Exposed to the CEO Behind the Mafia Mask

Chapter 596: Chapter 192 Hospital Room Reunion

Lila’s POV

My heart hammered against my ribs as Inspector Daniel Martinez stormed through the private wing of the hospital like a man possessed. His tailored suit was wrinkled, his usually perfect hair disheveled, and his face carried the kind of storm that made even hardened criminals think twice. He planted himself directly in front of me, hands on his hips, those piercing eyes narrowed to dangerous slits.

Something about his theatrical entrance, so quintessentially him, triggered an unexpected reaction. A laugh bubbled up from deep inside me, and once it started, I couldn’t stop. I doubled over, cackling until my sides ached and tears streamed down my cheeks. This was Inspector Martinez, the man who could make entire criminal organizations tremble with a single look, reduced to a frantic husband because of a dead phone battery.

Jude frantically waved a magazine at me like a fan while I gasped for air. Sybilla pressed her hand to her mouth, fighting her own urge to laugh at the absurdity. Daniel just stared at me like I’d completely lost my mind, which only made me laugh harder.

When I finally caught my breath and wiped the tears from my face, I extended my phone to him with a shaking hand. He snatched it, examined the black screen, and let out a sound somewhere between relief and exasperation.

”A dead battery? Seriously, Lila? Do you have any idea what went through my head when you vanished?” His voice carried that authoritative edge he used during interrogations, but underneath was pure worry.

I lifted my chin with defiance that would have made my Sullivan family ancestors proud. ”No, I don’t know, because you were too busy chasing after your legally-not-quite-ex-wife yesterday to bother explaining what the hell is going on.”

He opened his mouth to fire back but stopped abruptly. His angry expression melted into something far more dangerous – that predatory smile that meant trouble. ”Wait just a minute.” He pointed at me as his grin widened. ”You’re jealous. My little Sullivan princess is actually jealous.”

”Don’t flatter yourself, Inspector Martinez,” I scoffed, crossing my arms and turning away with what I hoped looked like aristocratic disdain rather than a pout. But he was already moving, wrapping his arm around my waist and pulling me against the solid wall of his chest.

”Oh, I absolutely will flatter myself. My beautiful girl is jealous over me.” His smile was devastating as he spoke close to my lips, his voice dropping to that low rumble that always made my knees weak. ”You don’t need to be jealous, little one. I’m completely yours.”

”Then why did you go see that woman?” The question came out smaller than I’d intended, betraying the hurt I’d been trying to hide.

”I needed to handle some family business, sweetheart. I’ll explain everything when we get home, I promise.” His voice softened to that tender tone that could melt steel. ”Look at me.” Reluctantly, I met his gaze as he traced my features with fingertips that had seen their share of violence but touched me like precious porcelain. ”I’m yours, only yours, because I love you. I love you so damn much it scares me.”

My carefully constructed anger was crumbling, and I might have kissed him senseless if Dr. Zander hadn’t emerged from the private room with another physician, both wearing the kind of expensive suits that screamed ’family doctor to the criminal elite.’

”Daniel, glad you made it. Your mother has been asking for you,” Zander said, his tone respectful in the way people spoke to dangerous men. ”She’s quite remarkable.”

”She always was,” Daniel agreed, though I detected reluctance in his voice.

The other doctor adjusted his designer glasses. ”I need to run two specialized tests, so I’m taking Mrs. Martinez to our exclusive wing upstairs. All preliminary results point to labyrinthitis – inner ear inflammation. With the right medication, she should make a full recovery.”

”One of our private nurses will escort her, and you’re welcome to accompany her. After the tests, I’ll authorize her discharge to your family’s preferred recovery facility,” he added with the kind of discretion that came with treating families who valued privacy above all else.

”Thank God it’s nothing serious,” I breathed, relief flooding through me.

Zander nodded reassuringly. ”Her other test results are excellent, and the injuries from the... incident... were superficial. My part is finished; I’m transferring her care to our ENT specialist.”

”Ear, nose, and throat specialist, to be precise,” the other doctor corrected with a professional smile before departing.

”You may go in, but please keep things calm. We don’t want our patient experiencing any more dizzy spells,” Zander cautioned before following his colleague.

As Sybilla and Jude headed toward the door, I moved to follow but was stopped by Daniel’s hand catching mine.

”What is it?” I asked, turning back to him.

”Let’s go home,” he said firmly, and I recognized the tone he used when giving orders to his team.

”Absolutely not!” I replied without hesitation, channeling every bit of Sullivan family steel I possessed. ”Your mother is in there, and we’re staying until she’s released. She needs her family.”

”Lila...” Daniel sighed heavily. ”It’s complicated. Let me take you home and explain.”

”We’re not leaving, Daniel Martinez! You need to stop this ridiculous war with your parents. Walk into that room, embrace your mother, and be the son she raised. She’s in a hospital! What kind of man abandons his mother when she needs him most?”

”The kind whose mother interfered with the woman he loves,” he replied, his eyes flashing with old anger.

”Well, if I’m that woman, then you’re going to march into that room, hold your mother, and stay by her side. When she’s better, you can sit down like civilized people and work through your problems,” I said firmly, drawing on every lesson in commanding presence my brother Beckett had ever taught me.

”You don’t understand what happened between us,” he protested.

”I know you cut ties because your father considered allying with Sasha to break us up, but changed his mind when he learned about my trust fund. But did you ever hear their side of the story? Did you ask if they knew what she was really planning? No. So you’re going to do exactly what I’m telling you. Afterward, we’ll sit down together and sort this mess out like adults, but this family war ends right now.” I was practically vibrating with fury.

He stood there processing my words, but then that wicked smile crossed his face as he leaned down to whisper in my ear: ”I’ll do whatever you want, but I want this bossy, fired-up version of my Lila in my bed later tonight.”

I froze, stunned that he could think about sex while his mother was in a hospital bed. But before I could respond, he took my hand and led me into the room, causing everyone inside to fall silent.

”Son!” Beatrice Martinez’s eyes immediately filled with tears at the sight of her boy.

”Mom,” Daniel said simply, crossing to embrace her. I couldn’t hold back my own tears watching this reunion between mother and son, especially given my complicated history with maternal figures.

”Lila, dear,” Beatrice called after releasing Daniel. She extended her hand toward me with the kind of gracious gesture that spoke of old money and older power.

I took her outstretched hand, and she pulled me closer, gently touching my face with her other hand in a gesture so maternal it made my chest tight.

”You’re my daughter now too,” she said with genuine emotion. The connection between us felt real and warm, nothing like the calculated manipulation I’d grown up with. I hugged her, feeling truly accepted for perhaps the first time in my life. ”You must be exhausted, sweetheart, and you’ve missed your classes.”

”I said I’d stay with you, and I’m not leaving just because these two finally showed up,” I replied with a smile she returned even more brightly.

”I owe you an apology,” she said unexpectedly.

”You don’t owe me anything. But later, when you’re feeling better, if you want to talk, I’ll listen. Right now, your health is all that matters.”

She squeezed my hand and looked at her son with pure maternal love. ”I understand now, Daniel. She truly is extraordinary.” In that moment, I felt her complete acceptance of our relationship, and it filled a hollow place in my heart I hadn’t even known existed.