Chapter 6

Natalie's POV

The room door burst open. Footsteps approached. Following the sound, I grabbed desperately at someone's sleeve.

"Doctor, my eyes can't go blind!"

My voice shook with utter terror.

No one understood better than me what a working pair of eyes meant to a surgeon.

They were my foundation. The future I'd earned through more than a decade of youth, countless sleepless nights.

I was almost begging, my voice hoarse and broken.

"Please, whatever surgery, whatever treatment, as long as it can save my eyes, I will cooperate with anything. I'm a doctor too. I can't lose my eyes."

A soft voice tinged with mockery suddenly came from the doorway.

"Natalie, I know you're upset about your injury, but even now, can you stop lying to save face?"

Vivian, wearing a hospital gown, walked slowly into the room.

"You didn't even get your degree before you ran off abroad in disgrace. Where do you get off calling yourself a doctor? Saying this now just makes you look ridiculous."

Her words hit like a slap across my face. Memories I'd buried with time suddenly became sharp again.

Years ago, when Vivian and I competed for the school's only PhD slot, Vivian took my year-long core thesis, changed the author name, and submitted it for evaluation. I lost the position.

Afterward, I reported Vivian for plagiarism. But Ethan provided false testimony for her.

The professor knew Ethan and I had been in a relationship. Seeing him not only refuse to favor his girlfriend but actually testify for Vivian, plus given the Pierce family's influence, the scales naturally tipped.

I could only continue appealing to the school.

But during my appeal, they leaked compromising photos of me and spread rumors. They reported me to the school for academic misconduct and promiscuous behavior. Under public pressure, the school finally voided my thesis and added a mark to my record.

I confronted Vivian angrily, but Ethan stood in front of her, his tone carrying condescending judgment.

"Natalie, I already explained this. Vivian accidentally deleted her thesis, so she asked for yours to reference. Stop being so relentless."

"As for whoever spread those rumors about you, I already tracked down their IP address. This whole thing has nothing to do with Vivian from start to finish."

He paused, his tone dismissive.

"Your grades are good anyway. If you don't get it this time, there'll be other chances. But this opportunity is crucial for Vivian. I can't let her get written up. I can't let her face any risk."

He couldn't let Vivian face any risk. So he used my thesis and trampled my reputation to pave her path.

If not for my excellent academic record and résumé, the school would have voided my thesis and I would have faced far worse consequences.

At that point, forget continuing my PhD. I might not even have graduated.

But Ethan never considered any of this for me.

Fortunately, I'd long since stopped expecting anything from him. Fortunately, during those years orbiting around him, I never stopped studying.

That's why I had the chance to be recruited by a top global medical university.

Everyone thought I went abroad because I was too ashamed to show my face. They didn't know I went to study advanced medicine.

Later, I earned my place in the medical field through solid credentials and skills.

But now, my eyes had gone blind.

All my efforts and ambitions vanished in an instant.