The Billionaire Fired the Hospital Cleaner — Then Discovered She Was the Research Genius Behind His Greatest Breakthrough
Chapter 11
A year later, Ethan proposed.
He didn’t use a private jet.
Didn’t rent a luxury resort.
He took Claire to the hospital cafeteria.
She laughed when she realized.
“You’re proposing here?”
“Where else?”
“At least somewhere with better coffee.”
He smiled.
“This is where I first saw you.”
“As a cleaner.”
“Yes.”
“The day you fired me.”
“Also yes.”
She laughed.
He pulled out a ring.
“I thought if we’re going to remember our beginning, we should remember all of it.”
Claire stared.
“You really planned this.”
“Badly.”
She smiled.
He knelt.
“I can’t promise life will never hurt.”
“I know.”
“I can’t replace your past.”
“I don’t want you to.”
“But I can promise that I’ll never ask you to become smaller so I can feel bigger.”
Her eyes filled with tears.
“Yes.”
He stood.
She kissed him.
An orderly walking past clapped.
Then another.
Soon half the cafeteria was applauding.
Claire laughed through her tears.
“This is embarrassing.”
Ethan smiled.
“Good.”
“Why good?”
“Because it’s real.”
