out of the closet and headed for the shower. Last time, Lawrence had said he wanted to wait until their wedding night. But tonight, Catherine had other plans.

Back when she’d been with Waldo, she’d always been anxious, never really sure of her place. That’s why she’d wanted her first time to be special, saved for marriage.

But with Lawrence, all that insecurity was gone. He made her feel safe, wanted, and she couldn’t resist him anymore. Catherine was ready to break her own rule.