After the Fall A Leap into a Stranger's Arms novel Chapter 33

Catherine knew Shirley would pay for her foolish choices sooner or later.

Right now though, she had a bigger problem. The James Group had snatched up the patent for Resonance AI. That meant the version she held in her hands was suddenly labeled as infringement.

Catherine pressed her lips together, frowning. This was a mess.

Lenny’s voice broke through her thoughts, anxious and urgent. “Catherine, what do we do? We can’t just let them steal Resonance AI from us.”

She glanced over at Waldo. He clearly hadn’t noticed the flaws hidden in Shirley’s version. But honestly, all he cared about was using Resonance AI to push his company’s stock price higher.

Catherine felt oddly calm. Beating The James Group in a tech patent war by herself? Nearly impossible. She needed an ally.

Scanning the crowd, her eyes found Lawrence sitting in the front row, deep in conversation with Magee. Right then, Catherine made up her mind.

She’d looked up Nexus Dynamics before. The company was a tech giant with serious military connections. If anyone could protect Resonance AI and actually put it to good use, it was them.

On stage, Shirley stood in the center, bowing gracefully as the crowd erupted in applause. Spotlights bathed her in light, and she soaked in every second, smiling like the newly crowned queen of tech.

Waldo joined her at just the right moment, handing her a bouquet. They smiled for the cameras, playing the perfect golden couple, the stars of the tech world.

Watching from below, something clicked for Catherine.

Now she understood. That day they fell into the sea, Waldo had swum straight for Shirley, leaving her behind without a second thought.

Shirley must have told him she had Resonance AI in her hands.

So that day, Waldo had made his choice between love and profit. And he hadn’t even hesitated. He chose profit.

A bitter laugh almost escaped Catherine. Five years spent on Waldo, only for him to toss her aside the second he saw a better opportunity.

As the lights shifted, Lawrence leaned back, tapping the armrest with long fingers, his whole presence suddenly deep and unreadable.

“Let them make contact,” he said, his voice calm and sure, radiating the confidence of someone who always knows what comes next.

Magee nodded.

Shirley got up to leave the stage, but as she walked past Lawrence, their eyes met. She felt her breath catch.

Even in the dim light, Lawrence’s presence was impossible to ignore—far too powerful for any ordinary engineer.

Had she underestimated him?

It only took her a moment to steady herself. Presence or not, he was just an engineer.