Chapter 343
Kendrick nodded. “Very well. Come when you have time.”
Brad bent slightly to speak to Rylie through the window. “I’m off.”
“Goodbye,” Rylie replied.
That evening, the Navy Political Department released an official statement about the online uproar over the “HaloFlow Hospital Recruitment Controversy.” After a special investigation team verified the facts, the details were posted on the department’s portal. Major news outlets shared the statement widely, except for Crolens Evening News, which remained notably silent.
Social media lit up with debates after questions surfaced about whether retired soldiers were truly qualified to serve as medical professionals. To clear the air, Navy Headquarters stepped in, releasing combat medic certifications and evaluations from expert panels — solid proof that these veterans were fully prepared to work in private hospitals.
As soon as details of their service records spread across the web, admiration followed like wildfire. People couldn’t stop talking about their bravery and experience.
One user wrote, “I’d trust them with my life. The media that twisted the truth should be held accountable!”
Meanwhile, accusations of corruption at HaloFlow Hospital and the false reporting by Crolens Evening News were both addressed with official statements.
Once it came to light that the hospital’s richest backer was the Owen family, the public’s anger toward Crolens Evening News exploded.
The network was hit with a sweeping investigation, the kind it had never faced before, and everyone tied to the scandal was barred from returning to journalism.
Those who started the mess — Trevor among them — were permanently banned from medicine, while Yashiro was fired and placed under investigation for abuse of power, which led to a full-blown police department shake-up.
Stacey, who had been quietly following the news from home, couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief. She thought to herself how fortunate she was to have noticed that something was amiss and fled in time; otherwise, she’d be in deep trouble.
“With these reports out, I should be in the clear,” she muttered under her breath. “Rylie really lucked out — can’t believe she got off without a scratch.”
She headed to a job site to upload her resume, only to find her email account had been locked.
“Huh? What is this?”
Right as confusion set in, Leland’s firm knock echoed from the hallway. His voice was tight. “Stacey, open the door. Someone’s here asking for you.”
She didn’t catch the tension in his voice. “Yeah, yeah. I’m coming.”
She stepped out of her room and pulled the door open, only to find two uniformed military officers with stony expressions standing just behind Leland.
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