After the Fall A Leap into a Stranger's Arms novel Chapter 317

Nestor froze, then sat up straight in bed. “Catherine, are you sure she pushed you? It wasn’t just an accident?”

Catherine nodded, her voice calm but steady. “I just wanted to get some air. The banquet hall felt too stuffy, so I stepped outside. Shirley followed me. I thought she wanted to talk, but instead, she crouched down, grabbed my legs, and before I could even call out, she shoved me into the water.” She paused, glancing at her father. “It all happened so fast.”

Nestor’s hands started to shake, his face going pale as he pressed his palm to his chest. “That girl… She’s just like her mother. Both of them, absolutely heartless.”

“Dad, please, don’t get upset. It’s over now.” Catherine gently rubbed his back, trying to calm him down. “Look, I almost lost my life, but if that hadn’t happened, I never would have met Lawrence. So something good came out of it, right? What matters now is that you get better. Once you’re well, we’ll make sure they pay for what they did.”

Nestor took a shaky breath, looking over at Lawrence, who stood quietly nearby, reliable as always. Guilt washed over him as he closed his eyes, realizing how wrong he’d been to ever take an outsider’s side over his own daughter.

He struggled to steady his breathing, then finally managed to sit back, a little calmer. “You’re right, Catherine. I have to get myself together. I can’t just give up.”

He sighed, worry creasing his forehead. “But now with Waldo supporting them, even if I throw them out, Shirley and her mother won’t really suffer. They’ll just go on living comfortably. There’ll be no justice.”

Catherine met Lawrence’s eyes. They shared a small, knowing smile.

She moved closer, sitting on the edge of her father’s bed. “Don’t worry, Dad. Lawrence and I have a plan. We’ll make sure they get what they deserve. For now, just focus on getting healthy.”

Lawrence spoke up. “Dad, for your safety, I think you should transfer to a hospital in Harrisburg for a while. I’ll handle things at the company.”

Catherine nodded in agreement. She wanted her father far away from Cabinda, somewhere Shirley and her mother couldn’t hurt him again.

Lawrence’s voice turned serious. “Dad, I never meant to keep anything from you. It’s just, I never had the right moment to talk about what my father does.”

Nestor chuckled, remembering the rumors he’d heard. “It’s nothing to be ashamed of, you know. Even if your dad’s just a security guard at the institute, there’s real dignity in an honest day’s work.”

Catherine couldn’t help but burst out laughing.

Nestor looked at her, confused. “Catherine, what’s so funny?”

Lawrence cleared his throat, looking a little sheepish. “Dad, you’ve got it all wrong. My father isn’t a security guard.”