Chapter 4

As I expected, Summer Hayes's internship was assigned to me.

Regardless of personal feelings, I wouldn't neglect any student when it came to teaching.

During an emergency surgery I was leading, I routinely arranged for interns to observe.

And I specifically assigned Summer to be the instrument assistant.

"Why me?" she mumbled softly, her tone clearly resentful.

"Dr. Reed, isn't this an abuse of power?"

I glanced at her through my sterile mask.

"If your scholarship is based on merit, then you should prove it in practice."

The surgery reached a critical step.

I gave the instruction for a 2.5mm balloon.

But Summer, fumbling nervously, handed me a 3mm one!

"Wrong size! Vasopressor, now!"

I barked the order, immediately directing the team to compensate.

After the surgery, we exited the operating room.

Summer followed me, her face deathly pale.

I stared at her, enunciating each word.

"In cardiothoracic surgery, you are literally holding lives in your hands. Any minor mistake can lead to a major disaster."

"The carelessness and incompetence you displayed today can kill patients in a clinical setting!"

Summer's body swayed, tears instantly welling up in her eyes.

"Ava Reed! Do you have to be like this?!"

Lucas Thomas's voice, laced with anger, came from the doorway.

He strode in quickly, placing himself in front of Summer without a moment's hesitation.

"She's still a student! It's normal to be nervous and make mistakes the first time! Who hasn't been there?"

"Do you really need to use such harsh words to attack her? Are you teaching, or just using this as an excuse to make trouble?"

I looked at this man, my husband, who once stood by my side.

Now, he was twisting facts for another woman, challenging my professional ethics.

My heart sank into an icy pond, completely numb.

"Instructor Thomas," I used his formal title.

"There is no room for error in surgery. As her supervising doctor, it is my duty to point out her critical mistakes."

"Duty? I think you're mixing business with your personal vendetta!" Lucas's anger flared even more. He grabbed Summer's wrist.

"Summer, let's go! We won't stand for her abuse here!"

He left furiously, with a tear-streaked Summer in tow.

Several interns looked at me with a mixture of fear and dissatisfaction.

Just then, my phone rang.

I put it on speaker directly.

Brooke's clear voice was exceptionally audible.

"Sis, the IP addresses for the posts slandering you have all been traced! The source is Summer's dorm!"

"I've also posted the evidence online, and it's going viral fast. And I sent copies to the military academy's oversight office and the faculty complaint box."

I acknowledged with a hum and hung up the phone.

The room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Those who had just been looking at me with questioning eyes were now all staring down at their phones in shock.

Soon, a commotion erupted outside.

Several people stormed in angrily, led by the girl who had previously teased Summer and Lucas-Summer's best friend.

She pointed her phone camera at my face and shouted furiously.

"Dr. Reed! What do you mean by this?!"

"Even if Summer made a mistake, do you have to be so extreme, trying to completely ruin her? And you reported the Instructor too!"

"Just because you and Instructor Thomas have issues, others aren't allowed to silently care, to truly love? You're just jealous!"

After her passionate accusations.

Several interns also became indignant.

"Apologize! You falsely accused a female student of being a homewrecker, aren't you shameless?!"

"Go find Summer! Hundreds of thousands of viewers in the livestream are waiting for her to confront you face-to-face!"

I gave a slight smile.

"Summer? Fine, I know where she is."

I led these young people directly to a little-known fire escape staircase.

The closer we got, the clearer the indecent sounds became.

It was Summer's breathless purr.

"Instructor Thomas, how do I compare to that old hag Ava?"

Immediately followed by Lucas Thomas's lust-filled grunt.

"She's not even worth one of your fingers. I'll divorce her soon!"

"Summer, if you get pregnant this time, don't get rid of it. I only want children from you..."

Outside the staircase, there was dead silence.

I took my time.

Watching their faces turn pale, then green, completely stunned.

The livestream instantly exploded!