I was the hospital's top surgeon. After three successful surgeries, Medical Affairs decided to reprimand me in front of the whole hospital and canceled my bonus for the month.

I argued with the head of Medical Affairs. "I've been working for this place for ten years, and I've always been the first to do everything! I went through five surgeries nonstop last year and had to go through one myself for exhaustion! What did I do to deserve this?"

Yes, I was the top surgeon, but the bills were stressing me out, too. My husband had just lost his job, and I had to pay for the car, the mortgage, and our kid's extracurriculars. The burden I had to shoulder wasn't an easy one.

So, I was counting on that bonus to get my kid into a basketball club, and now it had been taken away from me. This couldn't be happening! I couldn't believe that they were blaming me for a successful surgery!

I was high up in the hierarchy here, so the department head didn't start a fallout right away. Instead, he tried to calm me down.

"You drank two bags of IV during the late-night surgery and charged the patients for it. Their family's complaining about unfair fees, and it went viral. We had no choice!"

That reminded me. That surgery was a complex one, and it wasn't even supposed to be assigned to me. After all, I'd been working around the operating table for 36 hours prior to that.

However, it was the deputy director who came to me and insisted that I take over. I had no choice but to go ahead.

Slandered

The surgery had gone perfectly, and yet, this was what I got. I took a deep breath and answered calmly, "I understand. This is on me. I'll be taking a month off to reflect on my actions."

The department head was smug about how he got the win, so he approved my PTO. A week later, the director called me and asked me to get back to work.

I informed him that I had taken one month off. My answer immediately wiped off the fake smile on Jebediah Constantine's face. Then, he started gloating, "That's more like it, Dr. Birch. Step down when you can. You can never win against the court of public opinion.

"I'm sure you don't want to ruin the hospital's reputation due to your mistakes."

The man's greasy attitude made my stomach churn. I refused to talk to him, so I left the office.

The scent of antiseptic in the corridor tasted sharp, especially in my disappointment. I spent 10 years being nothing but professional at my job. I had to take emergency surgeries at 2 a.m. There were even times I conducted surgeries for 72 hours straight.

I had saved countless patients from certain death with my own two hands.

My name and skills were renowned in the surgery department and the entire hospital. Yet, all it took was a couple of bags of IV drip that cost less than two dollars for me to see everyone's true colors.

I had an idea of what the patient's family's faces looked like when they demanded an explanation. Those of the intellectually challenged tended to blend together after a while.

The deputy director had dragged me to my feet after I'd exhausted myself conducting three surgeries back-to-back.

Of course, they had no idea that my arms were already convulsing and shivering halfway through the six-hour procedure that night. The IV drips gave me the little boost I needed to go on.

I saved a family's breadwinner's arm, but all I received for my efforts was a complaint, a public reprimand, and my bonus flying away.

I returned to my office, and my student, Leslie, came up to me looking worried. "How'd it go, Dr. Birch? Did that sly old fox set you up?"

I took my coat off and placed it on the back of my chair. "The penalty remains. I've taken a month off to get some rest."

"What?" Leslie's eyes bulged. "But why? I bet Jebediah's up to something!"

He turned red with rage and kept pacing around my office. "His nephew just got back from his studies overseas. They claim he majored in surgery to spruce up his portfolio, but he didn't even have the right to lead a surgery during his stint abroad!"

He continued huffily, "Jebediah's been trying to get a spot for him in our department, but it's all filled up. You're the pillar of our department, so he can't do anything to you! Now, he's got an excuse to kick you out and replace you with his nephew!"

I listened to him quietly. I understood now. That made sense.

Leslie's rage soared to greater heights. He rolled up his sleeves and was about to go on a rampage, growling, "He's getting a piece of my mind! This is ridiculous!"

"Stop!" I said.

Leslie turned to look at me in confusion.

I shook my head. "It's useless, Leslie."

Leslie froze. "But Dr. Birch…"

I looked outside the window. A clown like Jebediah wasn't the real reason I was disappointed. Yes, he played a part, but if the hospital's leadership cared about me and my reputation… Well, they'd never have allowed Jebediah's little trick to go unanswered.

However, they decided to sweep it under the rug.

They sacrificed me just to placate the people who'd submitted an absurd complaint and the court of public opinion. They knew how many patients I'd saved and how much I'd helped them build their reputation.

Even so, I was a pawn to be discarded when push came to shove.

And that patient, Tristan Sunderland. His arm was mangled by a tyre. It'd been crushed when he was taken to us. His bones had been very much visible for all to see when he was brought in for treatment.

I'd just gotten out of my previous surgery then, and my eyes were barely open. The deputy director came to the lounge and pleaded, "Jessica, you're the only one who can do this. Please, you must take him on."

And so I did. I stitched up Tristan's arm needle by needle with my trembling hands, pulling it back from total destruction.

And then his family stabbed me in the back for something that cost less than two dollars.

I packed my stuff up.

There was absolutely no way I was going to stay in this hellhole for even a second longer.

Threat

I picked up the cardboard box and went to the first-floor lobby. Jebediah drifted out from behind a pillar like a wraith. "Aw, are you in a rush, Dr. Birch?"

He deliberately stood before me, his eyes glinting with another scheme. "There's one final process to go through."

I looked at him coldly. 'Out of my way."

Jebediah froze before chortling. "Temper, temper, Dr. Birch." He didn't seem to have heard me as he continued, "Just to answer the Internet's curiosity, we've decided to make a broadcast about your punishment."

"What?" That must be a joke. A broadcast? On the Internet?

Jebediah took his phone out and showed me the screen. It was the hospital's official account, and they posted something titled 'A public announcement about Jessica Birch's unlawful charging.'

There were thousands of comments already. I scrolled through them with shaky hands.

'I can't believe you'd steal something that cheap, trash doctor!'

'How'd she even become a doctor? Look into her case!'

'Thanks for punishing her! She deserves it!'

No one even asked for the whole story. No one talked about how I had conducted three surgeries before the final one. No one knew that the IV drip saved an arm and a whole family. All they cared about was the unlawful charging.

A chill went straight up my spine. So, this was the patient I risked my life saving. "I won't do it," I said icily.

Jebediah knew I would say that, and his smarmy smile remained. "I'm afraid that's not up to you, Dr. Birch."

Then, he had the gall to pat my arm and say in a faux-sweet tone, "It's the director's idea. The public needs an answer if we are to calm this storm."

The director? The same man who encouraged me and said I was the hospital's future? My stomach was churning again.

Jebediah was pleased with the look on my face.

He called someone and put his phone beside my ear.

"Jessica," said the director.

I said nothing.

A while later, the director continued drily, "I'm sure Mr. Constantine has told you everything. We're under a lot of pressure. You know how hard it is to keep the Internet in check. Just… deal with it. I'm sorry you have to go through this."

That nearly made me laugh. He was sorry that I had to go through this? He made it sound like it was just another day and not him ruining my career.

"When this blows over, I'll try to give you your bonus back next month. Get some rest. Come back to work when you feel better."

He was serving me another empty promise. They took away what I deserved and tried to make it sound like they were doing me a favor.

I sneered. "Save it, Mr. West. I quit."

The director froze. "Calm down, Jessica! It's just a small mat—"

"A small matter?" I interrupted. "So my reputation, my work, and my dignity are nothing but a small matter you could just do with as you please? A pawn you can discard on a whim? Yeah, no. I'm not staying here, not any longer."

I hung up and tossed the phone back to Jebediah. He was shocked by my sudden resignation. That threw a wrench in his plans.

If I were to leave, his useless nephew would lose his excuse to shut the department up if they were to talk about him.

So, Jebediah sneered and threatened, "You'd better think long and hard, Jessica. I don't care if you're quitting, but you're not leaving until the broadcast is over! That's the rule! If you ignore that, I'll make sure you have no place in the medical world!

"No hospital will ever hire a blacklisted doctor the Internet hates!"

He might as well be shooting daggers at me with his furious glare. "The skills you're so proud of will rot with you!"

My hands clenched down on my box.

The lobby was filled with people.

I hated Jebediah's smug look, but I had bills to pay. So, I had no other choice but to clench my teeth as I spat, "Fine."

The Ignorant Internet

The streaming room's lights were harsher than the operating theater's. Jebediah was right beside me, a gloating grin curling his lips. The chatroom was exploding.

'Get out of the medical world, scum!'

'You'd even steal something that cheap? You should have your license taken away!'

'The hospital did the right thing!'

My heart was turning stone cold. Jebediah elbowed me. With a low voice, he said, "Your turn to speak, Dr. Birch. And be genuine."

I raised my head and faced the camera, then I took a deep breath. I said hoarsely, "I acknowledge my fault in this matter. I've failed my patient and the hospital."

The chatroom exploded again.

'At least someone knows she's a failure!'

'You should've confessed sooner!'

'You shouldn't even be a doctor! You'd kill someone!'

I laughed at myself. Then I enunciated, "I, Jessica Birch, hereby announce my departure from Mercy Hospital. I resign as the surgical department's attending physician."

The chatroom fell silent.

Shortly after, a deluge of mocking comments showed up.

'Good! Get out of here!'

'Now the hospital is free of filth!'

Jebediah's smile kept growing wider. This was what he wanted.

The broadcast came to an end. I left the hospital without turning back. That night, I had a dream. In that dream, all I could see were fingers pointing at me while everyone yelled at me.

"You liar!"

"You butcher!"

I tried to defend myself and said that IV drip was used to save a life, but they all refused to hear me out. The yells turned into screams, and I… I jolted awake.

It was 5 a.m.

So, my episode woke my husband up. He turned on the table lamp and looked at me, worried. "Another nightmare?"

He had seen the broadcast, but he asked no questions and stayed with me in silent solidarity.

As he held my icy hands, he murmured softly, "You don't have to do this, honey. Everything will turn out fine as long as your conscience is clear. Your skills will be treasured somewhere else."

That did it.

My emotions broke through, and I bawled into his chest. I had spent my last decade for nothing. I spent hours upon hours and risked my life all to have my reputation ruined while the netizens cheered for my dismissal.

The director called me a week later.

I hesitated, but eventually accepted the call. "Jessica! No, Dr. Birch! I think you've had enough rest. You need to get back to work!"

I thought I was hallucinating.

The director continued, "The penalty's been removed! I'll get finance to give you your bonus! Double bonus!"

I sneered. "Why would you do that?"

The director paused. When he spoke again, he was in disbelief. "Why? Haven't you scrolled through the Internet for the past week?"