Before dawn, the crowd had already choked the hospital entrance.
Some held up phones, livestreaming.
Others carried signs, black letters on white board.
【Justice for the woman.】
【Get the anesthesiologist out of this hospital.】
【Protect women. Don't stay silent.】
Every line sounded like justice.
Every line landed on Lowell Delgado.
He sat in his office, having gone the whole night without sleep.
His white coat hung over the back of the chair, the cuffs still smelling of disinfectant.
He looked at his phone and said nothing for a long time.
On the screen was a video posted by a patient he'd once saved.
The man had bled out in a car crash, and Lowell had stood at the operating table for six hours to keep him alive.
The day he was discharged, he'd gripped Lowell's hand and called him the father who gave him a second life.
Now he sat in front of a camera and let out a sigh.
"Dr. Delgado was always good to me."
"But I never thought he'd be involved in something like this."
"If it's true, I hope he has the courage to own up to it."
The comments were all praising how clear-eyed he was.
【Even someone he saved talks like this. There must be something to it.】
【Even people who know him won't dare speak up for him.】
【The doctor's halo just shattered.】
Lowell finished watching and shut off the phone.
I knew it hurt him. It hurt more than any stranger's insults.
People he'd saved, people who'd been grateful, were the first to jump out and ride the trend before there was a shred of evidence.
In the last life, it was exactly these "neutral statements" that crushed him.
Everyone said if it's true.
But no one stopped to ask, what if it's false?
Eight in the morning, the director called a meeting.
The conference room was packed.
Medical Affairs, Public Relations, Legal, the head of Anesthesiology, and Mona Larson with Merlin Donaldson.
Mona wore a face mask, her eyes swollen.
She'd left off her makeup, which made her look even more fragile.
Merlin slapped down a stack of printed comment screenshots on the table.
"This isn't us making trouble."
"It's the public wanting an explanation."
The head of Public Relations said quietly, "The official account's DMs have blown up."
Medical Affairs added, "We've got patients asking to cancel their surgeries."
The head of Anesthesiology glanced at Lowell, his lips moved, but he said nothing.
The director rubbed his brow wearily.
"Lowell, take a suspension for now."
Lowell looked up.
"On what grounds?"
The director's tone hardened.
"On the grounds that we can't hold back the public right now."
"Step back for the moment. We'll talk once the investigation is clear."
I let out a small laugh.
"So you really do say the same thing."
The director didn't catch it.
"What did you say?"
"I said, step back for now, and then what?"
"Make him apologize?"
"Make him write a self-criticism?"
"Make him admit he mismanaged the situation?"
The director avoided my eyes.
Merlin jumped in at once.
"Our Mona isn't trying to destroy anyone."
"She just wants some show of accountability."
Mona kept her head down as the tears came again.
"I don't want to relive the details."
"It was too filthy."
Someone in the room drew a sharp breath.
That was exactly where she was dangerous.
The less she spelled out, the more everyone else filled in for her.
The director's face went completely dark.
"Lowell, sign the suspension notice first."
"Then put out an apology statement."
Lowell didn't move.
The director pushed the paper in front of him.
"You have to think about the hospital."
I picked up the paper and glanced at it.
It read:
【Due to personal conduct causing an adverse social impact, Lowell Delgado is suspended from all medical duties.】
Personal conduct.
Adverse impact.
Every word convicted him in advance.
I set the paper back on the table.
"He's not signing."
Mona suddenly lifted her head and looked at me.
"Ms. Simmons, I know you're his wife."
"But you're a woman too."
"Why can't you stand on my side?"
Merlin recorded the line instantly.
"Director Simmons, the way you're acting will break a lot of women's hearts."
I looked at his phone.
"You've got a good eye for filming."
Merlin smiled.
"I'm only documenting."
The next second, the conference room door was shoved open.
A few patients' family members burst in.
Security hadn't stopped them.
A middle-aged woman pointed at Lowell and started shouting:
"That's him, isn't it?"
"We're canceling our afternoon surgery!"
"Who knows if something happens after the anesthesia!"
Another man slammed his medical file onto the table.
"To think I actually booked an appointment with him before."
"Playing the decent man!"
Someone even spat at me.
"The wife's covering up for him too."
"Your daughter's going to run into a man like this someday!"
Lowell shot to his feet.
I pressed my hand down on his.
He couldn't move.
One push, one touch, and by tomorrow the video's headline would become:
【Accused doctor, shamed into a rage, attacks patient's family in public.】
In the last life, this was exactly how they pushed him past his limit.
He'd only blocked a water cup thrown at me.
But the video left nothing except the frame of his raised hand.
This time, I wouldn't let them cut it a second time.
I stood up, pulled out a tissue, and wiped the spit off my face.
Merlin's lens was practically shoved into my face.
"Director Simmons, still not going to apologize?"
I turned to Mona.
"You say that after yesterday's surgery, Lowell assaulted you."
Her tears stopped.
Merlin frowned at once.
"Director Simmons, don't force the victim to relive her pain."
I ignored him.
"The location was Operating Room Three?"
Mona bit her lip.
"Yes."
"And the time was two seventeen in the afternoon?"
Her eyes wavered.
Merlin gripped her shoulder.
"Mona, don't be afraid."
Mona drew a breath.
"Yes."
I went on:
"And it was just you and Lowell at the time?"
She closed her eyes, tears spilling down.
"Yes."
"I couldn't wake up."
"I couldn't fight back."
The shouting in the room grew louder.
The director's face had gone livid.
He slammed the suspension notice down on the table.
"Lowell Delgado, sign it!"
I took out my phone and dialed 911.
"No need to sign."
"Let the police come."
Mona's eyes flew open.
And in that instant, the smile on Merlin's face froze.
