Beneath Her Bastard Boss

Chapter 141

Her sisters and Roman had left before the fireworks. Sutton was glad Keira had been fuming mad, It was late morning by the time the hospital chief of staff left the room.

Or rather, backed out with a pale face and a panicked promise to “get to the bottom of this.” Luca hadn’t raised his voice; he hadn’t needed to. His tone had been low and cold and lethal, making sure every word landed.

“IF1 find out that even one person… nurse, administrator, janitor sold Sutton’s information to the press; not only will we sue for every fucking dollar of damages, I will make sure they never speak to anyone ever again,” he told them.

Then, when the man fumbled some excuse about patient access and systems vulnerabilities, Luca simply said “You’d better find out who leaked her story before I do. Because it’s your hospital, the cost won’t just be financial. I’ll make sure you can’t even get a job washing toilets. Do I make myself clear?”

And that was it. The door clicked shut. The chief shuffled away.

Sutton leaned back against the pillows, her cheeks still flushed with adrenaline, the whole exchange leaving a soft tremble in her chest. noveldrama

She pointed at Luca, brows lifting. “Wow. That was…

Impres

terrifying, actually. Impressive. But terrifying.”

He didn’t look fazed. He came back to her bedside and gently rested his hand on hers

“I’m done letting the world strip you down to headlines,” he said. “They don’t get to define you or make shit up. If it were about me, I wouldn’t care. But this is about you and Miles.”

“Talking about our son, let’s go see him.”

“Before we do, there is something…” Luca’s expression didn’t change. He just slowly reached toward the jacket he’d left hanging on the back of the visitor chair. Pulled it off and reached into the inside pocket before tossing the jacket aside. And then, before her heart could catch up, he turned and dropped to one knee.

Right on the cold linoleum floor beside her hospital bed.

Luca De Santis – billionaire, global CEO, ruthless in a boardroom and impossible in negotiations and against a hospital chief of staff – was on one knee

in front of her.

“This time,” he said softly, “marry me because you finally believe love you. Not because of pressure… or guilt… or the baby. But because you know it’s

real now. Because you feel it.”

Sutton’s throat burned.

She didn’t hesitate.

“Yes,” she said.

Then again, louder. “Yes. I’ll marry you.”

Tears leapt to the corners of her eyes before she could blink them away. She was overwhelmed with joy.

“I love you, Luca,” she whispered. “I never stopped. And I’m so tired of trying to pretend I could move on without you. Try… to prove to everyone, including myself, that I didn’t need you. When I did… I do.”

He smiled, and then he opened the small velvet box in his hand.

A stunning solitaire emerald cut diamond.. simple, beautiful, set in platinum.

Sutton’s face softened in surprise.

1/3

“Where did you…7”

“I picked it up the morning of your accident,” he said, voice breaking just slightly. “That same day. I was already planning to proposer Even though wanted more time. I wanted you in my life so badly. I was going to keep asking until you said yes.”

Her heart cracked. Of course, he had. Of course, he had been planning to. She couldn’t say she would have said yes because she still had her ésübt, hot they were gone now.

Luca stood and gently slipped the ring onto her finger. She was surprised to see his hand tremble just a little.

And it fit perfectly.

Sutton stared down at her hand, the brilliant diamond resting above the hospital ID band on her wrist, and let out a shaky laugh.

“This has to be the weirdest proposal story of any lifetime.”

Luca kissed her hand. “Maybe. But it’s ours. It’s our

what other people think? We’ve got each other, we are the lucky ones.

It was later that afternoon when the official statement was given by Luca himself to the waiting press.

vory vent

Luca De Santis stood in front of a modest podium set up outside Lenox Hill’s private wing.

His hand was low around Sutton’s waist, steadying her carefully as she stood beside him, dressed in a loose dress Blair had brought in for her to wear, and her hair was pulled back in a ponytail, still damp from her shower which she had been allowed today.

Luca called the room to order by taking one step towards the mic, cleared his throat once.

“Sutton Warner… is not a scandal.”

He paused.

“She is the most brilliant mind in my company. The heart of the virus detection program that saved Kingston just this week and is now being rolled out to

six of our other customers.”

Sutton looked at him. She hadn’t known that, but then they had been a little busy.

“She is a programmer. Designing a system that can be proactive in virus protection instead of reactive. This system in a hospital could save lives. There could never be a threat of shutdown because the software is in step with any virus out there.”

Camera lenses clicked.

Sutton blinked bravely through the lights.

“This woman,” Luca said, “is the mother of my son. Miles. Born twelve weeks early and fighting like hell. Just like her. We never got to make a formal announcement of our engagement. Because hours later, she nearly died during his delivery.”

Sutton almost laughed. Luca was stretching the truth there. He had the ring, but she hadn’t said yes.

A hush fell.

Luca looked down then. Just briefly. Long enough to steady himself.

Then back up.

“She is my partner in every way. The woman love. And the woman I’m marrying.”

He let it hang just long enough to roll.

“And let me say this clearly: there is nothing scandalous about being a model. There is nothing shameful about working hard to support your family.

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04 Inu 24 JUI

Ο

About surviving. About using what you have to get ahead–especially when the world gives butchered in the press for doing right by her family.”

A flicker of applause moved through the small crowd of reporters.

women

30

few chances to do that safely. And still the w

“The photos posted online… the ones edited without consent and presented out of context, were not only unethical, they were intentionally damaging have instructed my lawyers to pursue every false publication to the fullest extent of New York law.”

Luca’s grip on Sutton’s waist tightened slightly.

“And from this moment forward, if you want

access

lives… you better learn to respect my future wife.”

He stepped back.

Sutton didn’t speak. She didn’t need to. Luca had said all that needed to be said. She stood with her ring flashing in the camera lights. No one asked any questions; they had been warned there wouldn’t be any.

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