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CHAPTER 43
"Sit down, Ethan," Martin said, his voice deep with fatigue.Ethan pulled out the heavy armchair and sat down. His heart beat hard against his ribs.Martin leaned against the edge of his desk. "I won't lie to you. When I first heard about this scandal in Taipei, I was deeply disappointed. I've watched you work for eighteen years. You've always been disciplined, you've handled pressure better than most doctors, and you've stayed out of the political games that plague this hospital. I put your name at the top of the promotion list because I believed you were ready for greater responsibility."He sighed and ran a hand through his silver hair."Then this hotel scandal came out, and I struggled to understand how the man I knew could end up in a situation like this."A knot tightened in Ethan's chest, but he kept his hands still."I've never claimed to be a saint, Director Martin, and I'm not denying that drinking so much that I blacked out was a serious mistake. But I need you to hear the
CHAPTER 42
The morning air outside Westbridge University Hospital was crisp, carrying the damp chill of late autumn.Ethan parked his car in the visitor lot and stepped out. Walking toward the main entrance felt strangely surreal.For eighteen years, he had entered this building as a senior physician, a respected diagnostician, and a key member of the Intensive Care Unit. Today, he arrived as a man whose name was tied to a formal ethics scandal.He bypassed the busy public lobby and headed down the side hallway toward the third-floor staff entrance.At the electronic reader beside the double doors, Ethan pulled his access badge from his pocket and swiped it across the sensor.BEEP-BEEP.A red light flashed.Ethan paused, assuming the reader had malfunctioned. He wiped the card against his lapel and tried again, pressing it firmly against the scanner.BEEP-BEEP.The red light flashed again. The doors remained locked.Ethan stood still in the quiet hallway, his throat tightening. Two junior reside
CHAPTER 41
The alarm on Ethan’s phone buzzed sharply at six in the morning.Instinct took over before his eyes even opened. He sat up, swung his legs over the edge of the bed, and reached for the ironed dress shirt hanging on the back of the chair.He reached for his tie, his mind already turning to morning rounds, ventilator checks, and the shift handover log.Then his hand froze.The silence of the small, cramped room hit him like a brick.He didn't have rounds today. He didn't have an ICU to manage. The notice he'd received yesterday had ended eighteen years of routine in a few lines: his employment at Westbridge University Hospital was terminated, effective immediately.Ethan lowered his hands onto his knees and let out a long breath. Now that the initial shock had worn off, the reality of his termination hit him with painful clarity.He sat on the sagging mattress, staring at the peeling wallpaper by the window, and pulled out his notepad. Uncapping his pen, he began listing his immediate e
CHAPTER 40
At nine o'clock sharp, Ethan stood once more before the table in the boardroom.Director Clement sat at the center, flanked by Dr. Aris and a senior legal representative from the hospital board. Director Vincent sat at the far end, his hands clasped in his lap, his gaze fixed on the table.Dr. Glen was absent, having formally abstained from the vote following Ethan's conflict-of-interest objection the previous afternoon. Even so, his influence hung over the room.Director Clement cleared his throat and pulled a sheet of paper from a black folder."Dr. Reynolds," Clement began, his voice formal. "Following an extraordinary session of the Board of Trustees, a decision has been reached regarding your employment at Westbridge University Hospital."Ethan stood straight, his jaw set. A cold knot tightened in his stomach, but he didn't blink."Based on the documentation submitted under Ethics File #804, the hospital has concluded that the loss of public confidence makes your continued employ
CHAPTER 39
Ethan stepped out of the sub-basement elevator onto the main administrative floor, his heart hammering against his ribs.At the far end of the corridor, outside the door to the Board of Trustees suite, stood Dr. Glen Jenner and Dr. Charles Bennett. They were speaking in low tones, Charles holding a document binder while Glen rested both hands on his silver-headed cane.As Ethan approached, the two men stopped talking. Charles adjusted his glasses, a guarded expression settling over his face. Glen watched Ethan advance, his cold eyes narrowing.Ethan stopped five feet away. Tension tightened in his gut, but his voice remained steady."Dr. Jenner," Ethan said, meeting the older man's gaze. "Days ago, you threatened my career and swore you'd make sure I left Westbridge with nothing. Now you're standing here, pretending to be impartial while reviewing the evidence against me?"Glen's expression didn't change."The board deals with evidence, Ethan, not personal grievances," Glen replied. "
CHAPTER 38
By eight o'clock the following morning, the administrative gears of Westbridge University Hospital had already begun to turn.Ethan stood inside the third-floor administrative office as a senior Human Resources representative handed him an official memo stamped in red. The wording was formal, but its contents were devastating.NOTICE OF TEMPORARY CLINICAL RESTRICTION:Pending the outcome of the ethics inquiry, Dr. Ethan Reynolds's promotion remains on hold. Effective immediately, Dr. Reynolds is relieved of primary surgical sign-offs, independent ICU admissions, and shift leadership. All clinical directives must receive secondary authorization from Deputy Director Charles Bennett or Department Chief Vincent."These are precautionary measures, Dr. Reynolds," the official said flatly. "They do not constitute a formal finding of guilt.""I understand," Ethan replied quietly.He folded the paper and stepped into the main corridor. Calling the restrictions precautionary did nothing to soft
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