After the Fall A Leap into a Stranger's Arms novel Chapter 337

Alice tried Nestor’s number several times, but each call went straight to “out of service.” She grew more frustrated with every failed attempt. What was going on?

Shirley, sitting beside her, handed over her own phone. “Mom, try mine.”

Alice took it and dialed again. The same message. Out of service.

“Why can’t I reach your father?” Alice’s voice was tight with irritation.

Something twisted inside Shirley at those words. Calling Nestor “dad” had always felt odd, but now it made her skin crawl. He wasn’t her real father. Even so, after all these years, hadn’t she given him as much pride and comfort as he’d given her? That secret would stay buried. She was an outstanding daughter and that should be enough for him.

Alice sighed, tossing the phone aside. “Still nothing. Fine. When he gets back, Catherine will pay for this.” Her cheek still stung, the shame burning deeper than the slap itself.

Since she married Nestor, he’d never even raised his voice at her. Now Catherine, of all people, had the nerve to hit her. The disrespect was infuriating.

***

At a cozy café, Catherine and Nettie settled in with their drinks. Nettie couldn’t hide her worry. “Catherine, you really went off on your stepmom. She’s definitely going to tell your dad. Aren’t you worried he’ll be mad?”

Catherine smirked. “She probably can’t even find my dad right now, so let her try. Honestly, if I’m willing to slap her, I’m not scared of whatever comes next.”

She had bigger things on her mind. Right now, she was collecting evidence of Alice’s betrayal. Family drama could wait.

Ted, the head of legal, looked at her seriously. “Shirley, can I clarify something with you?”

“Of course. Ask away.”

Ted had handled plenty of lawsuits in his career, but this was the first time he felt so uncertain. “Was Resonance AI really created by you alone? From the first idea to the technical framework, was it all your work?”

Shirley’s heart skipped. Annoyance and nervousness tangled inside her. She sat up straighter. “What are you getting at? Are you doubting me? Of course, Resonance AI is mine. It’s like my child. Every piece of it, from the very first concept to the first lines of code, came from me.”

Ted nodded, his tone gentle but firm. “As your legal representative, I have to make sure every detail is airtight. There are some timing issues I haven’t figured out yet. We need to get everything straight from the beginning, or we’ll be at a disadvantage.”