Chapter 145



“How could you do that earlier, Caiden?” Belinda said, her voice sharp with frustration the moment the call connected.

On the other end of the line, Caiden let out an awkward chuckle, his unease evident. “Star, I know I was wrong this time. I broke my promise. But what could I do? You saw the situation—I had no choice but to agree!”

Belinda’s voice was tinged with irritation. “You agreed, fine. But why on earth did you have to throw in that idea about promoting me to attending physician?” Belinda asked, her frustration clear.

Caiden responded with a firm tone, “What else was I supposed to do? We couldn’t just let them walk all over us without putting up a fight, could we?” He spoke with complete conviction, as though what he had done was the only reasonable course of action. “If we’re going to make this interesting, there has to be something on the line. Rewards, penalties—basic rules,” Caiden said, his tone serious.

Belinda raised an eyebrow. “You could’ve just offered your bonus,” she replied coolly.

Caiden paused and then laughed awkwardly. “Uh… That didn’t exactly occur to me at the time.”

“Oh, really?” Belinda’s voice dripped with disbelief.

“I swear, it’s the truth!” Caiden quickly said. “Look, the bet has been made, and the plan is already in motion. Complaining about it now won’t change a thing.”

He hesitated for a moment and then added, “How about this—to make up for all this mess, I owe you a favor. This sounds fair, right?”

At this point, despite her reluctance, Belinda had no choice but to accept the situation. She decided to stop dwelling on it and move forward.

On the other end of the line, Caiden’s voice took on a more serious tone. “The director received an anonymous complaint today, accusing me of favoritism. He’s insisting I address the issue properly. I know Turner is behind this, and I won’t let him off the hook. He needs to be dragged into this mess.”

Belinda raised an eyebrow, intrigued. An anonymous complaint? No wonder Caiden was so upset.

“Now, this has become a matter involving not just you and Kylee, but Turner and me as well,” Caiden continued. “When the time comes, you cannot show any mercy.”

“I understand. Don’t worry,” Belinda replied, her voice cool and assured. When it came to Kylee, mercy was the last thing on her mind.

Caiden’s tone softened a little. “I have no doubts about your ability to handle the type-B aortic dissection surgery. But the virtual surgery system might be new to you. You should practice a little.”

“No need for that,” Belinda replied smoothly. “I’ve used the virtual surgery system plenty of times before.”

Caiden paused, and then, realization dawned on him. Of course! How could he have forgotten who Star’s mentor was? For someone like Belinda, the virtual surgery system was nothing new.

“Alright then! That puts my mind at ease,” he said, relieved.

After exchanging a few more words with Caiden, Belinda ended the call and returned to the office.

News of the upcoming competition between Belinda and Kylee using the virtual surgery system spread like wildfire throughout the hospital. The buzz intensified as everyone began speculating about who would come out on top. Most were quick to place their bets on Kylee. They were sure she would win. After all, Kylee had been under Turner’s expert tutelage for years, while Belinda—well, to most, she was just a pretty face, all style and no substance. Only a select few believed that Belinda could actually win.

But Belinda didn’t mind this in the slightest. She carried on with her tasks, unaffected by the whispers that filled the air around her.

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