A smile lingered at the corners of her mouth. "Dr. Simmons, catch."
The banner was thrust toward me. The man holding it gave it a shake, and the fabric unfurled.
The moment I read the words, my expression went dark.
BRAZEN AND SHAMELESS. HOMEWRECKER.
Eight bold characters hit me like invisible slaps across the face, burning my cheeks crimson.
My whole body trembled. When I spoke, my voice came out cold as ice.
"What exactly is this supposed to mean, Ms. Walker?"
And just like that, Olivia's demeanor shifted completely. Her gaze raked over me from head to toe.
"Maxwell's not here. You can drop the act."
"The second you came out of that operating room yesterday, I noticed. Your eyes were practically glued to him."
"We're both women. Don't think for a second I can't see those pathetic little thoughts running through your head."
She pressed a hand to her mouth in an exaggerated gag, staring at me with undisguised revulsion.
"Some angel in white you are. Spending your days scheming to seduce a patient's husband. Disgusting."
I slammed the banner to the ground, the words of rebuttal already rising in my throat.
But then I thought of those two marriage certificates, and I couldn't tell which one was real. The words lodged in my throat and refused to come out.
Seeing me struck silent, Olivia's arrogance swelled.
"Hit a nerve, didn't I?"
"You picked OB-GYN on purpose. Figured you'd prey on families when they're at their most vulnerable."
She jerked her chin at the man who'd delivered the banner.
"You. Drag her out into the hallway."
I backed away, eyes locked on him, and snapped, "Don't touch me!"
But the next second, a cup smashed against my skull.
A warm trickle of blood ran down from my temple.
By the time I came back to my senses, the hallway was packed with onlookers.
Olivia wheeled herself out of the room, shouting at the top of her lungs.
"Everyone, come look! This OB-GYN doctor preys on women right after they give birth, seducing their husbands while they're still weak!"
"From the very first second she laid eyes on my husband yesterday, she hasn't looked away once!"
She ordered the man pinning me down to rip off my surgical mask, then grabbed a fistful of my hair and wrenched my face up for the entire crowd to see.
The instant she got a clear look at my features, a flash of jealousy cut through Olivia's eyes.
"Just as I thought. A face built for seduction. Born to lure men away from their families."
She stepped in front of me and swung her palm across my face.
A searing sting exploded across my cheek.
Then Olivia deliberately twisted the ring on her finger so the jagged setting faced her palm and dragged it hard across my skin, carving an open wound down my face.
A nurse who had rushed over at the commotion went pale. She stamped her foot and sprinted toward the director's office.
I fought to wrench free of the hands holding me down, but the blood streaming from my wounds was draining my strength faster than I could summon it.
Maxwell came back carrying breakfast. The moment he saw the crowd, panic seized him.
"Excuse me, let me through!"
He shoved his way through the wall of bodies and went straight to Olivia, checking her over from head to toe with painstaking care.
"Livvy, are you okay? What's going on? Why is everyone crowded around out here?"
Olivia grabbed his hand, her face glowing with self-satisfaction.
"You're back just in time. I just exposed Dr. Simmons's true colors in front of everyone!"
"She's been parading around in front of you on purpose, trying to sink her claws into you!"
Maxwell gave her nose an indulgent little tap.
"You and your jealousy. You know there's no room in my heart for anyone but you."
"But let me get a look at this Dr. Simmons and see what kind of face she's got, thinking she could make a play for my woman."
Olivia's finger pointed straight past him, aimed at something behind his back.
Maxwell turned to follow her gaze and locked eyes with me.
Clatter.
Everything in his hands crashed to the floor.
His pupils contracted sharply, the color draining from his face.
"Sapphire, what are you doing here?"
