After the Fall A Leap into a Stranger's Arms novel Chapter 56

Catherine pulled out a chair and sat down, quietly listening as Manuel went over the main points of the problem. She waited until he finished before speaking. “Let me take a look at the test data.”

Manuel slid his laptop toward her, eyes filled with a touch of contempt. “Catherine, do you even understand this stuff? Want me to explain it to you?”

“No need,” Catherine replied, scanning through the data without missing a beat.

She looked up. “Why are you all still using the old algorithm?”

“That’s the industry standard. What’s wrong with it?” Manuel answered, folding his arms across his chest.

“Our data volume has already blown past what the traditional algorithm can handle,” Catherine replied. She stood up and walked over to the whiteboard. “Why not try optimizing the structure?”

Picking up a black marker, she started drawing out a new algorithm, explaining her ideas as she went. The room, which had been filled with low chatter, gradually went silent. The engineers all turned their attention to Catherine, their eyes glued to the formulas she was writing. It was like a switch flipped, and suddenly everyone was seeing things differently.

Doubt in the room quickly faded, replaced by genuine surprise. Some of the engineers started scribbling notes, eager not to miss a single detail.

In the corner, a small red light on the conference room camera blinked. The whole scene was being streamed straight to a computer in the top-floor office.

Lawrence sat back in his chair, eyes fixed on the confident woman on the screen. Pride and admiration shone in his gaze.

“So this is my wife’s true power,” he whispered, a soft smile tugging at his lips.

Down in the conference room, Catherine finished her explanation. She leaned forward, hands braced on the table, and looked around at everyone. “I’m confident this solution can push our accuracy up to ninety-nine percent. Any questions?”

The room was still for a moment. Then someone stood up. “Catherine, you’ve convinced me.”

Catherine couldn’t help her curiosity. “Hey, do you know which group Lawrence is in?”

The assistant paused, then gave her a look that said she totally understood. She leaned in, lowering her voice with a grin. “Catherine, you have a crush on Lawrence too? Just so you know, he’s kind of a legend around here. Never gives anyone a chance.”

Catherine tried not to laugh and played along. “Oh? So he’s that popular?”

“Popular doesn’t even cover it,” the assistant gushed, her eyes sparkling. “There are so many girls in this company with a crush on him, the line would stretch all the way to the building next door. Laura from PR chased him for half a year. She even brought him coffee once, and he turned her down in front of everyone. It was brutal.”

“He’s really that hard to approach?” Catherine propped her chin on her hand, the corners of her mouth twitching with amusement.

“Seriously. But you’re gorgeous and super talented, Catherine. If anyone has a shot, it’s you.”