Chapter 189: Framing

On Monday, Amanda Vance left home a bit earlier than usual since she was now living farther from the hospital. She dropped Jean Vance at school first, then drove to the hospital.

Time flew by as she moved from one patient’s consultation to the next. It was 12:10 PM by the time she was finally done.

Amanda stretched and rubbed her neck. With her hands in her pockets, she ambled forward. Once inside the elevator, she glanced at her phone. She knew Jean was still worried about her; he had been stealing glances at her all morning when she dropped him off, trying to see if she was feeling any better.

’He’s probably still thinking about it.’ She looked down and sent him a message to reassure him. Just as she finished, the elevator doors opened. She stepped out, and the moment she entered the cafeteria, she felt all sorts of gazes on her.

All too familiar. Just like the way her classmates used to look at her back in school.

Gossipy, disdainful, and full of unconcealed contempt.

Amanda’s steps faltered slightly. She looked up, her gaze meeting a few of theirs. They all quickly looked away, turning to talk to their companions while secretly peeking at her.

Even without hearing their conversation, she could guess they were talking about her.

And it wasn’t anything good.

"Oof—" Someone next to her suddenly bumped into her, spilling soup all over her. Amanda Vance turned to look at the woman, her expression indifferent, but with an added touch of coldness in her eyes.

Meeting her gaze, the woman flinched and shrank back, startled. She put on an apologetic expression. "I’m so sorry, so sorry! I didn’t do it on purpose. I’m really sorry I got your clothes dirty. Let me wipe it for you."

As she spoke, her hand reached for Amanda Vance’s arm.

Amanda Vance frowned, glanced at the woman’s stomach, and sidestepped her. "No need," she said coolly.

A flicker crossed the woman’s eyes. "I should at least wipe it. Or you could take off your shirt, and I’ll wash it for you."

With that, her hand reached for Amanda Vance again.

"No need." Amanda Vance blocked her wrist, refusing again.

But the instant their fingers touched, the woman plopped onto the floor, clutching her stomach with a pained expression. She didn’t forget to cry out, "Why did you push me? I already said I was sorry!"

Watching her, Amanda Vance slowly withdrew her hand. As she felt the accusing stares from the crowd, and even saw some people taking out their phones to photograph her, a flash of impatience crossed her eyes.

Another scream rang out.

"Blood!"

Everyone’s eyes fell on the woman on the floor. They saw that she was bleeding, and her legs were quickly becoming stained with blood. It was a horrifying sight.

The cafeteria immediately devolved into chaos.

Some people rushed to call for a doctor, but more of them just stared at Amanda Vance with condemning eyes.

"Tch! And she calls herself a doctor! Pushing a pregnant woman... She’s deranged, an absolute monster!"

"Ha! This is the woman who sent the very parents who raised her to prison. Is there anything she’s not capable of?"

"That happened? I heard she never even graduated from college—she was expelled. Must have a terrible character. No idea how she got into Central Hospital."

"She’s so inhuman. Look at her, she’s still so cold, acting like nothing happened."

"Tell me about it. So cold-blooded."

"..."

The voices flooded her ears. With every sentence she heard, Amanda Vance’s expression grew a shade colder.

She stared coldly at the woman wailing in agony on the floor and suddenly said, "You’re being too loud."

"What?"

The room went quiet for a moment. Even the "pregnant" woman on the floor forgot to cry out in pain and just stared at her, stunned.

Amanda Vance stared right at her and repeated, "You’re being too loud. Someone who’s lost this much blood wouldn’t be able to scream that loudly. Also..."

She crouched down, dabbed a bit of the blood on her fingertip, and sniffed it. A mocking look appeared on her face. "Doctors deal with blood more than anyone. Human blood or chicken blood? We can tell at a glance."

Before anyone could react, she suddenly reached for the woman’s stomach and ripped the fake belly off, along with a blood pack. She tossed them aside, her tone even more disdainful. "Next time, why don’t you find a real pregnant woman and use some real human blood?"

The room fell dead silent.

Everyone was stunned by her actions.

Amanda Vance turned and walked toward the elevator. Not a single person dared to stop her.

"Where’s the patient?" A nurse pushing a gurney rushed out of the elevator. Seeing the crowded room, she frowned and shouted, "Everyone, make way!"

She looked up and saw Amanda Vance. Noticing the blood on her hands, the nurse was startled. "Dr. Vance, where’s the patient?"

"Over there." Amanda Vance turned to the side and pointed at the woman on the floor. "I’ve already made a preliminary diagnosis. You can send her directly to the psychiatric department. Suspected delusional disorder—she imagines she’s pregnant."

"Huh?" The nurse was taken aback. By now, she had also seen the fake belly on the floor and the woman’s flat stomach. Her brow furrowed again. ’Weren’t we told there was a pregnant woman? How is it a fake?’

’What a waste of time.’

Ignoring the aftermath, Amanda Vance pressed the elevator button in front of everyone. No one dared to get in with her.

She watched them dispassionately. Only when the elevator doors had fully closed did the people outside let out a collective, heavy sigh of relief.

"What’s going on here?" the nurse asked. She’d been in the middle of lunch when she heard a pregnant woman was hemorrhaging in the cafeteria. She had run over without even swallowing her food, only to find... this?

’A prank?’

Anyone would be in a bad mood.

No one in the crowd said a word. Even the fake pregnant woman scrambled to her feet and scurried away in shame.

Her clothes were covered in greasy stains, and the chicken blood on her hands was nauseating. With a cold expression, Amanda Vance got out of the elevator, ignored the gawking stares of others, and walked straight to the restroom to scrub her hands fiercely.

She didn’t stop until they were clean. She cupped some water and splashed it on her face. The cold temperature helped calm her down. Leaning her hands on the edge of the sink, she let the water drip down as she tried to suppress her emotions.

’It still got to me, after all.’

’A cheap trick, a boring stunt, but it was still disgusting.’

’If they had been just a little more ruthless and used a real pregnant woman today, it wouldn’t have mattered what the truth was. Whether I pushed her or not, I would never be able to practice medicine again.’

’So vicious.’

’Every single time, they come with the intent to ruin me.’

Amanda Vance closed her eyes, suppressing the uncontrollable rage bubbling up inside her.

Her phone buzzed. She glanced at it, her face impassive. But when she saw the message, her expression softened.

’Thankfully, I still have Jean.’

’No matter when, no matter what happens, he’s always on my side.’

She caressed the phone screen, took a deep breath, dried her face with a paper towel, and changed her clothes before heading to her consultation room.

She flexed her wrists. She knew this was only the beginning.

’If it ended here, it would be a real waste of the mastermind’s painstaking efforts.’

She let out a sarcastic laugh. Hearing approaching footsteps, she looked up.

Mr. Lynch hurried over, panting heavily. He didn’t even bother to knock, pushing the door right open as he came in. "Master," he said, "this is bad! There are reporters outside!"