After Rejection Divorced Luna Becomes A Famous Doctor (Hailey and Dominic) novel Chapter 14

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

HAILEY

I felt something twist violently in my stomach, rage mixing with that old familiar sting of shame, the

shame I thought I’d buried, the shame I had worked so hard to burn away with every sleepless night, every

surgery, every moment I fought to prove myself.

They had no idea what I had sacrificed, what I had endured. To them, I was nothing more than the rumors

they whispered about, the caricature they painted to soothe their own insecurities.

Valerie’s nails dug lightly into my wrist. I turned my head and saw her eyes blazing, her lips pressed so tightly together I thought she might draw blood.

“Hailey-” She whispered, her voice trembling with restrained fury.

I swallowed hard, forcing air into my lungs. My instincts screamed at me to march up to them and tear their words apart piece by piece, to demand they say it to my face instead of slithering in the shadows. But’l stood frozen, listening, the pain of their voices pressing against me like a hand around my throat.

Because no matter how strong I had become, words still cut. Especially when they sliced at the very

things I held most sacred, my son, my integrity, the blood and sweat I poured into this job.

And yet, I knew this wasn’t the first time they had said it, but this time… This time, it was going to be the

last.

I have been quiet for too long, been swallowing their venom until it burned my insides raw.

But there comes a point when silence doesn’t mean strength anymore, it becomes surrender. And I was done surrendering. Not when they dragged my son into their gutter mouths, not when they spat on every drop of sweat and sacrifice I had poured into this job.

I stepped out from behind the corner, my shoes clicking hard against the tile as I made my presence

known. The laughter died instantly.

Their heads snapped toward me, faces paling as they realized I had heard every single word. Valerie trailed right behind me, her arms crossed and her expression deadly.

“Well,” I said, my voice steady, colder than I even intended, “please don’t stop on my account. You all sounded so confident a moment ago. Go on, say it again. To my face this time.”

The student nurse’s eyes went wide, her face turning crimson as she stumbled over her words. “D–Dr.

Anderson, we–we weren’t-”

“Save it,” I cut her off sharply, my gaze never leaving the two seniors. “You’re still young. Maybe one day

you’ll grow a spine of your own instead of hiding behind the bitterness of others. Until then, I suggest you learn to keep your mouth shut in a hospital where every word echoes louder than you think.”

She shrank back instantly, muttering an apology, but I didn’t waste another breath on her. My attention

13

TOREFOURTEEN

locked on the two who should have known better, who did know better, and yet chose to sink this low.

“You,” I pointed to the first, the one who had snarled about my promotions. “You’ve been here longer than me, yes. You’ve had the time, the chances, the experience. So if I’ve surpassed you, maybe instead of slandering me, you should be asking yourself why. Because it sure as hell wasn’t handed to me. I earned every single thing I have in this place, every title, every patient who survived because I refused to give up when others did. I bled for this job. I nearly lost myself for it. And you want to reduce that to gossip about who I’ve supposedly slept with? Pathetic.”

Her mouth opened as if to argue, but no words came out.

“And you,” I turned to the second one, the one who dragged Liam into it. My chest rose and fell heavily, my hands curling into fists at my sides. “How dare you. How dare you bring my child into your poison. You don’t know me. You don’t know a damn thing about what I went through to raise him, or the choices I had to make. That boy is the reason I am still standing here today, and you will not disrespect him with your filthy lies.” My voice shook now, not with weakness, but with rage restrained only by the thin thread of professionalism I had left.

The hallway had gone utterly silent. A couple of passing nurses had slowed down, watching the scene unfold with wide eyes. For once, no one dared interrupt.

I took one step closer to them, lowering my voice, but making sure it cut through the silence like a blade.” If I hear either of you, or anyone else in this hospital, speak about me or my son that way again, I swear I will not hesitate to take it higher. And believe me, unlike your pathetic rumors, I’ll have proof. Consider this

your one and only warning.”

Valerie finally stepped forward then, her voice sharp as steel. “And for the record, I stand with Hailey because she’s the best damn doctor here. She’s saved more lives than either of you combined, and while you’re wasting your energy whispering like bitter children, she’s out there doing the work you can’t.”

The sting of her words landed hard, and I could see it on their faces, the flicker of guilt, quickly smothered by pride. But it didn’t matter. I had said what needed to be said, and I wasn’t about to waste another second of my life or energy on them.

Straightening my coat, I turned on my heel, my head high. “Now, if you’ll excuse us, some of us have actual

lives to save.”

Valerie followed at my side, and though my pulse was still hammering in my chest, a strange calm settled over me. It wasn’t easy, and it didn’t erase the sting of their words, but for the first time in a long time, I didn’t feel like I was drowning under the influence of their gossip.

I had faced them. And I had won.

M Mary Swan

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