The Mocked Miss’s Hidden Crowns novel Chapter 1019

Not smart enough…

Don’t waste the spot…

Charlotte’s words cut through the room, sharp and merciless. Olivia’s eyes narrowed, her jaw tightening as she shot back, “I ranked first in the last exam. Sure, maybe I don’t know as much as you, but I’m not clueless. I can follow an experiment. Charlotte, are you just picking on me because of some grudge?”

Microphones and cameras picked up every word. The crowd shifted, all eyes suddenly focused on them.

Olivia’s grades were good. She’d worked in the lab with professors plenty of times. She could handle simple experiments on her own. There was no way she couldn’t keep up right now.

Everyone had heard rumors about the bad blood between her and Charlotte. Was Charlotte really just using her position to make Olivia look bad?

Charlotte didn’t bother with more arguing. She grabbed a piece of equipment and started working, voice steady. “How much iodine do I need?”

Olivia froze. “Iodine? What are you talking about?”

“1.5 milliliters.” Two grad students answered together.

That was basic stuff, the kind of thing everyone was expected to know. Teachers never called it out during the experiment. If you didn’t know the amounts, you’d mess up in practice, no question.

Olivia’s face went pale.

Charlotte didn’t even glance her way, just kept working, her movements slow and precise so everyone could see what she was doing. When she finished the step, she looked up at Olivia again.

“When I made the incision, did I start from the left or the right?”

Olivia’s heart thudded. She swallowed, guessing, “Right side.” She’d been distracted and hadn’t seen.

Charlotte turned to the others. “What about you?”

“Middle,” the two older students answered.

This chance was too big to lose. If she got kicked off the stage now, how would she ever face the department again?

“Enough!” Charlotte’s voice cut her off, cold and final. “Why don’t you ask your department head if just saying ‘sorry’ works after you make a mistake on a patient?”

Charlotte turned, her irritation obvious. “If he thinks that’s fine, you can stay.”

No real doctor would ever say that.

“Let someone else up.” The department head’s face was dark as he stood, voice tight.

“Professor…” Olivia’s hands shook as she balled them into fists, her eyes red with embarrassment and frustration.

“Don’t waste everyone’s time. Get down now.”

The city had sent reporters to cover this session. If anything went wrong, the blame would land squarely on him.