Chapter 114
Chapter 114
The Cyber10 office was in an uproar barely controlled panic.
When
they arrived. Jake met them at the elevator on the development floor, his usually calm demeanor replaced by
“It’s worse than I thought,” he said, falling into step beside them. “The virus bypassed all our security protocols. It’s like it knew exactly where the vulnerabilities were.”
“Because it did,” Sutton said grimly, moving as quickly as her pregnant body would allow. “I have a feeling the first attack was reconnaissance. This is the real assault.”
Luca’s hand remained at the small of her back, steadying and protective as they hurried to her station. “What data has been compromised?”
“Everything,” Jake replied. “Kingston’s client databases, project files, even our backup systems. It’s spreading faster than we can track it.”
The development room was crowded with bleary–eyed staff called in from their homes. Elliott sat hunched over his keyboard, face pale with exhaustion. Nicole stood nearby, arms crossed tightly, watching the activity with barely concealed fury.
“About time,” she snapped when she spotted them. “This is all your fault, Sutton.”
Luca’s expression darkened. “That’s enough, Nicole.”
Sutton ignored them both, moving straight to her workstation. She sat down and began typing immediately.
“I need access to the kernel logs,” she said to Elliott. “And someone get me the network traffic data from when the attack started.”
For the next hour, Sutton worked in complete focus, barely speaking except to request information or issue instructions. Luca stayed close, filtering questions, bringing her water, creating a buffer between her and the increasing tension in the room.
“It’s definitely targeted,” she said finally, looking up from her screen. “Someone uninstalled my Ai virus detection program from the Kingston system.”
“Who would do that?” Elliott asked.
Sutton glanced at Luca, a silent communication passing between them. “I have an idea, but first we need to contain the virus.”
Her fingers flew across the keyboard, building digital walls, creating countermeasures. Luca watched her work, amazed at her skill and intensity. Who would have guessed six months ago she had been a model… This was so different from her life with him before.
“I need everyone out of the system,” she announced. “Log out of everything. Now.”
The team complied, confusion evident on their faces.
“What are you going to do?” Jake asked.
A
“I’m going to set a trap,” Sutton replied, not looking up. “The virus is smart, but it has a signature. If I can isolate it, I can reverse–engineer it.”
“That could take days,” Nicole objected.
“Not with the framework I built last time,” Sutton said. “Luca, I need your authorization codes.”
He provided them without hesitation, trusting her completely.
Three more hours passed, the night deepening outside the windows. Gradually, as the immediate crisis stabilized, Luca sent the staff home in shifts. By 3 AM, only he, Sutton, Jake, Elliott, and Nicole remained.
“You should all go,” Sutton said, finally leaning back in her chair. “The containment protocol is working. I’ve isolated the virus in a sandbox environment where it can’t spread.”
1/3
08:57 Sun, 6 Jul
Chapter 114
“What about the damaged files?” Elliott asked.
“I’ve initiated recovery from our cloud backup. It’s going to take time, but Kingston’s won’t lose much, if anything.”
Jake looked at the progress indicators on his screen. “She’s right. The system’s stabilizing.”
“Then we should all get some rest,” Luca said, his tone making it clear it wasn’t a suggestion. “Let the team know they are not needed for the rest of the
night.”
Jake nodded.
“Someone should stay to monitor the recovery,” Nicole argued.
“I’ll stay,” Sutton said before Luca could speak.
“Not alone,” he countered immediately. “I’ll stay with you.”
Nicole’s mouth tightened. “I don’t think-”
“Go home, Nicole,” Luca cut her off. “All of you. You’ve done enough tonight. We’ll handle it from here.”
Reluctantly, they gathered their things. Jake squeezed Sutton’s shoulder as he passed. “That was incredible. I don’t know how you did it.”
“I’ll walk everyone out and before setting the lock on the lift,” Luca said once they were ready to leave.
When he returned to the development room a few minutes later, he found Sutton still at her workstation, but her posture had changed. Her shoulders slumped, one hand rubbing her lower back, exhaustion evident in every line of her body.
“You should go home too,” she said without looking up. “I can finish monitoring this.”
“Not a chance.” Luca pulled a chair beside her. “You look dead on your feet.”
She smiled faintly, hand moving to her belly. “I’m ok.” She had messaged Keira to let her know what was going on. “I’m tired. My back hurts. But I’ll
live…”
Luca hesitated, then said, “Let me help with your back. Turn a little.”
Sutton looked surprised, but shifted in her chair, presenting her back to him. Gently, Luca placed his hands on her shoulders, beginning a careful massage. She stiffened initially, then gradually relaxed as his fingers found and released the knots of tension.
“That’s… really good,” she murmured, her head dropping forward.
“I used to get terrible tension headaches at university,” he said, working his way down her spine. “Learned some techniques.”
His hands moved lower, pressing carefully into her lower back, where the baby’s weight created the most strain. Sutton made a small sound of relief.
“Right there,” she said. “That’s where it hurts most.”
Luca continued the massage, careful but firm, conscious of every small reaction from her body. The office was silent except for the hum of computers and their breathing.
“Why did you kiss me tonight?” she asked suddenly. Why had she asked that?
His hands paused. “Because I want to every time I’m around you.”
She turned in her chair to face him, their knees touching. “And why did you push me away?”
The question he’d been dreading. He met her eyes, knowing he owed her complete honesty.
08:57 Sun, 6 Jul
Chapter 114
“What about the damaged files?” Elliott asked.
“I’ve initiated recovery from our cloud backup. It’s going to take time, but Kingston’s won’t lose much, if anything.”
Jake looked at the progress indicators on his screen. “She’s right. The system’s stabilizing.”
83%
+291
“Then we should all get some rest,” Luca said, his tone making it clear it wasn’t a suggestion. “Let the team know they are not needed for the rest of the
night.”
Jake nodded.
“Someone should stay to monitor the recovery,” Nicole argued.
“I’ll stay,” Sutton said before Luca could speak.
“Not alone,” he countered immediately. “I’ll stay with you.”
Nicole’s mouth tightened. “I don’t think-”
“Go home, Nicole,” Luca cut her off. “All of you. You’ve done enough tonight. We’ll handle it from here.”
Reluctantly, they gathered their things. Jake squeezed Sutton’s shoulder as he passed. “That was incredible. I don’t know how you did it.”
“I’ll walk everyone out and before setting the lock on the lift,” Luca said once they were ready to leave.
When he returned to the development room a few minutes later, he found Sutton still at her workstation, but her posture had changed. Her shoulders slumped, one hand rubbing her lower back, exhaustion evident in every line of her body.
“You should go home too,” she said without looking up. “I can finish monitoring this.”
“Not a chance.” Luca pulled a chair beside her. “You look dead on your feet.”
She smiled faintly, hand moving to her belly. “I’m ok.” She had messaged Keira to let her know what was going on. “I’m tired. My back hurts. But I’ll
live…”
Luca hesitated, then said, “Let me help with your back. Turn a little.”
Sutton looked surprised, but shifted in her chair, presenting her back to him. Gently, Luca placed his hands on her shoulders, beginning a careful massage. She stiffened initially, then gradually relaxed as his fingers found and released the knots of tension.
“That’s… really good,” she murmured, her head dropping forward.
“I used to get terrible tension headaches at university,” he said, working his way down her spine. “Learned some techniques.”
His hands moved lower, pressing carefully into her lower back, where the baby’s weight created the most strain. Sutton made a su sound of relief.
“Right there,” she said. “That’s where it hurts most.”
Luca continued the massage, careful but firm, conscious of every small reaction from her body. The office was silent except for the hum of computers and their breathing.
“Why did you kiss me tonight?” she asked suddenly. Why had she asked that?
His hands paused. “Because I want to every time I’m around you.”
She turned in her chair to face him, their knees touching. “And why did you push me away?”
The question he’d been dreading. He met her eyes, knowing he owed her complete honesty.
2/3
08:57 Sun, 6 Jul M
Chapter 114
“Because I was a coward,” he said simply. “Because I didn’t stand up to my father when I should have.”
“I don’t believe you would have stayed.” Disbelief colored her voice.
83%
“You made me feel things I wasn’t prepared for.” Luca reached for her hand, relieved when she didn’t pull away. “I told myself it was just a fling, but it wasn’t. Not for me. And I don’t think I was ready to face that, not then.”
“So you accused me of using you for your money? You called me a mistress. Of trying to trap you?”
Luca winced. “I said unforgivable things. Things I knew would push you away, because I was too much of a coward to admit how I really felt.”
“Which was what?”
He took a deep breath. “That I was falling in love with you. And it terrified me.”
Sutton’s eyes widened. She withdrew her hand. “Don’t say that.”
“It’s the truth.”
Sutton laughed. “It sounds pretty now, Luca, but not very believable.” Now she was pregnant. “You can’t love me.”
“Apparently, I can.” His smile was sad. “And then spend months trying to convince myself I hadn’t.”
Sutton stood abruptly, needing distance. She moved to the window, looking out at the city lights. Luca followed, stopping a few feet behind her.
“You hurt me,” she said quietly. “More than anyone ever has.”
“I know.”
“And now there’s a baby.” Her hand cradled her belly. “Everything’s different now.”
(+28)
“Nothing about this is different for me… I want you both,” Luca said. “I was wrong. I hurt you. And I will spend as long as it takes making that up to you.”
Sutton turned to face him. “And if I can’t forgive you?”
“Then I’ll still be here. For you, for the baby. In whatever capacity you’ll allow. But always know I want you first. The baby is just a bonus.”
Something shifted in her expression. She took a step toward him. “And if I can forgive you?”
Luca’s heart raced. “Then I’ll spend every day proving it wasn’t a mistake.”
The monitors behind them chimed, indicating the virus containment was complete. Neither of them looked away.
“I think I know who did this,” Sutton said, though her mind was clearly elsewhere.
“Who?”
214
AD
Comment
Send gift
No Ads
