Chapter 2
Bella took off her mask, her wide-eyed smile shining as she bounced excitedly.
"I told you! Luck is always on my side! That surgery was perfect!" she said.
She buzzed around Ethan like a hyperactive sparrow, bragging nonstop about how lucky she was.
She really forgot how she'd just been a total mess in the operating room just now.
Ethan's face was full of pride, his eyes practically overflowing with doting affection.
Just then, the dean, Marvin Curtis, walked in with a few other hospital leaders, here to check out the action.
Ethan immediately stepped forward and pointed at Bella, launching into a full-on hype session.
He said with pride, "Marvin, this is our department's rising star, Bella Foster.
"She was the first assistant on this critical A-level surgery, and she performed perfectly!"
"She is a born surgeon. She's not only got that special spark, but also has the good luck!" he added, grinning from ear to ear.
He just wouldn't stop, boasting Bella up like she was some once-in-a-century surgical genius.
He didn't mention even once how many times I had to clean up her messes and save the patient during this surgery.
Lisa and the other doctors watched, wearing looks that said they were dying to clarify but didn't dare.
They wanted to say something, but with Ethan as the head of the department, they just shut up.
I quietly took off my scrubs and walked to a corner, trying not to draw any attention.
Making sure no one was watching, I quietly backed up the data in the surgical recorder to my own cloud storage.
Back at the office, I just finished changing when Ethan followed me in.
He closed the door with a hint of irritation on his face.
"Chloe, you were too aggressive in the operating room," he said coldly.
I looked up at him silently, without saying a word.
He frowned and continued to say in a lecturing tone, "Bella's still a newcomer. You need to encourage her, not make her look bad in front of everyone."
"She made so many mistakes. How can I encourage her? Should I just say her mistakes were impressive?" I scoffed coldly.
"Those were nothing! The surgery was a success, right?" he retorted, voice getting louder. "Who cares about the process? The result is all that matters."
A success? Seriously? I busted my ass to make that happen!
If it weren't for me, it would be unknown whether the patient lying on the operating table today would survive!
I took a deep breath, forcing myself to calm down.
I didn't bother to argue with him.
There was no reason to talk to someone who's got his head stuck in the sand.
Seeing that I didn't speak, he probably thought I was backing down, so his tone softened a bit.
"Forget it," he said.
He took a stack of papers and placed them on my desk.
"The hospital needs a report on our successful surgery and to submit it for the health bureau's excellence award. You are good at it, so you write it," he said, making it clear I had no choice.
I just stared at him, waiting for him to continue.
Sure enough, he cleared his throat and ordered in that commanding and serious tone, "In the report, you should make Bella out to be the star of this surgery. Highlight her quick thinking and brilliance at a critical moment.
"This is very important for her future career advancement and her whole professional path."
I picked up the stack of papers, feeling a sense of cold in my heart.
I looked at him and gave an obedient smile he'd seen many times over the last ten years.
"Okay," I replied calmly and steadily.
Ethan smiled with satisfaction. He wanted to reach out to touch my head, just like he used to comfort me.
But I leaned away just enough to avoid it.
His hand froze in mid-air, a little awkwardly.
I didn't look at him and looked down at the paper as I said quietly, "I need total quiet to write the report. Could you go out?"
He probably thought I was still angry, so he just shook his head helplessly, walking out.
After a while, I took out my phone and dialed Ethan.
"Ethan, I'm still confused about the details of the report. I want to confirm with you again," I said politely.
On the other end of the phone, he was very impatient. "What's there to be confused about? Didn't I make it clear?" he asked.
"I mean, how do you want me to write? For example, about adjusting the anesthesia dosage..." I pressed.
Ethan cut me off, "Obviously, it was Bella who discovered and adjusted it herself! Are you forgetting, Chloe?
"And about wrong tools, wrong numbers, don't mention a word of it! Just write that she was calm and composed throughout the process and cooperated perfectly!"
"Got it," I said. "Just put all my credit on her, right?"
He paused for a moment, then replied stiffly, "That's right."
"Alright, I know how to write it," I said.