Page 35 of Secret Baby for the Billionaire Doctor

"Ally, I've received some reports about you and Dante. I know you two are dating, but I need to know more about your relationship."

I feel my cheeks flush with embarrassment.

"I met Dante when we were both in Greece. We spent a night together, and then we met again when I started working at the hospital. We started dating, and then I got pregnant," I say, feeling ashamed.

The director leans back in his chair and looks at me thoughtfully. "Ally, you know that this kind of relationship is not acceptable at this hospital. It's against our policy, and it could affect your work here."

I nod, feeling tears prick at the corners of my eyes. I know what he's going to say next.

"For the time being, I'm going to have to suspend you from your position. We need to make sure that there is no conflict of interest here," he says, his voice firm.

I feel my heart drop. I can't believe this is happening. I'm going to lose my job, and I don't know what I'm going to do.

"Can't we talk about this? Is there anything I can do to fix this?" I ask, desperation creeping into my voice.

The director sighs and leans forward. "Ally, I'm sorry, but I have to follow the hospital policy. You'll have to take some time off, and then we'll see where things stand."

I nod, my tears finally spilling over. I stand up and walk out of the office, feeling completely defeated. I can't believe that things got this bad. Am I losing my career that I have been working so hard to achieve? I go to my office and pick up my things and leave, giving deaf ears to Michael as he calls my name.

As I walk out of the hospital, my head is spinning and I feel like I need to clear my mind. I decide to go to a bar, and have the urge to order a beer, but I change my mind because of the pregnancy and get a glass of flavored water instead and try to collect my thoughts. I sit there for a while, feeling sorry for myself. But eventually, I begin to realize that I can't let what other people think or say about me and Dante affect our relationship. We have something special, and I can't let anyone take that away from us.

I finish my drink, pay my tab, and head home, feeling a sense of determination wash over me. I'm not going to let anyone get in the way of my happiness, especially not the judgmental gossip of strangers. I get home feeling more worried than ever. Dante still hasn't answered my calls, and I wonder where he could be. As I walk through the door, I'm surprised to see my sister, Ashlee, sitting on the couch.

"Hey, what are you doing here?" I ask, trying to hide the concern in my voice. "You weren’t home when I came back this morning."

"I heard what happened," she says, looking at me with concern. "I wanted to come and make sure you're okay."

I feel a lump form in my throat, and I can't help but tear up as I tell her everything that's been going on. She listens patiently, offering words of comfort and support, and for a moment, I feel a little better. But as the night wears on, I find myself becoming more and more anxious. I keep checking my phone, hoping to see a message or missed call from Dante, but there's nothing.

Eventually, I decide to go to bed, but as I lie there, staring up at the ceiling, I feel a sense of emptiness. I miss Dante, and I can't stand the thought of not knowing where he is or what he's doing. As I drift off to sleep, tears streaming down my face, I can only hope that Dante is safe and that we'll be able to work through whatever is going on between us.

Chapter seventeen

Facing the Truth

Dante

Iarriveatmyfamily’s estate, a huge mansion located in the countryside of Richmond. The long, winding driveway leads up to the grand entrance of the house, which is flanked by tall pillars and a sweeping staircase. As I storm up the steps, I can feel my anger building with every step. I push open the heavy doors and stride into the living room, where my mother is in the midst of a meeting with the shareholders of our numerous hospitals and medical facilities. They all turn to look at me as I enter, but I don't care. I'm too angry to care about social niceties.

"Excuse me, I need to talk to my mother," I say, my voice cold.

My mother looks up at me, surprised by my sudden entrance. "Dante, what's going on?" she asks.

"I just got suspended from work because of my relationship with Ally," I say, my voice rising with every word. "And it's all because of you and your stupid shareholders."

The shareholders look uncomfortable and start to gather their things, sensing that they are no longer welcome in the room.

"Please excuse us," my mother says to them, her tone clipped. "We'll continue this meeting at a later time."

As they get out of the room, I turn to my mother, my anger still simmering just beneath the surface. "How could you let this happen?" I demand. "Why didn't you do something to stop it?"

My mother looks at me, her eyes hard. "Dante, you know the rules. Fraternization with trainees is strictly prohibited. Especially those who are twenty years younger than faculty physicians."

"It's not like that," I say, my voice pleading. "Ally and I are in a real relationship. We care about each other."

"I understand," my mother says, her tone softening slightly. "But you have to understand that you're in a position of authority. You have to be careful about how you conduct yourself."

"I know that" I say, my voice rising again. "But this is ridiculous. Ally has done nothing wrong. Why should she suffer because of me?"

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