After the Fall A Leap into a Stranger's Arms novel Chapter 79

Just then, a glamorous woman waved at her. “Shirley, see you at the banquet tonight!”

Shirley recognized Leda and went over with a bright smile. “Leda, can I ask you for a favor?”

“Oh? What kind of favor?”

“I want to invite two people to the banquet tonight, but they might not be on the guest list.”

“No problem. Just have my assistant add them later,” Leda replied, not missing a beat.

As Leda walked off, a sly smile flickered in Shirley’s eyes. Tonight, Catherine would show up at the banquet with her penniless husband. Shirley couldn’t help but imagine her struggling to find a decent dress for the event. It was just too entertaining.

***

Not far away, in a cozy little grilled fish restaurant, Lawrence sat across from Catherine. He looked sharp in his suit, while she wore a simple business outfit. The two of them had already settled in.

Their appetizer arrived—a plate of chilled cucumber salad. Catherine took a bite, her eyes closing in bliss. “This is amazing. So much better than those fancy pastries.”

Lawrence watched her fondly and tried some himself. “You’re right. It’s really good.”

“They also have great draft beer here, but since we’re working today, we’ll have to come back for that another time,” Catherine said with a little laugh.

“Sounds good,” Lawrence agreed.

Then the owner brought over two skewers. Catherine picked one up, took a bite, and her eyes lit up. “This is delicious. You have to try it.” Without even thinking, she held the skewer out to him.

The moment she realized what she was doing, she tried to pull her hand back, but Lawrence gently took her wrist, brought the skewer to his mouth, and took a bite. He nodded. “Yeah, this is great.”

Catherine felt her cheeks warm, her heart picking up speed. She quickly looked down and took another bite, trying to hide her smile.

She stared at the message, a little surprised. With her current position, she hadn’t expected an invite.

Still, since the organizers were inviting her, she had no reason to say no.

***

In a private lounge, Shirley stepped out to make a call. Across the hallway, she spotted Lawrence and Magee coming out of another room. They’d just finished meeting with Bain, a giant in the industry.

Shirley watched as Bain turned to shake Lawrence’s hand, his posture almost… respectful. Even Magee took a step back, giving the two men space.

Shirley frowned. Bain was a legend in the tech world, the kind of person even Waldo would treat with respect. Why was he acting so deferential to someone as ordinary as Lawrence?

She must be seeing things. With a faint smirk, Shirley looked away. Lawrence was just an employee. There was no way someone like Bain would actually care about him.