bChapter /b9

Jade, scared! might turn on her nest, backed off in a sale distance, watching from the sidelines.

gbing Freya’s protests, Sk pressed a precios spot on her hand the most sensitive nerve,

Freyalet out piercing scream. “It hurts!”

Skr didn’l finch. “Pain’s part of the process. My exams are thorough”

Jade, still at a distance, shouted, “Let her gol I’m not sick–you’re trying to hurt her!”

She turned to the crowd, waving her arms. “What are you all standing there for? Call security! Get the cops”

Skr’s gaze swept the onlookers, her smile easy. “I’m treating her. If you interrupt and something goes wrong, who’s taking the mer

Her words quieted the crowd, their numurs fading as they hesitated.

Skr pulled Freya closer, pressing a few more points..

Freya’s screams grew louder, her voice hoarse from the strain, each cry more desperate than thest.

Skr smirked, her voice thick with sarcasm. “The louder you scream, the closer we’re getting to done.”

Freya couldn’t handle it anymore. Her eyes locked onto Jade, shrinking in the crowd. “Jade, what bare /byou doing just standing there? Help me!”

Jade hesitated, dreading Freya’s angerter. She took a shaky step forward, her jaw clenched

Skr nced at her, her tone bcool/b. “Dr. Lane, your skills bare /bmediocre at best. Better stay out of this.”

Jade’s face burned, her voice sharp. “Mediocre? Don’t talk nonsense. My skills are way above yours”

Skr didn’t bother arguing. She gave a faint smile.

“I read the chartsb,” /bshe said, her voice calm but biting. “bLast /btime, a patient had a fever, and you called it a brain tumor. You put them under the knife for nothing, draining their bank ount and leaving a scar”

She kept going relentless. “And before that? A patient needed surgery, but you sent them home, saying they were fine. Their condition got worse, and they ended up withte–stage cancer.

bJade’s /bface went pale with every word, her confidence falling apart.

“You’re making this up!” she yelled, waving a hand. “I’ve never done anything like that!”

“Really?” Skr said, her tone cold. “Why don’t we ask your patients?” She pressed harder on Freya’s hand, her voice steady. “Anyone here been treated by Dr. Lane?

The crowd exploded as bseveral /bpeople stepped forward, their voices heavy with anger.

“You scumbag!” an older woman spat, pointing bat /bDade. “Your misdiagnosis cost bus /beverything!”

A man clenched his fists, his eyes red with pain. You butcher! You killed my son!”

Another woman shook her bhead/b, her voice sharp with disbelief. “She’s the breal /bfraud. How bdare /bshe point fingers at anyone else?”

A younger man bcrossed /bhis arms, sneering, what else? She’s jealous. Trying to btear /bdown someone better than her.”

An elderly patient leaned on her cane, ber voice low but scathing “How’s a fake like her still at a top hospital like Chestbee? Someone’s got to be pulling

12:44 bWed/bb, /b18 Jun G @@I

strings

A nurse bnearby /bmuttered under her breath, shaking her head. “Guess it’s not just her skills that are rotten. Her personal life’s probably a wreck too

Jade’s eyes shed red, her voice shilll as she turned on the crowd. “Shut up! All of you, shut your mouths!”

She spun on Skr, her face twisted with rage. “You bitch, this is all your

Losing all control, Jade pulled a pen from her pocket and lungedb, /baiming for Skr’s throat.

Skr caught her wrist mid–strike, twisting it with a quick bsnap/b.

Jade’s hand went limp, the pen dropping to the floor as she walled in pain.

“You’ll

pay for this!” Jade screeched, clutching her broken hand, her voice dripping with venom.

“Enough!” Yana’s voice sliced through the chaos as she rushed to Skr’s side, shielding her daughter with her bbody/b.

Yana had been talking with Carlos in the ward when she noticed Freya was gone too long.

Stepping out, she’d seen Jade’s attack on Skr

In that moment, her heart bhad /bstopped, fear gripping her. “Thank God Skr’s okay, she thought as relief washed over her.

If Skr had been hurt, Yana would’ve made Jade pay ten times over,