Chapter 59

Later that afternoon, Sloane entered the ward where Stella lay. The woman’s face went white the instant she saw her. “No, no! I want a different doctor!” Sloane’s voice was calm, even gentle. “You can scream if you like. No one will care.” The room went cold. Tears spilled down Stella’s cheeks. “Dr. Veyre, please, I was wrong! I shouldn’t have been jealous, shouldn’t have listened to Miss Lyra. Please forgive me!” Sloane tilted her head slightly, her gaze sharp as a scalpel. “So you admit it. You went after me because of Lyra?” Stella sobbed harder, her words tumbling out. “Yes… the benefits she promised were too much. I…I asked about your research paper, and when you refused to tell me, I got angry. I…” When Stella was first admitted to the hospital, it wasn’t out of merit but luck. The top three candidates had all chosen better offers elsewhere, leaving her to slip in as a substitute. Still, she was diligent at first. Always eager to learn, always asking questions she didn’t fully un