Beneath Her Bastard Boss

Chapter 100

Sutton shifted uncomfortably in her chair, trying to find a position that didn’t make her back ache. Over six months pregnant, and the reception desk at Cyber 10 had become her own personal torture chamber.

The hard chair. The hours of sitting. The condescending smiles from executives who didn’t know she’d been accepted into MIT but had turned it down to support her younger sisters. Instead, she’d gone into modeling–a job she’d hated with a fiery passion. But it had paid their tuition. Got them through university.

She still earned her computer science degree, even if she had to do it part time. And she could run circles around half the company’s coding team with

one hand tied behind her back.

She rubbed her lower back, wincing as the baby landed a solid kick to her ribs. The doctor had warned her about desk jobs while pregnant, but warnings didn’t pay rent or build a safety net. She was doing this alone. Luca hadn’t wanted her or the baby.

At least she had her sisters. Keira and Blair had been there through everything.

It was Blair she felt for right now. Yeah, Luca had married his baby bride, but Sutton hadn’t walked in on him mid–betrayal like Blair had–with their cousin Laura, no less. And to top it all off, Laura was pregnant, too. Like it had been going on for months.

This weekend, they had to attend the engagement party. Family unity and all that crap. What a load of bullshit. It was all about saving face. Sutton was ninety–nine percent sure no one would even mention the pregnancy. That wouldn’t fly with Auntie Viv’s pristine standards. It was bad enough Sutton had come home single and pregnant. Oh, the horror.

“Could you make copies of these for the morning meeting?”

Brad Morris, VP of operations and certified jackass, dropped a thick stack of papers on her desk without even making eye contact. His gaze hovered somewhere around her stomach, like pregnancy was contagious.

“Sure,” Sutton muttered, forcing a brittle smile.

Her third application for an internal transfer to the programming department had been rejected just yesterday. No explanation. Not that she needed one. No one wanted to invest in a pregnant employee who’d be going on leave soon. And let’s be real–she didn’t have a penis. That was strike two. This place was a boys‘ club in business casual. Women were for answering phones, pouring coffee, and smiling politely at people who treated them like furniture.

Sutton hauled herself up with effort, her balance a daily challenge as her center of gravity shifted. She made her way to the copy room, where two third- floor developers were hunched by the machine.

“…new ownership. European company. Heard they’re ruthless with cuts,” one said under his breath.

“Great timing with that baby of yours, huh?” The other glanced at her with a smirk as she entered. “Better hope they don’t decide new moms are dispensable.”

She ignored them. She’d survived worse. Being knocked up and alone wasn’t new territory–it was just quieter. She hadn’t even Googled Luca once. Cutting him out completely was the only way forward. Sure, she’d fantasized about hacking his accounts and donating every dollar to women’s shelters -but she’d restrained herself. Barely.

Back at her desk, she opened her hidden code project. She’d been working on it in the background for months–an Al–driven virus detection system that could track the dark web in real time and rewrite its own code to counter new threats as they developed. Being more proactive than reactive.

than half the crap their

dinged. Sutton sat up

woman stepped out–tall, sharp, and tailored within an inch of her life. Charcoal suit, high heels, hair yanked back in a knot so tight it might’ve given her

landed

Bruno. I have an appointment with Greg

on his schedule, Ms. Bruno.” Conner was

He’ll see

pure power play. Sutton dialed his

a Nicole Bruno here to see you.”

hung up. “He’s sending his assistant

“How long have you

“A few months.”

hired you

answer phones,” Sutton replied, deadpan. “It’s not exactly rocket

companies don’t need the burden of maternity leave and the unreliability of new mothers. I’d be updating my résumé if

she could tell her to go screw herself with

come with me. Mr. Conner is eager to meet with

mask of professionalism sliding back into place. “We’ll continue this

waited until the elevator doors closed,

at work. Tell

a major coding failure let a

contracts.

stabbing pain in her back. Executives zipped to the conference room

the whole

ALL–STAFF MEETING – CONFERENCE

to get comfortable. People whispered

cutting half the staff,” someone muttered behind

be brutal,” another voice chimed in. “They’ll gut us for patents and

willing the baby to calm down. She couldn’t afford to lose this job. Not now. Blair and

Bruno and two men in suits

I have an announcement.” He tugged at his collar, sweating, “Effective immediately, Cyber10 has been acquired by