Chapter 98

Chapter 98

She hadn't wanted to stoop to Cressida's level, but Cressida had gone too far—not only deliberately making things difficult for her but also hurling false accusations. Did she really think she was a pushover?

"Complain?" Cressida scoffed dismissively, her face full of contempt. "You think the head nurse will believe you? You're just a woman who relies on a man for support. Without Mr. Brown, you're nothing. Besides crying and begging men for help, what else can you do?"

"I'm just educating my student, teaching her not to go down the wrong path in the future. If you're taking it personally, that's your own guilty conscience talking." Cressida continued, turning to Azalea, "Remember this—stay away from women like her. Don't let her corrupt you. A woman can only stand tall by relying on herself. Those who depend on men will never be able to hold their heads up."

Azalea kept her head down, not daring to speak, but she didn't agree with Cressida's approach at all. She could tell that Cressida was deliberately making things difficult for Ophelia out of jealousy over William treating Ophelia well. Besides, Ophelia didn't seem like the kind of person Cressida was describing at all.

Looking at Cressida's ugly behavior, Ophelia's anger finally boiled over. She shot back directly: "Whether I rely on a man or not is none of your business. My husband and I have a great relationship, and if he wants to spoil me, that's my good fortune. That's better than certain people who can't stand seeing others happy and only gossip behind their backs and use dirty tricks to make patients suffer."

"You're a nurse—saving lives is your job. Not only do you not do your work properly, but you deliberately make things difficult for patients and speak rudely. Do you even deserve to be a nurse?"

Cressida hadn't expected Ophelia to talk back to her. She instantly flew into a rage, her face turning red and white alternately, pointing at Ophelia's nose: "How dare you talk to me like that? I see you've been spoiled rotten by your man—you're way too arrogant!"

"I'm just telling the truth," Ophelia said coldly, looking at her. "I'm asking you to apologize to me right now, or I'll go find Selene and let her judge this situation."

"Apologize? Why should I apologize to you?" Cressida sneered, completely dropping all pretense. "Who do you think you are? You're just a woman who lives off a man. What right do you have to demand an apology from me? I think you need to be taught a lesson!"

As she spoke, she reached out to yank Ophelia's IV tube, wanting to deliberately torment Ophelia and make her feel some pain.

Ophelia reacted quickly, pushing her away directly. The force wasn't great, but it made Cressida stumble. Ophelia's eyes were ice-cold as she issued a warning: "Don't go too far. I'm telling you, don't push me to get physical."

Cressida steadied herself, her face flushed red with anger. Just as she was about to explode, the hospital room door suddenly opened, and William walked in. Seeing the tense standoff inside and Ophelia's reddened eyes, his brow furrowed immediately, and he quickly walked to her side.

"What's going on?" He reached out to support Ophelia, his eyes full of concern, then glanced at Cressida with an icy tone carrying heavy pressure.

Seeing William, Cressida's eyes lit up instantly. Her earlier arrogance vanished completely, immediately replaced by a pitiful expression. With reddened eyes, she walked up to William, trying to grab his arm, her voice tearful: "Mr. Brown, thank goodness you're here. Ms. Blake... she wouldn't cooperate with the dressing change and even pushed me. I was just trying to change her dressing properly, and she yelled at me. I feel so wronged."

She twisted the truth, painting herself as the victim, trying to gain William's sympathy by playing pitiful, thinking William would take her side.

But William didn't even glance at her. He even instinctively moved aside, avoiding her touch, all his attention on Ophelia. He looked down at her: "What did she do to you? Are you uncomfortable anywhere?"

Ophelia leaned against him and helplessly recounted what had happened.

Cressida panicked and quickly defended herself: "Mr. Brown, she's lying! I didn't! She's framing me!"

"Whether I'm lying or not, just ask the intern beside you," Ophelia said coldly, looking at Cressida.

Then she said to Azalea, "Go get your head nurse. I want to discuss this matter in front of Selene. People like this staying in the hospital will only make patients suffer—she doesn't deserve to be a nurse."

She smiled at Azalea, her tone gentle, telling her not to be afraid: "Don't worry, I'm here. She won't do anything to you. You're just telling the truth—there's nothing wrong with that."

Azalea nodded, as if encouraged, and immediately turned and ran out of the room to find head nurse Selene Peterson. She had long wanted Selene to properly deal with Cressida.

Watching Azalea's retreating figure, Cressida completely panicked. She grabbed William's sleeve, trying to plead, but William disgustedly shook off her hand, his eyes full of revulsion: "Don't touch me."

Cressida stumbled and fell to the ground. Watching William's attentive care toward Ophelia, the jealousy and resentment in her heart nearly overflowed, yet she was completely helpless.

Before long, Selene hurried over with Azalea. Upon entering, she saw Cressida on the floor and William's icy expression. Her heart jumped, knowing something had happened. She quickly walked up to William with a respectful attitude.

"Mr. Brown, Ms. Blake, I'm so sorry you've been wronged. What exactly happened?" Selene's tone was nervous. She knew William's status—offending him would bring trouble to the entire hospital.

Ophelia recounted what had happened to Selene again. Azalea also testified from the side, telling everything Cressida had done. Selene's expression grew increasingly grim. She turned to look at Cressida on the floor, her eyes full of anger.

"Cressida! You've disappointed me so much!" Selene scolded. "Our hospital's mission is to serve patients, and what do you do? You deliberately make things difficult for patients, speak rudely, and even try to physically harm them. Are you worthy of that nurse's uniform you're wearing?"

"Selene, I was wrong, I was really wrong. Please give me one more chance. I'll never do it again!" Cressida cried and begged, trying to get up from the floor and grab Selene's hand.

"Another chance? When you did these things, didn't you think about the consequences?" Selene's attitude was firm, giving her no opportunity. "From now on, you're fired. Go process your resignation immediately and never appear in this hospital again!"

This outcome was something Cressida hadn't expected. She slumped on the floor, her face ashen. She knew her nursing career was completely ruined.

Selene kept apologizing to Ophelia and William, saying she had failed in her management and would definitely strengthen nurse supervision in the future to prevent such incidents from happening again. She even personally changed Ophelia's dressing, her movements gentle, afraid of upsetting them.

Ophelia and William didn't say much more. After Selene said a few more apologetic words, she left with Cressida. As Cressida was leaving, she glared fiercely at Ophelia, her eyes full of resentment, but she could only leave.