After the Fall A Leap into a Stranger's Arms novel Chapter 37

From the moment she walked into the Blair house at ten years old, Shirley knew sweet, innocent Catherine never stood a chance against her.

She thought back to her twelfth birthday, when her own gifts filled an entire room, while Catherine only got a dress that Shirley had already picked over and discarded. She made herself a promise that day. Whatever Catherine had, she would take. When they were kids, it was presents and their father’s attention. Now, it was Catherine’s man she wanted.

Shirley took a breath, smoothing out her feelings. Waldo’s heart would be hers eventually. Catherine had married that broke engineer, and there was no way she’d ever have a better life than Shirley.

With that, Shirley’s mood brightened. She walked over to a group of board members, her smile warm and her charm in full effect.

As the sun set, Catherine sat in the living room, tapping away at her code. When she finished the last line, she picked up her phone and shot a message to Lawrence.

Want to go out for dinner tonight?

A few seconds later, her phone buzzed.

Sure. Where do you want to go? Lawrence replied.

I know a great little spot. I’ll make a reservation, Catherine typed quickly. We can celebrate my new job.

Sounds good. I’ll pick you up at home.

Catherine grinned at her phone, feeling a little giddy. Suddenly, another notification popped up. She glanced down—there was a message from her bank. Her eyes widened at the string of zeros on the screen.

One hundred million. It had hit her account.

She’d done it.

Ten minutes later, Lawrence’s car pulled up outside. He stepped out, tall and striking, looking even more handsome than usual.

Catherine grabbed her bag and headed out. Seeing him standing by the car made her heart race. There was something about him, the way he carried himself, that made her feel lucky every single time.

Lawrence lifted his cup with a proud grin. “Looks like Nexus Dynamics really believes in you.”

“I was surprised too.” Catherine’s smile grew. “Now we have the perfect wedding gift. You don’t have to worry about anything.”

“Catherine…” Lawrence looked like he wanted to protest.

She reached across, stopping him gently. “I know what you’re going to say. But I can handle this. Trust me.”

Something shifted in Lawrence’s expression, a mix of pride and something softer. Maybe Catherine really did want to take care of him for a change.

And honestly, why not let her? For now, he could enjoy being taken care of.

The thought made him smile. He nodded. “Alright. Whatever you say.”