Chapter 106
Sutton pressed her hands to her face, trying to steady herself. This was too much. Too fast. “I don’t know, but I need time to think.”
“Of course.” Luca nodded quickly. “Take all the time you need. But please, don’t shut me out. I know I don’t deserve to ask.”
Sutton lowered her hands, meeting his gaze. “If you remember, I didn’t shut you out. You pushed me away. So I came home. There’s a difference.”
Before he could respond, a sharp knock came at the door. It opened without waiting for an answer, and Nicole stepped in, her face a mask of professional concern.
“Luca, I’m sorry to interrupt, but you have that conference call in five minutes.” She glanced at Sutton with barely disguised contempt. “I’m sure whatever this is can wait.”
Luca’s expression hardened. “Nicole, the call can wait. We’re in the middle of something important.”
Nicole looked taken aback. Her eyes flicked between them, clearly trying to figure out what was happening. “But they specifically requested… well, you.”
“Either handle it or it can wait.” Luca’s voice was firm. “Reschedule it.”
Nicole’s smile tightened. “Of course. Right away.” She shot Sutton a look of pure venom that Luca missed before backing out of the office and closing the
door.
When she was gone, Luca sighed. “I’m sorry about that.”
“About what? Your guard dog?” Sutton couldn’t keep the bitterness from her voice.
“I didn’t realize she’d been giving you a hard time,” he said. “She can be… aggressive in her professional approach. I haven’t had any issues with her before. In regards to work anyway.”
Had he had issues in other ways? It wasn’t her business. “That’s one way to put it, but are you sure? Because she hasn’t been pleasant.”
Luca moved back to his desk, leaning against it, facing her. “Look, I know this is sudden. And I know you have every reason to hate me. But we need to figure this out. For the baby.” He nodded toward her belly.
Sutton rested a hand protectively on her stomach. “I’ve been figuring it out just fine on my own.”
“I want to be involved and I know you want time to think, but…” Luca said. “I want to support you both. Financially, emotionally, however, you’ll let me.”
“I don’t need your money.”
“Maybe not. But the baby deserves to know their father.” Luca’s voice softened.
Sutton closed her eyes briefly. This was all too much. The last time she had spoken to him, he was getting married, and he didn’t want her.
“You said…” she trailed off.
“I know what I said, and I’m sorry. I made a promise to my father, and I thought it was better to be cruel and have a clean break. So I hurt you.”
“I never cheated, ever.”
Luca wiped a hand over his face as he realized all his words were haunting him now. “I know that, and I know the baby is mine.”
“How?”
“What? that you didn’t cheat or the baby?” Luca gave a crooked smile. “Honestly, I should have trusted you on both counts when you told me. But a doctor told me pregnant women can have a period or two after falling pregnant.”
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Chapter 106
Sutton nodded.
“I need to get back to work,” she said finally, unable to deal with this all at once.
“I want to be upfront with you, Sutton. I want us to get married.”
That statement made her freeze.
“What?” If he had asked her before, before everything, she would have said yes. She had loved him. But now she… didn’t know if she could trust him. She had cried for weeks when she had come home.
“I would like us to get married and before the baby is born.”
Sutton looked at him shocked, before saying. “Why? Because you found out I’m not a nobody model now? That I come from a wealthy family with a good pedigree?”
Luca looked stunned. “No, that has nothing to do with it.”
“I’m sorry Luca, but trust for what you say is a little thin on the ground right now.” Sutton wasn’t in the mood to fall at his feet in gratitude. He had hurt her and rejected their baby.
Luca looked like he wanted to object but then nodded. “Okay. But we’re not done talking about this.”
“Well we are for now. I have work to do.”
“And one more thing,” Luca added as she turned to leave. “You shouldn’t be answering phones and not with your skills.”
Sutton frowned. “What?”
“Roman said you’re a talented coder. You should be in development, not stuck at reception.”
“I’ve applied for transfers three times,” Sutton said. “They keep rejecting me.”
Luca’s jaw tightened. “Well, I’m the boss now. And I say you’re too valuable to waste at the front desk.” He grabbed a post–it, scribbled something on it, and handed it to her. “This is Jake’s office number. He’s my head of operations here. Tell him I said to set you up with the development team. Immediately.”
Sutton stared at the paper, then back at Luca. “You’re giving me a job in development? Just like that?” She had Jake’s number but Luca didn’t know that.
“I’m giving you the job you deserve,” he corrected. “The one this place was too sexist to give you before.”
“Because I’m pregnant with your baby.”
Luca shook his head. “No. Because you’re qualified. The baby is…” he paused, searching for words. “The baby is personal. This conversation would have happened regardless once I reviewed your personnel file and noticed the mismatch between your skills and your position.”
Sutton wanted to argue, but a coding job was what she’d wanted since she started at Cyber10. And if it got her away from Nicole’s daily torment and allowed her to do what she loved even better, she’d be a fool to turn it down out of pride.
“Fine,” she said, taking the paper. “I’ll talk to Jake.”
“Good.” Luca looked relieved, like he’d expected more resistance. “We can talk more later. When you’ve had time to process.”
Sutton nodded, turning to leave.
“Sutton,” Luca said just behind her, telling her he had followed her to the door.
She paused, hand on the doorknob. “What?”
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Chapter 106
“I’m glad you kept the baby,” he said quietly. “Thank you for that.”
Sutton didn’t respond, just pulled the door open and stepped out.
Nicole was waiting in the hallway, not even pretending she hadn’t been hovering by the door. Her eyes narrowed when she saw Sutton.
“So,” she said, voice dripping with fake sweetness, “what was that all about? Begging to keep your job?”
“Not exactly,” Sutton replied, too emotionally exhausted to play Nicole’s games.
“Well, don’t get too comfortable,” Nicole said, leaning in slightly. “Luca might be indulging you now, but he’ll see what I see eventually. Dead weight.”
Sutton gave her a tired look. “I’ve been transferred to development. Effective immediately.”
Nicole’s smile froze. “What?”
“You heard me. I’m coding now, not answering phones.” Sutton stepped around her, toward the elevator. “So I guess you’ll need to find someone else to harass. Oh, and I want my plant back or I’ll expense a new one.”
“This isn’t over,” Nicole called after her, voice tight with anger. “Whatever you think you pulled in there, it won’t last.”
Sutton didn’t turn around, just kept walking. She had enough to deal with without Nicole’s petty power games.
As she stepped into the elevator and the doors closed on Nicole’s furious face, Sutton finally let out the breath she’d been holding. Her hand moved to her belly, where the baby–their child–was kicking steadily.
“Well, kid,” she murmured, “your dad’s back. God help us both.” He wanted to get married.
Meanwhile, back in his office, Luca stared at the door Sutton had just closed, still reeling from the shock of finding her… of finding Audrey after all these months of searching. Except she wasn’t Audrey. She was Sutton Warner. The sister of his best friend’s fiancée. The woman carrying his child.
He’d been prepared for so many scenarios when he bought Cyber10. Finding her hadn’t even been on the list.
And now that he had, he wasn’t about to let her go again. He would find a way to get his ring on her finger. He had barely stopped himself from grabbing her and kissing her.
