Chapter 4

I stopped and looked down at the cart.

Three large boxes, all packed with my own things.

But before I could speak, in full view of everyone, the head nurse rushed over.

"Chloe, open your boxes. I need to inspect them."

I blocked her path. "You don't have that authority."

Though I was speaking to the head nurse, my eyes were locked on Melody the whole time.

Because it was after Melody whispered to the head nurse that she called me out.

And I'd packed everything under the head nurse's nose in the first place.

Melody stroked her belly, calmly meeting my gaze.

But the head nurse had already pushed me aside and turned the boxes completely upside down.

"You can't take this banner. This represents the department's honor, not your personal achievement!"

I pointed at the words on the banner. "The department's honor? Head nurse, this has my personal name on it."

"Still not allowed." The head nurse carelessly tossed the banner aside.

"These operation manuals and training notes can't be taken either. These are our department's confidential materials!"

"The preserved flowers from discharged patients can't go either. They gave those to you because of the department's reputation!"

Eventually, the head nurse even took the half-used notebook and pen from my hands.

"These also belong to our department. Chloe, you can't be a thief!"

I looked at the mess on the floor, having no doubt that after I left, all of this would end up in the trash.

The head nurse didn't want any of it. She just wanted to humiliate me.

Finally, the head nurse pulled out those eight certificates of excellence.

After thinking for a moment, she shoved them into the paper shredder.

"Chloe, you earned these honors by relying on our department. How dare you take them?"

I listened to the sound of the shredder working. Crunch, crunch.

Ten seconds to destroy eight years of my hard work.

But I didn't argue. I didn't even move.

After all, I didn't care about these worthless pieces of paper I'd earned through self-sacrifice anymore.

"Look more carefully. Make sure you didn't miss anything." I even smiled slightly.

The head nurse seemed surprised by my reaction and froze for a moment.

And at that exact moment, Melody stepped forward.

"Head nurse, although I shouldn't get involved in your department's affairs, we're all friends, so I'll speak up."

"The nurse's uniform Chloe is wearing still belongs to your department. I wonder if it'll be useful later?"

The moment she said this, the department fell silent.

I looked at Melody. Her expression was innocent, but her eyes held malice.

The head nurse immediately caught on, pointing at my nose.

"Dr. Harris is right. Chloe! Take off that uniform right now! It belongs to the department!"

Seeing that I wasn't moving, the head nurse even tried to grab me.

I stepped back twice and slowly removed my nurse's uniform, draping it over a chair.

"Very good. You've done very well. I'll remember this."

With that, I pulled my nearly empty boxes and walked out.

The moment I turned the corner, I heard footsteps behind me. "Nurse Chloe, wait."

It was Melody.

She caught up in a few steps. The politeness she'd shown in front of everyone had completely vanished. She frowned at me.

"Chloe, who told you to go to the director and make trouble? Who told you to blow this up?"

"Do you know what people are saying about me now? That I used connections to force you out!"

"Oh." I suddenly laughed. So that's why Melody targeted me today.

"Isn't that the truth, Dr. Harris?"

Melody hadn't heard the groveling apology she'd imagined. Her face instantly flushed red.

"Chloe, I really don't understand why someone with no connections like you acts so arrogant."

I didn't answer. I just slowly turned around.

Melody thought she'd won this silent war, that she'd secured the right to have a child.

The head nurse thought she'd won prestige, that she could trample this veteran employee underfoot.

But they were wrong.

I didn't care. I didn't care about competing with them for status.

I was just waiting for the moment when the real show began.