The Cold Surgeon's Contract Bride novel Chapter 433

The voice was painfully familiar. I stopped in my tracks and turned around to see Ferris sitting on a stool near the operating table. His arms were crossed, and his gaze coldly evaluated me.

His commanding presence was undeniable. Even though he was sitting and physically lower than me, his chin was tilted up in arrogance. Behind his silver-rimmed glasses, his striking eyes radiated the overwhelming authority of an apex predator.

"Too busy flirting to remember your actual job! You really are a true pioneer for the Department of Anesthesiology, Dr. Hayes."

Ah, so Ferris hadn't actually let me off the hook. He had just waited until the surgery was over to settle the score and force an apology out of me.

Speechless, helpless, and profoundly exhausted, the weight of the day crashed onto my shoulders, making me slump in defeat.

I had been busting my ass all day, and Ferris hadn't noticed a thing. But the second Leon Lennox brought me a meal and chatted with me for two minutes, he saw it perfectly. Now, he was using that fleeting moment to mock me, accusing me of being so obsessed with romance that I neglected my duties.

I met his stare. Behind those silver frames, his eyes were sharp, freezing, and brimming with undeniable displeasure.

As I processed his anger, the truth finally clicked. Ferris didn't care about me wasting the team's time; this was all about getting revenge for his precious favorite.

Not long ago, I had subtly mocked his little darling, implying she was a manipulative attention-seeker trying to steal Leon.

Ferris couldn't defend her directly back then, so he was using this opportunity to crush me, twisting the situation to force an apology out of me.

He didn't demand I apologize to him. He demanded I apologize to everyone—and that conveniently included Zoey.

Ferris really was pulling out all the stops for Zoey.

"Ferris, I actually understand Selena," Zoey spoke up from behind him, playing the innocent defender. "She and Dr. Lennox just started dating. It's completely normal to get a little swept up in the honeymoon phase and lose track of time. You shouldn't be so hard on her."

The head nurse, genuinely feeling bad for me, immediately stepped in. "Director Sterling, this was my oversight. I'm the one who should apologize. Selena really has been..."

Was I angry? Absolutely. But I didn't have the energy left to defend myself. The person framing you always knows exactly how innocent you are. Who was I even supposed to explain myself to?

So, I didn't bother explaining, nor did I want the head nurse to do it for me.

"Head Nurse, it's fine," I said, gently pulling her back.

I then looked at Ferris, forcing a tight, hollow smile as I offered a deep bow. "I'm sorry. It was my fault. I apologize to Director Sterling, and to everyone—"

Before I could finish the second apology, my vision went completely black. A sudden wave of dizziness hit me, and I pitched forward, collapsing to the floor.