Anastasia suddenly raised her hand, cutting her off mid-sentence. “If I’m not mistaken, the one behind this whole mess targeting me is Lauren, isn’t it? She’s been so hostile, nearly got me kicked out of Global Harmony Medical Institute, and now she can’t even bother to say sorry.”
“And you expect me to believe she’s a good person?”
A wry, sardonic smile tugged at the corner of her lips.
Cora froze.
Her mouth opened, instinctively searching for words to defend Lauren, but nothing came. Anastasia was right, every word. There was no way to argue.
Seeing the struggle on Cora’s face, Anastasia let out a short, derisive laugh, her contempt plain as day.
“I’d never met Lauren before, only ever heard people singing her praises—how she’s got such impeccable character, a genius in medicine. Now that I’ve seen the real thing? What a disappointment.”
“Impeccable character? All I’ve seen is her jealousy toward newcomers, using her authority for personal grudges, pushing out anyone she doesn’t like.”
“A medical genius? I haven’t seen that either—just someone so arrogant she nearly killed Mr. Calderon, and in the end, I was the one who had to save him. If that’s what you call genius, well, I’m absolutely stunned.”
With that, Anastasia strode off, leaving Cora standing there in the hallway.
Cora realized, with a sinking feeling, that she couldn’t argue with a single thing Anastasia had said—because it was all true.
How had she failed to see it before? The facts were staring her in the face, and yet she’d looked past them.
Lost in thought, Cora wandered back down the corridor and nearly walked right into Erin and Lauren, who were coming from the other direction.
“Cora! Where’d you disappear to?” Erin called, worry in her voice. “You didn’t answer your messages—we’ve been looking all over for you!”
The three of them always stuck together, so for Cora to run off on her own was out of character.
Not long ago, Lauren had been the one everyone obeyed at Global Harmony. Now, the tables had turned—she was expected to take orders from Anastasia. No wonder she looked ready to explode.
Clutching her phone tightly, Lauren turned to Erin and snapped, “Tell Jay and the others—no one goes to that meeting. Not a single person.”
Let’s see how Anastasia runs her precious meeting then.
Cora, who’d been lost in her own thoughts, jerked her head up in shock. Erin looked just as startled. If no one showed up, Anastasia would be utterly humiliated.
“But... Anastasia has the director’s full support now. Lauren, if we do this—”
“Just do as I say.” Lauren’s tone left no room for argument.
Anastasia thought she could just waltz in and take her place? Let’s see how long she can keep that seat.

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