He Gave My Promotion to His Childhood Sweetheart

I'd just found out I was pregnant when the hospital sent out a notice canceling my eligibility for the Chief Physician review.

The reason: 【pregnancy would tie up resources, plus the conflict-of-interest policy】.

I went to argue it out with my husband, Isaac Henson, the hospital director. He barely glanced at me.

"You're pregnant now. Stay home and take care of yourself. Let Joyce Dickerson have the Chief Physician title."

I froze where I stood.

For that one slot, I'd worked more than sixteen hours a day in this hospital.

Over six years, one thousand three hundred and sixty-five surgeries. Zero post-op complications.

The hardest procedures, the double-valve resets and replacements, no one in this entire hospital could do them but me.

My research papers had won the hospital thirty million in funding.

By skill, by contribution, that title should have been mine.

And now he wanted to hand it to an ordinary physician who'd been here less than six months.

I said it flat out.

"I don't agree."

Isaac frowned.

"Pregnancy and the baby will set you back at least three years. Giving you the Chief title now just means the slot sits there wasted. I'm the director. I can't abuse my position for personal gain. Can't you be a little reasonable?"

"Joyce just got here. She needs to find her footing. It's only a title. Why do you care so much about an empty name? You're older than she is. Just let her have it."

Something in me went cold.

I looked at him, and I smiled.

"Fine. I'll let it go. You included."

……

I turned and started gathering my things. Isaac thought I'd given in, and his tone softened. "That's more like it. Once the baby's born, there'll be plenty of chances."

I took off my badge, set it on his desk, and walked out.

Behind me, his voice dropped.

"Marion, what's that supposed to mean?"

I didn't stop.

"Exactly what it looks like."

He got up and grabbed my arm.

"It's one Chief Physician slot. Do you really have to make a scene over this? It's not like there won't be other chances."

"Make a scene?"

I turned and looked at him.

"Six years. You've said that to me every single time. The first time, I gave it up for Nadine, because you said she'd put in eight years, it wasn't easy for her."

"The second time I gave it up for young Gordon, because you said the hospital needed fresh talent."

"The third time, the fourth time, you always had a reason for me to step aside. Six times, Isaac. I'm thirty-two. I'm not young anymore!"

He frowned, impatient.

"But you're pregnant. The hospital can't let a pregnant woman who'll be useless soon sit on a slot. You did this to yourself."

I almost laughed in his face.

"Nora in Neurology got promoted to Chief Physician while she was pregnant. So did Rachel in General Surgery. Plenty of others too. Do you want me to list them all?"

His face soured.

"But none of them have a husband who runs the hospital. If I went ahead and gave you the Chief title anyway, what would people think? Marion, since when did you get this selfish?"

"I'm selfish?"

I laughed.

"Nora's husband is head of the administrative office. Rachel's father is executive deputy director. Which one of them recused themselves?"

"But I'm the director—"

"So what if you're the director?"

My eyes stung, hot.

"I, Marion Butler, earn my title with my skill, with my dedication to this work, with the research strength that brings this hospital its funding. Not through my connection to you, the director!"

"So I can't be promoted because I'm pregnant, and I have to recuse myself because I'm the director's wife. Isaac, is it the rules that don't hold up, or is it that you simply don't think much of me at all?"

"You want to talk to me about recusal? You and Joyce grew up together, childhood sweethearts, and that doesn't need recusing? You hand the Chief Physician title to an ordinary doctor with six months on the job, and that isn't abusing your position for personal gain?"

Isaac's face went dark.

Right then, Joyce pushed the door open.

She saw me, and started explaining, careful and timid.