Chapter 463

They’d only ever rejected and ostracized Anastasia because Lauren had led them
to.
If Anastasia really had been the talentless fraud Lauren claimed, perhaps it
wouldn’t have mattered. But the truth was, Anastasia was talented even.
exceptional,
That made Lauren’s earlier slander all the more questionable.
Especially considering their backgrounds: one was Cecilia’s adopted daughter, the other her biological child.
Was Lauren’s behavior really unintentional?
Sensing the growing doubt in the room, Lauren nearly ground her teeth to dust. She didn’t hesitate as she blurted out, “Dean, I was wrong. I only acted out of concern for the Institute’s reputation—the rumors outside were getting out of hand, and I was afraid it would damage the name of Global Harmony Medical Institute
Mr. Lockwood raised her hand, cutting Lauren off. “That’s not something you need to say to me. You should be apologizing to Anastasia.”
Lauren dug her nails into her palm, forcing herself to turn to face Anastasia.
Anastasia was starting to find the old lady quite likable. When Lauren turned toward her, Anastasia merely smiled, calm as ever.
This was the moment for a magnanimous person to step in and say, “It’s fine,” saving Lauren the trouble. But Anastasia was not such a person.
She said nothing, and when Lauren continued to stand there, jaw clenched and silent, Anastasia even arched an eyebrow. “Ms. Brennan, cat got your tongue?”
Lauren nearly choked on her own anger. Under Mr. Lockwood’s stern gaze, and with everyone else watching, she finally managed to squeeze out, I’m sorry.”
Anastasia looked far from satisfied with this half-hearted apology. She didn’t bother to hide it, either. With a faint, reluctant frown, she replied, “Is that all? Well, I suppose that’ll have to do. Just make sure this doesn’t happen again.”
She looked right at Lauren, mouth curving into an almost-smile. “How long have I even been at the Institute? And yet I seem to have crossed paths with Ms. Brennan an awful lot already. Haven’t even had time to settle in.”
Her words made everyone pause-she was right.
The very day Anastasia had arrived to register, she’d run into Lauren at the entrance. Right there, in front of the cameras, Lauren had implied she’d cheated her way in.
The next day, before Anastasia was even familiar with the place, Lauren had “given her an opportunity”-putting her on the team to treat Mr. Calderon. The source of thɪs content is.net
True, it turned out to be a real chance for Anastasia. She’d performed a miracle, waking a man from a vegetative state and leaving everyone in the Institute stunned.
But hadn’t Lauren insisted Anastasia was an imposter? Why send her to treat a patient at all? Unless she’d hoped to see her fail in front of everyone.
Now, with this new perspective, the pattern became obvious. Lauren’s actions weren’t coincidences-they were calculated.
And then there was the matter of treating Mr. Harrison Lancaster.
Mr. Lancaster had been ill for ages. Why had Lauren never volunteered to treat him before? Why wait until Anastasia arrived at the
Institute and, conveniently ne
unt
everyone discovered that M Lancaster and Anastasia were married?
And now, today—Lauren had called everyone to this meeting, pushed for a vote,
and tried to have Anastasia expelled from the Institute.
One incident might have been nothing, but strung together, it was clear: every
time, Lauren had been the instigator.
Was she really not doing this deliberately?
Mr. Lockwood, who had been over in Riverton for the past few days and hadn’t followed the events here closely, now found her mood turning complicated as she pieced ifall together.
She regarded Lauren in a new light. She’d once thought this young woman was worth
mentoring-perhaps even her even turned
successor. She blind
eye as Lauren built her own following within the Institute, thinking it a sign of leadership.
But now, for the first time, she began to have doubts.