Chapter 64: Questioning, Slander, Ridicule, Bring it on
"I know." But Ava looked completely calm.
Hawk frowned, his powerful presence filling the room. "Our hospital has so many doctors with more experience, seniority, and reputation than you. What makes you think you can skip over all of them and become the director of cardiac surgery?"
"Because I'm capable, and because Mr. Miller has a good eye for talent."
"..."
"..."
Seeing Ava's confident and self-assured manner, Hawk was actually amused despite his anger.
"You're overconfident," Barry said in a heavy voice.
"Confident, yes, but my confidence comes from having exceptional abilities and solid skills. When I came to this hospital, I faced all kinds of cold stares, doubts, and even slander.
I know you all have many issues with me taking this position, but since I had the guts to accept it despite all the controversy, I'm ready to face any challenge.
Doubt me, slander me, mock me—bring it on!
I'll prove to everyone with patient after patient I cure, surgery after surgery I complete successfully, that I'm the only one fit for this director position.
If I don't have the ability or skills, you're welcome to pull me down from this position. I'll accept whatever comes."
Ava's voice was cool and detached, leaving no room for argument, her strong presence commanding attention.
Hawk and Barry exchanged glances. Her overconfident words didn't make them feel any disgust. Instead, their eyes flickered with interest in this young woman with such bold claims.
She would prove to everyone with patient after patient she cured, surgery after surgery she completed successfully, that she was the only one fit for the director position.
Such arrogance, such bold words—what kind of confidence must she have to say such things?
How many doctors her age or even older would dare to speak like this?
Mia saw the light in Hawk and Barry's eyes and panicked, immediately giving Dean a look.
Dean, who had accidentally gotten caught up in Ava's powerful presence, finally snapped out of it, though his gaze still couldn't leave her.
He had to admit that Ava like this radiated an undeniable brilliance that firmly captured everyone's attention.
Mia was grinding her teeth in frustration, unable to believe that her perfectly planned scheme had been turned around by just a few words from Ava.
She couldn't accept it!
How could she accept it!
"Dr. Palmer." Mia couldn't hold back anymore and called out to Dean with a clenched fist as a reminder.
"What?" Dean looked at Mia, startled.
"Your water's about to spill." Mia suppressed the anger in her chest and "kindly" reminded him that the water in the cup he was holding was about to spill over while he'd been staring at Ava in a daze.
Only when Dean saw Mia's expression did he fully come back to his senses. He immediately said, "Dr. Davis, no matter what you say, based on what we know about you, you only have a high school education, studied medicine for two years before being expelled from school for misconduct and moral deficiency, doing things that violated ethics. Our hospital doesn't hire doctors like you. You must have used some kind of methods to get into our hospital. Although we don't know what methods you used, these rumors make us have to suspect you..."
Ava straightened up slightly, raised an eyebrow and smiled. "Expelled for moral deficiency? Got in through connections? Rumors?"
Ava deliberately paused, her gaze fixed squarely on Dean, asking calmly, "So you mean you have no real evidence, right?"
Dean's heart skipped a beat. He hadn't expected Ava to be so aggressive. Just listening to her speak earlier, he could feel her strong presence, and now being questioned by her under her forceful gaze, he instinctively held his breath and became more guarded.
Ava deliberately paused and glanced at Mia, who was seething with anger.
"I first heard these words from Dr. Wilson. Dr. Wilson told you all this, didn't she?"
"I..." Mia was caught off guard by being mentioned, her expression suddenly changing.
Ava's calm and unhurried manner made her panic instead, and she became more cautious.
But Ava completely ignored her, continuing in the same calm and detached tone, "Let me guess what else Dr. Wilson said. She must have said I had bad conduct, was expelled from university for seducing a teacher, that I'm a doctor with no ability or morals, that having a doctor like me in the hospital simply ruins the hospital's overall image, that she's not targeting me specifically, just thinking of the hospital, not wanting to tolerate this kind of behavior... Everyone, am I wrong?"
Ava could recite without thinking all those words Mia used to put her down while making herself look good, making it sound like all her motives were well-intentioned.
Everyone stared blankly at Ava, then looked at Mia, thinking back and realizing Mia had indeed said all these things to them.
Mia's expression stiffened, and seeing the looks on everyone's faces, her hand resting casually on the armrest tightened.
Ava's words made them think deeply.
If spoken in Mia's righteous tone, others would think she had no ill intentions and was just wholeheartedly thinking of the hospital.
But hearing Ava say it in such a flat tone completely changed the meaning.
Every word was telling them how terrible Ava was, making them dislike Ava, stirring them up to oppose Ava's director position.
She was clearly jealous of someone else and talking badly about them, yet pretending to be acting for the greater good.
Using others as a weapon while maintaining her own kind and innocent image—killing two birds with one stone. Brilliant.
Ava's simple few sentences made Mia's position extremely awkward.
Mia forced a smile, playing the victim perfectly as she asked, "Dr. Davis, isn't what I said the truth?"
"The truth?"