Chapter 2

Florence's face went white with rage the moment she heard me.

"How dare you curse my son!"

She grabbed my arm and tried to drag me toward the ward.

"Come apologize to my son immediately! Or I'll file a complaint and make sure you can't work in this hospital ever again!"

"Stop!"

A sharp voice rang out from behind, and all eyes turned toward the source.

A middle-aged man in a white coat and gold-rimmed glasses was striding quickly toward us.

It was Hendrick Wyckoff, the director of the emergency department.

Seeing him, Florence immediately relaxed as if she had found a pillar of support and rushed toward him.

"Dr. Wyckoff! Finally! The doctors in this hospital are terrible! My son is bleeding so much, and that doctor over there refuses to help! She even cursed him to die!"

Hendrick first tried to soothe her, patting her back gently. But the moment his gaze landed on me, the warmth in his eyes vanished completely.

He pulled me aside, reprimanding me in a lowered voice.

"What's wrong with you? How dare you offend Ms. Crater? Apologize to her immediately! No matter what, you must first calm the patient's family!"

I stared at him coldly, feeling the absurdity of it all. My cheek still burned from the slap.

"I'm not in the wrong. Why should I apologize?"

"For the hospital's reputation!"

Hendrick's voice rose sharply before quickly lowering again as if he was aware of being overheard. "Ms. Crater is a major donor to our hospital funds! Offending her does you no good at all!"

"I'm just stating facts. I don't have a clinical license. I'm a forensic—"

Before I could finish, he cut me off sharply. "Enough excuses! Go apologize immediately!"

When he saw that I remained unmoved, his face darkened completely.

He reached out as if to forcibly push my head down, trying to make me bow to Florence in apology.

"Just apologize to Ms. Crater, and this whole thing will be over!"

I yanked free from his grip and took a step back. The anger that had been simmering inside finally broke through all restraint.

I shouted down the corridor, letting everyone hear me. "I'm not a clinical doctor! I have no authority to treat patients!"

Immediately, all the patients in the hallway turned their attention toward us.

Hendrick was livid that I dared to challenge his authority out in the open. He pointed at me and roared, "I don't care if you're a clinical doctor or not! When a patient needs help, you are responsible! What department are you in? What's your ID number? What's your name?"

I laughed coldly. "Wearing a white coat doesn't automatically make me a doctor here."

Florence, seeing this, immediately started fanning the flames. She covered her face and pretended to cry.

"Dr. Wyckoff, look at her! I saw her scrolling on her phone during work hours. When I asked her to treat my son, she refused in every way possible! She's a doctor without ethics. Why does this hospital even keep her around?"

Whispers and murmurs spread around, and the criticism around me grew louder.

"Yes, I saw her with her phone. She was clearly slacking."

"Young doctors these days have no sense of responsibility."

"The child is bleeding! How hard is it to bandage a simple wound? Yet she won't do anything about it?"

The voices threatened to drown me out completely.

Hendrick's expression turned stormy. He had never been challenged like this.

"Well done, you!"

He sneered through his anger, pointing at me with his final ultimatum.

"I'm reporting you to hospital administration right now! You'll be officially punished! Just wait, you're gonna get fired! Mark my words, I'll make sure you can't find a job anywhere in all of Prestona!"

Florence nodded beside him, a smug smile on her face.

I looked at their triumphant, petty faces, and my chest hurt.

Anger and frustration surged within me, but I forced them down.

Then, I smiled.

Apologize? That would be going easy on them.

If I didn't make a scene today and humiliate them in front of everyone for slapping me, it would be an insult to the pain I endured.

Under their stunned gazes, I straightened my disheveled collar and took deliberate steps toward them.

"Alright then."

My voice was low, but every person present heard it clearly.