After the Fall A Leap into a Stranger's Arms novel Chapter 224

What if… what if he just disappeared?

The thought twisted through her mind, dark and tangled. It scared her, but her fear was no match for the greed, the bitterness, and all the desperate plans for her future. Those feelings drowned out the fear quickly enough.

Garnett watched the change in her eyes and couldn’t help but feel a rush of excitement. He could tell she was on the edge.

“Alice, I can get you the stuff you need. It’s completely invisible, no smell, no taste. Just slip a little into his tea or those supplements he takes every day. Nobody will ever notice. You only need a tiny bit each time, and… well, he’ll be gone before anyone even suspects anything.”

Alice’s eyes turned colder, sharper. She’d been bold before, scheming against Nestor all those years ago. Kindness had never been her strong suit. Now, for the sake of her and Shirley’s future, she was ready to risk everything again.

Garnett stood up and went to the drawer. He pulled out a small packet and pressed it into her hand. “This is the first batch. It’s a light dose. Try it out, just once a day. I’ll bring you more when you need it.”

Alice stared at the little paper packet. She hadn’t expected Garnett to be so prepared.

Her hand trembled as she held it open, but after a second, she closed her fingers tight around the packet.

She wasn’t doing this for Garnett. This was for her, and for Shirley.

Looking up at him, she spoke quietly. “You have to promise. No one else can know about this. Not even Shirley.”

Garnett kissed her and pulled her into his arms. “Relax, sweetheart. This is just between us. No one will ever find out.”

She let him hold her for a moment, stiff and uncomfortable, then pulled away. “I need to go. Nestor’s coming home for dinner tonight.”

***

Alice hid a smirk. She could hear the admiration in his voice.

“Lawrence really is impressive. He’s steady, dependable. Catherine picked the right person this time.”

Nestor looked almost proud. “I was wrong about him before. He might not come from money or have any connections, but he’s got character, he takes responsibility, and he’s talented. I don’t have to worry about Catherine’s future with him.”

Alice clenched her hands in her lap. She glanced at the tea on the table. She’d hesitated for a moment before, but after hearing Nestor sing Lawrence’s praises, any guilt she felt was gone.

She picked up the cup and handed it to him. “Nestor, have some more tea. Your throat sounds hoarse.”

“Sure.” Not suspecting a thing, Nestor took the cup and finished it in one go.