After the Fall A Leap into a Stranger's Arms novel Chapter 345

“Thanks, Amy. We’ve got it from here,” Catherine said, her voice steady.

Amy nodded, stepping down from the stand with a calm confidence, and moved to sit with the Nexus Dynamics team. She fixed her attention on the courtroom, ready to watch what happened next.

Ted pushed up his glasses. “I’d like to request a ten-minute recess.”

The judge nodded. “Alright. We’ll reconvene in ten minutes.”

Ted glanced at Shirley, then shot a look at Waldo, whose face looked stormy. “Waldo, let’s head to the break room.”

Shirley’s legs felt weak as she walked off. She looked across at Catherine, and reality hit her hard. No matter how much she tried to deny it, the truth was staring her in the face.

Catherine had been the original creator of Resonance AI.

A rush of hate, frustration, and jealousy crashed over her, almost drowning her. She had worked so hard. Why did it still feel like she was just picking up Catherine’s leftovers?

As soon as the door to the break room closed, Waldo’s anger exploded.

“Shirley.” He grabbed her by the collar and shoved her against the wall, his eyes wild and furious. “Tell me right now. Is the video real? Was that the original Resonance AI code on the USB drive? Did you steal it from Catherine?”

Tears welled up in Shirley’s eyes, but right now, rage and desperation overpowered any fear. She tilted her chin up, her voice icy. “Does it even matter at this point? I didn’t expect Amy to be working with Catherine, but so what if the USB was hers? So what if the original idea was hers? The Resonance AI I have now is mine. I’m the one who made it shine. It’s my project. It’s Shirley’s.”

Waldo sucked in a hard breath. He had always thought Shirley was the type of woman who’d listen to him, do what she was told. Now he realized she was reckless, maybe even unhinged.

Shirley turned to him, desperate for a lifeline. “What are you saying?”

“As long as Shirley insists the USB only had regular files, we’re safe. Even if it was the original code, we can deny ever using it,” Ted explained, voice steady. “We can stretch out the lawsuit. If they don’t have hard evidence, we can handle whatever comes next.”

Waldo took a slow, steady breath. He let the humiliation and anger fade for now. Protecting Shirley was all that mattered.

He faced her and spoke quietly but firmly. “Got it? Stick to the story. Resonance AI is yours.”

Shirley smoothed her hair, straightened her clothes, and forced herself to look composed. “I know what to do. I’m not letting myself lose.”